Are you in the middle of a career change and are looking for a new job to change your status or profession ? So, your cover letter will be decisive in highlighting your assets, skills and motivation, despite your lack of experience. Indeed, your CV will not be enough on its own because it will not contain the experience desired by recruiters. Here is a guide to writing THE cover letter that will allow you to stand out by taking advantage of your career change.
Do you want to re-orient yourself or change careers? Discover our article on the subject and our advice to prepare yourself for a professional retraining!
Start by introducing the purpose of the letter
The first paragraph should be short and to the point. In it, indicate the position you are applying for and where you found the advertisement.
" Dear Madam, Sir,
Following the publication of your job offer on the [X]website, I would like to express my great interest in the vacancy of [write the name of the position]."
Introduce yourself and explain your choice of career change
The second paragraph is dedicated to you. This is the time to explain why you decided to change careers, and why in this particular field. Already ? Yes, because this is undoubtedly the first question that the recruiter will ask himself when processing your application. Be careful to choose your words carefully and not to denigrate your former colleagues as this could be very poorly perceived by the recruiter. So, even if you've had a bad experience from your previous job, try to turn your explanation positively and constructively. This part should reassure the recruiter that you are really motivated to enter a new sector of activity.
" After X years of experience in [sector in which you have worked], as a [write down the position you held] at [name of the company you worked for], I want to give a new turn to my career and retrain in the [sector in which you want to retrain]sector. [give the reasons for your career change] were the main reasons for this change. That's why your offer as a [nom du poste] seems to me to be the perfect opportunity to put my skills to good use and breathe new life into my professional life."
Highlight your strengths
In the third paragraph, illustrate your transferable skills, i.e., those you may have learned in the past that you will need for this position. To do this, give concrete examples from your past experiences.
The fact that you have already been able to accumulate some professional experience is already a real asset. Indeed, your skills can give you an advantage against young graduates who do not have the same professional background as you. This will allow you to enhance your profile, to compensate for your lack of experience in the retraining sector and to stand out.
Be careful, don't forget that skills can be both technical (hard skills) and behavioral (soft skills)!
Express your desire to join the company
For the fourth paragraph of your letter, it is appropriate to explain why you see yourself working at this firm and not at any other. It's also the perfect time to show the recruiter that they should choose you, and no one else.
" Given all these reasons, my [mention a quality that has not yet been mentioned] and my motivation to [give us another of your assets], I am convinced that I could contribute to the development and notoriety of [company name]. Working for your company would therefore be a real opportunity for me as I strongly identify with the values advocated by [company name] and its commitments in [quote the company's commitments]."
Conclusion
Finally, in a fourth paragraph, indicate that you are available for an interview. If you send your cover letter by email, you can also mention to the recruiter that they will find your CV attached to it. Then, don't forget to end your letter with a greeting and sign !
" To learn more about my professional background, you will find my CV attached to this email. Thank you very much for your consideration of my application.
In the hope that the latter will catch your attention, I remain at your disposal for an interview.
While awaiting your reply, please accept, Madam, Sir, my respectful greetings.
[Enter your first and last name]"
And that's it, your cover letter is ready to be sent! We wish you the best of luck in this new adventure! 🍀
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