Pivoting Into a New Industry
- Nov 12
- 2 min read
Pivoting into a new industry but not getting interviews?
It’s probably the resume, not your background.
Most people trying to make a career pivot think their resume should just list their experience and hope the reader “gets it.” Others go the opposite route and use a functional format that focuses on skills instead of experience. Both approaches fall flat. They don’t show value or relevance.
A resume isn’t supposed to hide your experience...it’s supposed to translate it for your target audience.
When you’re pivoting, your goal is to connect the dots for someone outside your industry. That means stripping out insider language, niche tools, or phrasing that doesn’t translate, and focusing on what does: problem-solving, leadership, collaboration, communication, and execution.
Start by asking yourself, “What does this new field care about?” The best part? You don’t have to guess. The job posting is your cheat sheet. Those are the skills they’re looking for. Use it to reframe your story so they can see that you’ve already done what they’re hiring for.
Eliminate details in your bullet points that speak only to your old industry, and expand on the relevant skills in the job posting. Show how you’ve used them, not just that you have them.
And don’t get hung up on requirements like “7+ years in [specific industry].” Those are wish lists. They’re often written to get people to self-eliminate. If you can show that you have the skills and can do the work, you belong in the mix.
That’s exactly what I helped one recent Resume Creation client do reframing their story around their transferable skills and aligning their experience with what hiring managers actually cared about. The result? They landed a role in a completely different field, with better pay and a clearer path forward.
If you’re trying to pivot into a new industry, you don’t need to start over...you just need to tell your story the right way.
Need help reframing your resume for a career pivot?
