5 Career-Changing Resume Tips for Mid-Career Professionals

Highlighting Your Transferable Skills

One of the most important things you can do when writing a mid-career resume is to highlight your transferable skills. These are skills that you can use in a variety of different jobs, regardless of your industry or job title. For example, if you have experience in project management, you may be able to transfer those skills to a job in marketing or sales. Or, if you have experience in customer service, you may be able to transfer those skills to a job in human resources or public relations.

• Identify your transferable skills by thinking about the skills you’ve used in all of your previous jobs. What are the skills that you’re good at and that you enjoy doing?
• List your transferable skills in your resume summary and throughout your resume. Be sure to use specific examples to show how you’ve used these skills in your previous jobs.

Downplaying Irrelevant Experience

If you have a lot of experience in a field that is not relevant to the jobs you’re applying for, you may want to downplay that experience on your resume. For example, if you’re applying for a job in marketing but you have most of your experience in accounting, you may want to focus on your marketing experience and skills in your resume summary and leave out your accounting experience.

• Identify the skills and experience that are most relevant to the jobs you’re applying for.
• Highlight your relevant experience in your resume summary and throughout your resume.
• If you have irrelevant experience, you can still list it on your resume, but be sure to put it at the end of your resume and keep it brief.

Quantifying Your Accomplishments

When you’re writing your resume, it’s important to quantify your accomplishments whenever possible. This means using numbers and percentages to show the results of your work. For example, instead of saying “I managed a team of 10 people,” you could say “I managed a team of 10 people and increased sales by 20%.”

• Identify your accomplishments by thinking about the projects and tasks you’ve worked on in your previous jobs.
• Quantify your accomplishments by using numbers and percentages to show the results of your work.
• List your accomplishments in your resume summary and throughout your resume, using specific examples to show how you’ve contributed to your previous employers.

Networking Tips for Mid-Career Professionals

Networking is an important part of any job search, but it’s especially important for mid-career professionals. When you’re in the middle of your career, you may not have as many connections as you did when you were just starting out. But there are still plenty of ways to network and build relationships with people in your field.

Attend industry events

Industry events are a great way to meet people in your field and learn about new job opportunities. Attend conferences, workshops, and meetups to connect with other professionals and learn about the latest trends in your industry.

Join professional organizations

Professional organizations are another great way to network and build relationships with people in your field. Join organizations that are relevant to your industry and attend their events and meetings.

Get involved in your community

Getting involved in your community is a great way to meet people from all walks of life. Volunteer for a local organization or join a community group to connect with people who share your interests.

Using Your Resume to Target Your Ideal Job

When you’re writing your resume, it’s important to target it to the specific jobs you’re applying for. This means tailoring your resume to each job by highlighting the skills and experience that are most relevant to the job’s requirements.

• Research the jobs you’re applying for to learn about the specific skills and experience that employers are looking for.
• Highlight your relevant skills and experience in your resume summary and throughout your resume.
• Use keywords from the job description in your resume to make it easier for employers to find your resume when they’re searching for candidates.

Common Mistakes to Avoid When Writing a Mid-Career Resume

There are a few common mistakes that mid-career professionals often make when writing their resumes. Avoid these mistakes to make your resume stand out from the competition.

Using too much jargon

Jargon is technical language that is used by people in a particular field. While it’s important to use some jargon in your resume, using too much jargon can make your resume difficult to read for people who are not familiar with your industry.

Not quantifying your accomplishments

As mentioned above, it’s important to quantify your accomplishments whenever possible. This helps employers to see the results of your work and to understand your impact on your previous employers.

Not tailoring your resume to each job

As also mentioned above, it’s important to tailor your resume to each job you’re applying for. This means highlighting the skills and experience that are most relevant to the job’s requirements.

How to Tailor Your Resume to Each Job You Apply For

One of the most important things you can do when applying for a job is to tailor your resume to each job you apply for. This means highlighting the skills and experience that are most relevant to the job’s requirements.

• Research the job you’re applying for to learn about the specific skills and experience that the employer is looking for.
• Highlight your relevant skills and experience in your resume summary and throughout your resume.
• Use keywords from the job description in your resume to make it easier for employers to find your resume when they’re searching for candidates.

How to Use Keywords to Your Advantage

Keywords are words or phrases that employers use to search for resumes. When you include keywords in your resume, it makes it more likely that your resume will appear in search results.

• Research the jobs you’re applying for to learn about the specific keywords that employers are using.
• Use keywords throughout your resume, including in your resume summary, your skills section, and your experience section.
• Don’t overuse keywords. Using too many keywords can make your resume look spammy and can actually hurt your chances of getting noticed.

What to Do if You Have a Gap in Your Employment History

If you have a gap in your employment history, it’s important to address it in your resume. There are a few different ways to do this.

Include a brief explanation in your resume summary

In your resume summary, you can briefly explain why you have a gap in your employment history. For example, you could say that you were taking time off to care for a family member or that you were pursuing further education.

List your relevant skills and experience

Even if you have a gap in your employment history, you can still list your relevant skills and experience on your resume. This shows employers that you have the skills and knowledge that they’re looking for, even if you haven’t been working recently.

Volunteer or freelance

If you have a gap in your employment history, volunteering or freelancing can be a great way to gain experience and show employers that you’re still active and engaged in your field.

Following these tips can help you write a strong mid-career resume that will get you noticed by employers. Remember to highlight your transferable skills, downplay irrelevant experience, quantify your accomplishments, and tailor your resume to each job you apply for. With a little effort, you can write a resume that will help you land the job you want.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ’s)