Career change CV template

by Michael Cheary

Time for a change? Here’s how to write a career change CV that shows employers you’re ready for something new…

Changing careers can feel like starting from scratch, but your previous experience is actually a good thing. The trick is knowing how to present your skills in a way that makes sense for your new direction.

Whether you’re moving from teaching to marketing or from finance to tech, a well-crafted career change CV can bridge the gap between where you’ve been and where you want to go. 

Here’s everything you need to know about creating a career change CV that gets results.

Download your free career change CV template

Ready to get started? Click the link below to download our career change CV template in Word format.

How to structure your career change CV

The structure of your career change CV matters more than you might think. Unlike a traditional CV that leads with work experience, your career change CV should put your most relevant and transferable elements first.

Here’s the optimal structure to follow:

1. Personal statement
2. Key skills
3. Work experience
4. Education
5. Additional sections (certifications, volunteering, hobbies – if relevant)
6. References

This structure allows you to immediately showcase why you’re suitable for the new role, before diving into the specifics of your work history.

How should I format my CV?

CV layout: dos and don’ts

CV layout examples

How to write a career change CV

Here’s our advice on how to write a CV for a career change, using the above recommended structure:

1. Contact Details

Including your contact details at the top of your career change CV is essential, as it allows potential employers to easily get in touch with you. Ensure that this section is clear, concise, and up-to-date. Here’s what to include:

• Full Name: Use your full professional name, prominently displayed.
• Phone Number: Provide the best number where you can be reached.
• Email Address: Use a professional email address (e.g., firstname.lastname@example.com).
• LinkedIn Profile (optional): Include a link to your updated LinkedIn profile to showcase your professional history and network.
• Portfolio or Website (if relevant): If your career change involves creative or technical industries, adding a link to your portfolio or website can be valuable.

Keep the formatting clean and straightforward, ensuring this information is easy to locate and read.

2. Personal statement

Your personal statement is your chance to make a strong first impression and explain your career change upfront.

This short paragraph should answer three key questions:

• Who are you? Your current situation and relevant background
• What do you have to offer? The transferable skills and achievements that make you valuable
• What are you aiming for? Your career goals and why you’re making this change

Keep it to 3-4 sentences and tailor it specifically to each role you apply for. Use the job description to identify the key skills and qualities the employer is looking for, then demonstrate how your background provides exactly that.

Career change personal statement example:

Experienced project manager with 8 years in construction, seeking to transition into digital marketing. Proven track record of managing complex campaigns, coordinating cross-functional teams, and delivering projects on time and within budget. Strong analytical and communication skills developed through client relationship management. Eager to apply strategic planning expertise and creative problem-solving abilities in a dynamic marketing environment.

How to write a personal statement

The best words to use in a CV (and the ones to avoid)

3. Key skills

Rather than burying your transferable skills in job descriptions, create a dedicated skills section that sits prominently near the top of your CV.

Focus on skills that are relevant to your target role and provide concrete examples of how you’ve used them. Avoid generic phrases like ‘excellent communication skills’ – instead, be specific about what you’ve achieved.

Organise your skills into categories such as:

• Technical skills: Software, tools, and technical competencies
• Soft skills: Communication, leadership, problem-solving abilities
• Industry knowledge: Relevant understanding you’ve gained

Remember to mirror the language used in job descriptions. If the role asks for ‘stakeholder management’, don’t just list ‘client relationships’ – use their exact terminology where appropriate.

Career change skills example:

Project Management

• Successfully managed 15+ construction projects with budgets ranging from £50K to £2M
• Coordinated teams of up to 30 people across multiple disciplines
• Implemented project tracking systems that improved delivery times by 20%

Communication & Stakeholder Management

• Built and maintained relationships with high-value clients, achieving 95% customer satisfaction
• Delivered presentations to senior executives and regulatory bodies
• Negotiated contracts worth over £5M annually

Skills based CV template

What are transferable skills?

Five CV skills employers look for in every jobseeker

4. Work experience

Your work experience section needs careful consideration for a career change CV. You’ll want to emphasise achievements and skills that are most relevant to your new career path.

List your positions in reverse-chronological order, but don’t feel obligated to include every role you’ve ever had. Focus on positions that demonstrate relevant skills or show progression.

For each role, include:

• Job title and company name
• Employment dates
• 3-4 bullet points highlighting relevant achievements

Focus on accomplishments rather than just duties. Use numbers and specific examples wherever possible to demonstrate your impact.

Tips for describing your work experience:

• Emphasise transferable achievements: Instead of ‘Managed classroom of 30 students’, try ‘Led training programmes for groups of 30+ people, improving performance metrics by 25%’
• Use relevant language: Research terminology used in your target industry and incorporate it naturally
• Show progression: Highlight promotions, increased responsibilities, or expanding scope
• Quantify your impact: Use numbers, percentages, and specific outcomes wherever possible

Hard Skills vs. Soft Skills

Work experience letter template

How to: Get work experience

5. Education

Your education section should include qualifications from GCSE level onwards, listed in reverse-chronological order. Include:

• Degree classification and subject
• University name and dates
• A-levels and grades
• GCSEs (you can summarise these as ’10 GCSEs, grades A*-C, including Maths and English’)

If you have specific modules, projects, or coursework that’s relevant to your new career path, mention these. They can help demonstrate your interest and aptitude for the new field.

Even if your qualifications seem unrelated to your target role, they still demonstrate your ability to learn and commit to completing challenging programmes.

Which parts of my education should I include in my CV?

6. Additional sections

Depending on your situation, you might want to include additional sections that support your career change:

• Certifications and training: If you’ve taken courses, earned certifications, or completed training relevant to your new career, create a dedicated section for these. This shows employers that you’re serious about the transition and have been actively preparing.
• Volunteering: Volunteer work can be incredibly valuable for career changers, especially if it demonstrates skills relevant to your target role. Include significant volunteer positions with the same detail as paid work.
• Hobbies and interests: Usually optional, but for career changers, relevant hobbies can help bridge the gap between your current and target careers. For example, if you’re moving into graphic design, mention your photography hobby or personal design projects.

Hobbies and interests: Should I include them in my CV?

Six extracurricular activities to add to your CV

7. References

Keep this simple: ‘References available upon request’ is perfectly adequate.

Make sure you have credible references lined up – ideally one from your most recent role and one that can speak to skills relevant to your new career path. Always ask permission before sharing someone’s contact details.

How to get a reference

Character reference template

Career change CV examples

Here are examples of how to position experience for different career transitions:

Teaching to marketing career change CV sample

Finance to tech career change CV sample

Tips for writing a great career change CV

Your career change CV needs to tell a cohesive story about why this transition makes sense. Here’s how to do it:

1. Connect the dots

Help employers understand the logical progression from your old career to your new one. What skills are transferable? What aspects of your previous work excited you most?

2. Show commitment

Demonstrate that this isn’t a whim. Include relevant courses, certifications, volunteer work, or personal projects that show you’re serious about the change.

3. Address the obvious question

Employers will wonder why you’re changing careers. Your personal statement should hint at this, and you should be prepared to discuss it further in interviews.

4. Focus on value

What unique perspective do you bring because of your diverse background? Career changers often bring fresh thinking and cross-industry insights that can be incredibly valuable.

Next steps

A great career change CV is just the beginning. Make sure you’re also:

• Tailoring each application to the specific role and company
• Building a strong LinkedIn profile that supports your career change narrative
• Networking with people in your target industry
• Preparing for interviews with compelling stories about your transferable skills
• Considering a cover letter that explains your career change motivation in more detail

Ready to start working on your cover letter? Download our career change cover letter template now

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