Learn How to Write a Canadian Style Resume

You might be wondering why, after sending so many resumes, you have not received a ton of responses yet. As a new immigrant to Canada there are a number of potential differences between the way you are used to writing a resume and the Canadian expectations. Learn these Canadian resume tips to strengthen your job search and improve upon your most important marketing tool in the interview process.

1. Keep it short and concise. In Canada, most people have a resume that is a maximum of two pages long. Keep it to one page if are a recent graduate or do not have a lot of experience.
2. Include your contact information for the potential employer to reach you. Provide information such as a phone number, email address and mailing address. Don’t attach a photo or any personal information including gender, marital status, or religion.
3. Change your resume for each job you apply for. It is important to only include skills and experience relevant to the position such as the proper name of previous companies, where the business was located, and the title of the job that you had and a brief description of the position. Also, include any volunteer work you have done. Do not include personal interest and hobbies unless they are relevant to the position
4. Ensure your resume format style is consistent. You should avoid long paragraphs and small fonts, 12 point font is standard. Use an easily readable font and make sure that only one font is used throughout. Ensure your resume format style is consistent.
5. Have an up-to-date online resume. LinkedIn is a professional online platform that is frequently used in Canada for networking and the job search process. Many employers’ look-up job applicants on LinkedIn as well as other social media sites like Facebook and Twitter so make sure they are up-to-date and match the professional image you would like to portray.
6. Finally, it is always a good idea to have your resume proofread by another person who is fluent in the language for typos, proper grammar, and completeness.

Once you apply these tips, you can start to focus on the interview preparation process. Happy job hunting!