It should come as no surprise that a mid-career change often leaves job seekers feeling confused. You’ve surpassed entry-level positions both in experience and salary expectations, but you don’t have the qualifications for senior-level management jobs. This gray area combined with today’s job market leaves you facing the challenge of finding a job. However, if you highlight your achievements the right way, it is a challenge that can be overcome.

Embrace your experience.

Don’t erase dates from your resume to make yourself appear younger. Rather, create an accomplishment-based resume to emphasize how your years of experience have provided critical achievements and seasoning that give you an advantage over the younger competition.

Craft the right resume.

It is perfectly acceptable to create different versions of your resume for different positions. Don’t feel you need to list every skill or responsibility for each job; you don’t want to overwhelm potential employers. Focus on what will be relevant to the position, and mention additional skills or experience during the interview.

Be honest.

If you know you’re applying for a position for which you are overqualified, address it immediately in your cover letter. Perhaps you’re looking to round out your career experience and don’t mind taking a pay cut. If you’re making a career change to a new industry, state your reasons why you want to make this move. Whatever your reasons may be, make them known – don’t leave it to the resume screener to draw conclusions.

Share your stories.

Bring your real-world problems and solutions to your interview.  These stories will give you a gigantic edge over the competition. Younger applicants will most likely have theories, but not real-world examples of facing a problem and finding a successful solution.

Reinvent yourself.

Although you may not plan for a mid-career change, you may find it is an ideal time to plan a new career path. Use the time you have now to consider new possibilities for your future and ask yourself questions to find out what you really want to do.

Being caught unemployed mid-career is both challenging and intimidating, but it can also be an invigorating step in the right direction. Keep in mind that mid-career change does not mean mid-life crisis. If you need help finding the right job for your mid-career change, reach out to Staffers today!