Preparing resume for first Canadian job

[kourts]

Just curious as how you do this, do you list the jobs you've had in your home country or explain that you're a PR ?

 

[Baloo]

Just curious as how you do this, do you list the jobs you've had in your home country or explain that you're a PR ?

Yes you list your previous jobs.
You do not have to explain that you are a permanent resident in your résumé, you can state that you are legally allowed to work in Canada if you wish.

 

[kourts]

Thank you, wasn't sure if they'd count and I doubt they'll call for reference though.

 

[Baloo]

I have had employers call my references (in the UK and Europe).

What do you mean by "count" ?
Your experience is your experience, no matter where it was gained. It all counts.

 

[mmshock]

I towards the end of my cover letter something along the lines of: "I have my own reliable transportation, am available for work full time and am eligible for work in Canada" as all my work history is US and Caribbean.

I didn't put this on my first few resumes I sent out and did not get called even after I followed up. The first one I put it on and all those that followed - what do you know - I did and very quickly! It cleared up any questions before they needed to be asked and I found prospective employers to be very intrigued by my background.

Many did call my international references as well.

I found I had to be very patient and diligently follow all the rules of following up and thank youing etc etc. Not sure where you are from, but I certainly had to read a few well done articles on job hunting in Canada as I found some things to be very different than where I come from. It helped a lot!

Best of luck with your search!

 

[kourts]

Thank you for the advice! Do you still have those articles handy or know where I could find them, it'd be very helpful

 

[justina]

bump

Anyone have any more tips for preparing their first resume for Canadian jobs?

I seem to recall another topic related to this or maybe it was mentioned somewhere, but I can't find it!

 

[Kaycee1]

Make sure your spelling and grammar are correct!!! I won't even look at someone's resume if it has spelling and grammatical errors. If someone can't even bother with that I'm not interested!!

 

[QCSunshine]

I put that I was a new permanent resident in the cover letter to explain why I hadn't been working during the time I was in Canada waiting for PR, had little "Canadian experience", and why I was now starting to look for work.

Also, people used to a US "résumé" should look at the differences between a Canadian CV and a US résumé. And....if your native language is not the language of where you are living, looking for jobs where that could be an advantage could help. (Finding work where native English speaking was an asset is what allowed me to quickly find work in Québec.)

 

[Love_Young]

It really depends on the place and position you are looking to obtain. Like a minimum wage job you wouldn't have to worry about preparing that much on a resume and wouldn't really need a cover letter.

I hadn't worked in 3 years and my only real job just lasted days so obviously I didn't have a lot going for me. What I did was look at the different formats of resume and pieced it together in a way I felt best represented myself. I ended up with putting my skills and key attributes more towards the top in order for them to first see how well I can be instead of first focusing on my lack of job experience. I did not list that I was a permanent resident or that I was able to work in Canada. I feel most good employers/managers will check with you on that anyway if they see that most of your experience is in another country after all. My employer did and seemed very knowledgable on such manners which I appreciated. I handed out only 3 resumes in one day. At the end of that afternoon at had a call, next day an interview, and the day following I was hired. It was the place I really wanted to work and the only/first interview I had. And a week after being hired for that place, another place from the 3 called. The only reason the other place didn't call is because I told them I had be hired already. So see, you can do this too. I promise.

You can always use the experience no matter where you got it. Obviously some occupations you may be required to retake to meet standards though. Don't let them/yourself think that it is a downfall that you aren't from here in fact some companies even like that. You have skills to provide towards a company and that is all that matters. Be yourself and show them why you will be good for their company. You will do great. If you need any help or have questions, let me know. Good luck!

 

[Serendipity]

I put that I was a new permanent resident in the cover letter to explain why I hadn't been working during the time I was in Canada waiting for PR, had little "Canadian experience", and why I was now starting to look for work.

Also, people used to a US "résumé" should look at the differences between a Canadian CV and a US résumé. And....if your native language is not the language of where you are living, looking for jobs where that could be an advantage could help. (Finding work where native English speaking was an asset is what allowed me to quickly find work in Québec.)

Dear QCSunshine,


I am curious about the differences between this sort of documents in the US and Canada that you have mentioned, as I have never found them to exist. In principle, a resume is different from a CV regardless of whether you are in Canada or the US. In both countries we customarily use Curriculum Vitaes (CVs) in both the academic and medical fields, whereas resumes - or résumés, if we are to use the right spelling - are commonly used for everything else.

When I first moved to Toronto from New York City a couple of years ago I used the exact same resume, in terms of style and form, that I always used in the US for many years, and it worked just fine if not great. I was, however, recently required to produce an academic CV for a position I was seeking at the Canadian university I'm currently attending and, oh boy!, was that a totally different story, or what? Interesting enough, it was my US thesis director the one who helped me put it together. My point? Basically, resumes and CVs in both countries share equal formats.

Moving forward, I very much agree with Kaycee1 as far as grammar, syntax and punctuation. If a job seeker can't handle such simple task, what other skills may he/she also be lacking? Resumes and cover letters should match, and possibly exceed, the expectations of the job market. Although there is a wealth of info that may be found on this subject in the web, there is a FREE and very valuable tool that can always be utilized by new immigrants almost anywhere in Canada: community services for newcomers. (http://servicesfornewcomers.cic.gc.ca/).

These organizations receive federal and provincial funding, and their staffs are trained to assist new immigrants in the many aspects of starting a new life in Canada. They can provide invaluable guidance and practical assistance to individuals before and during the job hunting process, from resume creation and proofreading to interview skills workshops. The whole enchilada!! Ah, and their services are FREE!!

The truth of the matter is that the real challenge that lies ahead of a new immigrant will be much more complex than just creating a fine cover letter and resume. Only about 5 to 7% of available jobs are ever advertised, while the rest - the bulk of really attractive jobs - is filled via networking. (Not completely true as agencies handle about 20%, but you get the point). I have to admit that this was new to me as in the US things work quite differently, at least in my industry. Sure, my resume and cover letter were perfect, my tie was finely ironed, my shoes were strikingly shinny and I looked just like 007 in my dark suit - or at least it felt like that to me. The problem? I knew NOBODY here!! My social and professional networks in Toronto and Montréal were literally nonexistent, which almost immediately made my life much more, eh.., interesting than it already was. Long story short, I looked for help (you got it, community services for newcomers), I learned the "rules of engagement" and played the game to win.

My advice to new immigrants in one line (specially after a very long post ): use the free and well qualified help available in your area, and learn how to network.

Also, you may want to make of the following publication one of your new best "virtual friends": Canadian Immigrant. Coincidentally the last issue deals with the matter at hand: newcomers finding their first job. Great info: http://canadianimmigrant.ca/category/work-and-education/career/






S.

 

[QCSunshine]

Dear QCSunshine,


I am curious about the differences between this sort of documents in the US and Canada that you have mentioned, as I have never found them to exist. In principle, a resume is different from a CV regardless of whether you are in Canada or the US. In both countries we customarily use Curriculum Vitaes (CVs) in both the academic and medical fields, whereas resumes - or résumés, if we are to use the right spelling - are commonly used for everything else.

When I first moved to Toronto from New York City a couple of years ago I used the exact same resume, in terms of style and form, that I always used in the US for many years, and it worked just fine if not great. I was, however, recently required to produce an academic CV for a position I was seeking at the Canadian university I'm currently attending and, oh boy!, was that a totally different story, or what? Interesting enough, it was my US thesis director the one who helped me put it together. My point? Basically, resumes and CVs in both countries share equal formats.

Maybe this is a provincial difference?

I'm not sure about the rest of Canada, but in Québec, job listings ask prospective candidates to submit a letter of presentation (cover letter) and a "CV", and what they mean by "CV" is something roughly equivalent to a 2 page US-style resume. I used information on how to formulate my CV from two different job search workshops, the Emploi Quebec website examples, and a couple books from the library. I also had a local friend proofread my stuff to make sure my format corresponded to the way people do things here. Quebec employers are definitely are not asking for a comprehensive US-style CV. Also, to my surprise, the people that advised me said that one page resumes (like I used for years in the US) are considered too short here. I also had to make a few other minor stylistic changes to fit the way things are done here.

In the US, the term "CV" tends to mean "everything you have done," and that just isn't what "CV" means in Quebec. (Although, as you mention, CVs in academic fields seem to be much more extensive in both the US and Canada and are probably quite similar, from what I have heard from friends in academic career paths.)

(Perhaps it is a linguistic difference? The word "résumé" in American English translates as "CV" in French. The French word "résumé" isn't used in relation to job history documents...)

 

[Serendipity]

Maybe this is a provincial difference?

I'm not sure about the rest of Canada, but in Québec, job listings ask prospective candidates to submit a letter of presentation (cover letter) and a "CV", and what they mean by "CV" is something roughly equivalent to a 2 page US-style resume. I used information on how to formulate my CV from two different job search workshops, the Emploi Quebec website examples, and a couple books from the library. I also had a local friend proofread my stuff to make sure my format corresponded to the way people do things here. Quebec employers are definitely are not asking for a comprehensive US-style CV. Also, to my surprise, the people that advised me said that one page resumes (like I used for years in the US) are considered too short here. I also had to make a few other minor stylistic changes to fit the way things are done here.

In the US, the term "CV" tends to mean "everything you have done," and that just isn't what "CV" means in Quebec. (Although, as you mention, CVs in academic fields seem to be much more extensive in both the US and Canada and are probably quite similar, from what I have heard from friends in academic career paths.)

(Perhaps it is a linguistic difference? The word "résumé" in American English translates as "CV" in French. The French word "résumé" isn't used in relation to job history documents...)

Very good point. In Québec things may work differently as the approach is the European. You may be very much right about this.