Feeling Stuck in Career Transition: Is It Okay to Tweak My Resume for HR Roles?

Hi guys, I just stumbled upon this community today. I am in my worst phase, venting it out. Help me out. Sorry for the long post:)

My Background and Career Journey

I did my bachelor's in Mechanical Engineering and joined as a BDA at Byju's. To be honest, I performed really well, and the company was growing too. I know many people have a bad opinion about the company, but ultimately, it comes down to your ethics and how good of an individual you are. Simply put, I haven't even changed my number since 2015 (so no cheating or disappointed customers; I have been honest). So, coming back, I ended my career in the company as a Business Development Manager and went on to pursue my master's. I finished with merit in the UK (International Business). Due to some personal health issues, I couldn't go there again, so I decided to stay back. Thank you for reading though.

Seeking Advice on Career Transition

So, I have been trying for different roles in HR and analytics, but no luck. I wanted to ask you all, will it be a problem if I change the roles on my resume? I have my experience letter stating BDM-sales, but if I present it the same way, no one will hire me for HR or analyst roles even though I am proficient in them. So, if I change my resume to one and a half years in operations as an associate and one and a half years as Manager-operations, will it be an issue? Or what if I edit (I know it's wrong, but I am running out of options just because I have worked at Byju's and people are rejecting my resume) by altering the names and job descriptions, would that be acceptable? I really want to switch up my role! Can the company backtrack to confirm my role in my previous company, or can they only see that I have worked there?

Thanks for reading this. Any help would be greatly appreciated. I can't take this anymore:(((

Dear Dharan DD,

This is a public forum; while giving replies, we members maintain neutrality and look at the case dispassionately.

Career Profile Analysis

On objectively analyzing your career profile, I found mismatches on the following counts:

a) You have a BE (Mech) but joined Byju's as a BDA. Taking up a non-technical job or a job unrelated to your qualification after acquiring technical education is the first mismatch.

b) Later, you moved to the UK and completed an MBA in International Business. Your advanced qualification is a mismatch with the business development job you did at Byju's.

c) Upon returning to India, you are seeking a job in HR Analytics. There is a mismatch between your MBA (International Business) and the job you aspire to.

With these mismatches, it will not be surprising if you are being turned away from jobs. Additionally, you are pursuing a career in the HR field. HR professionals highly value experience and may prefer a less intelligent candidate with experience over a more intelligent newcomer. However, it's important to note that other professionals can also be as dogmatic as HR.

HR Analytics as a Niche Field

Furthermore, HR Analytics is a niche area in the HR field. Few HR departments incorporate analytics into their daily activities.

Your job search may be unsuccessful due to these inherent mismatches. Individuals often advance by staying within the industry and function they are familiar with. I recommend considering a job related to International Business to prevent further mismatches.

CV Alteration Concerns

You have requested suggestions on altering the roles in your CV. However, falsifying your CV is risky. Instead of resorting to deception, it may be better to seek a job aligned with your experience.

Professional Feedback

This is a professional forum. When posting, members are expected to use professional language. Your informal language is inconsistent with your qualifications. When seeking advice from seniors, it is important to be discreet and avoid using abbreviations typical of casual conversations. By crafting a refined post, you could have left a positive impression on readers; unfortunately, your post does the opposite. It reads as if it was written by a recent graduate unfamiliar with professional norms. While my feedback may seem stringent, it is necessary.

Understanding the importance of using professional English early on will benefit your career.

All the best!

Dinesh Divekar

Hi, I just finished my master's and now want to switch roles from sales to HR or into analytics, but I am not sure if it's easy to do that. Everyone asks for experience. So, I decided to alter my CV accordingly. My relieving letter states BDM, so I can't change the role, but what if I alter my roles at the beginning in the company where I worked for 3 years? Or should I just keep the same roles and change the job description in my CV alone?

For example, change BDA to Business Development Ops. Can a company find out which role I worked in? How does it work? Kindly help me figure this out!

I am interested in knowing how you can claim to be proficient in HR and Analytics when you have never worked in that field. On what basis are you making that statement, and how do you expect the employer to accept it at face value?

You are essentially a fresher in the field. Therefore, you need to look for entry-level positions. If you join a reputable company, you can prove yourself and advance to a better position. If you are seeking a higher position or a salary equivalent to someone with three years of experience because of work in an unrelated field, why would an employer consider you when there are many other candidates available?

Do not assume employers are naive enough not to conduct a background check.

Didn't your university have placement services? They should be able to assist you with this.