Laura Said:

When changing careers in a resume?

We Answered:

i just switched careers, too, with little experience in my future field but a good bit in my past one. for one, i would include an Objective section at the top of your resume as a way of reiterating your interest in photography and not medicine.

for my resume, i've leaned heavily on bulleting the specific job-related responsibilities from my internships. just as a matter of space, it has cut out a past job and filled the page with more industry-specific responsibilities.

don't add McDonalds because nobody really cares about that and you can always mention that in the interview if it becomes appropriate. i wouldn't completely dismiss your previous career, either, as i'm sure you've already thought of good ways to talk about how that experience is going to make you an asset in your new career. "I take beautiful x-rays" or something like that:)

even though your career change is about as unrelated as mine is, it at least shows you have plenty of professional experience and already know how to conduct yourself on a job.

edit: for every single cover letter i write, i make an effort to say how experience in my previous career gives me that added benefit in my new one. i know yours are quite unrelated, but there has to be something. you really have to turn your past into a "value added," you really need to look at this more as a benefit than a detriment, because this is probably the one thing that is making you unique versus all of the other applicants to the position.