How to write a Canadian resume

The “dos” and “don’ts” of drafting a resume in the Canadian manner

 This isn’t another piece that tells you to spell-check your resume—but you should. We’ll go through some less-obvious ways to get your foot in the door of your dream career in Canada.

A résumé is merely one step in the process of obtaining work in Canada—and it isn’t even the first. Do some study on Canada’s employment market and choose the companies you’d like to apply for before you sit down to begin writing your business experience. A number of tools are available on the Canadian government’s website to assist you in your job hunt.

We’ll concentrate on optimizing your CV for Canadian employers in this article. Keep in mind that companies will have their own views, and each industry has its own set of best practices. We hope that this article has given you a good understanding of how much you can put on a Canadian CV and what you should leave off.

There are five do’s and don’ts when it comes to drafting a Canadian CV

There is no need to include a photograph

Unless you’re an actor or a model, it’s not compulsory to provide a picture with your CV in Canada, unlike in several other nations. In general, you only need to include material on your CV that is relevant to the position description.

Don’t offer too much information

The majority of your personal information does not need to be included on your CV. The only private details the company need at this point is your name and a way to reach you. They don’t need to know your age, country of origin, race, religion, marital status, or other information about your family. In fact, under Canadian human rights rules, asking these questions in interviews could be unlawful.

Furthermore, your Resume is not the spot to reveal your Social Security Number (SIN). Employers do not require this information until you have been hired for the position. Your Social Security card is a private document that you should only disclose when legally compelled.

All you need to put on your CV is your relevant abilities and expertise, as well as basic contact information such as your name, phone number, and email address. A mailing address isn’t always required, especially if you’re looking for work in another city. You may want to add it if you want to show that you are within commuting distance of your place of employment, but most job searchers feel that it takes up valuable page space.

Don’t go overboard with your writing

One page is optimal in terms of duration, but two is great as well.

You want the individual examining your application to just see your best, most appropriate, and most recent work experience. If you’re just starting out in your profession and don’t have much experience, you can mention items that aren’t necessarily relevant to the job.

Keep your CV short and sweet in general. The goal is for it to be “skimmable.” Employers ought to be able to acquire a sense of your background without having to read a novel.

References should not be included

Your employer will request references if they want them. It’s a good idea to make sure your reference is aware that you’re naming them and providing their contact information. Speaking with your reference ahead of time might also assist you to assess whether or not they will truly give you a good recommendation.

Use a professional email account instead of a personal one

Recruiters are aware of these data, and they may pass judgment on you based on the email account you thought was amusing in high school. There are no red flags in using an email account that contains your name.

5 do’s when it comes to drafting a resume in Canada

Make sure your application is tailored to the job posting

It takes longer but tailoring each CV to the position you’re seeking frequently yields better results than the “spray and pray” strategy of sending out a batch of generic resumes.

You’re not sure what sequence to display your experiences in? Which talents should you include and which should you exclude? Are you undecided about a word?

Take a look at the job description. This is your first indication of what the employer is looking for and the language you should use in your application.

The job qualifications will be listed first, followed by the nice-to-haves. On the first page of your CV, but you’re most important abilities first, followed by your “assets.”

Do keep track of your accomplishments

If you can, try to measure your accomplishments with numbers. If you were a supervisor, for example, state how many employees you were in charge of. How many things did you sell as a salesperson? How much money did you make each month?

A generic statement will not highlight your skills as well as list your specific successes in statistics that a company can grasp. It’s pointless to claim that you have an “excellent work ethic.” Demonstrating, for example, that you increased traffic to your company’s website by 20% in a year informs a recruiter that you know what you’re doing.

Third-person writing is recommended

No “I,” “me,” or “my” should be used in your writing. Maintain brevity and clarity in your phrases.

Include the name of your employer, its location, and a few of your tasks in your job experience section. Include the number of years you worked for the company, or the number of months if you worked for less than a year. On the resume, there is no need to clarify employment gaps. If the recruiter asks, it will come up during the interview.

List the school, programmed, certification, and dates that you attended for your education. You can provide your GPA if it is relevant to the role you are going for, but it is rarely required. You can put your awards here or in a separate area called “awards.”

Include any unpaid employment experience you have

You can add volunteer work if it prepared you for the responsibilities you will be completing at the position applied for.

Provide a cover letter if possible

It’s always a good idea to add a cover letter, even if they don’t ask for it or if they’re skipping it and go straight to your CV.

A cover letter is intended to complement your resume and demonstrate to the employer why you are the ideal candidate for the job.

We could, and probably will publish a separate essay regarding cover letters. However, we will provide you with a general notion of how to create a cover letter in this article.

The company’s contact information, as well as your own, should be included in your cover letter. It shouldn’t be more than a few paragraphs long and shouldn’t take up the entire page.

Here you may write in the first person. Your objective is to make contact with the recruiter. Only use their name if you’re certain it’s the actual correct person who will be evaluating your application. If you know their name, use it, but keep in mind that a prefix is frequently unnecessary. Unless you know for sure that the recruiter receiving your letter prefers it, starting a letter with “Sir” or “Madame” is usually incorrect these days.

The first paragraph must describe who you are and why you are applying for this position. Make sure to include the title of the position you’re applying for. You’ll want to show why you’re the greatest candidate for the job in the following lines, citing your relevant previous experience. You can go over and above by demonstrating how your cooperation will help them solve their challenges and improve their business.

Finish by thanking them and informing them that you will be in touch.

It should be a couple of sentences long and not take up the entire page.

Extra job-hunting advice for Canadians

You face greater obstacles than the ordinary Canadian-born job seeker, but there are immigrant assistance programmes and employment services available to assist you on your way. On their website, Immigration Canada lists a number of free services, but this is by no means a full list of everything available. You can also visit the websites of your province or territory, or look for employment services in your city.

Ask people that you know whether they have any links or know of any employment openings as much as possible. According to Linked-In, networking accounts for at least 85 percent of job searches. If you don’t know anyone in Canada, look for industry meetups in your area on websites like Event rite or on social media platforms like Facebook gatherings or groups.

Also, even if you believe you are completely unqualified for a post, apply regardless. In the best situation, you get the job and learn how to become the candidate they’re searching for; in the worst-case scenario, you don’t get the job. You have nothing to lose and everything to gain by taking this risk.