Writing a Cover Letter for Changing Career Path? Here's How (Examples + Pro Tips)

Feel like it's time for a change in your career? Whatever your reason may be, turning the wheel over to another industry or career field is never an easy task.

The fear of leaving something that's reliable and the insecurity of not going to make it in the new field are only a fraction of the struggles. You also have to compete with people who have relevant experience. On top of that, convincing the interviewer or hiring manager why you're willing to change your career and that you'd be great at it is a different kind of battle.

Your resume might not have all the relevant information for your new venture, but it's not a reason to fret. This is where a cover letter to explain your transition to a new career becomes an important weapon. A persuasive career change cover letter should show that despite the lack of relevant background or experience, you are still the best fit for the role.

This article will show you a step-by-step guide on how to write a cover letter for a career change that can engage the hiring manager. You'll pick up some tricks from reading some career change cover letter examples. We'll also show you a compelling career change cover letter template that you can use as a base for your career transition cover letter. Lastly, we'll reveal some useful tips on writing a cover letter for a career change.

There's no absolute right or wrong formula to write a cover letter for switching careers. However, to ensure your career shift cover letter shines brighter than the other candidates, follow the below steps.

Do thorough research about the company & new role.

This is your chance to check if you meet the minimum qualifications and find more information about the company you are applying to. Highlight your knowledge about the industry and the company on the cover letter when you're explaining a career change.

Start with an irresistible intro.

Briefly talk about your previous or current experience. You don't need to over-explain yourself on a cover letter for a job transition. But, you still need to present your background efficiently.

Express excitement and motivation.

On a career pivot cover letter, show them what excites you about transitioning into the field or industry. Let the hiring manager see that you are genuinely interested in the job opportunity and wouldn't mind starting from the bottom to learn.

Discuss transferable skills.

It might not always be obvious, but you probably already possess the skills to thrive in the new industry or field you want. Make sure you emphasize them in your career transition cover letter.

Focus on achievements in relevance to the transferable skills.

In support of your cover letter to explain your career change, illustrate those transferable skills with a concrete example by elaborating on your previous achievements. Having a quantifiable example on your cover letter for changing career fields will put less focus on the lack of experience, and in return, highlight the skills you do have.

Explain why you are switching careers.

Address the elephant in the room by conveying your reasons for changing career paths on your cover letter. This part of a career change cover letter can be tied with your passion for the field.

Find useful references and connections.

Reliable references (e.g. from your former or current managers, mentors, etc.) that can vouch for your qualifications become a crucial part of switching careers and should be included in your cover letter.

Review, edit, polish.

You are not fully finished writing a great cover letter for a career change if you haven't proofread it. Before sending in your application, read it over, and do grammar and spell-check. You can also share it with your friends to get a fresh eye review.

Cover letter for career change with no experience in the new field

Below is an example of a career change cover letter from retail to marketing.

Cover letter for career change to administrative assistant

Teacher career change cover letter

Cover letter for career change to information technology

Human resources cover letter career change

The journey in arriving at one's desired career field might be bumpy. So, to make it less complicated for you to write a convincing industry change cover letter, here's a free career change cover letter template that you can use. Remember to snip and add your own touch to it, though!

💡 Do a self-assessment of what transferable skills you have.

List down all your skills first and once you’ve reviewed all the job requirements and see which ones you can put on your career change resume. 

Here are some versatile skills (soft skills and hard skills) examples that you might want to consider when writing a career change cover letter:

• Public speaking
• Communication skills (verbal and written)
• Critical thinking
• Teamwork
• Time management
• Collaborative work tools (Notion, Slack, Monday)
• Google Ads and Trends
• Adobe Illustrator
• Adobe InDesign
• Coding (JavaScript)

💡 Use direct & concise language.

There’s a thin line between assertive and arrogant. Choose strong action verbs to write a cover letter for a career change to show confidence and keep your letter concise, especially when describing your previous roles and accomplishments. You don’t want to bore the reader with rambling language.

💡 Make sure the career shift cover letter is mistake-free.

Grammatical or spelling errors can be a deal-breaker for most recruiters. Evaluate each word and sentence to ensure its correctness.

💡 Include a CTA at the end of a career transition cover letter.

A cover letter for a job change is not successful if the recruiter doesn't reach out to you. An influential call-to-action sentence that urges them to invite you for an interview is a critical element to your career change cover letter.

💡 Personalize the career change cover letter.

By this, we mean tailor each of your career change cover letters to the company and position you apply for, as they might value different things.

--- Originally written by Teresa Edria ---