How to Write a Cover Letter That Explains a Career Pivot
Publié le 7 October 2024
Change your professional life for the better by knowing how to write a cover letter that explains a career pivot.
Thinking of switching careers, say from an educator to a technical developer, or maybe something similar like a health trainer? Whichever career you’re switching from and to, you’re not alone. Over 44% of American employees plan to make a career change in the near future.
While there are many reasons for a career switch, such as salary increase, inconvenient work culture, or exploration for new creative experiences, explaining this to your new prospective employer with a resume alone can be easier said than done.
This is because your resume only provides a surface-level view of the skills and qualifications you possess for a dream role, but it doesn’t immediately tell an employer why a senior health educator is applying to become a cybersecurity analyst, for instance.
And that’s where well-crafted cover letters come in. These brief but richly detailed pieces help you explain your motivation of upskilling for a career shift, showcase transferable skills, and highlight how past experience, in addition to current skills, aligns with the new role.
Source: Flair
Let’s go through some steps to create one in this article.
1. Start with a Strong Opening and Acknowledge Career Change
“Dear recruiter, I came across your LinkedIn post on…” or “Dear hiring manager, I’m excitedly applying for the role of financial analyst within your company.”
Both sound cliche and traditional. I mean, any of these would have won some trophy decades back, but not anymore, or not as much as before. Recruiters hear this almost all the time—so much that they could already imagine your next statement.
Your cover letter’s opening line creates an impression that lasts forever and shapes how readers perceive the intent behind your message. In fact, 41% of hiring managers say a cover letter’s introduction leaves the most significant impression on them. So, you’ve got to be more realistic and beyond conventional.
To grab your recruiter’s attention at first glance, Gary Hemming, Owner & Finance Director at ABC Finance, recommends “Capitalizing on past experiences, a little story, or personalized anecdotes that creates a storytelling atmosphere and show what you can do for the company right away. Of course, you don’t want to be windy about it since it’s just an opener.”
For instance, instead of writing, “Dear Manager, I believe I am the perfect candidate for the [Job Title] role, and that’s why I’m applying”, you could use something like this:
“Dear Manager (Use name if available)”
“After spending years as a physical education teacher, helping students develop healthy habits, I’ve realized my passion for fitness extends beyond the classroom. Transitioning to a gym trainer role allows me to apply my knowledge of exercise science while working more closely with individuals to help them achieve their personal fitness goals.”
Simple and attention-grabbing. This shows how passionate you are to take up the job and subtly tells an employer a tidbit about you.
Or you can start with a spoonful of your previous achievements to show what you can bring to the table right off the bat, like this:
“Recently, I led a project to overhaul our office’s scheduling and communication systems, enhancing team efficiency by 30%—a notable success given my background in administrative support. This project highlighted my passion for improving workplace operations and supporting team dynamics, which is why I’m excited about transitioning to the HR Manager role at [Company].”
Just like previous examples, your cover opener should focus on the switch instead of shying away from it. Let your recruit know upfront that you’re pivoting from one career to the other, of course, with good reasons why you should still be hired.
2. Highlight Transferable Skills
According to Rain Yang, Founder & CEO of WoodenAve, “A resume helps to portray your top skills. However, nothing is connecting the dots on how your skills as a previous administration assistant will aid a smooth transition into an HR manager role. That’s one of the things your cover letter must immediately emphasize after the opening line.”
Here’s an example of that:
“My experience as an administrative assistant involved organizing complex schedules, coordinating meetings, and managing internal communications—all of which are directly transferable to an HR manager role. These tasks required attention to detail, effective communication, and multitasking, soft skills essential for overseeing recruitment, employee onboarding, and managing team dynamics.”
“If the switch is between two roles within the same industry, you’re more likely to have transferable hard skills. Ensure you include that within your paragraphs and show the recruiter how you can leverage these skills for your new role”, Grant Aldrich, Founder of Online Degree, advises.
This is also where you should introduce any newly learnt skills, certifications, or internship experiences that equip you for this shift. It could be something as simple as this:
“I have taken the initiative to further my expertise by completing certifications in HR management and employment law, equipping me with a solid foundation to handle more strategic HR functions like performance reviews and employee engagement.”
3. Connect Your Experience to the New Role
Chris Aubeeluck, Head of Sales and Marketing at Osbornes Law, says, “Sleek opening line plus a section highlighting your awesomely transferable skills goes a long way. But if you want to truly sell your employer, you need to link your two-cent experience from the previous role to the new position and how your wealth of knowledge can cut across the job differences.”
Most importantly, reference past successes to back up your unique background and scalability as you pivot careers.
Here’s an example:
“During my time as an administrative assistant, I regularly coordinated team schedules, managed employee records, and facilitated internal communication across departments. One initiative that stands out was when I implemented an automated employee onboarding system. This not only cut down processing time by 40% but also ensured new hires were integrated more smoothly, leading to a significant improvement in employee satisfaction.
These experiences parallel the HR Manager role I’m applying for at [Company Name], where organizational efficiency and employee engagement are critical. My background in streamlining operations and my hands-on experience with recruitment and onboarding give me a unique perspective on improving HR workflows.”
Don’t put in any fabricated achievements or false claims at this point. While stuff like that can get you shortlisted on paper, another round of interviews is enough to expose everything.
4. Express Willingness to Learn and Grow
“Lastly, show the employer you’re open to continuous growth. Of course, you have to ensure it doesn’t sound like you plan to leech off their resources. No organization wants an extra load; only someone who can do the job right”, Gavin Yi, Founder and CEO of Yijin Hardware, adds.
Adopt a positive and excited tone when closing it up while referencing your current efforts in building even more advanced capacity that would yield results for the company. Check out the example below:
“While transitioning from an administrative assistant to an HR Manager is a new challenge, it’s one I’m excited to embrace. I’m aware that moving into a more strategic HR role comes with a learning curve, but I’ve already begun closing knowledge gaps by completing certifications in HR management and employment law. Additionally, I’ve been closely following thought leaders in HR and attending webinars focused on performance management and employee engagement.”
Then, finalize the cover with an enthusiastic, forward-looking statement and excitement for the new role. Be sure to perform spell checks and edits before hitting the send button—43% of rejected CVs were due to grammatical errors and improper formatting.
Wrapping Up
Landing your next big job in another role, even without sufficient experience, is possible if you have the perfect cover letter. You should start by crafting a solid opening paragraph immediately after a greeting and swiftly acknowledge the career change.
Highlight your transferable skills, including how they’ve helped you achieve some successes in the past, and connect your experience to the new role. Put a fitting lid on everything by expressing the willingness and enthusiasm to learn and contribute to the organization’s growth. Finally, go over the letter and cut out fluffs or grammatical commas. When you understand how to write a cover letter that explains a career pivot, you will be able to change your professional path and reach new levels of success.
