Canadian resume

Canadians use résumés instead of CVs and prefer computerised applications. The application process is much more commercial and as most employers will read resumes on the computer the resume should fit a specific template and if it does not then it risks being rejected without a viewing. Bullet point words such as contributed, managed, organized, developed etc. at the start of a sentence for maximum impact.

Once the filter has ‘found’ your resume, it might be read by a person who is not knowledgeable of the vacancy you are applying for so it should be written to ‘sell’ yourself to almost any audience while at the same time being relevant to your target employer!

There are lots of online Canadian job search sites that have resume templates you can use as well as marketing you towards your target employer.

The format for the Canadian Resume is similar to the Chronological CV with the length generally being 2 sides of A4. Your name and contact details would be at the top centre followed by your career history and work experience in reverse chronological order with the most recent job detailed first.

Mention whether your work was full or part time and explain any gaps in your employment history. Within this provide examples of your achievements and details of how you added ‘value’ to your past/current employers organisation/company.

Following career history is your educational history with a list of colleges and universities, date and qualifications obtained etc. Mentioning foreign travel, language and computer skills is advantageous.

Finally close with “References available on request” or on a separate page list up to 3 referee’s with their contact information. Ensure before submitting your resume that you have checked that your contact details for referees are up to date and still current.

Canada provides assistance for jobseekers in the form of free workshops, which help anyone seeking employment with writing resumes, interview skills and job search.