What your résumé is — and isn’t
The main purpose of a résumé is to get an interview. A résumé, in some ways, is like an advertisement: it must attract attention, create interest and generate action on the part of the reader. A successful résumé will provide enough information to allow the employer to evaluate your qualifications and to convince them to invite you for an interview.
There is no ideal résumé suitable for all job seekers. Your goal should be to create a document that showcases your strengths through experiences, qualifications, skills, knowledge and abilities.
“A successful résumé doesn’t just tell an employer what you’ve done, it shows them your skills and why those skills are relevant to their organization and the role.”
Resumé or CV – what’s the difference?
In Canada, a résumé and a curriculum vitae (CV) are different documents and these terms are usually not used interchangeably.
A CV showcases your credentials and expertise for a research or teaching position in a university, a research institute or a company with research requirements.
In contrast, a résumé summarizes your most relevant skills and experience and is prepared for employers outside the academic and research environment. For guidance on applying to academic positions, please refer to the CV section.
Benefits to crafting your résumé
It's no secret that many jobseekers dread crafting résumés. However, there are many benefits to the process that go beyond simply getting a job. Keep these benefits in mind as you prepare your document — they may help keep you motivated!
The process of preparing a résumé can:
Give you an opportunity to take control over your personal narrative, for example in how you showcase the experiences that are most relevant to a target role or position.
Support you in recognizing accomplishments (both big and small) from a wide range of experiences (e.g., volunteer, academic, work).
Provide you with space to reflect on and articulate your skills, competencies, values and personality traits in the context of work-related tasks.
Expand your network, by involving others in providing feedback on drafts.
Having a better understanding of your contributions and what you have to offer can increase your confidence, support interview preparation and improve your salary negotiation skills.
Tailoring your résumé
The purpose of your résumé is to communicate how and why you would be a great fit for the position. This involves showcasing your relevant skills and experience and connecting the dots between what you can bring to the role and what the employer is looking for. Once you’ve created a generic resume, the hard part is over! Now you can start tailoring your résumé as best as you can; there’s no one-size-fits-all when it comes to résumés.
Some people find success creating different versions of their résumé tailored to different sectors (e.g., jobs from industry/academia/non-profit) or roles (e.g., jobs in marketing vs. user experience design). If you’re applying for your dream job, however, it might be worthwhile to create a fully customized document. Keep in mind that tailoring can take many different forms:
rearranging or including/excluding sections or bullet points to emphasize certain experiences or skills
incorporating different key words from the job posting in your bullet points
customizing your bullet points from the summary of qualifications to highlight your most relevant skills
There are three main résumé formats to choose from. Consult the Résumé formats resource to determine the résumé format that best highlights what you have to offer. Here are the major differences:
Reverse chronological résumé: List your jobs in reverse chronological order from most recent to least recent.
Modified chronological or hybrid résumé: Select your most relevant experiences to the target position and feature them under a relevant experience section at the top. This format also allows flexibility to gather all experiences of a similar type under one heading and list them in reverse chronological order (e.g., marketing/communications experience.)
Functional résumé: Showcase your skills and areas of expertise rather than your work history by grouping your experience according to major skill areas.
In this section you’ll be guided though the main components of a résumé targeted to the North American job market.
If you're applying to a position outside of Canada or the U.S., research the specific document requirements needed for that country. You may wish to consult MyWorldAbroad.
Formatting your résumé
Common approaches to formatting your résumé for the North American job market:
Length is typically 1-2 pages
Contact information is included at the top of page one, with your name appearing in the largest font size
Position the most impactful and relevant sections on page one (if two pages)
Fonts are typically 10-12 pt and consistent across all job search documents (résumé, cover letter and references sheet)
White space included for readability
Arrange experiences in reverse chronological order (i.e., beginning from most recent) unless crafting a functional résume
Job titles included on the left
Job dates included on the right
Reminders:
Exercise caution in using templates that contain graphics or formatting that may not be accepted by Automatic Tracking Systems (ATS)
Use key words listed in the job ad and common to the target industry, (if the employer is utilizing an ATS, this may increase your résumé’s ranking)
If you’re concerned about including information in your résumé that might disclose an identity, e.g., your ethnicity, religion or political or sexual orientation, you could choose to use generic terms (e.g., Team Leader, Local Youth Group) if you don’t wish to disclose that information. For support in making this decision, one option is to connect with a career advisor.
Résumé sections
There is no one right way to order the sections of your résumé. Choose and arrange the sections to best present your relevant skills and experience while considering the norms of the sector. Research the common heading titles or ordering of your résumé for your target sector or company. Balance this insider knowledge with a format that will highlight your strengths for the target job.
You do not need to undertake this process on your own. In fact, we recommend reaching out to others for feedback – this can improve the final product. Consider consulting with trusted contacts or mentors to determine the expectations and norms for formatting and content in your target industry or company. Different industries may emphasize different information and some résumé sections may be more relevant depending on your career stage.
Once you’re ready to share your résumé, we encourage you to book a résumé appointment with a career advisor who can support you in starting to build and tailor your résumé.