During your interview, continue to hammer that message home. Here are  tips to help you have a successful career change interview.

Play Up Similar Skills 

Here’s the good news about switching careers: It’s not a hard reset. You won’t need to work your way up from an entry-level position all over again. During your original career, you gained valuable experience and knowledge that you’ll bring to any new role.

Your former field may have more in common with your new industry than you thought:

Before your interview, list out the skills you used in previous jobs that’ll be relevant in your new career. 

• Review the job description, and consider where you have applicable experience. Here’s how to match your qualifications with the job description. 
• During the interview, sell these transferable skills, giving lots of specific examples. Soft skills, in particular, often carry over from one career to the next.

Point Out Any Advantages of Your Old Career Path 

• It could very well be the case that your previous career offers benefits to your new career in the form of insider information or a helpful network of connections.
• For instance, if you switch from a client-side role to a vendor role, you’ll be able to share insights with your new employer on what exactly clients are looking for.
• If you’ve moved from content to publicity, you might be able to share a contact list of writers and editors to promote a product, or might have insight into what pitches will be best received.

Be Prepared to Explain Why You’re Changing Careers 

• There’s no question that you’ll be asked during the interview process why you are shifting careers. 
• Try to frame your move as being logical—develop a narrative that conveys why you’re making this career move. Your goal is to convey that you are not flighty, and will not seek to switch careers again. Employers are eager to hire candidates who will stick around.
• Put the emphasis again on the qualities that are similar between the roles, and share what makes you feel excited and enthusiastic about your new career.
• Be careful to avoid being overly negative about your previous career. It’s fine to say that an industry is shrinking, or you feel there’s a lack of available opportunities, but don’t harp on the negative aspects.