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Resume builder build a professional resume.

Build a resume in just a few minutes and make a lasting impression with the Resume Builder – a feature of the Standard and Plus accounts on Job Bank.

Build a professional resume

Showcase your potential.

Easily build a professional-looking resume that showcases your goals and qualifications. Just pick a template and fill in the blanks. No formatting is needed!

Cut down on writing

Spend less time writing and make sure you use the same words as employers. You can simply select skills and job duties from our thousands of pre-defined options.

Store your resume online

Build multiple resumes for different types of jobs and save them all in your account until the right opportunity comes up. You can download and print them at any time.

How to use the Resume Builder

Step 1 pick a template.

After you create a Standard or Plus account on Job Bank, just login to access the Resume Builder. To build your first resume, pick from one of the two templates currently available. You should choose the resume template that best reflects your current situation.

• you have several years of experience in your field;
• you’re looking for a job in your field;
• your career progression has been stable and your work history is fairly consistent (no major gaps).

Use the youth and recent graduates’ template if:

• you’re a first-time job seeker starting your professional career;
• you’ve just completed your education and you’re looking for an entry-level job in your field of study;
• you have limited paid work experience.

Step 2 Fill in the blanks

Once you’ve picked a resume template, fill in the blanks with details about your education, experience and skills.

To help fill in some sections of your resume, you can search thousands of pre-defined options and select the ones that suit you. For example, you can import job duties for any job title. When you look up a job title, you can select all or any of the associated job duties and add them to your resume in one click.

If you have a Plus account on Job Bank, you can simply import all of your profile details into the Resume Builder to automatically fill the blanks.

Step 3 Customize your resume

Make sure to put a personal spin on your resume: with the ability to add free text descriptions and create new sections, you can easily customize its content to suit your needs.

Not sure where to start? Expert tips on customizing each section of your resume are provided as you fill them in. For more advice, read our do’s and don’ts of writing a good resume .

Build a resume that will land you a job interview.

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Canadian Resume [Format, Tips & Examples for 2024]

Canada is a unique country that combines some traits you’ll find in the USA with some you’ll find in Europe.

This goes for resumes, too.

That’s why, when applying for a job in Canada, you have to make sure your resume conforms to Canadian application standards.

Naturally, you might be wondering - what does a Canadian resume even look like?

If you’re a foreigner, you’re likely drawing a blank trying to figure out what makes a Canadian resume different from the one in your own country. Even if you’re Canadian, you might still need to brush up on your resume writing skills.

Luckily for you, we’re here to show you how to write a compelling Canadian resume.

Here’s what we’re going to go over:

• Differences Between Canadian, US, and European Resumes
• Canadian Resume Formatting
• A Step-By-Step Breakdown on How To Write A Canadian Resume

And more!  Let’s get started!

Canadian Resume Example

Let’s take a look at a Canadian resume example:

Here’s what this resume does right:

• Reverse-chronological format. This format highlights your most recent work experience first and is a recruiter favorite all around the world.
• Relevant contact details. This resume example highlights the candidate’s first and last name, phone number, email address, location, and LinkedIn URL.
• Captivating resume summary. The paragraph nested in the header summarizes the candidate’s most essential skills and accomplishments.
• Action words. The candidate uses action verbs and power words to describe work responsibilities.
• Bullet points. The resume leverages bullet points to appear easy to read, organized, and reader-friendly.
• Additional sections. Language proficiency, certifications, awards, and interests all give a holistic view of the candidate and add value to their application.

Free Canadian Resume Templates

Creating a resume from scratch is time-consuming work. 

You need to twitch the margins, keep the fonts uniform, carefully align every element you add, and make sure it never spills over to page two.

But you can skip all that hassle if you use a resume template .

Novoresume’s templates are created in collaboration with recruiters and meet all job market requirements. 

Any template you use can save you time and let you write your resume in minutes.

Canadian Resume Specifics

There are a few basic things to keep in mind when crafting your Canadian resume. First things first:

The terms resume and CV can be used interchangeably in parts of Canada. In Quebec, for example, both terms refer to a one or two-page-long summary of a candidate’s career that’s tailored to the job they’re applying for.

Outside of Quebec, however, a CV is different from a resume in that it’s far more detailed and appropriate for academic positions or specific senior-level applications. 

Most job postings will ask for a resume unless explicitly stated otherwise.

Some other things to keep in mind about Canadian resumes include:

• Keep your resume one to two pages . A one-page resume is more than enough if you’re a recent graduate or new to the job market. Two-page resumes are recommended for seasoned professionals, and in certain cases, a three-page resume can be acceptable.
• Write your resume in the same language as the job offer. If you’re going for a position in Quebec and the advertisement is in French, then use French. Don’t assume they’ll accept a resume in English unless it’s explicitly written so on the job posting.
• Skip personal information and photos. Your resume should never give away your appearance, gender, age, ethnicity, nationality, religion, marital status, number of children, or any personal identification numbers.
• Don’t list references with your application unless the employer has requested them. Assumably, you can provide references if requested, so dedicating space on your resume when you’re not asked to is a waste.

Canadian Resume vs. US Resume

Both the USA and Canada prefer using resumes over CVs. In fact, Canadian and US resumes are almost identical.

The biggest difference? The language the document is written in.

You might be thinking - wait, I thought Canada used English?

Only partly.

Canada has two official languages - English and French. Both of these languages have standardized Canadian spellings, so that means they are not 100% the same as American English or European French.

Most of the terminology on your Canadian resume will be just about the same as it would be on its US equivalent. The biggest difference will probably be the added “u” to words like colour, and favourite , and the spelling of words like catalogue, centre, and cheque, as opposed to catalog, center, and check.

Before submitting your application, consider using a grammar checker like Grammarly or QuillBot to make sure your resume is up to par with Canadian spelling conventions .

Canadian Resume vs. European Resume

Typically, a resume in most of Europe, Asia, and the Pacific is referred to as a CV. The term resume in Canada refers to the same document that a CV refers to in Europe.

Both documents are meant to be one to two pages long, and list skills and experience relevant to the position you’re applying for. So in this sense, a European CV is actually different from a Canadian CV.

In Canada, a CV is an extensive document and is usually required in academic settings rather than for corporate job applications. The CV can be anywhere from two to ten pages long since it’s meant to list everything - from work experience to projects to publications.

European resumes also tend to be more detailed. For example, they can include details on high school education and grades, even if the candidate has a college degree. In Canada, that’s not the case. Your high school education is irrelevant if you have a higher degree of education.

The biggest difference between Canadian resumes and European ones is the amount of personal information you’re allowed to give away. For example, in Germany including a picture of yourself on your resume is common, but that’s absolutely not the case in Canada. There, your date of birth and nationality are a no-go.

These bits of information can be used to discriminate against you, so you’re supposed to keep them out of your resume as a precaution to give everyone a fair chance. Recruiters often consider resumes that overshare details of the candidate’s life (e.g.: race, age, date of birth, religion, political affiliation, etc.) unprofessional.

Step-By-Step Guide to Writing Your Canadian Resume

You’ve seen what a Canadian resume looks like. Now it’s time to write your own.

If you’re not sure where to start, don’t worry -  we’ve here to help you get it right.

Just follow these steps:

#1. Use the Correct Format

The most popular resume format in Canada is the reverse-chronological format (which is also called the chronological format).

It’s so widely used that it’s expected by most recruiters. The chronological format puts your most recent work experiences first and then goes back in time.

Here’s an example of what it looks like:

One of the other formats is the functional resume format , also known as the skills-based resume format, which focuses on your key strengths and abilities. It’s recommended for career changers or recent graduates with little-to-no experience in the field they’re applying for.

Then, we have the combination resume format . As the name suggests, it mixes elements of both the chronological and functional format. This format gives equal attention to a candidate’s experience and skills. It provides a detailed skill summary and is a good choice for applicants who have a noticeable employment gap but plenty of work experience nonetheless.

#2. Follow These Layout Tips

If your resume looks cluttered and unorganized, the hiring manager is less likely to want to read it.

But paying attention to your resume’s layout can get you a better chance.

Stick to these formatting tips when building your Canadian resume:

• Have separate sections for all the information you want to add.
• Use a professional and easily legible resume font . 
• Let your resume breathe - leave in enough white space so the contents are easier to read, by setting your resume margins to 1” on all sides. 
• Save your resume in the correct document size. Canadian resumes use a standard North American letter size (8.5 x 11 inches), instead of the A4 size common elsewhere. You can do this easily in the Novoresume editor by choosing “Layout” in the top menu and choosing “US Letter Format”.

#3. List the Right Contact Information

Once you’ve sorted out your resume layout, it’s time to start filling in its content.

The contact information section is the first thing you should list. Here’s what to include:

• Name and surname
• Canadian phone number
• Address (City and Province)
• Professional email address

Optionally, you can include a link to your LinkedIn profile, a personal website, or an online portfolio. Just make sure they’re updated and relevant to the application.

#4. Write Your Resume Summary

Each resume only has a few seconds to catch a recruiter’s attention, so you have to make yours eye-catching and easy to read.

Here’s where a resume summary comes in. 

Going at the top of your resume, a resume summary is a two or three-sentence-long summary of your career. It includes:

• Your professional title and years of experience. 
• Two-three of your biggest achievements.
• One-two of your top relevant skills for the position.

If you’re less experienced, you can opt for a resume objective instead. A resume objective focuses on your skills and motivation to grow in your chosen field, rather than on prior experience and professional achievements.

When applying for a remote job for a company based in Canada, mention this in your resume summary. If you’re looking for a company that’s going to relocate you to Canada , make sure to mention that in your resume instead, so you don’t waste time for yourself or the hiring manager.

#5. Include Your Work Experience

Work experience is the most important section on a Canadian resume . 

It lets you expand on your past achievements and responsibilities, proving to the hiring manager you’re the best candidate for the job.

Here’s how you should structure this section:

• Start with your most recent job and go back in time. That said, don’t go back more than ten or 15 years ago, even if you’re a senior professional. The hiring manager doesn’t care about your job as a server from back in college.
• Start with your job title. The recruiter will immediately know if you have the necessary experience for the job from reading your job title.
• Add your company name and location. Sometimes you can even add a brief description of your former employer, particularly if it’s a smaller business that isn’t well-known.
• Include your dates of employment. There’s no need to be super detailed, so just stick to the mm/yyyy format.
• List your job responsibilities and achievements. Provide 4-6 bullet points for your most recent position and 2-3 bullets for older jobs.

Structuring your work experience the right way is only half the work. To stand out from the competition, you want this section to be as impressive as possible.

Here are a few tips and tricks to help with that:

• Reference the job ad, and focus on the top skills and qualifications required from candidates. Tailor your work experience around the skills that you do have to draw attention away from the ones you don’t.
• Focus more on achievements over day-to-day responsibilities. The hiring manager already has an idea of what your responsibilities for a certain job were. What they’re interested to know is what you achieved while doing it.
• Quantify your accomplishments as often as possible. Use the Laszlo Bock formula ( “accomplished X as measured by Y by doing Z” ) to provide a timeframe, scale, and results for what you’ve achieved. e,g: “ Increased annual revenue growth from 5% to 10% through the implementation of a financial roadmap. ” 
• Use powerful words and action verbs . Recruiters hate hearing generic phrases like “responsible for” or “team player,” so using the right vocabulary can help you stick out. 

Are you a recent graduate with no work experience on your resume ? Don’t sweat it - we’ve got a guide to help you find your first job .

#6. Add Your Education

In Canadian resumes, the education section typically goes right under your work experience.

Here’s how you should format this section:

• Program Name. E.g: “B.A. in Computer Science”
• University Name. E.g: “Ohio State University”
• Years Attended. E.g: “08/2018 - 06/2022”
• Achievements (optional). E.g. “Minor in Linguistics” 

It should look something like this:

B.A. in Computer Science

Concordia University

08/2019 - 06/2023

• Summa Cum Laude
• Minor in Business Analytics

Follow these tips to make this section pop:

• Don’t describe your high school education if you have a university degree.
• Mention courses you’ve taken that are relevant to the industry you’re applying to. (E.g: Statistics and Probability for a Data Analyst)
• Stick to a reverse chronological format when listing your degrees. E.g: A Ph.D. is listed above a Master’s Degree, which is listed above a Bachelor’s degree, etc.
• If you don’t have work experience, you can emphasize your academic background. Just list your education at the top of your resume instead of the work experience.

#7. Highlight Your Greatest Skills & Strengths

The skill section shows which candidates have the necessary expertise for the job, and no Canadian resume is complete without it.

Skills are typically divided into two categories:

• Soft skills consist of personality traits and characteristics developed in your personal and professional life. They involve communication skills , people skills, interpersonal skills , etc.
• Hard skills, or technical abilities, are skills you can gain from experience, training, or education. These can include computer skills or proficiency in the use of specific tools.

The trick here is, don’t list every skill you’ve ever learned, just the ones relevant to the job you’re applying for.

If you’re going to be a graphic designer, your Photoshop skills are more important than your forklift certification. Recruiters want to know which skills make you the right candidate for them, not which skills make you the most well-rounded individual.

Scan the job description and jot down which of your skills the company is looking for. Then add them to your Canadian resume.

Just make sure you don’t focus solely on one type of skill over the other. A good application covers both soft skills and hard skills, depending on the job requirements.

Here’s an example:

#8. Leverage Additional Sections

If you’ve covered all the essential resume sections and have some space left, consider adding some optional resume sections.

These sections aren’t as vital as the ones we’ve covered so far, and they won’t do as much heavy lifting on your resume as your work experience, skills, or education.

However, they can help set you apart from candidates with similar work experience and skills as yours. 

For example, if choosing between two equally qualified professionals, and the position includes collaboration with French-speaking employees or business partners, the hiring manager is likely to choose a candidate who can speak French.

Here are the additional sections you can include on your resume:

• Languages . Being able to communicate in more than one language gives you an advantage over other candidates.
• Internships. Adding any relevant internships to your resume shows you have some experience that’s prepared you for the job you’re applying to.
• Volunteer experience . Any experience volunteering is a great addition to any resume since it shows you’re a caring person who wants to give back to your community.
• Hobbies and interests . Certain hobbies or interests might give the hiring manager a look into who you are as a person, and work in your favor.
• Certifications and awards. Any relevant qualifications or awards, such as online classes, can go here.
• Publications. If you’ve published anything, ranging from magazines to research articles, you can add it to your resume.
• Projects. Interesting projects you’ve worked on can show the hiring manager your passion and dedication to your field.

#9. Include a cover letter

Cover letters are still an essential companion piece to any resume.

Adding a cover letter to your application shows the hiring manager you’re ready to take all the necessary steps to land the job.

Cover letters also complement resumes by allowing you to elaborate on things you don’t have the space for in your resume, such as certain achievements or employment gaps.

Here’s a quick breakdown of what your cover letter should include:

• Header. As with your resume, include your updated contact information with your name, surname, Canadian phone number, and professional email address. Be sure to include the employer’s contact information as well.
• Greeting line. Make sure you address the cover letter correctly with a greeting line like “ Dear John Doe, ” or “ Dear Mr. Doe, ”. If you can’t find the hiring manager’s name, just use something like “ Dear [Department] Team. ” 
• Introduction. Start off with a brief summary of why you’re writing the letter and which position you’re interested in. To grab the hiring manager’s attention, use your opening paragraph to also describe two or three of your top achievements.
• Qualifications and motivation. The body of your cover letter should emphasize your skills, experience, and enthusiasm for the position. Use it to explain exactly what makes you the right candidate and how you’re the right fit for the company.
• Closing paragraph . Wrap up your letter with a call to action and an official signature line.

Struggling to write your cover letter? Check out these cover letter examples to get inspired.

FAQs About Canadian Resumes

Do you still have any questions? Check out the answers to the most frequently asked questions about Canadian resumes.

1. How can I create a Canadian resume as an international student?

Whether you’re looking to apply to a university in Canada, secure an internship , or land your first job after your graduation, your main focus should be on your academic achievements.

Education is highly valued in Canada and your credentials and relevant coursework will boost your resume, so long as you keep it relevant to the position you’re applying for.

When describing your education, you can also add the location next to your school or university’s name. E.g.: “Marmara University, Turkey” instead of just “Marmara University”.

2. Should the Canadian resume be in a PDF or Word file format?

Generally speaking, a PDF is the preferred format for resumes since it remains the same regardless of what operating system or device you use to open it. Moreover, it keeps your formatting and illustrations in place, and can’t be edited by accident when a recruiter mislicks.

Most career websites in Canada accept resumes as both PDF and Word files. Nonetheless, we recommend you have your Canadian resume exported to PDF unless the job ad specifically requests Word.

3. Do Canadians say CV or resume?

Depending on what part of Canada you’re in, people might say CV and resume interchangeably. However, outside of Quebec, these are two different documents.

Resumes are typically not longer than two pages and are meant to be tailored to the job you’re applying for. CVs, on the other hand, are far more detailed and appropriate for academic settings or specific senior-level applications.

4. What should you NOT include on a Canadian resume?

As an anti-discrimination measure, pictures of yourself and personal information, are legally prohibited from job applications. This means your nationality, age, gender, religion, immigration status, political affiliation, marital status, and social insurance number, have no place on your resume.

Another thing to keep in mind is that it’s taboo for applicants to include their salary expectations on a Canadian resume. Salary expectations should only be provided if requested by the employer, and even then, they are best included in a cover letter, never on your resume.

Canadian resume and cover letter: Format, tips, and templates

For many newcomers, finding employment quickly after moving to Canada is a high-priority action item. Whether you’re contemplating a career switch or looking to get back in your field of work, the first step is usually the same – to have a resume and a cover letter that you can share with potential employers or networking contacts.    

In this article, we will explore the Canadian-style resume in detail, highlight some key differences between a resume and a curriculum vitae (CV), and help you identify which resume format might be best suited to your career goal. We will also go over some useful tips to craft an ATS-friendly resume to ensure you stand out from the competition and get noticed by employers, hiring managers, and recruiters.

In this article:

• What is the difference between a resume and a CV?

Understanding the types of resume formats used in Canada

Tips for writing a canadian-style resume, what is the difference between a resume and a curriculum vitae (cv).

Often, there are two ways job seekers can showcase their professional experience to an employer: by using a resume or a CV. In Canada, employers prefer a resume. A CV is mainly used only for academic applications such as academic jobs, grants, research fellowships, etc. 

To provide more clarity, here are some key differences between a resume and a CV:

Many countries use a CV instead of a resume, and some have a combination of both. Some regions use both terms interchangeably: for instance, in most European countries as well as New Zealand, the term CV is used to describe an equivalent of a Canadian resume. In Australia and South Africa, “curriculum vitae” and “resume” are synonyms that can be used interchangeably. In South Asia, the terms CV and resume are used interchangeably and refer to an equivalent of a traditional CV.  

In some parts of the world, it’s common to include personal information such as marital status, nationality, personal interests, hobbies, date of birth, address, and a photograph on a CV. In Canada, however, you shouldn’t include these details on your resume as it is not required under the employment law, and it is also not a part of the resume format.

As a job seeker in Canada, there are three types of resume formats you should be familiar with. Each of these formats includes the same basic information in a different layout. 

1. Reverse chronological resume

This type of resume outlines your professional experience in reverse chronological order, starting with the most recent position.

When to use a reverse chronological resume?

If you’re an experienced professional with at least some experience in the workforce, have no major employment gaps , and intend to continue working in the same field.

Tip: The reverse chronological resume is the most popular format in the Canadian job market. Most employers and recruiters are used to and prefer a resume in this format.

2. Functional resume

The functional resume focuses on your overall skills and qualifications instead of specific professional experiences. The employment history is still included, but it is usually listed after skills and education. 

When to use a functional resume?

If you’re looking to switch roles and/or industries and start your career in a new field. It may also be ideal for recent college graduates.  

3. Combination or hybrid resume

A combination resume is a mix of the reverse-chronological layout and the functional layout and is ideal for showcasing transferable skills along with professional experience. In this format, work experience is usually outlined in a reverse chronological format, and the skills section includes a summary of qualifications and technical skills (or core competencies). 

When to use a combination or hybrid resume?

It is commonly used by a variety of job seekers ranging from experienced workers to recent graduates to those with limited experience, multiple short-term work stints, or those having significant work gaps. 

Need more guidance on how to write a Canadian-style resume? For a stepwise approach, check out: How to write a resume for the Canadian job market 10 resume mistakes to avoid when applying for jobs in Canada

Download the free Resume and cover letter templates to craft your Canadian resume

Mastering the art of writing a flawless and impactful Canadian-style resume takes practice and patience. Here are a few tips to help you improve your resume-writing skills. 

1. Adapt your resume to each job listing and keep it relevant

Having a generic resume and sharing it with multiple employers for a variety of positions/roles may not yield the best result for you. It is essential to customize your resume to each position that you’re applying for. Tailor your work experience, skills, and any additional information to the role. Include keywords from the job posting and always start your sentence with relevant action verbs like spearheaded, achieved, managed, trained, etc. Craft a compelling summary for your resume. Avoid including very detailed information for each position you have held; you can share relevant details in the interview instead. 

Job interview resources:  How to prepare for a job interview 10 common job interview questions and how to answer them

2. Optimize for Applicant Tracking System (ATS) but write for humans

Many companies use an ATS to pre-screen resumes and then involve recruiters and hiring managers later in the process. You need to keep both in mind when writing your resume. 

What is an ATS?

An ATS is a software that scans resumes to determine if it is a good match for a specific job listing. Parameters such as work experience, skills, and education are usually considered during the ATS screening process. Resumes that match the pre-defined criteria are forwarded to hiring managers or recruiters, while human eyes never see those rejected by the system. Therefore, even though you may be qualified for the position, if your resume isn’t optimized for an ATS, it may end up being rejected. An ATS is widely used by organizations, recruiters, and job placement agencies in Canada. 

How to optimize a resume for ATS

• Use standard formatting and don’t include images, designs, charts, and tables. 
• Use correct headers and include keywords that match the job description and desired core competencies and skills.
• Send your resume as a Microsoft Word (.doc or .docx) document. Most ATS systems tend to process Word files better than PDF. 
• Spell out abbreviations at least once on your resume. 
• Include experience, skills, and qualifications relevant to the position.
• Avoid long paragraphs and font size less than size 10. 
• Convert technical terms, grades, and scores to their Canadian equivalents. 

3. Check spelling, grammar, punctuation, and proofread your resume

It’s always a good idea to proofread your resume and check grammar, spelling, punctuation, and sentence formation, especially if English isn’t your first language or mother tongue. There are many free tools that can help you with proofreading: Grammarly as well as the in-built grammar and spelling tool in Microsoft Word, are good starting points. You can also ask a native English speaker to review your resume for language fluency.  

To help you finesse your English language skills and get more tips and advice from an experienced teacher, Karen Thomson, read How to improve your English and adapt to Canadian culture .

4. Quantify your accomplishments

Many job seekers make the mistake of outlining roles and responsibilities instead of achievements. Recruiters and hiring managers prefer seeing quantified accomplishments on resumes. The ‘CAR’ approach is a good way to help you structure individual sentences: 

C = what was the Challenge , A = what Action did you take, and R = what was the Result .

Some examples to consider:

• “Reached eBay Power Seller status within one year by auctioning over 400 items per month, an exceptional accomplishment reached by only 4 per cent of the 29 million eBay sellers at that time.” 
• “Designed and built statistical analysis models on large data sets (e.g. Aster, Teradata) that helped increase online sales (up to 15 per cent per product) and lowered cart-abandonment rate by 23 per cent.” 

5. Include a cover letter

A cover letter is a formal one-page document that accompanies a resume. It is not a rephrased or concise version of your resume, but it is mainly supposed to talk about how you fit the role you’re applying for and why the organization should hire you. The cover letter is also a good way to justify any gaps in your resume or provide any additional info that your resume can’t.

Note that a cover letter doesn’t have to be a separate document but can also be included in the body of an email when applying for a job. Adding a custom, well-written cover letter to your resume can make you stand out from the crowd, thus improving your chances of being approached for an interview. 

Tips for writing an impressive Canadian-style cover letter

• Limit the length to one page.
• Tailor your cover letter to suit each job application.
• Proofread your cover letter; check for grammar, punctuation, and spelling, especially since it serves as a reflection of your communication skills.
• Use a standard font size (10 or 12 points, in a font style such as Times New Roman, Arial, or Calibri). Avoid using special effects (bold/underline/italics, different fonts, and colour).
• Weave in information you know about the company, their recent projects, or organizational culture and values.

Looking for more guidance on cover letters? Read How to write an effective cover letter for advice and insights from recruiters.

6. Show off your skills with unpaid or local volunteer work

This is a good way for newcomers to show Canadian experience on their resume. If your volunteer work requires you to use skills that may also be valued in the position that you are applying for, adding the volunteer experience to your resume may work to your advantage.

Tip: Volunteering can help you build your network and earn Canadian experience. To discover the importance of volunteering in Canada, and learn how to find volunteering opportunities, read The benefits of volunteering as a newcomer in Canada .

Things our lawyers want you to know

This article offers general information only and is not intended as legal, financial or other professional advice. A professional advisor should be consulted regarding your specific situation. While information presented is believed to be factual and current, its accuracy is not guaranteed and it should not be regarded as a complete analysis of the subjects discussed. All expressions of opinion reflect the judgment of the author(s) as of the date of publication and are subject to change. No endorsement of any third parties or their advice, opinions, information, products or services is expressly given or implied by Royal Bank of Canada or its affiliates.

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Canada Resume Formats, Templates, and Writing Tips

Applying for a job in Canada? This Canada Resume guide has the templates, tips, examples, & format requirements needed to write the perfect resume.

“Software developer looking to work for prestigious software companies…”

“Software developer with 10+ years of experience scaling data-intensive software companies…”

The difference between those two lines while appears to be small creates a big difference when you use them on your Canadian resume.

Read further.

This Canadian resume writing guide will help you if:

• You are someone outside of Canada creating a resume for Canadian jobs
• Or, someone within Canada trying to best adapt an existing resume

We will go over the following details in this article:

• Popular Canadian resume formats and how to select the right one for you
• How to write a Canadian resume
• 10 Canadian resume examples to inspire you
• How to convert your current resume to a Canadian-style resume

Before we get into that, try out VisualCV’s resume-building platform - built with love out of Vancouver, Canada - the best way to build a Canadian resume.

The 3 Popular Canadian Resume Formats

The top 3 Canadian resume formats are:

• Reverse chronological resume format
• Functional resume format
• Combination resume format

These are the resume formats that are popular across Canada. We saw chronological and functional resumes top the choice while combination resume format was the third choice.

Surprisingly, job seekers in Toronto preferred a reverse chronological resume over any other resume format.

Let’s now take a look at these Canadian resume format examples.

Chronological Canadian Resume Format Example

Here’s what a Canadian resume built using the chronological resume format would look like:

Is a Reverse Chronological Format Right for Your Canadian Resume?

Reverse chronological resume right for you if:

• You have relevant work experience to highlight.
• You aren’t changing careers (e.g. software engineer applying for a marketing position)
• Your total work experience is less than 20 years.

Functional Canadian Resume Format Example

Here’s what a Canadian resume built using the functional resume format would look like:

Is a Functional Format Right for Your Canadian Resume?

Functional resume right for you if:

• You have to explain how your skills are relevant to the advertised position
• You wish to highlight your outstanding skills and achievements
• If you wish to lead with your skills instead of experience

Combination Canadian Resume Format Example

Here’s what a Canadian resume built using the combination resume format would look like:

Is a Combination Format Right for Your Canadian Resume?

Combination resume right for you if:

• If you are right a resume with more than 15 years of experience
• You’ve worked across a range of companies, industries of jobs
• You wish to highlight your overall qualifications in terms of skills and expertise over work experience

Combination resumes are not that popular across Canada though, so if you are planning on using one - exercise caution. Make sure to revisit your resume to ensure it conveys your skills in a meaningful way.

Alright, you now know what a typical Canadian-style resume looks like. But, what should you add to it? Let’s cover that now.

How to Write a Canadian Resume?

After helping hundreds of thousands of job seekers optimize their Canadian resumes, we can assure you that the best way to write a Canadian resume is:

• Based on your experience and skills, select the right resume format.
• Pick a resume template that supports your important resume sections.
• Add your full name, contact information, and link out to Linkedin or relevant portfolio
• Write a resume summary/objective of two lines.
• Write your work, volunteer, or project experience following the STAR method.
• List your top skills - make sure to customize them based on the job ad.
• List your education in a separate section.

If you follow these 7 points listed above, you can easily beat 9/10 applicants for the job.

But, let’s not leave it here. Let’s show you how you can go from the top 10% to the top 1% of applicants.

To be the best, you’ll have to write each section of your Canadian resume with care. This is where the top 1% of applicants differentiate themselves.

To help you craft your resume’s section with ease, we created these templates that you can use and write those sections. You can find them below.

Work Experience Format for a Canadian Resume

[Job title] [Company name, City, Province] [Date started] - [Date ended]

• [Task 1] [Situatuation faced and the solution used]
• [Task 2] [Situatuation faced and the solution used]
• [Task 3] [Situatuation faced and the solution used]
• [Task 4] [Situatuation faced and the solution used]

Important things to keep in mind when using this Canadian resume’s work experience template:

• Ideal to keep each task/achievement to one line
• Using simpler words would help as it improves readability
• Customize your work experience based on the job ad

Canadian Resume Summary Format

"[Job title] with [number of years] experience of [top 2-3 skills] across [industries]. Achieved [top achievement]. Expert at [X], [Y], and [Z]."

You can additionally list the following within your resume summary too:

• Any awards that you’ve received
• Any passions you have

A simple glance by a Canadian hiring manager would provide them with all the right information they need to continue reading further.

You can also adapt this Canadian resume summary format to write an objective too.

Note : If you are writing your Canadian resume for a career transition or your first job - write an objective instead of a summary.

Objectives help connect your skills and experience to the job that you are applying for.

Format to List Skills on Your Canadian Resume

To list skills on your Canadian resume, try the format provided below: Technical Skills

Make sure to list skills that are relevant to the role that you are applying for and are impactful.

Let’s now look at 10 Canadian Resume Examples. If you wish to access resume examples specific to your job title, click the button below and sign-up.

10 Canadian Resume Examples

Canadian resume example for data engineering.

Sales Canadian Resume Example

Canadian Resume Example for Accountants

Writer Resume Example for Canada

Canadian Resume Example for Executives

Canadian Software Engineering Resume Example

Canadian Designer Resume Example

Project Management Resume for Canada

Retail Canadian Resume Example

Canadian Resume Example for Teachers

Now that you understand how to create a Canadian resume, let’s clear some frequently asked questions.

Is a Canadian Resume Format Different from An American Resume Format?

No, Canadian resumes are extremely similar to American resumes.

Applying for Jobs, but Getting no responses? Maybe, it’s your resume!

How to Convert my Indian Resume to a Canadian Resume?

To convert your Indian resume to a Canadian resume, follow these steps:

• Customize your resume to ensure it is relevant to the job you’re trying to land.
• Remove any hard English words (e.g. esteemed), instead, use easy-to-read words.
• Remove photo, nationality, race, gender, and your full address. Those aren’t required in Canada.
• Follow the STAR method while writing your work experience.
• While listing your certifications, make sure they are recognized by Canadian employers.
• Add a short summary or objective at the top of your resume. Make sure it isn’t more than two lines and is very impactful.
• While listing your education be careful not to list CGPA, instead standardize your scores to a GPA scale and list it. GPAs greater than 3.7 look good, else it is better to not list them.
• While listing your contact information, make sure to list the Canadian city and province along with a Canadian phone number. +91 numbers won’t help here.
• Finally, resumes in India generally appear to be more than two pages. Make sure yours isn’t more than two pages. Ideal to have a relevant resume of one page.

Once you follow these additional instructions and follow our general guidelines at the top - it should be easy to transform your Indian resume into a Canadian resume.

How to Convert my European CV to Canadian Resume?

To change your European CV to a Canadian resume, follow these steps:

• While European CVs differ from country to country, some common things to remove from your resume - birthdate, citizenship, photo, etc.
• Hobbies constantly surface in entry-level EU CVs, we recommend that you remove them when applying for Canadian jobs.
• Select one of the following Canadian resume formats: chronological, functional, or combination.
• Make sure you have a summary/objective, work history, skills, education, and certifications section (if any).
• Follow the STAR method while writing your resume. It is a must!
• Avoid adding paragraphs as it would reduce the readability of your resume.
• Scan your resume for grammatical errors.

Checkout our other international resume guides here.

How Long Should my Canadian Resume be?

A rule of thumb - for students and professionals with less than 15 years of experience the resume should be one page or a maximum of two pages. For Canadian job seekers with more than 15 years of relevant experience, more than two pages is acceptable.

Should I Add a Photo to my Canadian Resume?

No, avoid adding a Photo while creating a Canadian resume.

Is it a Good Idea to List Marital Status on a Resume for Canada?

No Canadian employer would ever ask for this information as a part of their recruitment process. So, we would recommend that you don’t list marital status on your resume.

Should I List My Nationality on a Canadian Resume?

Legally, no Canadian employer can ask you about your nationality. So, we would not recommend that you list it on your resume.

Can I Lie on My Canadian Resume?

Don’t lie on your Canadian resume. With background checks, reference checks, etc being so common, you’ll be caught. Even a small-innocent lie like a difference of month or days in starting dates of your employment could lead to rejection.

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Canadian Resume Format & How-to Guide for 2024

In This Guide:

Canadian resume template, what is the canadian resume format, what is the difference between a canadian and an american (us) resume, what is the difference between a canadian resume and a european cv, how to write a canadian resume, faq about canadian resumes, key takeaways.

Canada plans to invite 1.45 million new permanent residents  by 2025 to address labor shortages and an aging population. This move not only aims to strengthen the workforce and ensure immigrant skills meet job demands but also addresses challenges newcomers face in securing appropriate employment.

The country offers a unique blend of American and European characteristics, and this extends to its job application process, especially when it comes to resumes. Understanding the Canadian resume format is crucial whether you're applying for a job within the country for the first time as a foreigner, or you're a Canadian looking to refine your resume writing skills.

But how does a resume tailored for Canada differ from an American one? This guide provides all the details on what makes a Canadian resume unique, alongside practical advice and examples to help you craft a resume that could open doors to new opportunities in Canada.

Here's what we'll explore:

• The distinct features of Canadian resumes compared to American and European formats;
• A detailed guide on crafting your resume to meet Canadian standards;
• An exploration of frequently asked questions, providing thorough answers and insights;
• Advice for making your Canadian resume stand out to employers.

Plus much more! Let's begin!

Find if your resume passes the Canadian format!

Drop your resume here or choose a file . PDF & DOCX only. Max 2MB file size.

This template has been optimized to meet the demands of the Canadian resume format. It follows a chronological work experience section. Furthermore, it has no photo in the header, something that’s typically frowned upon in Canada.

Last but not least, Enhancv’s Canadian resume template supports a two-page resume format, which is one of the things that sets apart Canadian and US resumes.

The Canadian resume format is a structured approach to presenting your work history and skills relevant to the job you're applying for. It starts with a header section  that contains your name, phone number, current location, and email address. If you have a LinkedIn profile , include the URL in your contact information. Many Canadian employers use LinkedIn to research potential candidates. Following the header, you need to put either a summary or objective to give a snapshot of your career goals and strengths. Next, the resume details your work history, education, and skills. Personal details like marital status and photos are not included, allowing the focus to remain on your expertise.

Making a resume for Canada is similar to the United States but for a few important differences. Both countries use resumes more than CVs, and they usually look alike. Yet, spelling matters a lot in Canada. Though Canada uses English, it also embraces French, affecting some English spellings. To make sure your resume fits Canadian preferences, follow these tips:

• Use Canadian spellings , like " behaviour " and " neighbour ," and prefer " theatre ," " labour ," and " defence ."
• Apply the metric system for measurements, showing familiarity with Canada's standards if applicable. For example, if you worked in distribution, you could mention “leading a team that distributed goods across a 300-kilometer area."
• Write dates in the DD/MM/YYYY format, which is common in Canada.
• Include graphic designs in your resume only if you look for a job as a graphic designer. Typically, Canadians don't include these elements when applying for a new position.
• Employ the services of the Canadian Information Centre for International Credentials  to understand the Canadian equivalence of your credentials. Taking this step can help push your job search forward, yet it doesn't secure a job offer.

These small but crucial adjustments show you're ready to work smoothly in Canada. They show your ability to adapt and pay attention to local details, which is appealing to Canadian employers.

The Canadian resume and the European CV serve as key tools in job applications, but they follow different conventions that reflect the job market and cultural expectations of their respective regions. The Canadian resume format is streamlined and job-focused, typically extending to a maximum of two pages  and emphasizing the candidate's most relevant experiences and skills for the specific position.

Moreover, in Canada, when we talk about a CV, we're referring to a very detailed document mostly used in academic settings, not for regular job applications. These CVs are pretty lengthy, going from two to ten pages, and they cover everything from your work history to your projects and any papers you've published.

European resumes, commonly called CVs in the Old Continent, tend to be more detailed compared to Canadian resumes. They include high school education and grades, regardless of higher educational achievements. This level of detail is unnecessary in Canada, where the focus shifts to post-secondary education and adequate work experience .

Another big difference is the inclusion of personal information. In some European countries, including a photo on your resume is common and often expected by employers.

Including photos on your resume is not endorsed in Canada. Personal details such as date of birth, nationality, or other information that could potentially lead to discrimination are omitted in Canadian resumes.  

The goal is to ensure a fair evaluation process, focusing solely on professional qualifications and experiences.

Believe it or not, the Canadian resume is pretty similar to an American. However while the format is similar, the devil is in the details.

When looking for a job in Canada, picking the right resume format  is key because it really affects your chances of success. If you've been working for more than ten years, think about using a reverse chronological resume . This format lists your jobs from newest to oldest, making it easy to see how you've moved up in your career. It's a good way to show your experience in a clear way that employers like, especially in Canada.

In addition to the format, you also need to consider the template. It's important to choose a professionally designed resume template  which can enhance the readability of your resume and create a positive first impression with hiring managers. After you've selected your template, the next step is organizing your Canadian resume.

When creating your Canadian resume, start with a well-organized header that grabs attention. Include essential information like your name, job title, phone number, professional email, and LinkedIn link. Make sure your name matches what's on your professional records and online profiles to make it easy for recruiters to find you.

Moreover, it would be better to use a professional email provider like Gmail or Outlook. Mention the job you're applying for, not your current position, to align your resume with the job listing. Just listing your city is enough for the location, especially if you're applying for jobs in different places.

Finally, when you include links to your LinkedIn or portfolio, make sure they're up-to-date and match your resume.

A clear and concise header, focusing on these key elements, will demonstrate you're a strong candidate for the job. Here’s an example:

Jackson Thompson's resume header is thoughtfully organized and offers quick access to his contact and professional information.

Resume summary

Following the header, the career summary section  appears, offering a concise overview in no more than five sentences that show your key professional achievements. The professional summary focuses on your main strengths and skills related directly to the position's duties and responsibilities. After reading the information in this section, the recruiter has a better understanding of who you are and what skills and abilities you may bring to the position. Tailor this for every job application  to address the company and the position's requirements.

Let’s see an example:

This example shows the applicant's strong expertise in marketing and track record of achievements. Also, it puts the focus on specific skills and growth metrics that are important for Canadian employers.

Work experience

When creating your work experience section  list your previous jobs in reverse chronological order, starting with the most recent. Include the job title, company name, location, and dates of employment. Describe your responsibilities, achievements, and contributions using bullet points.

Here’s an example of the structure:

• Begin with the latest job  and work backwards, but limit the history to the last 10 to 15 years. Older roles, like a college job, might not interest the hiring manager.
• Lead with the position title , which helps the recruiter assess if your experience aligns with the job requirements.
• Mention the employer's name and its location . For lesser-known companies, a short description might be helpful.
• State the period of employment using the DD/MM/YYYY format , which is concise and clear.
• Describe your responsibilities and accomplishments with 4-6 bullet points for recent roles and 2-3 for previous positions .

Check out the example:

• • Developed and executed a digital marketing strategy that resulted in a 30% increase in website traffic.
• • Managed social media accounts, growing the follower base by 25% in one year.
• • Coordinated with the sales team to create promotional materials that led to a 15% rise in sales.
• • Organized and directed market research studies to inform future marketing strategies.
• • Led a team in implementing innovative email marketing campaigns that boosted lead generation by 20%.
• • Spearheaded the redesign of the company website, improving user engagement metrics by 35%.
• • Established a content marketing plan that increased brand visibility and market penetration.
• • Optimized website content for major search engines, resulting in a top 5 ranking for key terms.
• • Analyzed web analytics to adjust SEO strategies and improve overall website performance.
• • Collaborated with the content creation team to ensure SEO best practices were consistently applied.
• • Assisted in the development and implementation of marketing strategies to enhance brand recognition.
• • Supported the organization of promotional events that led to increased customer engagement.
• • Conducted competitive analysis to inform the marketing team's strategy adjustments.

This example illustrates an effective way to organize your work history when listing multiple previous roles. It emphasizes the importance of conciseness while clearly detailing your responsibilities and successes.

Carefully read the job posting and identify the required qualifications and skills. Take note of particular keywords and phrases  used throughout the description to tailor the resume for the specific role.

The educational background  is an essential part of your Canadian resume and it comes right after the work experience. Here is the place to mention the degree, diploma, and certifications earned, the name of the institution, the location, and the year of graduation . Begin with your most recent educational achievement and proceed in reverse chronological order, mirroring the format of your work history section. Don't forget to highlight any honors or academic distinctions you've received.

For your Canadian resume, consider specifying this information in the education section:

• State the degree you've earned as your degree title .
• Identify the institution where you received your education  as your college or university.
• Include the location of your educational institution .
• Note the year of your graduation  or the anticipated graduation year as your completion date.
• Mention a minor study , for instance, "Minor in Digital Media," to demonstrate a broader skill set within the marketing field.
• List any certificates you obtained  related to your field of study.

Here's how this section can look:

• • Specialized Coursework: Advanced digital marketing strategies and data-driven marketing decisions
• • Graduated with Honors
• • Minor in Digital Media
• • Core Modules: Marketing principles, consumer behavior, and digital media strategy

This example demonstrates a structured approach to presenting your educational background. It shows how to effectively list degrees, institutions, and relevant coursework, ensuring that your qualifications are easily understood by recruiters in Canada.

You may need to have your documents translated into English, French, or both.

It is generally advised to keep the education section simple, ensuring it doesn't overshadow your skills.

Highlight your key skills relevant to the job. This can include technical skills, software proficiency, language proficiency, and any other abilities that showcase your qualifications for the position.

Skills on your resume are categorized into:

• Soft skills  refer to personal qualities and behaviors developed through both life and work experiences. These skills encompass communication, attention to detail, and problem-solving.
• Hard skills  stand in contrast as the specific technical know-how or proficiencies gained through education, training endeavors, or direct experience. For instance, in the context of finance, include specialized expertise like advanced Excel functions for financial analysis, familiarity with QuickBooks for accounting tasks, and adeptness in using Bloomberg terminals for market research.

When curating your skills list, focus on those most relevant to the job at hand. For a front-end developer position, for instance, your proficiency in HTML, CSS, JavaScript, and frameworks such as React or Angular is more relevant than an unrelated skill like martial arts. Employers seek skills that make you an ideal fit for their specific needs, rather than a broad array of abilities.

To ensure your resume resonates with the job description, identify the employer's desired skills and make sure to include them in your Canada resume. Aim for a balanced presentation of both soft and hard skills tailored to meet the requirements of a front-end developer role.

Here’s how you might approach it:

When we talk about resume creation, language skills are more than just a mark of education. They're a bridge to diverse cultures and markets, making them vital in the Canadian job market. Adding languages to your Canadian resume shows your ability to communicate across different cultures.

In Canada, where English and French are widely spoken, being bilingual can significantly boost your job prospects. Including languages on your resume , along with your proficiency levels, signals to employers your capacity to adapt and connect in a multicultural setting. This section is crucial, distinguishing you as a candidate well-suited for the dynamic Canadian work culture.

Languages and additional courses both play a crucial role in enhancing your professional profile, so let's see how to present them properly in your Canadian resume.

This is an ideal moment to demonstrate your passion for learning. Include any relevant training, courses, or seminars to underscore your dedication to ongoing professional growth. It signals to employers your commitment to staying updated with industry trends and techniques, enhancing your appeal as a candidate.

Such educational achievements can be especially crucial in fast-changing sectors, evidencing your readiness to tackle contemporary challenges.

Start with your newest qualifications and list them in time order, similar to how you list job experience and education.

Let's go back to our example of Jackson Thompson, the Marketing Specialist, and check what courses would be relevant for him.

Is your resume good enough?

This part of our guide is your go-to resource for addressing frequently asked questions about crafting resumes for the Canadian job market. Learn how to create cover letters, tips for international applicants, and whether to choose PDF or.docx. Let's begin with the very first topic.

How do I navigate the Canadian job market as a foreigner?

Navigating the Canadian job market as a foreigner can certainly be a challenge, but with the right approach, it's definitely manageable. Here's your compass and map to find your way through.

Let's go forth with precise tips.

• Identify the industry you’re educated in and make your resume resonate with Canadian employers by thoroughly researching the Canadian job market .
• Start building your network  by participating in career fairs, making connections at professional events, and creating a solid LinkedIn profile to showcase your skills.
• Take on freelance opportunities  to gain valuable Canadian experience and integrate yourself into the local professional community.
• Utilize resources such as the Canadian government’s Job Bank  and immigrant-serving organizations  to find valuable assistance in your job search.  
• Demonstrate your readiness to thrive in Canada's diverse workplace by emphasizing your cultural awareness and language skills  in English or French.
• Boost your qualifications by taking courses or getting certifications  from well-known institutions or companies in your area. If we go back to our example for the Marketing Specialist Jackson Thompson, he should focus on acquiring certifications from renowned companies such as Google and Microsoft as these certifications are globally recognized and respected and would serve as a testament to an overseas candidate's skills and knowledge.
• Tailor your resume with each job description  and adapt your application to meet specific employer preferences, including Canadian spelling nuances. Remember, precision, like opting for 'colour' over 'color', demonstrates attention to detail.
• Keep a steady pace and stay resilient in your job search in Canada, and know that finding the right opportunity might take time but your efforts will eventually pay off.

Do I need a cover letter to pair with my resume when applying for a job in Canada?

It's a good idea to include a cover letter  with your resume. A cover letter lets you detail how your skills match the job and the company's needs. It helps you make a strong first impression and gives you space not only to demonstrate your enthusiasm about the position but also to present yourself professionally .

Here's some practical advice for your cover letter:

• Ensure your header aligns with your resume by listing your name, surname, job title, Canadian phone number, and professional email. You can also add a LinkedIn profile or personal website to make your application more engaging.
• Address the cover letter properly  in your greeting line, using 'Dear [Name]' or 'Dear Mr./Ms. [Surname].' If the name of the hiring manager is unknown, 'Dear [Department] Team' works well. This personal touch shows effort and interest.
• Start your cover letter with a powerful opening sentence that highlights your achievements or unique skills, capturing the hiring manager's attention and setting you apart from other applicants.
• In the body of your cover letter, go beyond your resume to tell a compelling story about your skills and experiences. Showcase how you can contribute to the company's success with examples of leadership, communication, and problem-solving abilities.
• Conclude with a closing paragraph that encourages further dialogue, ensuring you include your signature line.

Open the door to your new job in Canada with our professionally designed cover letter templates . Use our intuitive cover letter builder  to make your own for free.

Should I save my Canadian resume as a .docx or a .pdf file?

The PDF format is highly recommended due to its consistent appearance on various devices and operating systems. It preserves your document's design and visuals and eliminates the risk of unintended edits by the recipient.

Job platforms in Canada commonly accept both PDF and Word documents. However, unless specified otherwise in the job posting, opting to submit your resume as a PDF  is advisable for preserving its intended presentation.

Include your full name in your document filename to make it memorable (i.e. Jackson-Thompson-Resume.pdf)

Do Canadians say “CV” or “Resume”?

In Canada, the terms "resume" and "CV" (Curriculum Vitae) are both used, but they have different meanings. A resume is usually one or two pages long and shows your skills and experience related to the job you want. It's meant to be quick to read and match the job description. Canadian employers prefer this direct and brief way of showing your capabilities.

On the other hand, a CV is much more detailed and covers your whole career, including education, publications, research, and big achievements. It's mainly used in fields like academia, science, and medicine, where showing the full scope of your work matters a lot. CVs are longer than resumes and can be much more than two pages, based on how much you've done in your career.

What NOT to include in my Canadian resume?

In Canada, your cover letter and resume should not contain personal details such as marital status, religion, gender, age, or sexual orientation. Additionally, unless you're seeking a role in modeling or acting, photos are unnecessary. Including such information not only wastes precious space but could also lead employers to bypass your application to avoid potential discrimination claims. It's worth noting that Canadian law prohibits  employers from requesting information regarding your sexual orientation, age, or ethnicity during the application process or interviews. To prevent placing recruiters or employers in a difficult position, it's advisable to exclude these details.

Furthermore, mentioning salary expectations or irrelevant personal interests is considered inappropriate.

• Canada's plan to welcome 1.45 million new residents by 2025 underscores the need for job applicants to craft resumes tailored to specific employer requirements and Canadian English standards.
• In Canada, a resume is concise and job-focused, unlike CVs, which are detailed for academic roles, differing from European CVs that include personal information.
• Adapting your resume for Canada involves using local spellings, the metric system, and specific date formats to meet employer preferences and show an understanding of local culture.
• Choosing the chronological resume format is crucial, along with selecting a professional template for a good first impression.
• Begin your resume with a detailed header and a summary that shows your excellent results from previous jobs and skills relevant to the job you're applying for.
• Including a cover letter with your resume is strongly advised, as it provides an opportunity to demonstrate your enthusiasm and willingness to contribute to the new workplace.

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Canadian Resume Format

When I was planning to move to Canada, one of my big concerns was being able to get a job. And the first step in this was how to write my resume in the Canadian resume format.

Getting a job in Canada is different to what I’d been used to in the UK and took a bit of a different approach. But, by understanding these subtle differences, you can tailor your approach and find the job you’re looking for, just like I did (I’m happily employed in a senior position in a large Canadian firm).

This article will focus on one particular aspect of getting a job in Canada: how to create a resume for Canada in the Canadian resume format.

Our sample interview questions and guide is also useful to read when writing your resume. It can help you figure out the type of things hiring managers are interested in you demonstrating and are therefore good to highlight in your resume.

I’ve been through the process of adapting my CV (as I called it in the UK) to the Canadian resume format to get my job. And now, in a senior position in a large firm, I see tons of resumes of people applying for Canadian jobs.

These perspectives should make me well placed to give you the information you need to make your resume the best it can be and in the right format for the Canadian jobs market. 

So let’s dive in…

What is a Canadian style resume?

Canadian resume format, canadian resume format general rules, top 10: canadian resume common mistakes, canadian resume format samples, canadian resume template, functional resume.

A Canadian resume is not all that different to any other style of resume you’ve likely come across before.

There’s no fundamental difference in the general information you’re trying to get across in a Canadian resume.

There’s no difference between Canadian resume format and USA format, for example.

There are however a few subtle but important differences in emphasis and structure for the Canadian resume format compared to other countries.

But at the end of the day a resume is essentially a summary of your skills, employment and education and this is no different for the Canadian style of resume.

Any differences in how you write your resume for a Canadian job lies in how you might format and structure your resume; not a full overhaul of the substance.  

Does Canadian CV format differ from a Canadian resume format?

My experience is that Canadians use the terms CV and resume interchangeably.

Overall, resume is probably used more frequently but people will understand the term CV as well.

Generally a resume in Canada is the same as what you might know as a CV in other countries and Canadian CV format is the same as a Canadian resume format.  

There is one caveat to this however:

In some sectors, primarily academia, a CV or Curriculum Vitae in Canada often is different to a resume. In such circumstances, CV tends to mean a much more thorough and lengthy overview of your career than a resume. But realistically if it’s this type of CV you’re being asked for it will be abundantly obvious.

For the vast majority of typical jobs and situations, a CV and a resume are the same thing.

The two main formats of resumes used in Canada are the traditional reverse-chronological resume and the functional resume.

The most common Canadian resume format is the reverse-chronological resume. This is the traditional resume format you’re probably familiar with that focuses on your employment history and experience. For most people with employment history in the same field as the role they’re applying for, this is the best format to go for.

Reverse-chronological is the format most hiring managers are most familiar with and therefore makes it easy for them to understand your experience.

The other type of resume is the functional resume which focuses more on your skills rather than employment history. This type of resume may be better suited to those that are looking to change to a new career field or are recent graduates with little employment experience.

Typically, a reverse-chronological resume should have this structure:

• Resume header with your basic information
• A personal summary
• Your professional experience
• Education and professional qualifications

The format is not set in stone and can be flexed to suit your particular situation: the job you’re applying for, your experience or lack thereof, etc. But generally you should be hitting all of the above items at some point in your resume.

You would still cover the same topics as above in a functional resume but just change the emphasis – that is you’d focus more on skills rather than employment history. Move the skills section to the front and beef it up significantly. You can read more about a functional resume later in the article .

Let’s go into a bit more detail about what each of those headings above actually mean and what you should cover in each:

Resume header

Your name and contact details right at the top of the resume.

My experience is that Canadians really go for putting post-nominal letters after their name (i.e. qualification and accreditation letters etc.). So include any relevant post-nominal letters.

I also include my right to work status in Canada such as Canadian Permanent Resident . Include it if that right to work is going to be a definite positive rather than a potential drawback (i.e. if the employer is going to need to sponsor a work visa or such).

I think it’s important to set that right from the start because if the employer scans down your resume and sees work experience and education from a foreign country they might immediately wonder about your visa status – or certainly I do. Often that’s because a role may or may not be doing visa sponsorship.

One final point for the top of the resume: do not write the words resume or CV !

Personal Summary

A paragraph or two to set the scene for your resume. Highlight your best achievements and breadth of experience.

If you’re changing careers talk about your skills that are transferable to your new career. If you’re new to the workforce draw on your skills and education and amp up what skills you gained during any summer jobs, coursework and so forth.

This is your chance to make a good first impression so spend time making sure the paragraph is concise, impactful and relevant to the position you’re applying for.

Professional experience

This is the bit that will probably take up the bulk of the space on your resume (depending on if you’re doing traditional chronological resume or functional resume).

Summarise each role you’ve had from your most recent position backwards – i.e. reverse chronological order.

For each position, you should give:

• The company at which you were employed and city/country where you were based.
• Your job title. Be careful here that the title you state matches what your position actually was as this is one of the most basic reference checks your new employer will do. On the flip though, some professional positions don’t have concrete job titles so if you can massage your title to emphasise the relevance to the role you’re applying to then do. For example if you were a Financial Audit Manager but you’re looking to move out of Financial Audit then you could just put the title Manager. Also, if it makes sense with your experience and the role you’re applying to, try to show career progression in your job titles. Customer Service Representative to Senior Customer Service Representative – that kind of thing.
• The dates you were employed in that role. You don’t need to be specific down to the days of the month here. Month and year will do at the most. This can help if you have small gaps in your employment.
• Details of the role. For each role, you want to write about what you did. Your responsibilities, achievements and assignments. Exactly how best to do this will depend on your experience and the role you’re applying for. But the structure I like is to start with a short introductory paragraph covering what your role was. And then go into bullet points to highlight key assignments, responsibilities & achievements. Remember to not only write what you did but back it up with quantifiable achievements. And, as always – remember to tailor everything you write to match the job you’re going for. Study the job description carefully and make sure you’re demonstrating that you have experience that meets the responsibilities listed in the job description. Use some of the exact same words in your resume as is in the job description’s skills and responsibilities. You could use our sample interview questions to help get the juices flowing or focus your mind on what type of things the hiring manager will be interested in you demonstrating.

Education and Professional Qualifications

List any relevant professional qualifications you have with the dates obtained.

Include any degrees you have along with the dates you attended and the name of the institution.

If you’ve not graduated yet, give your expected graduation date. Include your Grade Point Average (GPA) if you have one.

You can include any relevant coursework, courses, extracurricular activities etc. depending on how light the rest of your resume is.

Honestly I’m not all that certain how useful this section is if you’re doing a reverse-chronological order resume and you’ve written the rest of your resume correctly. Any skills you mention here should really have already been given in context in your professional experience section.

I’ve certainly never given someone an interview because they’ve written “Teamwork” or other generic skills in this section.

If you are going to include this section, make it focused and have a mix of hard skills and soft skills.

Where this section does become more useful is if you’re not doing the traditional reverse-chronological CV.

Then it’s a different ballgame altogether.

More on this in the functional resume section .

Conventions of what to include in your resume or CV vary between counties so here’s a list of some do’s and don’ts, and general points to apply when writing a Canadian resume.

For a job in Canada:

• Never include a photo of yourself in a resume in Canada.
• Do not include your date of birth or any other personal information (other than your name and contact details).
• A Canadian resume should be two pages long. One if you’re junior. Having a longer resume doesn’t demonstrate that you have tons of experience, it just highlights that you can’t convey information concisely or that you haven’t put in the effort to tailor your resume for the role. Figure out the key information you need to get across for that role and then cover that. Needlessly long resumes are always a red flag when I’m reviewing them. Get to the point!
• It’s really important that you make sure your resume is written in perfect English or French with correct grammar. Strong communication skills are crucial for so many jobs. If an employer sees a resume that doesn’t demonstrate a solid grasp of the English or French language it’s likely you won’t get any further in the recruitment process. If you’re writing your resume in a language that you’re not completely fluent in, this is particularly important. Ask someone whose first language is French or English to read through your resume before you submit it. I find a tool called Grammarly is really helpful here. It’s like a super-enhanced grammar checker. But it also checks your document for clarity and engagement like overly wordy and unclear sentences, and passive voice misuse (as per the tip below). Basically it can help make your resume more impactful. You can check out the tool here . Incidentally, if you need help with your spoken English for interviews, a good app my friends and colleagues use is the ELSA app . It’s pretty cool with some fancy AI to teach fluent English. If you want to purchase the PRO pack then you can use this link to get a 80% discount on the lifetime option or a 30% discount on the 1-year option (which is better than the upgrade option you’ll be given in the app). Either way, you can check the app out here . *
• Use short sentences written in the active voice detailing tangible things that you did (not we , or the team ). I hit my sales target of $xx every month .
• Make sure it’s tailored to the position you’re applying for. Always spend the time to read through your resume putting yourself in the position of the hiring manager. Is your resume clearly highlighting the things that would be important to them? Make sure they don’t have to fish out the relevant experience and skills in a sea of generality. Use the key skills and behaviours from the job description.
• If you don’t have any work experience in Canada, try and highlight any experience you have working with international teams. Or projects you’ve done in other countries. Especially if you’ve worked with Canadian teams. My experience is that Canadians really value Canadian work experience so anything you can do to show that you’re adaptable to different ways of working is a bonus.
• If you have professional qualifications from a country other than Canada you may want to convert them to the Canadian equivalent so that they’re more recognized. In many cases this can be done via a conversion course. For example if you qualified as an accountant in India, you may wish to convert your qualification to a Canadian CPA. Most Canadian professional bodies have pages on their website which describe the pathway for converting international qualifications to Canadian certifications.

My team is based across Canada and I see hundreds of resumes every month from people applying for jobs across the country.

Based on this experience, here is my top 10 most common resume mistakes:

Mistake 1: Too long

This is the most common issue I see. Unless you’re writing an academic CV (in which case different rules apply) a resume in Canada shouldn’t be more than two pages.

Most hiring managers will stop reading after the first page, and will often make a decision within a few seconds on whether to read your resume in depth or close it and move on to the next candidate.

Keeping your resume short and to the point makes it more likely that the hiring manager will quickly appreciate your experience and (hopefully!) put you through to the next stage. If your resume is long, the most likely outcome is the hiring manager will just get bored reading it.

Mistake 2: Poor spelling and grammar

It’s surprising how many resumes I see that have spelling mistakes.

Spelling mistakes and grammatical errors tell the hiring manager you haven’t taken care and attention in preparing your resume and therefore you likely won’t take care and attention in performing your job! Stop reading and move on to the next candidate!

Run your resume through a tool like Grammarly . It does a good job of finding grammatical errors but also checks your document for clarity and engagement like overly wordy and unclear sentences, and passive voice misuse. Basically it can help make your resume more impactful. You can check out the tool here . *

Mistake 3: Failure to customize

While its time consuming and, let’s face it, a bit boring – customizing your resume to suit every role you apply for is very important. Tailored resumes stand out from the crowd and demonstrate the most relevant skills and experience to the hiring manager.

Mistake 4: No examples

If you’re saying you have a specific skill or type of experience, it’s important that you back that up with quantifiable examples. This grounds your resume and makes it real for the hiring manager.

Consider the following two statements:

• I have a proven track record in increasing sales.
• I have a proven track record in increasing sales – in my role as sales manager for Hat Boxes Inc. I increased sales from $20,000 per month to $50,000 per month over a six month period.

Or, these two statements:

• I am a team player.
• I am a team player. I initiated the practice of a weekly 15-minute team activity over Zoom to improve team morale and productivity during the pandemic.

Giving specific examples adds weight to your resume and provides evidence that you’re the right person for the role.

Mistake 5: Obvious exaggeration

It’s very important to sell yourself, however don’t fall into the trap of blatantly overstating your experience. Over exaggeration is easy to spot in a resume and makes the hiring manager question everything you’ve written.  

Mistake 6: Not getting to the point

This is tied to mistake 1 but, be concise and to the point. Don’t write a paragraph when a sentence will do. Most hiring managers have limited time and will appreciate succinctness.

Mistake 7: Misreporting dates

The most basic checks done by employers will quickly identify any incorrect dates on a resume. Be honest and make sure all of your dates are accurate.

Mistake 8: Underselling yourself

While some people have a tendency to exaggerate, others don’t sell themselves enough. Don’t feel arrogant or have self-doubt about your achievements, your resume is your opportunity to sell yourself! 

Mistake 9: Not explaining gaps

Many people have gaps in their experience, and this in itself doesn’t need to be a problem. But if you’ve not explained the gaps in your resume then it raises alarm bells. Maybe you were raising your children, maybe you had a career break or studied. Explain it in your resume!

Mistake 10: Messy formatting

Margins not aligned, different fonts and sizes, misaligned bullets and so much more. Poor formatting immediately creates a bad impression for the hiring manager and says you don’t have good attention to detail.

Make sure your resume is tidy and well formatted and don’t go overboard on trying to make it look fancy.

I think that the best formatting for a resume is to keep it simple. This makes it immediately easy for the hiring manager to see the structure.

I do see some Canadian resumes that have templates with more elaborate formatting, sidebars and other elements but my approach is to keep is simple.

Using all the guidance outlined above, I’ve created what I think is a good Canadian resume sample. Click below to see the Canadian resume format sample.

Obviously this is just one sample of a Canadian resume and it won’t be right for every situation. Like I said at the beginning, nothing needs to be set in stone. Use the sample resume for guidance rather than being bound by it.

I think that the best formatting for a resume is to keep it simple to make it immediately easy for the hiring manager to see the structure.

I do see some Canadian resumes that have used a template with more elaborate formatting, sidebars and other elements but my approach is to keep is simple.

With this in mind, I’ve created a Canadian resume format doc that you can download and use to format your resume. You can download the Canadian resume template for free in the form below. The resume template is in Word format.

Subscribe to our mail list and we'll email you our Canadian resume template

* You can unsubscribe at an time using the link in the emails.

I’ve focused this article on the reverse-chronological format of Canadian resumes but, as I mentioned at the beginning, there is another Canadian resume format you may want to use called a functional resume.

When to use a functional resume?

If you want to change career fields, have just graduated or generally do not have a lot of employment history directly related to the job you’re applying for then a functional resume might be a good fit for you.

This is because the functional resume format emphasise the transferable skills you have rather than highlighting the lack of experience.

Let’s cover how you do this:

Functional resume format

In a functional resume format you put the skills section right at the top and label it “Skills and Abilities” or some wording that makes sense for you.

List in detail the skills that you have that would be beneficial to the position you’re applying to.

In a functional resume you talk about your skills in general (rather than tied to roles); you’re removing the link of listing skills under a particular previous job to just talking about them all together. So the skills don’t need to be in chronological order or one skill per role or anything.

To demonstrate what I mean, we can use some examples from the chronological resume sample above.

All we need to do is reword the skills listed under the “Professional Experience” section and put them in the “Skills” section on the functional resume.

Reverse-chronological format work experience statement:

• Leadership and career development:  I am an approachable and enthusiastic leader.  I prioritise regular career and development conversations with my team, both formal and informal.  In May 2017 I was selected for the executive leadership programme where I participate in regular workshops to further develop my leadership skills.
• Data privacy & regulatory compliance assurance : I developed a regulatory assurance approach for GDPR (new European data privacy legislation), working closely with the legal department and a third party provider.  My project established a GDPR-compliance assurance approach within Murray-Nader’s European operations.

Rewritten for a Functional resume:

• Leadership and career development:  I am an approachable and enthusiastic leader.  I prioritise regular career and development conversations both formal and informal.  I have completed an executive leadership programme where I participated in regular workshops to further fine-tune my leadership skills.
• Data privacy & regulatory compliance assurance: I have extensive knowledge in developing regulatory assurance approaches for GDPR (new European data privacy legislation).

So with a little tweak to each statement we make them standalone skills, detached from specific roles, which you can include in the skills section of a functional resume.

The benefit over a functional resume if you’re changing career fields is you can highlight the relevant skills you have without highlighting the fact they were in a different field.

By making your skills stand alone in a skills section you remove the risk of them being ignored under a job role that the potential employer doesn’t think is relevant to the position you’re applying to.

* All of the products and services I recommend on Canada for Newbies are independently selected based upon what I’ve personally found to be useful. When you get Grammarly or ELSA using one of the links in this article, I might earn a small affiliate commission. It won’t cost you anything at all and I would never recommend something I don’t believe in or use myself.

So that’s my advice on creating a great Canadian resume to get a job in Canada.

Remember to check out our guide on how to ace your interview and sample interview questions . Not only is it useful prep for interviews it can also help focus your mind to the type of things hiring managers are interested in you demonstrating. And therefore good to include in your resume. Check out the article:

I’d love to hear any feedback on how you’ve found trying to get a job in Canada. Please drop me a comment about anything below.

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31 thoughts on “Canadian Resume Format”

Thanks for this! Now I have an idea of how to ace a Canadian Resume.

I’m really glad you found it useful! Good luck with the job hunt – I hope you find your dream job! 🙂

This is so helpful. Thanks 🙏

Ah excellent – really happy you found it helpful! Good luck with the job hunt!

Hey Andrew,

First of all thank you for this great article it was very informative however I’m not receiving anything whenever I hit the subscribe button,

Hi there, As in you’ve not received the email with the link to download the resume template? I’ve had a look and the email did send to you – have you checked your junk folder? Let me know if you can’t find it and I’ll resend. Cheers!

Thank you for the useful content you shared. It gave me the willingness to start a new career path. Regards and cheers.

No problem! Glad you found it useful. Good luck with the new career!

Wow, I really enjoyed reading this piece! It was so precise and informative.Now I know how to write my resume for my dream job💅💯💯

Glad you liked it. Good luck with the dream job! 🙂

Oh! This is really helpful! Now i know how to make my cv very concise and brief using any of the styles you explained above. I must thank you Andrew! God bless you!

You’re welcome. Hope the job search goes well!

Thank you very much Andrew for the information and the guidance.

No problem. Happy job hunting! 🙂

Thank you very much. This was really useful.

No worries – glad it was helpful! 🙂

Thank you so much for this useful information shared by you.

No problem! Good luck with your job hunt! 🙂

Very informative. Thanks for sharing. Time to get that Canadian job now!!!

This was really helpful and the simplest one that I found on the internet.

Glad you found it useful! Happy job hunting!

Very informative and precise. Thanks for sharing this article.

Glad you found it useful. Thanks for the comment! 🙂

Excellent tutorial and model to follow to create a professional resume. Good tips, and clear guidelines. Thanks

Thanks very much, glad it was useful!

thank you very much for this wonderfull informations provided here keep it up

Very useful and really guide me through with important tips to get a job with a winning Canadian CV

Sir, I am happy I came across this section. I can rewrite my resume and with this I know I will find a job in Canada soon. This information you shared here is worth more than my time going through them. Thanks.

thanks for this information. this is very insightful that can land us on our dream job in Canada.

Thanks for this! Helpful information Thanks a lot.

Glad it was helpful. Good luck with the job hunt!

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Government of Canada resume format

Not only is it necessary that your resume is presented without grammatical errors,it must also be done in a manner that is appealing to hiring managers. Below is the winning format for resumes. Provided that you have the minimum experience required, this format provides key elements that will get your application screened in and has worked for many individuals inside the federal service. Before I continue, I must underline that resumes for job positions in the federal public service must illustrate passion and drive.

Government of Canada hiring managers want employees who are confident of their skill set.

To start, like a regular resume, a personal information section is necessary:

The personal information section should include:

• Your telephone number; and
• Your email address

I do not recommend that you put your home address for three reasons:

1) The large majority of government communication is done through email.

2) This information is already in your online profile.

3) It takes up 2-3 lines of precious space on your resume that you need for more important things.

Note: If you have previously worked in the government, you may wish to include your security clearance, your linguistic profile and your personal identifier number in this section.

Keep this brief: name of the university and location, when you graduated and what is your field of study. You may wish to include if your G.P.A. is equivalent to a B+ or higher. Depending on the position, it may give you an upper hand. Some job professionals recommend that you state if you have plans to further your education, I do not recommend this. However, If you are in the process of finishing a degree or certification, you should mention it.

State each relevant work experience that you have had over the past 5 years (you may wish to go further back depending on what the experience is). It is critical to match each work experience to the skills required by the job position. You MUST look at the statement of criteria in the job poster and use the exact words. Remember to always use action verbs and quantify your achievements.

Here is an example of how to do this:

Ex: The Statement of Criteria states that two requirements are interpersonal and leadership skills. Let’s say you have experience as a sales clerk and have also won awards for the best sales clerk of the year based on the number of sales and customer feedback.

In your resume, you will write : Increased sales by x% due to strong interpersonal and organizational skills. Achieved best sales clerk award through exceptional leadership and management abilities. (Note that I put in organizational skills in the sentence even though it was not mentioned because it is an important trait that is usually required.)

Now that you know how to explain what you did based on the Statement of Criteria you will need to:

• Write for each job position that you held,  your position’s title, the employer’s name and location (city and province are sufficient), the period of employment, all promotions and/or increases in responsibilities, as well as if and how many individuals you supervised.

• If you have any experience in the municipal, provincial or federal government, mention it here. Hiring managers like to know if you have worked in the government. Although it is not a requirement for most positions.

If you speak both official languages you will want to include this information here. Also, If you speak one official language and another non-official language fluently you will wish to mention this as well.

If you are unilingual, omit this section.

Abilities and skills

This is the section where you wish to mention all of the skills that you have that do not fall under the experience section. For example: MS Office suite, Adobe Suite, Autocad, Programming languages etc. You may also wish to place career highlights in this section.

Professional associations, awards, volunteer work and hobbies

I recommend this section but with caution, I suggest that you limit what you place in this section to non controversial themes and hobbies. Stick to examples such as:horseback riding, skiing, Member of the Toronto Chamber of Commerce etc. Do not allow yourself to be discriminated or screened out based on something that you do in your free time.

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Resume format in Canada

Updated on March 15, 2024

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The resume format in Canada is quite different from CVs and resumes you may be used to writing in other countries. By following our advice, you too can adapt to the Canadian way of presenting your experience and skills.

Start off with this webinar from recruitment expert and Moving2Canada founder, Ruairi Spillane, about how to create the best resume for the Canadian jobs market:

When you’re done reading through these tips, visit our Jobs Board  and review our  practical advice for finding jobs in Canada.

What you'll find on this page

What’s different about the resume format in canada.

Your resume is key to  finding jobs in Canada . Employers will generally assess your suitability for roles based on this document alone.

Your sole objective in writing a resume is to pique the reader’s interest so that you get an  interview . Shift the focus away from telling the employer everything about yourself.  Instead, focus on things that will make them believe you can help their company.

Avoid simply listing your duties in each role. Instead, refer to  achievements  that other candidates wouldn’t be able to put on their resume. Differentiate yourself from the crowd.

The resume format in Canada must contain (in this order):

1. Contact information 2. Professional / career summary 3. Work experience 4. Education / professional development

Where appropriate, you may also add technical skills and volunteer experience / community involvement.

"I sent countless resumes, but never heard back!"

16 tips to adapt to the resume format in canada.

1. Your resume is a tool to secure an interview. It’s not intended to be a thorough work history document. When you write a resume for Canada, concentrate on presenting the reader with your highlights, not every detail. The interview is the time to go into detail.

2. Keep your resume interesting. Typically, hiring managers will only spend 10-30 seconds browsing your document. Use the resume format in Canada to sell yourself in a concise way that focuses on your achievements.

3. Use a professional resume template. Register for a Moving2Canada account to get a professional resume template for free.

4. Avoid long paragraphs and small fonts (less than size 10 is not a good idea). Use an easily readable font and make sure that only one font is used throughout. Ensure your resume format style is consistent.

5. Do not use the first person (e.g. “I am technical”, “I worked at XYZ”). Use short sentences (e.g. “Increased sales by 10%”).

6. The resume format in Canada means your document should typically be a maximum of two pages. If you do not have a lot of experience, then one page should suffice. If you have 10+ years of experience, then three pages may be acceptable.

7. Don’t waste valuable space. Only list experience relevant for the role to which you are applying.

8. Convert all terms to the Canadian equivalent. For example, use terms like “high school”, “GPA” (Grade Point Average — the equivalent for university grades), “internship”, etc.

9. Do not list personal interests or hobbies unless they are achievements that add to your character. Remember: a good resume sets you apart from other candidates. Mentioning that you like football, play piano, and enjoy the cinema is not likely to boost your chances of success.

10. Include skills such as being able to speak a second language or mastery of particular computer applications. Ensure you only include those that may be relevant to the job you’re applying for.

11. Avoid sending a generic resume to dozens of employers. Your time is better spent being selective and tailoring your resume for each specific job and company you’re applying to.

12. Use a nice resume format, and where possible, have it proofread by an expert in the field. Grammatical and spelling errors on a resume can harm your first impression.

13. Do not list that you are on a “gap year” or “one-year work permit”. Companies want to employ committed candidates who are going to contribute to their success. In an interview, you can discuss your immigration status if the employer requests more information. If you are in Canada on a temporary permit, research longer-term permanent residence options so you can discuss ways of potentially staying in Canada once your work permit expires.

14. Do not include the word ‘resume’ or ‘CV’ at the top of the page, or the date you prepared the document.

15. Do not sign your resume.

16. Do not list references, or include the line ‘references available on request’. It will be assumed that you have these ready, so don’t waste valuable space on your resume by stating this. Have references’ names and contact details ready to present when requested, and make sure they’re willing to speak positively on your behalf.

Preparing for the resume format in Canada

Here’s some useful advice to help you craft the contact, career summary, and work history sections of your resume.

Contact information:

• Do not list your date of birth, gender, marital status, religion, or parents’ names. It’s not required under the employment law in Canada, and is not a necessary part of the resume format in Canada.
• Where possible, ensure you have a Canadian address listed. More importantly, include a Canadian cell phone number.
• Ensure that you have an email address that looks professional. It should include a combination of your first name and last name, and avoid slang terms or nicknames. Avoid using email addresses with country-specific domains, like .co.uk, or .co.in. If necessary, set up a new email address for your job hunt.
• Add your LinkedIn profile URL. Create a custom LinkedIn profile URL so that it isn’t as ‘clunky’ as the one that LinkedIn designated for you. You want to make it as easy as possible for the employer to find your profile, particularly when viewing a printed version of your resume. Also, ensure it’s up to date and that your profile contains a strong summary. See this great guide on being successful with LinkedIn .

Professional / career summary

This is a micro resume that will allow the reader to understand your goals and how you can help their company.

Three or four short sentences will suffice to set the tone for the detail that follows. Outline what makes you different, whether it is personality, technical ability, managerial skills, team building, or some other talents.

Begin by stating your objective clearly. You should list the title of the role you want to target — if you’re responding to a job posting, this role will be the job you’re applying for. Being a “jack of all trades” is not a good thing for an employer. If you want to be a Project Manager, then call yourself a Project Manager. Don’t expect a company to identify what you should be.

If you would like to do two or three different things, then build two or three specific documents, and follow the resume format in Canada in each. Listing “Marketing / Admin / Finance Professional” is not attractive, so have a clear focus for the relevant job application.

• Mention how many years of relevant experience you have, what type of experience this is, and your future ambitions.
• Avoid generic comments (e.g. “honest and hardworking professional”). Instead, give the reader a true insight into your strengths and objectives (e.g. “able to continually identify cost savings and efficiencies, and routinely trusted to manage projects effectively, mentor junior colleagues, and solve problems”). These should be specific to you, and not things that anyone can write on their resume.
• Mention your career aspirations, whether this is professional designations, supervisory work, managerial work, or other work.

Work experience in Canada

Include details of relevant roles. Prospective employers will already be familiar with the duties and responsibilities of these roles, so there’s no need to list them.

Use three or four concise bullet points instead of long lists.

Think about key achievements in each previous role, then build each point by highlighting a specific problem you encountered, actions taken, and results accomplished. Every successful problem solved brings either an increase in revenue or decrease in costs. This is how managers think, so speak their language.

Problem/Situation >> Action taken >> Results/Achievement

Problem/Situation:  Every action that you take in a job is for a reason. Who asked you to perform this task? What was the objective? What was the background behind the task or the problem you set out to solve? Identify what the problem or situation was that prompted the action.

Action taken: This is where you incorporate the duties that you took to resolve a problem or situation.

Results/Achievement: Some questions to think about: What would happen if you didn’t perform this task as well? What was the impact of doing the task well? Did you gain recognition for this work? Did it improve efficiency, increase sales, reduce costs, or all of the above? Where possible, try to quantify the result in terms of either a percentage or Canadian dollar value.

Here’s an example that would meet the resume format in Canada requirements:

Existing phone / communication system was outdated and causing frustration for the staff. Investigated affordable alternatives and project managed the installation of the new system. It increased productivity and efficiency, received widespread positive reaction from staff, and by allowing us to spend more time with customers, generated an estimated $20k in extra sales in six months.

Provide your potential employer with three or four short illustrations of your abilities that showcase what you have achieved in previous roles.

If you’re unsure whether a point you made is useful or not, keep asking yourself “so what?” and try to develop it using the above formula. Explore the impact of your actions and try to bring each point back to a business problem with quantifiable results. Think about the increase in revenues, decrease in costs, or customer satisfaction.

For occupations that are project-driven, outlining your projects in a clear manner is key. Do not make a long list of every project. Focus on outlining a few key projects that demonstrate your skills. Remember, you don’t need to tell them everything you have done — you can do this in the interview . Ensure that you highlight the project name, an outline of the project (e.g. if construction then mention commercial, industrial, residential, etc), project duration, the value of the project in Canadian dollar terms, as well as your role.

Other employment resources in Canada

For vacancies, visit our Moving2Canada Jobs Board . Now that you’ve mastered the resume format in Canada, here are some more resources to help you win interviews and find a job in Canada.

• Practical advice for finding jobs in Canada
• 57 interview questions you could be asked
• How to master networking in Canada
• How to create a targeted job application

Remember also not all recruitment is done through formal interview processes. Find out how to use an informational interview as a tool to develop your network.

Get planning for Canada!  Did you know that Canada offers free pre-arrival services for approved immigrants who plan to arrive in the country within the next 12 months? You can get free employment mentorship and more through government-funded pre-arrival services. Find out about pre-arrival services provided by Canada InfoNet here:

Register for a Moving2Canada account to receive Canadian resume and cover letter templates. You’ll also receive our free Getting Started Guide, which gives exclusive access to our proven techniques for accelerating your job search in Canada.

Happy job hunting!

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FREE Canadian Resume Template

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With a Canadian Resume and Cover letter, you can obtain employment more quickly. Canadian resumes must adhere to a certain format, known as the Canadian Resume format. If you're serious about earning a job offer from a Canadian employer via any Immigration program, you'll need an impressive resume. Your Resume must pass the ATS, reach the HR Recruiter, and be referred to the recruiting manager. Here is a Canadian Resume Template that can be downloaded immediately from your laptop/desktop.

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Canada Resume For Administrative Assistant: Free Samples

Canadian administrative assistants play a vital role in the efficient functioning of businesses and organizations . As such, their resumes must reflect their skills, experience, and qualifications. Employers seek candidates who not only possess the essential skills for the role but also demonstrate a keen understanding of the unique professional standards in Canada.

The demand for administrative professionals remains high, making it crucial for job seekers to present themselves effectively on paper. A well-written resume can help candidates stand out from the competition and increase their chances of landing their dream job.

This article aims to be your guide to creating an impressive administrative assistant resume tailored to the Canadian job market. To ease this process, we will also provide you with free resume samples designed specifically for administrative assistant roles in Canada.

Key Components of a Canadian Admin Resume

Creating an effective administrative assistant resume for the Canadian job market involves careful consideration of various components to ensure your application stands out amidst a sea of candidates. Here are key elements to incorporate for a resume tailored to the specific expectations of Canadian employers:

Contact Information: Begin your resume with your full name, phone number, email address, and LinkedIn profile (if applicable). Make sure this information is current and easily accessible.

Professional Summary: Craft a concise professional summary that highlights your experience, key skills, and career objectives. Tailor this section to align with the specific requirements of the administrative assistant role you are targeting.

Skills Section: Clearly outline your relevant skills, emphasizing both technical abilities and soft skills essential for administrative roles. Include proficiency in office software, organizational skills, communication abilities, and any industry-specific tools you are familiar with.

Work Experience: Detail your work history in reverse chronological order, starting with your most recent position. Focus on accomplishments and responsibilities that directly relate to administrative tasks. Use quantifiable achievements to showcase your impact in previous roles.

Education: List your educational background, including the degree earned, institution, and graduation date. For administrative roles, emphasize any coursework or certifications that highlight your proficiency in office management and related skills.

Certifications and Training: If you have relevant certifications or training, such as those in office administration or project management, include them in a separate section to demonstrate your commitment to professional development.

Language Proficiency: Given Canada’s bilingual nature, highlighting your language skills can be advantageous. Specify your proficiency in English and, if applicable, in French or any other languages relevant to the job.

Achievements and Accomplishments: Showcase specific achievements and accomplishments in your previous roles. Use metrics and data whenever possible to quantify your impact, demonstrating your contributions to the success of your previous employers.

References: Conclude your resume by indicating that references are available upon request. Ensure you have the consent of your referees before sharing their contact information.

By strategically incorporating these components, you can create a powerful administrative assistant resume that not only meets the expectations of Canadian employers but also sets you apart as a candidate who understands and can excel in the local professional landscape.

Administrative Assistant Resume Summary Examples

Here are some examples of administrative assistant resume summaries that you can use as inspiration:

Experienced Administrative Professional: Dedicated administrative assistant with over 5 years of experience supporting executives and managing office operations. Proven track record of optimizing efficiency through meticulous organization and effective communication. Adept at multitasking in fast-paced environments and proficient in the use of office software.

Detail-Oriented Administrative Specialist: Results-driven administrative assistant with a keen eye for detail and a passion for streamlining office processes. Possessing a strong background in calendar management, travel coordination, and office administration. Known for maintaining a high level of confidentiality and professionalism.

Versatile Office Administrator: Versatile administrative assistant with a diverse skill set, excelling in project coordination, data analysis, and communication. Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite and experienced in managing complex schedules. Known for adaptability and the ability to thrive in dynamic work environments.

Efficient Administrative Coordinator: Resourceful administrative professional with a talent for implementing efficient office procedures. Experienced in handling diverse administrative tasks, including document preparation, meeting coordination, and database management. A proactive problem solver committed to ensuring the smooth operation of daily office activities.

Customer-Focused Administrative Support: Customer-focused administrative assistant with a proven ability to provide exceptional support to both internal and external stakeholders. Skilled in managing inquiries, coordinating events, and maintaining a positive office atmosphere. Adept at prioritizing tasks to meet tight deadlines.

Organized Office Manager: Results-oriented office manager with a comprehensive background in administrative support. Known for implementing organizational systems that enhance productivity and reduce inefficiencies. Excellent interpersonal skills and a commitment to fostering a collaborative work environment.

Tech-Savvy Administrative Professional: Tech-savvy administrative assistant with proficiency in office software and a knack for leveraging technology to streamline administrative processes. Adept at managing digital calendars, handling correspondence, and maintaining electronic filing systems.

Proactive Executive Assistant: Proactive executive assistant with a strong ability to anticipate needs and provide high-level administrative support. Demonstrated success in managing executive calendars, coordinating travel arrangements, and facilitating seamless communication across departments.

Remember to tailor your resume summary to reflect your unique skills, experiences, and the specific requirements of the job you’re applying for. A well-crafted summary will entice employers to continue reading your resume and consider you as a strong candidate for the administrative assistant position.

Admin Assistant Resume Skills Examples

Here are some skills examples that you can include in your Admin Assistant resume:

• Calendar management and scheduling
• File organization and record-keeping
• Time management and prioritization of tasks
• Event planning and coordination
• Professional phone etiquette
• Email correspondence and management
• Interacting with clients, vendors, and colleagues
• Drafting and editing business correspondence
• Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook)
• Data entry and database management
• Experience with office equipment (fax machines, copiers, printers)
• Proofreading documents for accuracy
• Identifying and correcting errors in reports and correspondence
• Maintaining precise and organized records
• Resolving administrative issues independently
• Addressing and troubleshooting routine office problems
• Offering proactive solutions to improve office efficiency
• Welcoming and assisting visitors
• Handling inquiries and providing information
• Ensuring a positive experience for clients and guests
• Managing multiple tasks and responsibilities simultaneously
• Adapting to changing priorities and deadlines
• Flexibility in handling diverse administrative duties
• Handling sensitive information with discretion
• Maintaining confidentiality of personnel and organizational matters
• Working collaboratively with colleagues
• Providing support to team members
• Contributing to a positive and productive work environment
• Anticipating needs and taking initiatives
• Identifying opportunities for process improvement
• Demonstrating a proactive and can-do attitude

Administrative Assistant Resume Examples

Here are some sample resumes which you can modify:

Administrative Assistant Sample Resume 1

Administrative assistant sample resume 2.

Aspiring administrative professionals seeking to make their mark in the dynamic Canadian job market must strategically tailor their resumes to align with the expectations of employers.

The role of an administrative assistant in Canada requires a diverse skill set encompassing organizational prowess, effective communication, and technical proficiency . This guide delves into the essential components of a standout resume, providing actionable examples that highlight relevant skills, experiences, and accomplishments.

By emphasizing key factors such as adaptability, problem-solving ability, and a customer-focused approach , candidates can position themselves as valuable assets in the competitive Canadian employment landscape.

As individuals embark on their quest for administrative roles in Canada, it’s essential to be aware of the salary landscape. On average, administrative assistants in Canada earn approximately CAD 23.69 per hour , depending on factors such as experience, location, and the industry. Understanding these salary benchmarks not only provides realistic expectations but also aids in negotiating fair compensation packages.

In essence, this comprehensive guide aims to empower administrative assistant candidates with the knowledge and tools needed to create resumes that not only meet but exceed the expectations of Canadian employers. By embracing the advice and leveraging the provided samples, individuals can position themselves as strong contenders in the competitive job market and embark on a successful career journey in administrative roles in Canada.

Related Articles:

• How To Write A Cover Letter For Canada
• Canada Resume Action Words

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