Paragraph by paragraph
I have been a police officer in Greater Manchester since 2016, and since 2020 I have worked in CID. I would like to move into the Financial Crime Investigator role at The Co-operative Bank, because I want to specialise in fraud.
The old career and the reason for the new one
He gives his police career in one sentence and his reason in the next. Putting the reason this early stops the reader guessing.
In CID I investigate volume crime, including fraud, burglary and assault. I interview suspects, take statements from victims and build the case files that the Crown Prosecution Service makes its charging decisions on, and 92% of my cases that went to court ended in a conviction.
Police work, in words a bank uses
Interviews, statements and case files are explained by what they are for. "Detection rate" and other police terms are left out because a bank reader would need them translated.
The investigation I am proudest of, into an organised crime network, earned a Chief Constable's Commendation. Much of it involved tracing payments with banks' fraud teams, and that work is what made me want to join one.
The link between old and new
The commendation shows quality, and the payment tracing shows he has already worked alongside bank fraud teams. It makes the move easy to follow.
I write reports that have to stand up in court. I have also mentored six student officers through their probation, and all of them reached independent patrol. I am used to dealing with people on the worst day of their lives, which many fraud victims are having when they first call their bank.
Skills that carry over
Report writing, training others and dealing with people in distress all matter in fraud investigation. The last sentence ties them to the bank's customers.
I know the bank's systems and rules will be new to me, so I have started reading the Money Laundering Regulations and the JMLSG guidance to be ready for them. I live in Manchester and can start once my notice period ends.
Honest about the gap
He admits banking will be new and says what he is already doing about it.
Translate your old job into the new one’s language
A reader in a new industry won't know what your old job's terms mean, and won't stop to look them up. Describe each thing by what it does.
| Old wording | What a bank reader understands |
|---|---|
| PACE interviews | Recorded interviews with suspects, carried out under strict legal rules |
| Case files for the CPS | Evidence files prepared for prosecutors to decide on charges |
| Detection rate of 78% | The share of my cases that ended with someone charged or dealt with |
| Victim care | Supporting people who have lost money or been targeted |
| Intelligence work | Finding patterns in data and records |
The same applies to any change. Teachers, nurses and soldiers all use words the next employer won't know.
For a recruiter who places career changers
Recruiters can be wary of career changers, so the summary has to make the link in the first line. This version does that.
A reason for the change that looks ahead
Anyone reading a career change letter will want to know why you are changing now. Answer it early, and make the answer about the new work.
- Point forward: "I want to specialise in fraud" tells the reader where you are going. A reason about what you are leaving doesn't.
- Show a link: a project, a course or part of your old job that already touched the new field.
- Keep the old employer out of it: criticising a previous employer worries the next one.
Other career changes and their first lines
Teacher into learning and development
Translate lessons and classes into training, audiences and results.
For eight years I have designed and delivered lessons for groups of 30, and I would like to do the same for adults as a learning and development specialist.
Hospitality into customer success
Show customer relationships, problem solving and any targets you hit.
I have run the front of house at a busy restaurant for four years, and the part I enjoy most is turning a disappointed guest into a regular.
Retail manager into HR
Show the people work you already do: hiring, rotas, absence and training.
As a store manager I have hired 40 people, handled absence and disciplinary meetings and trained every new starter, and I want to make that work my job.
Into tech after a bootcamp
Show the projects you built and how your old career helps.
After six years in accountancy I finished a data analytics bootcamp in June, and my final project analysed late payments for a small business I used to audit.
Returning to a field you left
Explain the gap simply and show you are up to date.
I worked in marketing for five years before a career break, and this year I completed a digital marketing course to bring my skills up to date.
What carries over, and what to learn
Be specific about both. For a move from policing into bank fraud work, for example:
- Carries over: investigation, interviewing, evidence handling, report writing and supporting victims.
- New to learn: banking systems and payments, and the rules banks work under, such as the Money Laundering Regulations 2017 and reporting suspicious activity to the UK Financial Intelligence Unit at the National Crime Agency under the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002.
- Ways to close the gap: qualifications such as ACAMS's CAMS or an anti money laundering qualification from the International Compliance Association, if the job asks for them.
Five mistakes in career change letters
Apologising for the change
Opening with "I know I don’t have direct experience" puts the gap first.
Open with your reason and the link to the new job.
Old job, old words
Terms the reader doesn’t know make your experience harder to value.
Describe each thing by what it does.
A reason about leaving
Escaping your old job says nothing about why you want the new one.
Give a reason that points to the new work.
Claiming you know it all
Pretending there is nothing to learn makes the reader doubt everything else.
Name the gap and how you will close it.
Too much of the old job
A long account of your old duties buries the parts that matter.
Keep only what carries over.
Length and the order that works
- Length: one page. Daniel's letter is about 230 words.
- Order: reason first, then the evidence that carries over, then what you will learn.
- Who reads it: often a manager outside your old field, so write for someone who has never done your old job.
- Confidential work: describe cases and projects by type only, especially from public service jobs.
The main points from this page
- 1Give a reason for the change that points to the new work.
- 2Translate your old job’s terms into the new field’s language.
- 3Show a link between the two, such as work that overlapped.
- 4Name what you still need to learn.
- 5Keep only the parts of the old job that carry over.
Frequently asked questions
How do I write a cover letter for a career change?
Open with a reason for the change that points to the new work, translate your experience into the new field’s terms, show a link between the two, and say what you still need to learn.
Should I explain why I am changing careers?
Yes, early and briefly. Make the reason about the new work, and leave out complaints about the old job.
How do I show experience I don’t have?
You can’t, so don’t try. Show the experience that carries over and be honest about the rest.
Can police officers move into fraud investigation?
Yes. Investigation, interviewing and evidence skills carry over, and banks also look for an understanding of anti money laundering rules and reporting.
How long should a career change cover letter be?
One page, about 250 words. The reason and the translation of your experience matter more than length.