How to prepare yourself to apply for jobs in Canada ?

Putting your CV in the right format! The CV is different in Canada. Find out more!

Should I put a photo on my CV when I send it to Canada?

No, you should not put a photo on your Canadian CV because recruiters do not like it. If they see a photo, they put it aside because they think that the person has not made the effort to adapt to their culture.

Showing that you have researched the country and know its customs proves that you are serious about emigrating.

So what are the rules for a Canada-friendly CV?

• The Canadian CV has no colour, it is all black and white, no pictures, no photos,
• It includes one or more ways of contacting us,
• It does not tell everything: only put the experiences of the last 6-7 years,
• Put the experience first and then the training,
• Do not write everything when describing an experience: 6/7 tasks maximum for a job,
• Two pages is the maximum,
• Do not include date of birth, number of children, marital status, as this information may be discriminatory

Adapt, show interest

You can explain in your CV why you want to come to Canada, why the job interests you underneath your personal information.

The advertisement must be answered in the language in which it is published.

At the interview, you have to talk about your salary in Canadian dollars and therefore do all the conversions before the interview to be able to talk in Canadian dollars and show that you fit into their system.

There are different job names in Quebec, so it’s interesting to research the titles assigned to our field.

Anglicisms should also be avoided.

Recruiters like candidates who know how to explain their results, who express % progress, talk about the strategies they have deployed. You have to be concrete in the way you present your career path.

The cover letter

According to this Canadian human resources professional, recruiters don’t look much at cover letters.

When it is required, there is no choice.

And that can’t hurt us. But we shouldn’t get too lost in the blahs either.

You should explain why you are applying, what your skills are and give some indication of your level of English.

Also express what our personality profile is, what characterizes us, our traits. If we are very creative, very ambitious, precise, orderly, etc., we must say so so that recruiters can choose us according to real criteria.

The interviews

An interview lasts 45 minutes to 1 hour, rarely longer.

Try as much as possible to see it as a discussion. Don’t be too nervous, too stressed. The person is there to get to know you, to understand what you have to contribute to the company.

Dynamism is essential. Smile, be dynamic, give elaborate answers, examples of achievements in our career.

Be yourself, don’t invent skills you don’t have. But you can say that you are a quick learner, who likes to learn. Being loyal, dynamic, willing to get involved will appeal.

In Canada we give people much more of a chance. Don’t hesitate to say that you have no experience and that you want to learn, that you are motivated.

In Quebec, people are very approachable, welcoming, you don’t have to put pressure on yourself for interviews.

If you have hesitations about English, when you have the skills, you can have a chance. It’s an immigration country so they don’t necessarily require perfect English.

A job can be filled very quickly in Canada. So you have to be prepared to be there very quickly. The Canadian recruiter is not necessarily familiar with three months’ notice, which is very long for him.

Working conditions in Canada are different: holidays are two weeks long, often you don’t negotiate your salary but an extra week of holidays.

It is advisable to tell the recruiter that you have already found out about the work permit you can apply for, as this reassures them.