Cover letter for a career change

If you're switching careers, your cover letter needs to do two things a typical applicant doesn't: explain why, and show what you bring from your previous work. Get that right, and your career change becomes your strongest selling point. Here's a letter that shows how.

Example of a cover letter for a career change

Dear Ilse,

I'm Marieke de Vries. After twelve years in hospitality, the last five as manager of a busy restaurant, I chose healthcare two years ago. In June I'll complete my training as a Verzorgende IG (certified care worker with basic nursing skills), which I'm doing through a work-study program at a nursing home. When I read your job posting for a Verzorgende IG in home care, I knew right away this is where I wanted to start.

It started with one day a week of volunteer work at a nursing home, alongside my job at the restaurant. There I found the same satisfaction I used to get from a good night at the restaurant: making people feel welcome and cared for. After a year, I was certain, and I signed up for the training.

On my unit lives a man with dementia who used to get restless in the evenings and leave his food untouched. I noticed he calmed down when he had something to do at the table, just like he used to in his own bakery. Since he now helps set the table every evening, he finishes his plate again, and the evening goes more smoothly for him and for us. In the restaurant, I learned to really watch people, and I bring that with me to every shift.

Your job posting mentions working independently in clients' homes, with a steady neighborhood team to fall back on. That combination suits me well. I'd be glad to tell you in an interview what hospitality and healthcare have in common. You can always call or email me.

Sincerely,

Marieke de Vries

The names and figures in this example are fictional. The cover letter you have written here will use your resume and the actual job posting.

How to make your case in a career change

  • Open by stating which step you're taking and why, as a deliberate choice. An employer wants to see someone who's heading toward something, not someone running away from it.
  • Translate your experience into the new field's terms: staying calm under pressure, working with people, planning. Describe it in the language of the new field, not the old one.
  • Show that you've already taken steps: a course, volunteer work, or a certificate. That makes it clear right away that you're serious.
  • Mention your career change once and then move on to what you bring to the table. If you keep explaining what you're still missing, you'll make the reader doubt you.

Frequently asked questions about a cover letter for a career change

Do I need to explain why I'm leaving my old field?
Briefly, yes. One or two sentences about what draws you to the new field is enough. Stay away from complaining about your old employer or industry.
My resume doesn't match the job posting. Can a cover letter still help?
That's exactly when it helps most. The resume shows where you're coming from; the cover letter makes the connection. Without a cover letter, an employer only sees the gap.
Do I have to settle for a lower salary?
Not necessarily. Experience in managing, planning, or client contact has value in any field. Prepare for the conversation by knowing what's standard in the new industry and what you bring from your old job.

Enter the job posting and your resume, and tell us in a few words why you're switching. You'll get a cover letter that makes the connection, free to view on your screen first.

Have your career change letter written

Other situations

What users say about their new resume

5/5review translated

β€œIt was nice that I could upload my old CV, so I didn't have to type in all the details again. The system took it over well. On top of that, I can adjust the layout completely to my own taste.”

Esther, L
CorporateOctober 2026
5/5review translated

β€œThis tool is perfect! I quickly got my old CV looking new again, received a matching cover letter and practical tips for the conversation with my future boss. Really recommend it.”

Anoniem
Healthcare & Social CareAugust 2026
4/5review translated

β€œHandy tool if you don't really know where to start. My CV became clearer and the job vacancy analysis gave me some good insights. I also found the salary advice interesting. Sometimes I thought the texts were a bit too formal and I adjusted them myself a bit. But as a basis, this is really a nice tool.”

Jeroen de V.
August 2026
5/5review translated

β€œThe cover letter writer in particular surprised me. I'd always struggled to write a good letter myself. CV-Refresher used my experience and the job vacancy in a really logical way. In the end I was invited for an interview. The whole combination of CV, letter and salary advice makes it really complete.”

Amina El A.
August 2026
5/5review translated

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August 2026
4/5review translated

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August 2026
5/5review translated

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Femke van den B.
August 2026
4/5review translated

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August 2026
5/5review translated

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Lisa van D.
August 2026

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