Sharpen your CV to switch sectors

During this lockdown period, which has once again been extended, some sectors will be struggling, while others are booming. The challenges companies are facing, big and small, are being faced not just by isolated businesses but by whole industries – the hospitality sector for example, or leisure. If a business was struggling prior to lockdown, then the ongoing situation may have exacerbated things. Cash-rich companies are safer. However, no one is exempt from feeling the uncertainty and pressure of these unfamiliar times. If you currently work in a sector that is in decline or you can see problems on the horizon in the near future, this is a highly opportune moment to take a look at your CV and consider switching sectors.

New challenges

With an ever more competitive employment market, the first impression you make with that speculative email and CV is more important than ever. It has to be both an accurate reflection of your skills, but also interesting enough to stand out as distinctive. If you are used to writing, then pulling together a CV will come as second nature. Unfortunately many roles do not feature precise, concise writing as a primary skill and articulating your knowledge, experience and enthusiasm may not be a simple task. Think about how you’d like others to see you. Identify areas where you can highlight your particular strengths. Demonstrate too how skills that you’ve accumulated over your career so far have been adapted in different situations. This shows how your aptitude can be transferred to new industries and new challenges.

There are arguments pro and con on which style of CV is more effective. A functional one, or a reverse chronological one. Reverse chronological CVs are the most common form of presenting your work experience. They allow you to highlight your skills and experience, particularly within the same or similar sectors. But this might be the time for a change. The relevance of longevity in a single sector is less important than your skills themselves. A functional CV looks at key skills, abilities and achievements. This format will be far more useful than a reverse chronological one, particularly if you have worked in the same sector for an extended period.

Transferable skills

Most job titles, roles and functions are transferable. Companies will be on the lookout for the most talented people, regardless of the sectors they are from. This is particularly true of roles like sales, marketing, IT, HR and finance, to give a few examples. The medium or product changes, but the role is the same. As a result of this pandemic, some ‘boom sectors’ might be new ones, driven by a demand that was previously much smaller. Where medical products are involved, a high level of quality assurance/control is required. Companies will be hiring the best in their fields to contribute to what has become a national effort.

The UK Treasury’s ‘Furlough’ scheme is available until the end July in its present format. It will remain in place until October 2020 in some form. But some companies are already starting to look at their plans for the future. If you work in a sector that has been negatively impacted by recent events and your job is at risk, you might want to look at a different sector. Post-lockdown impacted sectors will be a highly competitive jobs market and it will be more important than ever for your CV to shine.