Choose the change you actually want
You may want a new challenge, greater responsibility, different hours or a move away from particular duties. Write that down without assuming you should want less. If you do want a smaller remit or fewer days, describe the work you would like to keep as well as what you want to leave behind.
Select evidence, rather than recounting every year
A long career can be difficult to compress. Pick three examples relevant to the work you want now: a decision, an improvement, a difficult situation or responsibility for people and resources. State your own contribution and its result. Years of experience provide context; specific examples show an employer how that experience could help.
Look across the functions you have worked in
Your title may have covered customer relationships, buying, operations, training, finance or staff coordination. Separate those responsibilities and examine their depth. Handling a budget is not automatically an accounting qualification, and coaching a colleague is not the same as owning a learning programme. Those distinctions help identify credible new routes without dismissing experience you have not fully described.
Check the working arrangement in detail
If you want four days, part-time work or a hybrid arrangement, confirm the days, hours and office expectations. Compare the actual annual pay for those hours with the amount you need. A full-time-equivalent salary can look attractive while the reduced-hours amount is much lower. Consider contract length, travel and commercial targets alongside the pay figure.
Refresh what the role requires
Use current adverts to identify tools or methods that come up repeatedly. Compare them with what you already use and the problems you have solved. A targeted refresher or practical exercise may be more useful than a broad course. Do not assume that a missing tool name means you cannot learn it, or that career length alone demonstrates proficiency.
Make the reason for your move clear
Lead with the work you can contribute and why this particular role suits your next step. If you are choosing a smaller remit, explain that choice rather than leaving the employer to guess. Focus your search on the actual duties and terms, and seek feedback on specific applications. Rejection alone does not reveal whether the cause was age, competition, role fit or something else.