TURNING A CV INTO A RÉSUMÉ THAT WORKS

Although we have been referring to CVs, the term in use in Canada is Résumé. Although similar to a CV, a résumé differs slightly in both format and content. Figure 13 shows a typical Canadian-style résumé. A CV tends to include more personal details than you will find on a résumé.

Types of résumé

You have a choice of type of résumé. Figure 13 shows the chronological résumé. Figure 14 is an example of the functional résumé, which categorises your experience into areas of skill and expertise. The chronological resume is the usual form but either will be acceptable and you should choose the one that best highlights your abilities and suitability. You may wish to draw up one of each sort and decide which is most appropriate for each application.

Note that both examples cite a Job Objective. This is not absolutely essential and appears to be an American innovation. However, Canadian employers are becoming increasingly accustomed to seeing this on résumés. This is certainly an area in which you can customise your résumé for optimum results.

‘Tweaking’

Which brings us to a very important point: tailoring your résumé to fit the job for which you are applying. If you have access to a word processing programme this need not be an onerous task. It really is worth taking the time to check your résumé each time you send it out, to see if it really shows off the skills required for a specific job. It is largely a question of emphasis. Say, for example, that you are applying for a middle-management position

with a firm that manufactures and supplies surgical equipment to doctors and hospitals. You do not have experience of this product, but your management skills are exemplary. You would ‘tweak’ your resume so that even greater emphasis was given to these assets. You would also mention the voluntary work you did at a blood donor clinic. If the firm supplied food products the latter would be irrelevant, although you would still emphasise the former.

Explaining terms

When listing your qualifications remember that some letters and designations may mean nothing to the Canadian employer. If you are a MICE by all means say so, but write it as Member of the Institute of Civil Engineers. Similarly some educational terms may be unknown. For example, A-Levels do not exist as such in Canada. So list them, but put in brackets ‘equivalent to post-high school diploma’ or something similar. O-Levels or GCSEs would be ‘equivalent to high school diploma’. Most university-level degrees translate well, although different classes of degree should probably be spelled out.

Leave no gaps

Just as you want to draw attention to the high points of your education and career, you do not want your potential employer focusing on the difficult areas. Most of us have something in our career past that looks a bit odd or needs explaining – gaps in employment, for example. Try to limit the negative impact and even, if possible, turn it into something positive.

Explaining employment gaps

Do not leave employment gaps unexplained or try to cover up the fact. If you were looking for a job, say so. If you did any training during that period, be sure to point it out. That illustrates a proactive approach. Or if you took some time out to travel the world, say just that. The recruiter may admire your spirit of adventure! At least he won’t be imagining you spending a year as a couch potato.

Explaining education gaps

Gaps in your education can cause a problem too. Perhaps you began a degree course but did not complete it or gain the qualification you were studying for? Should you omit the fact or give details and risk having the prospective employer think you a failure? It is possible to make a plus point of even this. Outline what you did achieve (eg, first year BA Business Studies) and, if possible, any plans you have to complete the course. Whatever you do, don’t leave a gap. As with the employment gap, the recruiter will wonder what you were doing for two years and may well come up with something less favourable.

Explaining career changes

Another potential problem area is frequent career changes. There is a fine line between being perceived as a flexible go-getter or as shiftless and unreliable. If you have moved about quite a bit during the course of your career there is no disguising it. Try instead to highlight other areas which might reinforce your reliability and commitment – for example, completing a long degree course or having held positions of responsibility. Do not try to explain the frequent changes by complaining about the companies for which you worked. That just makes you seem a moaner.

Effective presentation

Once again, presentation is all important. You want to make a good job of selling yourself, but not at the risk of the recruiter losing interest. A résumé for someone with ten to 20 years’ experience will likely run to two pages. More than that is not advisable. If you really do have a long list of credentials and experience you may need to resort to providing a one-page summary followed by the more detailed version, but in almost every case two pages should suffice. Those with shorter careers to date should try to get it all on one page. What you don’t want is one-page-and-a-bit! Either squeeze it into one or elaborate to two full(ish) pages.

It is very likely that you will be sending your résumé and letter via e-mail. That is no reason not to make it as visually attractive as possible. Take care with your e-mail message – check spelling and grammar as thoroughly as anywhere else. Send a copy by post as well - international recruitment can be a lengthy business and there is no substitute for a prospective employer holding your well-presented application in their hand.

Even though you are probably going to be sending the resume and letter by air mail, don’t go for lightweight paper. A good, heavy bond gives a subconscious and immediate impression of reliability and solidity. What was said earlier about the cover letter applies even more to the resume itself. The type must be bold, clean and clear. Photocopies are acceptable as long as they are of good quality. You might even like to jazz the whole thing up by using a coloured paper – nothing too garish, but a very light blue or buff will make your résumé stand out from the rest without shouting.

Your résumé checklist

It is not possible to overstate the value of customising your resume to fit the job applied for, so not all of the above will apply in each case. You should, however, be sure to include the following on every résumé:

• Name, address and telephone number. Fax number and e-mail address if applicable.
• Full details of your educational attainment. Be sure to translate your qualifications into terms understood by Canadians, if necessary.
• Details of your career to date. Give names of employers and dates, and outline your duties and responsibilities.
• Other relevant information such as membership of professional associations, public offices held and other skills. There is excellent scope for ‘tweaking’ in this area.

IMPRESSING THE CANADIAN EMPLOYER

If you do all the above you will impress any employer! But what we want to look at here is your impact specifically on the Canadian employer. It is true that most Canadians love all things British, so play on that. It is one of your assets. Although you want to avoid the great British understatement, a little bit of British eccentricity might not go amiss. Just a touch, mind! Do not attempt this if you are applying to a Francophone company.

Overcoming competition

You will often be competing with resident Canadians for a position. What can you offer that they cannot? In addition to a bit of ‘Britishness’ you have one other inherent asset. You are obviously adventurous and not frightened of new challenges, otherwise you would not be attempting to embark on a career in a new country.

The other side of the coin is that a prospective employer could wonder if you are going to stay the course: are you going to get fed up with Canada and wander off? The way around that is to emphasise your intrepid and flexible nature whilst indicating your commitment to your new life in Canada. Canadians are susceptible to flattery regarding their country so you could say something complimentary about Canada and how much you are looking forward to being part of its growth.

Selling yourself

What exactly is the Canadian employer looking for?

• experience
• training and education
• confidence
• enthusiasm.

Additionally, a second language is a great asset. A good command of French is vital if you choose to work in either a Francophone area such as Quebec or in government. Other languages are useful too due to Canada’s multicultural nature. If you are thinking of getting a job in Vancouver, for example, Cantonese would help tremendously.

The most important message as far as getting a job in any part of Canada is concerned is sell yourself. Let employers know what you can do for them. Highlight your assets and skills. Do something to make yourself stand out from the crowd. Present your experience as favourably as possible. If you are used to living and working in Britain that may not come easily, it isn’t the British way. But it is the Canadian way and you need to get a handle on it in order to succeed.

CHECKLIST

• The British newspapers will occasionally have advertisements for jobs in Canada.
• Canada Employment Weekly has extensive listings for job opportunities in Canada.
• Overseas Jobs Express carries ads for jobs world-wide, including some in Canada.
• Canada News has articles of real interest to those planning to move to Canada.
• The Canada Contact Directory is a very useful guide to employment agencies which recruit for Canada.
• Some British firms have offices in Canada, some Canadian ones have branches in the UK. These are ideal targets for your speculative letters.
• Check out The Canadian Directory of Search Firms and Who’s Hiring.
• Make use of all your contacts, including friends and family in Canada.
• There are a number of sites on the Internet that advertise Canadian postings, as well as those that allow you to try to sell yourself. Because communication is immediate you will not suffer the disadvantage of distance.