How to write a CV for a career change
A career-change CV has one job the average CV doesn't: convince the reader you can do a role you've never officially held. That comes down to framing, not fabrication.
Lead with transferable skills
Put a short summary at the top that names the skills that carry over - project management, client communication, data analysis - before the reader hits your job titles from a different field.
Reframe your experience
Rewrite bullet points around the transferable part of each achievement. "Managed a retail team of 12" becomes relevant to an office-management role once you highlight scheduling, budgeting, and conflict resolution rather than the retail-specific tasks.
Address the "why" briefly
One sentence in your summary or cover letter explaining the shift is enough - "moving from operations into product after leading three cross-team launches" - then let the rest of the CV support it.
What to leave out
Don't over-explain or apologise for the change across multiple sections. Say it once, clearly, and spend the rest of the CV proving you're qualified regardless of the label on your last job title.
Use a hybrid template that leads with skills without hiding your real history. Build and preview it free; PDF export requires Pro.
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