Your resume will get noticed more by Canadian recruiters if you have a Canadian-style resume. While Canadian-style resumes come in many different formats, they share some standards that you should know about.

Style and Personal Details

In Canada, you don't include personal details other than your name and contact information such as city, email, and phone number.

You should never include:

• your age
• your ethnicity or cultural background
• your physical attributes
• your picture
• your marital status or if you have children
• your sexual orientation or preferences

None of these are considered relevant to obtaining a job. Do showcase how your strengths and achievements in past jobs will benefit the role you're applying to.

Adapt your Resume for Each Role

Career experts recommend that you customize your resume for each job, especially for your most recent work experience. General or generic resumes do not work in today’s labour market. It's advised to follow the requirements of the job posting so that your resume speaks to those specific requirements.

Generic resumes are better used for applications to companies that are not advertising a job opening. If you research a company that you want to work for but they don't have a current opening you can use a more generic version of your resume in this instance.

Also, remember to use your cover letter to showcase how your experience matches the job role requirement.

Keep it Short

It's preferred to have a shorter resume over one with many pages. Most people have a resume that is 2 pages long. If you are a junior professional or fresh out of school you might choose a one-page resume. But depending on your seniority level, if you have more years of experience it's ok to have up to a 3 page resume if you need it.

Don't sacrifice quality details, achievements and past relevant experiences to make a resume shorter.

Include Volunteer Work

You should include your volunteer experience if it relates to the job you are applying for in the section on work experience. It is important to talk about what you have done. It does not matter if it was unpaid work.

Use Social Media

Many employers cross-reference your resume with your online presence. You can include a link to your LinkedIn profile or if you have an online portfolio for your work or related blog you may include that as well.

Employers may also look for you on other social media tools, such as Facebook, X, and Instagram etc. First impressions are important - if you don't want a potential employer to see something, don't make it publicly accessible or put it online at all.

Formatting Hints

Format is critical. Your resume should be organized, neat, clear, and consistent in formatting (e.g., font and bullets).

If you are applying for a job which requires that you have attention to detail, then you need to demonstrate this with your resume.

Use headings to organize the information in your resume. Common resume headings are:

• Highlights of Qualifications
• Professional Experience
• Education

Use formatting tools such as bold and bullets to make important information stand out.

Use Keywords

Many recruiters and employers use online tools to select resumes. These tools are designed to match keywords from the job ad to your resume. It's important to use keywords in your resume chosen specifically to match what you see in the job posting and on the company's website. Recruiters sometimes do not read every word on each resume and rely on the keyword matches.

Keywords describe skills and qualifications. Enhance your resume by using as many keywords as you can. But, do not make up experiences just to use keywords.

Proofread it

Look over your resume before you send it. Make sure the company names, job titles and dates are accurate. Print out your resume to see how it looks when printed if you can or save it as a PDF to review the formatting. Send your resume as a PDF so that employers will be able to open the document without difficulty.

For More Information

• Monster.ca Resume Centre - Many tips for creating great resumes.
• Resume Writing - Detailed articles and infographics on how to create an effective resume. from UpToWork.Com.