Practical guide
How to write a strong Canadian resume
Canadian employers spend an average of 30 seconds skimming a resume. Here's what to get right — and the most common mistakes to avoid.
Best practices
- Keep your resume to 1–2 pages, focused on your most recent and relevant experience.
- List your work history in reverse-chronological order, starting with your most recent role.
- Tailor your resume to each job posting, reusing the employer's own wording.
- Lead with strong action verbs — "led," "managed," "developed," "increased."
- Quantify your achievements wherever possible: percentages, dollar amounts, people supervised.
- Emphasize accomplishments, not just a list of duties.
- Include volunteer or unpaid experience if it demonstrates relevant skills.
- Use a professional, name-based email address.
- Have someone else proofread your resume before you send it.
- Avoid columns, tables, and complex graphics if your resume needs to pass through an applicant tracking system (ATS).
- In Quebec, prepare your resume in French by default — it's the norm, and often a legal requirement.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Sending the same generic resume to every job without tailoring it.
- Listing job duties instead of measurable accomplishments.
- Including details expected in other countries — photo, age, marital status, religion, nationality — that don't belong on a Canadian resume.
- Including your Social Insurance Number on your resume.
- Explaining why you left or were let go from a previous job.
- Listing references or their contact details directly on the resume instead of providing them separately if asked.
- Using vague phrasing like "responsible for improving efficiency" with nothing to back it up.
- Going over 5–7 bullet points per section.
- Writing in the first person ("I," "my") instead of a clean, direct style.
- Leaving out the Canadian equivalent of foreign credentials or job titles.
- Adding hobbies that have nothing to do with the role you're applying for.
Quebec specifics
In Quebec, it's called a "CV," not a "résumé." The Charter of the French Language governs the use of French in employment-related communication — prepare your CV in French by default unless the employer asks otherwise.
This guidance draws on the official recommendations of the Government of Canada's Job Bank.