A well written yet concise resume is the key to be screened into Government of Canada job competitions and to continue onto further testing. Not only is it necessary that your resume and cover letter are presented without grammatical errors, they must also be done in a manner that is appealing to hiring managers.
It is important to note that resumes and cover letters for hiring managers in the Canadian Federal Public Service must illustrate passion and drive.
In addition to giving government hiring managers something interesting to read, you also want to display to managers that you are confident of your skill set.
Use action verbs. When drafting your resume ensure that you use action verbs that illustrate leadership abilities i.e.: resolved, supervised, increased, managed, conducted. Do not be humble but do not exaggerate your skills. Highlight your abilities in an accurate and concise manner.
Customize your resume. It is imperative that you customize your resume for every Canadian Public Service job competition. In addition to greatly increasing your chances of getting screened in, when your resume is reviewed by future hiring managers, they will be able to see the link with your past experience, your education, and the job that you are looking for.
Many individuals try to use the “one resume fits all” for the federal service job applications and do not understand why they are not screened in. Always customize each resume to the job that you are applying for.
Do not make a references section. Usually there is a separate form that asks for this information. You will waste space on your resume providing information that will not be checked until the final screening process.
I recommend that your resume spans a maximum of 2 pages. Apart from the fact that it will illustrate your strong written communication skills, most Government of Canada hiring managers will be reading multiple resumes in one day. They will appreciate your short, precise and detailed resume and be more inclined to read all of it.
Get your resume done professionally if you are not a strong writer, there are many community centres, career placement offices, and professional services that can write your resume for you for free or for a small fee.
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