As you prepare to enter the Canadian job market, your Canadian counterparts will likely have an advantage over you in the job search process. Some of them may have worked in part-time or summer jobs since high school and, having grown up here, may already have valuable industry connections. You may need to catch up with them in certain crucial areas in order to be on equal footing when you start looking for jobs.
So how can you, as an international student, make your resume stand out? The prep work for your resume starts well before you put pen to paper, even as early as the beginning of your study program. Here are some key aspects to focus on:
In Canada, volunteer experience is considered work experience and, where relevant, you should include it on your resume. Volunteering is part of the Canadian culture and can help you gain insight into the Canadian professional environment. It’s also a great way to put your theoretical knowledge to practice, develop new skills, and build your professional network . Not to mention it also gives back to your community.
Download our Networking Guide for insights on why networking is crucial for your career in Canada and tips to help you build professional connections in Canada.
More than anything, what an employer wants to know is whether, if they hire you, you can get the job done. A powerful portfolio is proof of your capabilities, both technical and creative. You should only include your best work or the projects you’re most proud of. Your portfolio can be in the form of a blog, design portfolio, or other samples of your past work. If you have a digital portfolio, include a link to it on your resume and LinkedIn profile .
Think about all the skills you’ve acquired through your studies and how those skills can be beneficial to the position you’re applying for. Even if it doesn’t seem directly related, there may be aspects of your past work, part-time job, academic projects, clubs and extracurricular activities, and volunteer work that are valuable for your new role. For instance, if you worked part-time at a call center while studying, you may have picked up customer service and time management skills or learned new software on the job. If you were the treasurer of a student club, you probably picked up some accounting or fundraising skills. If you coached a sports team, you may be able to highlight the people management skills you developed.
Since each company looks for a different combination of skills and experience, you should customize your resume for each and every company and position you apply for. This will improve your chances of being selected for an interview. Here are some standard elements that a good Canadian resume should include:
Now that you know what should generally be included in your resume, let’s dive deeper into what a good resume should look like and how you can craft an impressive Canadian resume that will resonate with employers.
There are three main resume formats in Canada : reverse chronological, functional, and combination or hybrid. For students, a functional resume is the most effective format. One of the most common apprehensions international students have while writing their resumes is how to draw attention away from their lack of Canadian work experience. The functional resume format helps solve this problem by focusing on your skills and achievements rather than your experience (or the lack of it).
On the other hand, the reverse chronological resume lists your work experience from most recent to least recent and is best suited for experienced professionals. If you have prior work experience, you can also use a combination resume, which highlights both your work history and transferable skills.
Download our free Canadian Resume templates and customize them to your profile:
Research the role you’re interested in to understand the skills the employer seeks. Your resume should reflect relevant skills you bring to the table and your accomplishments from past professional and non-professional roles. Non-professional experience can include any relevant projects you completed inside or outside of school, or volunteer experience applicable to the position. Use the C-A-R (Challenge-Action-Result) approach to showcase the impact you made and, where possible, quantify your accomplishments.
Including keywords from the job description in your resume increases your chances of getting past the Applicant Tracking System (ATS). This is an automated system that scores and ranks your resume based on how closely it matches the job description. Many Canadian companies, large and small, use ATS to filter applications so that only resumes that are a good fit for the role reach the recruiter or hiring manager.
Are you a good communicator? Have you led small teams to complete a task or project? Soft skills like communication and leadership are sought after in the Canadian job market and should be included on your resume. Again, read the job description to understand which skills are relevant to the role.
Academic or professional qualifications from your home country may still be useful in the Canadian job market. Often, different countries have different nomenclature for educational credentials. If possible, get your foreign credentials assessed and list their Educational Credentials Assessment (ECA) equivalency on your resume. This will give employers a better picture of your qualifications as they apply to the role in question. It will also improve your resume’s match score when it passes through ATS.
As an international student, your resume should not be longer than one page, especially if you’re applying to entry-level jobs. A short resume encourages you to highlight only the most important aspects of what makes you a viable candidate. If you have several years of work experience, Canadian or foreign, and are applying for a mid- to senior-level role, a two-page resume is acceptable.
In an attempt to make their resume stand out, many applicants make the mistake of incorporating fancy graphics and bold colours in their resume. However, tables, design elements, and other non-text content can lower the chances of your resume clearing ATS. Employers want the actual information on your resume, and niche fonts or design elements can be distracting. Keep it simple, at least for this phase of your job search. Avoid using pictures and stick with standard fonts. Be sure to leave ample white space to make your resume more readable.
Even if the job posting doesn’t specifically ask for one, always include a cover letter. Cover letters are your opportunity to get a bit more personal about why a specific job is important to you and why you are a good fit for it.
As an international student in Canada, you should familiarize yourself with a Canadian-style resume before you start looking for internships, part-time work, or even your first job after graduation. Your lack of relevant Canadian experience doesn’t necessarily lower your chances of landing your dream job in Canada. As long as you’re able to focus on your strengths, highlight relevant achievements and skills, and make a strong case for why the organization should hire you, you should be able to start your career successfully in Canada.
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.
Arrive is operated by Royal Bank of Canada (RBC), the largest bank in Canada* and one of the most reputed banks in the world, employing 80,000 people worldwide. In collaboration with RBC, Arrive is dedicated to helping newcomers achieve their life, career, and financial goals in Canada.
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Disclaimer: 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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COMMENTS
Each entry should include: your job title, "part-time" put next to the title if you worked there part-time, company name, dates of employment, and up to 6 bullet points. Add fewer bullet points in your job experience the further you go back. Three bullet points are perfect for positions far in the past.
Here's an example of an applicant's resume header: 2. Write a compelling resume objective. Your resume objective (or career objective) is an important section that comes up after your resume header and is your opportunity to explain why you're a top candidate for your target role.
These three strategies will help you make your part-time job skills stand out on your resume. 1. Express your excitement and passion. Whether you have some experience or not, there's one quality in a job that you can't miss: passion. So, if you're only getting started in employment or if you've already been working for several years, you should ...
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.
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. Use the traditional template if: your career progression ...
Creating a resume header in a Canadian format is similar to the format for a U.S. resume header. Include your name, your phone number, your email address and your location, including your city and state, province or territory. If you have a portfolio or professional networking site, include a link to this as well.
Tips to write a Canadian resume. Choose a resume format according to your career stage. Use standard formatting for a professional resume: 1.5-inch margins, 10-12 font size for your content and 12-14 font size for your heading. Use the job description as a guide to customize the information on your resume.
Stick to 1-2 pages for your resume length. Choose an easy-to-read resume font. Use a larger font size to emphasize your resume section headers and make important information stand out with bolding and italics. In turn, here are the things you shouldn't include on your resume in Canada: A resume photo.
Pro tip: Start your bullet points with dynamic action verbs like "Initiated," "Directed," "Managed" and "Worked" to highlight your leadership and impact. This approach aligns with Canadian employers' preferences for candidates who demonstrate proactive problem-solving and teamwork. 5. Highlight your education.
These free resume templates are for newcomers who are looking for a job in Canada. Whether you're just starting your career in Canada, re-entering the job market after a break, or exploring full-time job opportunities in a new industry, these free Canadian resume formats will lay a strong foundation for your job search.
How to make a resume for a part time job. Now that you understand what your resume should look like, we'll break down each section and explain exactly how to write a resume for a part time job. 1. Include your contact details. First thing's first, you'll need to include your contact details.
This formatting allows recruiters to see your most relevant accomplishments first. You must also outline your achievements for each job listed in your resume work experience section. Some examples of accomplishments to list in your work experience include: Quantifiable achievements. Projects and initiatives.
1. Include a header with contact information. The first step in writing any resume is providing your name and contact information so hiring managers may communicate with you in case they have additional questions or an interview request. Begin by writing your full name in bold on one line.
You can create your own custom Canadian resume with the free CanadaVisa Resume Builder. Canadian employers typically expect to see the following information in a resume: 1. Contact Information. Be sure to include your name, current home address, telephone numbers including area codes, and your personal email address. 2.
To modify your resume to the Canada resume format, it's important to pay attention to the small details. 1. Include only the relevant information. Starting with your contact information, include your name, location (city and province), phone, email, and LinkedIn profile URL at the top of your resume.
Score the part-time job of your dreams and spark ideas for your own resume with this fully customizable Part-Time Job resume sample. Download this free resume example or personalize it using our trusted resume builder. This resume was written by our experienced resume writers specifically for this profession. Create your resume now or edit this ...
Here is a Canadian Resume Template that can be downloaded immediately from your laptop/desktop. CANADIAN RESUME TEMPLATE 1 ... Canada Job Expo 2024 Upload Your Resume & Cover Letter. TRENDING POSTS. Canada needs 1 Million Foreign Workers over the next Five Years!! Get a Canadian Work Permit in 2 Weeks! ...
In Canada, employers value clarity, conciseness, and relevance in resumes. The job market is competitive, and a well-crafted resume can be the key to opening doors to numerous part-time job opportunities. The Basics of a Great Resume. A great resume for part-time jobs in Canada starts with the basics:
Let's break down the five must-hit components of the Canadian resume format and tips on how to make your resume stand out from the rest. 1. Header. The header is the first thing you see when looking at a resume. It's front and center at the very top and includes your personal information and contact details.
Pick one of these three formats for a part-time job resume: Chronological resume format for experienced candidates. Functional resume format for candidates with little or no experience. Combination resume format for job seekers with 3 to 9 years of experience. Once you're set on the format, use the job description to create a part-time resume ...
7. Use standard fonts and avoid design elements. In an attempt to make their resume stand out, many applicants make the mistake of incorporating fancy graphics and bold colours in their resume. However, tables, design elements, and other non-text content can lower the chances of your resume clearing ATS.
Here are five steps you can follow to write an effective resume objective for a part-time job: 1. Review the job posting. Examining the job posting can help you to know what the prospective employer wants in a candidate. Consider noting down all the abilities, academic requirements, and duties it lists.