There comes a time in many of our lives where we fancy a career change. That makes sense given how much our tastes and desires alter over the years. It’d be madness to assume that a field which interested you when you were eighteen is still going to have your attention at 40+. Sadly, many of us stick with fields which no longer suit because we’re unsure how to break in elsewhere.

Entering a whole new career field can be daunting. You may be plagued with imposter syndrome, or feel like there’s no chance a manager is going to select you. The majority of roles now attract upwards of 250 applicants, after all, and only 2% of them get interviews. Why would a manager select you when you know nothing about their industry?

While it isn’t easy, it is entirely possible to stand out with your resume alone whether you’ve worked in an industry or not. The right information is sure to prove to a boss that you’re the right person regardless. But, what is that information, and how can you use it to secure your next career?

Make your qualifications applicable

Qualifications matter for any position. What you might not realize is that they can also cover your lack of experience. By finding ways to apply previous qualifications to your new role, you could stroll right through to the interview stage. All you need to do is think about the ways your previous grades would help you with this job. It may be that the maths grade you passed with flying colors in school can come back to help. Perhaps studying that mba program online has given you unique insight into the position you’re applying for. Don’t worry if these weren’t the reasons you got these qualifications in the first place. You’re using your initiative. Which, by the way, is another reason that manager would be mad not to consider you.

Focus on your skill set

We often focus on our career history in the body of our resumes. Our skills are usually a footnote at best. But, given that your career history doesn’t apply here, you may benefit from making more noise about this. That’s not to say you can do away with career history altogether. But, it might be worth displaying your skills up top. That way, you can use your way with words to prove why you have everything you need, experience or no.

Include volunteer work

If you’re still worried you haven’t done enough, you could always embark on volunteer work. Most industries are forever on the lookout for helpful volunteers. Even better, you don’t need to know what you’re doing to secure a shot here. Including these volunteer roles is a sure way to a winning resume. It also allows you to hand-tailor your own experience. Work like this also proves you to be a selfless and forward-thinking person. And, those are skills that every manager is sure to appreciate in a future employee.