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5 Career Change Cover Letter Examples Made for 2024
- Career Change Cover Letter
- Career Change No Experience
- HR Career Change
- Teacher Career Change
- RN Career Change Cover Letter
- Write Your Career Change Cover Letter
Switching careers can be equal parts exciting and daunting. You’re stepping into a whole new path, facing unknown challenges, and rebuilding your personal brand from scratch. There’s a lot at stake here, and to fight this battle and come out on top, you need to pick the right set of weapons.
Step one: a stellar career change resume tailored to match the job. Step two, however, is more challenging because you must write a cover letter to wow recruiters and express your excitement at a career change and for the company.
We’re here to help you navigate these murky waters and set the course for the career of your dreams. Our career change cover letter examples and free cover letter builder will help you craft a memorable job application.
Career Change Cover Letter Example
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Copy this text for your Career Change cover letter!
123 Fictional Avenue Tucson, AZ 85743 (123) 456-7890
June 15, 2023
Ingrid Persson Comcast 123 Fictional Lane Tucson, AZ 85743
Dear Ms. Persson:
As a sales manager, I was often told that my natural skillset was more aligned with marketing. While my passion for understanding consumers helped me excel in sales, I’ve always been fascinated by marketing. When I began to manage paid advertising campaigns at Oracle, my interest in marketing was confirmed. My initiative not only increased sales by 28%, but also honed my skills in a cornerstone of marketing: data-driven decision-making.
Comcast’s people-first approach to marketing resonates with my interest in consumer behavior. In my five years as a sales manager, I specialized in analyzing user data to understand the needs of our buyers. I used my proficiency in Google Analytics to monitor website traffic and optimize our marketing strategies. My analytical approach contributed to a 34% increase in conversion rates and a 26% boost in customer retention over two years.
Transitioning to a marketing manager feels like a natural progression, as it combines my experience in sales with my passion for designing targeted campaigns. At Oracle, I bridged the gap between sales and marketing to increase ROI by 29%. I feel confident that I can successfully do the same with my career.
Comcast’s customer-centric culture reflects my core values. I am excited about the prospect of combining my analytical skills and sales experience to develop data-driven marketing strategies for the company. My instinct for buyer behavior will allow me to contribute to Comcast’s continued growth.
I would be thrilled to meet and discuss how my transition from sales to marketing can drive impactful strategies at Comcast. Thank you for considering my application.
Amara Kamau
Why this cover letter works
- For instance, this cover letter points to ways the candidate took initiative to connect sales and marketing. This evidences both interest and experience in the target role.
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Career Change No Experience Cover Letter Example
Copy this text for your Career Change No Experience cover letter!
123 Fictional Avenue Memphis, TN 38101 (123) 456-7890
Henry Robinson Walmart 123 Fictional Lane Memphis, TN 38101
Dear Mr. Robinson:
Like a data analyst unveiling patterns that inform business decisions, I seek to transition my career to the sales and marketing manager role at Walmart. Your dedication to delivering remarkable customer experiences profoundly resonates with me, and I believe my analytical acumen could lend a significant advantage to your team.
As the lead data analyst at Sedgwick, I spearheaded a team that scrutinized vast data sets, using sophisticated tools like Excel to analyze patterns and infer decks. Our analysis informed marketing decisions that spiked product sales by an average of 17%. My role called for early notification of discrepancies and proposing solutions, leading to a 66% reduction in inconsistency cases across our spreadsheets.
Project management was a significant part of my responsibilities at Innova Memphis. I led three major product launch campaigns, employing strategic analysis, coordination, and communication skills. The result? A marked 36% improvement in project completion timelines. These instances heightened my ability in advanced problem-solving, making me a better marketing and sales strategist.
As an intermediate data analyst at CrossCom, I deepened my skills in problem-solving, working with intricate amounts of data and changing project requirements. Besides sharpening my adaptability, I remember one time when I dug into an issue that led to uncovering a substantial cost-saving opportunity, saving the company 3% in operational costs yearly.
My decade serving as a data analyst has ideally placed me for this sales and marketing manager role. As someone who has picked insights from raw data to inform successful marketing decisions and sales strategies, I’m convinced I’m a great fit for this position. Looking forward to discussing how my unique skills could contribute to hitting Walmart’s marketing and sales goals.
- Take, for instance, how Aria tells the story of her expertise—meticulous data analysis, project management, and problem-solving and convincingly discusses how these can be valuable assets for the new role. So, extract and communicate those transferable skills.
Human Resources Career Change Cover Letter Example
Copy this text for your Human Resources Career Change cover letter!
Abigail Clark Wells Fargo 123 Fictional Lane Baltimore, MD 21201 Dear Ms. Clark:
After investing a decade navigating the complexities of human resource management, I’m excited to redirect my professional compass toward the role of a bank manager at Wells Fargo. With the belief that my extensive HR experience equips me with unique vantage points and skills, I’m convinced it has set the perfect foreground for my successful transition into this leadership role.
As a senior HR manager at Truist Bank, my extensive experience entailed gleaning insights from employees’ concerns and suggestions, driving improvements that lowered annual employee turnover by 9%. Now, onto change management; my comprehensive planning and seamless execution of transitions led to the smooth adoption of three major technological upgrades across different departments.
My stint as an HR Specialist at Jhpiego exposed me to the compliance and regulation stream, where I ensured organizational activities adhered to labor laws and corporate policies. The result was a drastic 42% decrease in compliance-related lapses, reflecting the proficiency I’d bring to Wells Fargo.
Starting my career as an HR coordinator at SECU Credit Union, my noteworthy contribution involved instituting a modern, streamlined payroll system that improved efficiency by 27%. It was here that my affinity for numbers found its use in the finance industry, thus, envisioning a future as a Bank Manager.
Transitioning from HR to bank management might seem unusual, but I see it as leveraging my people managerial skills, my understanding of corporate regulations, and my passion for the financial sector to ensure seamless operations at Wells Fargo. I’m excited about discussing how my unique background could positively impact your team.
Zara Jafari
- Such competencies demonstrate that although it’s a career change, you aren’t a stranger to the environment. If the past stints involved the hiring company’s competitor, emphasize that for bonus familiarity points.
Teacher Career Change Cover Letter Example
Copy this text for your Teacher Career Change cover letter!
123 Fictional Avenue Miami, FL 33326 (123) 456-7890
Nala Dlamini Ultimate Software 123 Fictional Lane Miami, FL 33326
Dear Ms. Dlamini,
Math is the foundation for software engineering, which is exactly why I am excited to bring my background as a high school math teacher to Ultimate Software. I am drawn to the problem-solving challenge software engineering presents.
In addition to teaching high school math, I have taught myself web and mobile development, database management, and the version control system Git. I am certified in AWS and Google Cloud, and built an educational app that streamlined school communication, improving homework submission rates by 23%.
Ultimate Software’s dedication to building better workplaces through technology resonates with my passion for facilitating seamless collaboration. My teaching background has refined my ability to communicate complex ideas in an accessible manner. This, coupled with my technical skills, positions me uniquely as a bridge between non-technical stakeholders and development teams.
I am also excited to optimize data handling processes at Ultimate Software. My experience in gradebook management taught me the importance of strong data management systems, and I am eager to bring that perspective to the team.
I hope to discuss how my transition from a math teacher to a software engineer can bring value to Ultimate Software. Thank you so much for your time and consideration.
Sofia Lopez
Enclosures: Resume Portfolio AWS Certified Developer Google Cloud Certified
- If you’ve earned professional certifications that don’t match your current role but align with your target career, your cover letter is the place to highlight them.
Registered Nurse (RN) Career Change Cover Letter Example
Copy this text for your Registered Nurse (RN) Career Change cover letter!
123 Fictional Avenue Phoenix, AZ 76208 (123) 456-7890
Sven Jonsson American Express 123 Fictional Lane Phoenix, AZ 76208
Dear Mr. Jonsson:
I was inspired to transition my career from nursing into sales when I discovered the impact I could make by connecting people with the right product solutions. I am eager to bring my RN background, where relationship-building is paramount, and my skill set in sales forecasting to American Express as a sales manager.
American Express’s commitment to excellence matches my standards as an RN, where attention to detail and customer service were critical. I was often the first point of contact for patients and families. Through tireless care and empathy, patient satisfaction scores increased by 37% during my tenure. Outside of nursing, I also developed an interest in sales. I became proficient in sales forecasting and the HubSpot CRM software in order to better manage professional relationships.
My passion for helping clients was honed by providing both clinical care and wellness product recommendations to my patients as an RN. This role demanded excellent communication skills, empathy, and an understanding of individual needs—skills that are all transferable to sales.
I also bring an innate ability to manage sales territories. In partnership with community health programs, I coordinated regional patient care to ensure appropriate allocation of resources and seamless delivery. This experience equipped me with the acumen necessary to handle sales calls, and I aim to leverage that skill to expand American Express’s reach.
I am excited to align my passion for building relationships and providing exceptional service with American Express’s mission. As a sales manager, I will employ my skills in sales forecasting, CRM, and territory management to foster growth and customer satisfaction. Thank you for considering my application. I hope to discuss how my RN background can uniquely contribute to American Express’s continued success.
Gabriel Costa
- Look for unlikely connections between your work experience and target role, then put the pieces together for recruiters in your cover letter.
Related cover letter examples
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How to Write a Fantastic Career Change Cover Letter
You may think that you’re at a disadvantage when you’re applying outside of your previous career, but when it comes to cover letters, that’s not true. Treat this as an excellent opportunity to be creative and stand out from the crowd.
Here’s the trick: give that job description a good read, then whip your cover letter into shape to mirror it. Try to decipher the company’s core values, be it from the job listing or from its website, and highlight that this mission is important to you too.
Pinpoint similarities across your past and future roles for this. For instance, if you’re switching from teaching to programming, emphasize your ability to explain complex topics to all kinds of audiences.
Writing a winning cover letter intro
The perfect cover letter begins with a personalized greeting that addresses the hiring manager by name. However, if you absolutely cannot find the recipient (try LinkedIn), you can use “Dear Hiring Manager” or “Dear [Company Name] Team.” Refrain from using “To Whom It May Concern” or “Dear Sir/Madam,” as those can be a little outdated by today’s standards.
Avoid generic starters and instead showcase why your past experience is valuable. For instance, if you previously worked in sales and you’re moving to customer service, highlight your ability to forge lasting relationships with clients.
Check out this example of what not to do below. This opening line is definitely on the uninteresting side—the hiring manager might skim your cover letter if it lacks a proper hook.
No, thank you!
“I am writing to apply for the project manager position I saw on your website. I believe this role is a great fit for me.”
Now, the example below is a huge improvement. The applicant immediately makes it clear that they used to have a different career, but they use this to their advantage by highlighting how their background in working with people can have a deep impact on their new career.
Hooked from the start!
Writing the main part of your cover letter
Roll up your sleeves because we’re diving into the main part of your cover letter—the body. Use this space as an extension of your resume that elaborates on your skills and the way they can make an impact on the company.
Find common ground and share some of your greatest achievements that translate well to your new role. For example, if you’re a marketer transitioning into sales, discuss how spearheading a social media campaign increased your company’s revenue by 18%.
Use metrics to support your accomplishments. Things like revenue, ROI, click-through rates, open rates, customer satisfaction ratings, budget savings, or efficiency improvements all apply to most industries. Much like in the intro, connect your background to match the company.
Here’s a body paragraph for inspiration:
Ending your cover letter on a strong note
The closing paragraph is the ribbon that you tie on top of a cohesive whole. It serves to reinforce the sentiments you talked about above—but without repeating yourself.
Emphasize your excitement at joining this particular company, and make sure to mention it by name. Pick one or two of your core skills or qualifications and flex a little—express how you will use these abilities to achieve positive outcomes at your new company.
You’re changing industries, so own it, and explain how, for instance, your knowledge of math can help you write complex code.
Lastly, thank the hiring manager for their consideration—you can do this either in the closing paragraph or in your final sign-off. Dot your i’s and cross your t’s with a respectful “Sincerely, [Your Name].”
It’s important to keep this final part respectful. Don’t assume you’ll be hired—instead of showing confidence, it can come off as presumptuous.
“I’m not experienced but I’m a quick learner, so I can’t wait to start growing my career at your company next month.”
This next example has it all—it reiterates your interest in the role, talks about transferable skills, and thanks the recruiter for taking the time to read your cover letter.
This is the way!
When transitioning careers, it’s important to build credibility out of the gate by addressing the right person. Check the job listing and the company website. If that fails, try identifying the hiring manager via LinkedIn.
If all else fails, talk mostly about your education and preparation for the career change, but there are skills that apply to most jobs, too. For instance, working as a programmer and a travel agent means dealing with data and interacting with people.
While you may rely on transferable skills you used in nursing in your future sales role, avoid assuming this new job will have a similar company culture as your last one. Instead, adjust your tone to match the company. For instance, if the job ad and the website are written with humor, you can afford to crack a small joke or write less formally.
- Cover Letter Tips
How To Write the Best Career Change Cover Letter (+ Examples)
So, you want to try something completely new? When you’re thinking about a career change, your cover letter is an essential tool. Your resume will tell the hiring manager about your experience, but you’ll use the cover letter to fill in the blanks.
Frankly, when you're changing careers, you have to work just a bit harder than any other applicants with a more intuitive work history. That means showing that the experience you have is an asset and that it can be transferred to this new role. Luckily, you can do all of this (and more!) by writing a well-thought-out career change cover letter.
A career change cover letter is an opportunity to start a conversation to explain exactly why you're applying for a job outside of your current field. Get this right, and you will convince any hiring manager that you’re the best candidate for the job. But how do you get started?
Here at ZipJob, we give you the resources you need to supercharge your job search. In the following guide, we’ll share seven tips from our professional resume writers on how to write the best career change cover letter. We've also got a career change cover letter example for you to check out.
More common than you might think
First, a word of encouragement: In our fast-paced and rapidly changing economy, people are changing careers at rates that would have been unthinkable just a few short generations ago. In fact, recent statistics show that people have an average of 12 jobs in their lifetime.
That can create problems for many applicants, however, and you may not be sure how you can use your resume to properly convey the right experience needed for your new career. The good news is that you can take care of that concern by using that other vital application tool: the cover letter.
7 tips for your career change cover letter
Ready to put pen to paper? When you're writing a career change cover letter, it's important to stay on task. This isn't the place to write a heart-to-heart that reads more like a journal entry than a professional document. Instead, focus on what makes you a great applicant.
To help you along the way, we have some expert-backed tips below:
1. Make sure you use the right words
Changing careers is a big deal. While your resume will have covered your skills and experience, you can use this letter to really sell yourself to the hiring manager. What you lack in experience, you may be able to make up for in the willingness to learn.
While you can use your cover letter to explain why you want a new career, it doesn’t start and end there. This is also an opportunity to share why you are ready to switch things up. With that in mind, use words that excite the hiring manager and show your desire to work in your chosen field. The more creative you are with the language you use, the better here.
2. Be honest about your career change
The biggest mistake you could make here is trying to sneak your way into a new sector. The hiring manager already has your resume, so they know that you don’t have experience in this field. You should never try to bamboozle them into interviewing you on the basis of faux experience. Even if you do make it to the interview level, you will soon get found out.
Instead, you need to be 100% honest about your career change. Direct your cover letter to the hiring manager and be clear about why you are switching industries. For example, you may have reached the highest heights in your current sector and feel it’s time for a change. On the other hand, you may have a real passion for this new field and want to pursue it.
Whatever your reason is, now is the time to talk about it. You don’t need to write a short memoir. The hiring manager will ask you more in-depth questions at the interview stage. However, it’s smart to outline your reasoning here so that you fill in the blanks. State that you are looking to move sectors and try to give a compelling reason to the reader now.
3. Emphasize your transferable skills
When you’re writing a career change cover letter, this is vital. Transferable skills are your current talents that would help you succeed in a different position. These skills are often soft skills but may also be technical or analytical skills from your previous profession. Identify what your strengths are. How might those help you in another industry?
You can also approach this from the other side by spending some time analyzing the company’s needs. Look at the job description, the company website, and recent media coverage to identify the core skills that this company requires. Once you’ve honed in on those needs, you can determine which of your skills can help to make you a great candidate for the job.
Of course, you should heavily feature your transferable skills on your resume. Once you've noted them, you can offer more of an explanation in your cover letter about how each skill will apply to this new job.
Emphasize your relevant skills within the body of the career change cover letter too. That means including specific examples of how they have helped you to achieve certain results and goals in the past. Show the hiring manager what you have to bring to the table. You can do this by identifying the overlap between your two fields and highlighting it clearly. Be brief, but be sure to answer why you're applying and why you're worth interviewing.
Key Takeaway
The key to a career change cover letter is to identify and highlight related and transferable skills.
4. Focus on your results
Results matter more than you think. The number one thing that will push you ahead of your competition are fantastic accomplishments on your resume . Your accomplishments are still valid, even when changing careers: awards, honors, and other results that show you're a high-achieving employee will make you look like a winner.
Your career change cover letter gives you a chance to explain why it's so impressive that you accomplished something. Try to figure out numbers or metrics – these really stand out on resumes and cover letters. Quantifying your results will show the hiring manager that your hard work achieves big things. This fact will surely grab their attention.
To showcase those results, you need to emphasize the success that you’ve enjoyed in prior jobs, providing details that help to connect those successes to your transferable skills. From there, you only need to complete the picture by explaining how your prior achievements and transferable skills can offer tangible benefits to the new company.
Always use the STAR method
Showcasing your results and quantifying them doesn’t have to be hard. Make your statements stand out by using the STAR method throughout your cover letter.
5. Demonstrate genuine passion
Let your passion for the company be on full display so that the hiring manager knows you care about getting the position. Mention something new or interesting the company has accomplished, or relate to the company's core values. You can add your personality to your cover letter – as long as it stays relevant!
Take the time to do your homework so that you have a firm understanding of what the company does and how it hopes to achieve its goal. It’s also worth trying to understand the company culture ahead of time. That will enable you to properly convey your passion for the position in the body of your cover letter. In short, figure out what the vibe is and match it.
6. Tailor your resume to reflect your career change goals
If this is your first time creating a career change cover letter, be sure to review your resume when you’re done so that everything is properly coordinated. It all needs to match up. You don’t want any inconsistencies between those two important documents: your cover letter should only talk about experiences that are also mentioned on your resume.
To keep your message clear, make any resume changes that are needed to keep it aligned with the message on your cover letter. Remember, it’s the little things that often make the difference between success and failure.
If your resume isn't tailored for your career transition goals, check out this article next: How To Tailor Your Resume For Different Positions
7. End with a strong conclusion
When you’ve done all of the above, it’s time to sign off. The end of your cover letter is a good chance to reaffirm why you want to take this step. You may also want to add that you will help the business in question meet its goals. One of the more critical things you can do with your career change cover letter is insert some type of call to action – encouraging the reader to reach out to you.
Remember, the hiring manager will naturally slow their reading pace down as they reach the bottom of the page. For that reason, it is vital that you end on a strong and clear note.
Career change cover letter example
This example is to the point and easy to scan through. It has several examples of how the applicant has added value in the past, using numbers that are easy for the reader to translate to a different industry.
Notice also that this letter – like all good cover letters – includes a professional heading and uses a business letter format. It is highly specific, a quick but clear message that you've put some thought into tailoring your cover letter.
The letter does not use a generic "to whom it may concern" greeting; ideally, you can find the name of the hiring manager. When in doubt, addressing your letter to a "hiring team" is a good alternative.
The heading with your own information was borrowed from the updated resume format we used to share 200+ resume examples written by our professional resume writers. Using the same format for your resume and cover letter is another instance of details that stand out.
Focus on value; win the day
As you can see, the cover letter for a career change is similar to many others. You still want to focus on the value you can add to the company. By emphasizing your transferable skills, focusing on past achievements, and demonstrating your interest in the new company, you should be able to leverage your existing skill set in a way that sets you apart from the crowd.
Ready to take the leap and start that new career? Use the ZipJob free resume review now to get the insights that you need to perfect your next application and get ahead of the competition.
Recommended reading:
9 Cover Letter Mistakes That Cost You Interviews - ZipJob
7 Signs It's Time To Quit Your Job
How to Ask for a Job Referral + 5 Examples
Charlotte Grainger, Editor & Content Writer, Charlotte Grainger, Editor & Content Writer
Charlotte Grainger is a freelance writer living and working in Sheffield, UK. She has a passion for career development and loves sharing tips and advice. Follow her on Twitter
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