How to Change Careers in the U.S.: A Step-by-Step Plan

Career Transitions • By Hassan Raza • Published October 8, 2026 • Updated October 21, 2026

Career changes are common in the U.S., but knowing how to change careers well comes down to deliberate positioning. Employers hire on evidence that you can do the work. When your past job titles don't match the role you want, it's on you to make the relevant experience visible and lower the perceived risk of hiring you.

The plan that follows runs in seven steps, covering choosing a direction, mapping your transferable skills, building evidence, rewriting your materials, and setting realistic expectations. It leans on free tools from CareerOneStop, the U.S. Department of Labor's career site, which has a whole section for career changers.

Step 1: Clarify Why You Want to Change

Before you pick a new field, get specific about what you actually want to change. It might be:

• The work itself, meaning the daily tasks
• The industry or mission
• Pay or long-term earning potential
• Schedule, stress, or physical demands
• Stability or growth prospects

This matters because some problems can be solved with a smaller move, like a new employer, a new team, or a related role, without starting over in an unfamiliar field.

Step 2: Generate and Research Options

Use Skills-Based Tools

CareerOneStop offers two free tools built for exactly this:

• Skills Matcher asks you to rate your level on 40 workplace skills, then compares your ratings with O*NET data for more than 900 occupations and lists careers that match.
• mySkills myFuture lets you enter a current or past job title and returns occupations where workers often use similar skills. Its "Compare Skills" feature shows how your current occupation lines up with each match, and it links to local training programs and job listings.

Expect a mix: some matches will be good ideas, some will surprise you, and some won't fit at all. That's normal. Treat the list as a starting point, not an answer.

Check the Outlook and Pay

For each option, look it up in the Bureau of Labor Statistics' Occupational Outlook Handbook. Each profile covers typical duties, work environment, entry-level education, median pay, and the projected job outlook over the coming decade. Ask yourself:

• Is this field growing or shrinking?
• What education or credentials are typically required?
• How does the pay compare with what you earn now?

Talk to People Doing the Work

CareerOneStop's career change path recommends doing two or three informational interviews before you settle on one or two target occupations. A short conversation with someone in the role tells you things no data source can: what the work is really like, which credentials matter, and how people usually break in. See our networking guide for how to set these up.

Step 3: Identify Your Transferable Skills

List the core activities of the target role, then map your past work against each one. Focus on what you did, not on your old job title.

Examples:

Translate your industry jargon into the language of the new field. Hiring managers there need to see that you can do the work, and knowing your old industry's terms doesn't help them see it. Reading 10–15 postings for the target role will show you which terms to use.

Step 4: Build Credible Evidence

You can partly close gaps in formal experience through:

• Internal projects or stretch assignments in your current job that mirror the target work. This is often the lowest-risk option because you're still employed.
• Volunteer or pro bono work for organizations that need the target skills
• Short courses or certifications that give you structured exposure and a recognized credential. CareerOneStop and mySkills myFuture link to local training programs.
• Portfolio projects that show the work directly, such as a data analysis, a redesigned training module, or a marketing plan for a real nonprofit
• Freelance or contract work, even small jobs, which give you real clients and results to point to

Write up each one the way you'd write a resume bullet: what you did, the scope, and the result.

Step 5: Write a Career Change Resume and Update LinkedIn

CareerOneStop's career change path includes rebranding your resume for the target occupation, writing a short elevator pitch, and updating your social media profiles.

Resume

• Use a combination format. A summary and skills section at the top, followed by your work history, puts transferable skills first while still showing your full record.
• Write a targeted summary: "Former high school science teacher moving into instructional design, with experience building blended courses and a certificate in e-learning development."
• Reorder bullets so the most transferable achievements come first in each role
• Add a Projects or Relevant Experience section for volunteer work, freelance jobs, and portfolio pieces

Our resume guide covers format and ATS details.

LinkedIn

Update your headline to name the field you're moving into, and use the About section to explain the change in a few sentences. See our LinkedIn guide.

Your Elevator Pitch

Have two or three sentences ready that cover where you're coming from, where you're headed, and why you're credible:

"I spent eight years in retail management, where I ran scheduling, inventory, and training for a team of 30. Over the past year I've completed a supply chain certificate and worked on an inventory project with a local food bank, and I'm now looking for operations coordinator roles."

Step 6: Position Your Applications

• Explain the change briefly in your cover letter or summary: the capability you bring, why you're changing, and the evidence that you're ready. Keep it to a sentence or two, then move on to relevant achievements.
• Target places where your background is an advantage. A nurse moving into health tech, or an accountant moving into finance operations at a software company, brings knowledge other candidates may not have.
• Consider bridge roles. Positions that combine old and new skills can be an easier first step, such as a sales engineer role for someone moving from engineering into sales.
• Use referrals. A recommendation from someone inside the company helps make up for a nontraditional resume.

Step 7: Prepare for Interview Questions About the Change

You'll almost certainly be asked why you're changing careers. A strong answer:

• Focuses on what draws you to the new field, not on what you're escaping
• Shows you've done your homework through courses, projects, and conversations
• Connects your past experience to what the new role needs

"I've always enjoyed the part of teaching where I design lessons, more than the classroom management side. Over the past year I've built e-learning modules for my district and completed a certificate, and I want to do that work full-time. My classroom experience means I know how to design for learners who aren't automatically engaged."

Use the STAR method for behavioral questions, and draw on examples from your previous career.

Realistic Timeline and Expectations

Most successful career changes take several months of focused effort, and sometimes longer if you need new credentials. Your early applications may get fewer responses than applications in your current field would. Expect that, and don't take it as a final verdict.

Ways to get more traction early on:

• Aim first at bridge roles that use both your old and new skills
• Apply where career changers are common or where your background gives you an edge
• Keep building evidence while you apply

If you're considering a change that requires a degree or a long training program, research the cost, time, and job outlook carefully before you commit. The local training links in mySkills myFuture and the OOH's education data are good places to start.

Free Help

American Job Centers, which you can find through CareerOneStop's American Job Center Finder, offer free job search help, and many provide career guidance and workshops. Services vary by location.

Frequently Asked Questions

Am I too old to change careers? Career changes happen at every stage. Lean on your depth of experience and reliability. CareerOneStop also has resources specifically for workers 55 and older.

Do I need a new degree? Not always. Many fields accept certificates, portfolios, or demonstrated skills. Check the Occupational Outlook Handbook's typical entry-level education for the occupation, and ask people in the field what employers actually require.

Will I have to take a pay cut? Sometimes, at least at first. Compare median pay for your current and target occupations using BLS data, and consider bridge roles that use your existing experience.

How do I explain a career change on my resume? Use a short summary at the top that names the new direction and your strongest evidence. You don't need to explain your reasons in detail on the resume.

Should I quit my job before changing careers? Building evidence while you're still employed, through projects, courses, and volunteering, is usually lower risk. Whether to leave first depends on your finances and the field.

Related Guides

• Once your new target is set, use how to find a job in the U.S. to run the search.
• Write your cover letter to explain the switch.
• Prepare for "Why are you changing careers?" with our common interview questions.
• Check demand first: U.S. job market trends.

Sources

1. CareerOneStop (U.S. Department of Labor), "Career Changers": https://www.careeronestop.org/ResourcesFor/CareerChanger/career-changer.aspx
2. CareerOneStop, "Skills Matcher Help Page": https://www.careeronestop.org/Toolkit/Skills/skills-matcher-help.aspx
3. CareerOneStop, mySkills myFuture help page: https://www.myskillsmyfuture.org/skillstransferability/GetStartedPageHelp.aspx
4. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, "Occupational Information Included in the OOH": https://www.bls.gov/ooh/about/occupational-information-included-in-the-ooh.htm
5. CareerOneStop, "Informational interviews": https://www.careeronestop.org/JobSearch/Network/informational-interviews.aspx
6. CareerOneStop, "American Job Center Finder": https://www.careeronestop.org/LocalHelp/AmericanJobCenters/find-american-job-centers.aspx
7. CareerOneStop, "Resumes and cover letters | 55+ workers": https://www.careeronestop.org/ResourcesFor/55PlusWorkers/resumes-and-cover-letters.aspx
8. CareerOneStop, "Skills Matcher": https://www.careeronestop.org/Toolkit/Skills/skills-matcher.aspx

If your switch follows time out of work, our guide to explaining an employment gap shows how to address it briefly.