The structure of a resume may change from one country of another, but since you are job searching in Canada you must be preparing a resume that meets the needs of the Canadian employer.
In order to write an effective resume, you have to understand the purpose of the resume.
You may think its purpose is to convince a Canadian employer to hire you. That is a common misunderstanding. No resume will get you a job in Canada. The résumé's purpose is to get you an interview. And in order for it to do so it has to answer a very important question that every Canadian employer asks... "What can you do for me?" When you realize that, then you can approach the creation of your resume with the right attitude.
Let's first take a step-by-step approach to putting together your resume.
Step 1: Decide on a Format
Typically, there are two formats for the average resume-writer to choose from: chronological and functional.
The chronological is probably the one most of us are familiar with. It’s the one that lists your employment experience from the your most recent job to your first job.
The functional resume, on the other hand, arranges your work experience in terms of the skills you acquired. Most employers don’t have a preference over which you submit, but different formats work better for different situations.
For example, having communicated with many Canadian engineering companies, we know that their preferences is a chronological resume. Even if your most recent work experience is not related to engineering, these employers still prefer reading about your experience and what you can do for them, in chronological order.
Administrative work, on the other hand, is a different story. If you have worked in two or more companies in administrative roles, with much of your experiences at those jobs being similar, then a chronological resume may present your skills in a very repetitive manner. Therefore a functional resume, or even a combination of chronological and functional, will be best for Canadian employers.
Here are a few more tips that will assist you in choosing the right format for you:
Use the chronological format when:
- You have a lengthy and steady job history
- You are looking for a position in your current field
- You are trying for a job in a field that is more focused on experience than on skills, such as management and teaching
Use the functional format when:
- You are just starting out in the workforce or are returning after an extended absence
- You are trying to find a position in a different field
- You are applying for skill-focused positions, such as graphic design, administration, or social work
It is a good idea to try to create both styles so you can get a feel for which one fits you and your experience best.
Step 2: Determine your objective
We both know that your main objective is finding employment in Canada, but that’s not enough to put down on your resume. You have to be more specific. Canadian Employers want clarity and direction in your resume. And besides, do you want to leave the guess work up to them? They don't know you. They do not know what you are capable of. They are not aware of your strengths and your greatest professional achievements (at least not yet) so it is up to you to take control and ensure your objective is clear.
Determining an objective can be the hardest part of writing the resume because once you have determined it the rest of the work begins. Everything in your resume has to clearly meet that objective. If an employer is looking for a Human Resource professional and you are certain you can do this job, that certainty has to be clear to the employer. Employers don't "read between the lines". Employers don't try to guess at what you are telling them, employers are expecting clear, concise statements that tell them exactly why you would benefit them in the role of the Human Resource professional within their company.
Step 3: Document your experience
To get started, list all of your previous experience, in chronological order, starting with your latest job. You can hand write this or you can create a document on the computer. It is your choice.
List the dates of employment, your job titles, the names of companies and their locations. Now, consider the experiences you have had at each of these places of employment.
It is not always necessary to list every job you’ve ever had to showcase your qualifications and years of experience. If you have a long professional career, focus on the last 3 to 5 jobs
Work on highlighting the responsibilities and duties you had at each of those jobs. Make a bulleted list and begin each statement on your list with an action verb such as "managed", "supervised", "ordered", "purchased", "drafted", "designed", "educated", etc..
You are now several steps closer to creating a Canadian resume, but there is more work to be done.
Look for an additional blog coming soon that will feature more strategies to developing statements within your resume.
Laurie
