Changing Careers? Here Are Some Helpful Cover Letter Tips!

Do you leave work every day dreaming about moving on to a new career? Are you considering a new direction in your career? You are certainly not alone in thinking about changing careers. In fact it's probably more common that you think.

Once you've assessed your interests and skills, researched a possible new career and worked hard to add to your applicable skills, you believe you're ready to make your move. You've networked with people who can help you open doors into your new field.

Now you have to write a cover letter supporting your resume. The question you have is how do you market yourself for a career in which you have limited or no direct experience?

The resume cover letter can be the bridge that highlights you transferable skills, your relevant experience and education and even your passion for your new career. Your cover letter should send a powerful message clearly demonstrating how you would contribute to the employer.

Here are some ideas you can use to draft a great resume cover letter:

First, don't make the mistake of writing how the career or job will help you. Employers couldn't care what the job will do for you; their focus is what you can do for them. They have a problem and they what some assurance that you are the person to solve it for them.

Examine the differences in these two cover letter examples:

Before: "I was excited to learn about your search for a customer service manager. The position will help me build my customer service management skills and qualify for additional management opportunities."

After: "Your customer service manager opening is a close match to my skills and qualifications. Your customers will quickly benefit from my customer service skills, my proven experience in leading a group providing excellent customer service, my positive approach to solving problems and my abilities to generate goal exceeding results."

Another issue many career changers have a problem with is that they may lack direct experience but many other skills may be transferable from other jobs and careers. Your challenge is to show employers how these skills would, if you were hired, enable you to excel in the position.

Here's an excellent cover letter example how a determined career changer presented his skills:

"You will find in me a motivated career changer that will take over 10 years of leading sales management into your customer service position. My skills relevant to the position are excellent communication skills, proven leadership qualities, and most important my working with customers and partners successfully resolving a wide variety of issues."

Although customer service duties were only a small part of this job hunters experience he wrote the statement highlighting the employer's needs.

Applicants who are up-beat, enthusiastic and motivated to succeed rank high with employers. Here's how you might show these qualities in the resume cover letter:

"My background in sales combined with my success in building positive relationships with customers should be of immediate value to your customers. My proven leadership abilities and problem solving skills will provide additional direct customer benefits."

There is no need to hide behind you plans to change careers. Touching on the reasons for the career change may be appropriate but focus on what you can do for the employer. This will pay bigger dividends in the long run.