Forty years ago, it wasn’t uncommon for a person to work at the same company for all or most of their career. But things have changed. Research suggests the average American has a dozen jobs over their lifetime.
Increasingly, these moves are non-linear. Today’s professionals are more likely to change careers as they seek new opportunities. This may involve transitioning from an individual contributor to a managerial position, or moving to an entirely new role or industry.
If you’re considering a career change, it’s important to think strategically about how your resume and cover letter tell the story of your career—where it’s been and where it’s going. Below is an overview of strategies to strengthen your resume regardless of the job you’re applying for, including advice for career changers.
Resume Best Practices
1. Proofread Everything
If your resume or cover letter includes typos, misspellings, or other errors, that can be a subtle signal to potential employers that you’re not serious about the role. Worse, it suggests you may not have the attention to detail required to do the job well—especially for public-facing positions where proofreading is an essential part of brand management. That’s why it’s critical that you double- and triple-check everything before applying or sending an email to a prospective employer.
It can be difficult to spot errors yourself. Consider asking a friend or trusted colleague to proofread your resume and cover letter. In addition to looking for errors, ask them if the points you’re trying to make are clear, or if there’s anything you can do to strengthen your message.
2. Use Simple Formatting
When designing your resume and cover letter, many recruiters recommend erring on the side of simplicity. Use formatting to guide the recruiter's eye to the most important information. For example:
Use larger text or distinct fonts for section headers
Bold key details, such as job titles and employment dates
Leverage white space to help key information stand out
If the role you’re applying for is in a creative field, you may opt for a more unique layout, although doing so may deter recruiters who prefer a traditional format. You can always submit a portfolio to highlight your creative work.
3. Keep It Short
When hiring, recruiters and HR professionals often review dozens or even hundreds of applications. That volume requires quick decisions, sometimes within six seconds or less.
Keep your resume concise and focused. Indeed recommends limiting your resume to one page, especially if you have less than 10 years of experience. Use bullet points and include only relevant information. Your cover letter and interview can provide additional context and detail.
Actions speak louder than words. Highlight measurable results to demonstrate your impact in each role. Numbers—such as revenue generated, accounts closed, or goals met and exceeded—help you communicate value clearly without adding unnecessary length.
4. Consider Your Online Profile
First impressions are often made online, long before a phone screen. Recruiters often browse professional networks, like LinkedIn, and hiring managers may search for additional information during the vetting process.
“Most people think of a first impression as meeting face-to-face and how you come across when you meet in person, whether it's at the office or at a coffee shop,” says Rachel Greenwald, a professional matchmaker, dating coach, and executive fellow at Harvard Business School, in the HBS Online course Personal Branding. “But what's really happening in today's digital world is that before most people meet you, they've already Googled you. So whatever comes up in Google search results is actually the pre-impression that somebody has before they go to meet you in person.”
Consider what your online presence says about your personal brand. Ensure your profiles are up to date with your most recent career developments. Rather than replicating your resume, use your profile to add context, examples, and measurable results that reinforce your value.
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5. Optimize Your Resume and Profile with Keywords
By some estimates, 70 percent of large businesses—and 99 percent of Fortune 500 companies—use applicant tracking systems to perform an initial review of applications. These systems evaluate resumes based on specific criteria and keywords, filtering out candidates who don’t align closely with the role’s requirements.
To improve your chances of advancing, tailor your resume to the position you’re targeting. Incorporate relevant language from the job description, particularly skills, qualifications, and core competencies. Use those same keywords in your professional profiles to increase your visibility in recruiter searches.
Resume Tips for Career Changers
1. Acknowledge the Change
If you’re making a career change, be transparent about the transition. Briefly address it in your cover letter and in the “Professional Summary” or “Objective” sections of your resume.
Your prior experience, even if it’s in a different role or industry, can strengthen your narrative. A background that differs from other candidates can help you stand out, especially when you position it as a strategic advantage rather than a liability.
Before writing your resume and cover letter, consider developing a personal value proposition that communicates the unique benefits you offer prospective employers. This exercise can clarify how your experience supports your next move.
“Your personal value proposition is a strategic statement that encapsulates the promise of differentiated value you offer to others,” says HBS Professor Jill Avery in Personal Branding. “It helps specify who you are by signaling your values and passions, and it illuminates an aspiration for who you want to be.”
2. Focus on Transferable Skills
You’ve likely gained skills highly specialized to your current position, related to processes, software, or technologies necessary for your work. If those skills aren’t relevant to your target role, deprioritize them.
Instead, emphasize transferable skills that apply across roles and industries. These can include competencies like project management, problem-solving, communication, and time management. They can also include soft skills like creative thinking, adaptability, and emotional intelligence that influence your ability to work with others, or skills you’ve developed by completing independent career development, such as an online course.
Consider a professional who spent 15 years in the publishing industry and wants to transition into project management. A recruiter hiring for a project management role may not value expertise in title management systems or layout tools. Yet, 15 years of experience shepherding a book from proposal to finished product, on budget and on time, demonstrates skills that are directly relevant to project management.
3. Tailor It to the Job
Always tailor your cover letter, resume, and online profiles to the job you’re applying for. Tailored application materials stand a better chance of getting through an application tracking system and show recruiters you’re serious about the job. Ensure you:
Update your professional summary to reflect the role you’re targeting, not just your experience
Use your cover letter and work history to highlight how your experience has prepared you for this transition
Organize your core competencies or skills section to prioritize those most relevant to the position, even if they weren’t central in previous roles
Consider a professional who spent five years in sales and wants to transition into marketing. While they don't have a marketing background, their experience confirmed what a typical sales team needs: qualified leads and marketing assets that support what they're selling. By strategically updating their resume, they can demonstrate how their sales experience adds value in a marketing role.
4. Bolster Your Credentials
As you refine your resume, evaluate whether your education and training align with your desired career path. If there’s a gap, consider steps you can take to strengthen your qualifications.
Earning a certificate or credential aligned with your aspirations can help you gain the skills and experience employers seek. Investing in your education, particularly on your own time, demonstrates you’re serious about making a career change.
Consider a software engineer who spent years as an individual contributor and now aspires to lead a team. Completing a leadership and management course can help them develop essential managerial skills while signaling readiness to take on greater responsibility. Additionally, courses in business essentials or finance and accounting can equip them with the language of business so they can more effectively communicate in a new leadership role.
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If you’re preparing for a career change, building the right business skills can strengthen your resume and confidence.
While it’s possible to make a career transition without a complementary professional or educational background, earning a relevant credential can make a significant difference as you pivot. HBS Online offers certificate courses and credentials in eight different subject areas specifically designed to equip you with the skills to excel in your current career or transition into a new one.
In a recent survey of past learners conducted by City Square Associates, 66 percent said that they enhanced their qualifications for a new job, while 27 percent transitioned into a new industry or field after completing an HBS Online course. Ninety-one percent said they gained skills that were immediately applicable to their current roles.
Whether you want to move from individual contributor to management or pivot to a new industry, HBS Online courses can help you build the skills to get there.
Are you interested in advancing your career or making a change? Explore our online course catalog, and learn how you can sharpen your skills to stand out in the job market. Check out our other career development content for helpful tips for your next job search and download our free guide to online learning.
This post was updated on March 3, 2026. It was originally published on August 8, 2022.