Do not use a functional resume
Grouping everything under skill headings with employers relegated to a footer is the format parsers handle worst: bullets detach from employers, tenure cannot be computed, and recruiters read it as concealment. Keep reverse-chronological structure and do the reframing inside it.
Rewrite the summary as a bridge
State the target role, the transferable core, and the proof that you have already done the work in some form. Three lines, ending with a number.
- "Operations lead moving into data analytics. Six years turning warehouse throughput data into weekly decisions; built the SQL and Power BI reporting that cut stockouts 24%. Google Data Analytics certified, 2026."
Use a hybrid title line when it is honest
If your official title was internal jargon, you can write the standard equivalent followed by the formal title in parentheses. Never invent seniority or a role you did not hold.
- "Operations Analyst (official title: Logistics Executive II)" — accurate and searchable.
Re-cut old bullets around the new target
Same jobs, different emphasis. Lead each bullet with the part of the work that resembles the target role, and use the target field's vocabulary for it.
- Teacher → project manager: "Coordinated a 14-person team across a 9-month curriculum rollout, tracking milestones and reporting weekly to leadership."
- Retail manager → customer success: "Owned retention for 400+ repeat accounts; introduced a follow-up cadence that raised repeat purchase rate 18%."
Make the new skills concrete and verifiable
- Put certifications with issuer and year in a Certifications section — parsers map that field cleanly.
- Add a Projects section with two or three real artefacts, each with a scope and an outcome, and a link where one exists.
- List the target role's tools in Skills only if a bullet or project supports each one.
Address the gap plainly
A visible gap with a one-line explanation — study, caregiving, relocation, contract work — reads far better than a hidden one. Keep the date format consistent so tenure still computes.