How To Write A Career Change Cover Letter (With Examples)

Your opening line should be engaging while remaining relevant to the position. Consider sharing a relevant experience or expressing genuine enthusiasm for the role right away.

As a career changer, emphasize your transferable skills and experiences. For example, if transitioning from customer service to sales, your opening could look like this:

Cover Letter Body Paragraph(s)

In the body paragraphs of your cover letter, demonstrate to recruiters that your skills extend beyond what’s immediately visible.

Highlight both your hard skills, such as certifications and technical proficiencies, and your soft skills, which are character traits like attention to detail, time management, and ability to thrive in high-pressure situations. Emphasize these soft skills, as they’re often not highlighted in your resume, and explain how they would be advantageous in the new role.

A helpful tip for identifying which transferable skills to focus on is to refer to the job description for specific keywords to include in your letter.

Notice how the candidate highlights past job performance while focusing on transferable skills and experiences. Candidates already in the industry may have specific examples of success in similar roles.

Even as you embark on a new career path, it’s important to discuss your past achievements. Whether you increased sales, gained client acquisitions, or received awards for meeting benchmarks, these concrete indicators of performance can translate into potential success in your new role.

Cover Letter Closing Lines

Your closing statement is just as crucial as your opening lines, as it’s what the reader will remember most clearly.

A strong way to conclude your cover letter is with a positive statement expressing your enthusiasm for the role and gratitude to the hiring manager for their time. A brief summary of your work history and a call to action are also effective to include.

Here’s an example of how this might look:

Cover Letter Sign-off and Signature

After concluding your letter, use a professional sign-off such as “Sincerely,” followed by your signature. Here’s what this looks like for a printed letter:

For an email or digital copy:

Career Change Cover Letter Example

Now that you have the fundamentals of writing cover letters down, it’s time to create your own. Review the professional cover letter examples below, but remember to personalize each one. Each cover letter should be tailored to the specific position you’re applying for.

Email Cover Letter Example

Email cover letters follow the same structure as traditional career change cover letters; however, there are specific considerations for execution.

Include your full name and the role you’re applying for in the email subject line. Some job postings will specify whether the cover letter should be sent as an email attachment or within the email body, so pay attention to those details.

If no specifications are provided, you can simply use the salutation (omit the preceding contact information typically included in a standard cover letter) and paste your letter directly into the email. Here’s a simple email career change cover letter sample:

Tips for Writing a Career Change Cover Letter

1. Explain your motivation for the career change. This is a common question that any applicant seeking a new career may face in a job interview, so it’s beneficial to address it in your cover letter.

   Employers typically want to understand why you left your last job, and transitioning careers often raises questions. Your reason could be a desire to explore something new in a post-pandemic job market. Maybe you have a friend in the industry and feel your skill set aligns more closely with a role similar to theirs.

   There isn’t a right or wrong reason; just ensure you give the hiring manager insight into why you want this position despite your different background.

   While I excel in customer service, I find I’m most engaged and perform at my best when I help a customer discover a new solution rather than just fixing a problem with their current product. When my supervisor mentioned that no customer service rep she managed achieved higher conversion rates than me, it resonated with me.

2. Demonstrate your passion for your new direction. This is your opportunity to shine and set yourself apart from other applicants. What excites you about the industry, and specifically this role?

   Articulate your enthusiasm for this journey and why you would be a great fit for the team. Share the source of this passion to add a personal touch, and explain how this drive will contribute to your success in the role.

   I thrive on helping customers find top-quality solutions while maintaining brand loyalty. I aspire to extend your company’s products and services to a broader audience because I believe there is no superior POS service than what you offer.

3. Prove your understanding of the company. Hiring managers seek candidates who have a genuine interest in their organization. Do you have personal motivations for wanting to join the company? Do they have a social impact team whose initiatives you admire?

   Dive deeper and conduct thorough research. Show the recruiter how your values align with those of the company.

   Start by visiting the company’s website, but also explore LinkedIn. Examine employee profiles, particularly those in roles similar to the one you’re applying for. You can gain valuable insights about a company from its employees beyond what’s available on the website.

   I noticed your corporate motto, “Listen First,” resonates with me deeply. Sales, like customer service, centers around accurately identifying pain points and offering solutions that may not be immediately apparent to the customer. I make it a priority to allow clients to express their needs at the beginning of discussions, which informs my strategy for assisting them.

Career Change Cover Letter FAQ

1. How long should a career change cover letter be?

   A career change cover letter should be about half a page or three to four paragraphs. Your letter should be between 200 and 400 words, making it important to be concise and direct.

2. How do you indicate that you are changing careers in a cover letter?

   You should clarify your reasons for seeking a career change and show enthusiasm for your new direction when mentioning a career shift in a cover letter.

   A potential employer will want to understand why you left your previous job and why you are leaving the field entirely. Clearly explaining your motivations will provide them with better context.

3. What should be avoided when writing a cover letter?

   Avoid spelling and grammar errors in your cover letter. Such mistakes can come across as unprofessional. Additionally, steer clear of generic content; make sure to tailor your letter to each company you apply to and try to identify the recipient’s name.

Ask the Experts

How To Write A Career Change Cover Letter

Nicole Ozburn
Human Resources Director

While some elements are industry-specific, they can often be quickly learned due to similar experiences in other fields. For example, if transitioning from Human Resources to Marketing, I would emphasize my recruitment skills and how I have marketed positions in the past. It’s also crucial to explain the reason behind the career change. Whether due to economic shifts, the pandemic, or gaining additional skills through education, these factors can compel an employer to consider my resume.

How To Write A Career Change Cover Letter

Kevin Daniels
Owner and Lead Copywriter

Capturing the reader’s attention from the start is vital and has proven effective. You could even begin with a quote from a recognized expert in your desired field (or a famous figure) to set the tone for your letter. Additionally, using a bulleted format for the body of the letter can be eye-catching and provide structure for seamlessly adding tailored content as needed.

Highlighting transferable skills is crucial in transition cover letters (and resumes, as well). Consider searching for “Work Skills” and “Work Traits” online; this will yield many examples that can help you discern the difference and choose traits that resonate with your professional brand.

Also, remember to avoid including too much content unique to the industry you’re leaving.

Example:

In my 14-year career with Boeing Commercial Airplanes, I became a noted expert in DfX and APQP methodologies…

Better:

In over a decade of experience, I have achieved noteworthy SME status in Lean/Six Sigma and related compliance directives, delivering millions in recurring savings to the business…

This phrasing uses the universally applicable terms “Lean” and “Six Sigma,” which are relevant in any business or manufacturing context, rather than pigeonholing yourself into an Aerospace-centric view.

References

1. Harvard Extension School – Resume and Cover Letters

Author

Chris Kolmar

Chris Kolmar is a co-founder of Zippia and the editor-in-chief of the Zippia career advice blog. He has hired over 50 people in his career, been hired five times, and wants to help you land your next job. His research has been featured on the New York Times, Thrillist, VOX, The Atlantic, and a host of local news. More recently, he's been quoted on USA Today, BusinessInsider, and CNBC.

Expert

Matt Warzel, CPRW, CIR

Matt Warzel a President of a resume writing firm (MJW Careers, LLC) with 15+ years of recruitment, outplacement, career coaching and resume writing experience. Matt is also a Certified Professional Resume Writer (CPRW) and Certified Internet Recruiter (CIR) with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration (Marketing Focus) from John Carroll University.