How to write a resumé | Comment créer un curriculum vitae

What is a resumé | Qu’est-ce qu’un curriculum vitae?

A resumé is a self-promotional tool used in a job search which is intended to highlight the student’s:

• Interests
• Skills and abilities
• Work experience and accomplishments
• Education
• Training
• References

What is the goal of the resumé | Quel est le but d’un curriculum vitae?

The goal of the resumé is to secure an interview with a prospective employer. The resumé aims to summarize key information regarding the applicant and is generally one to two pages maximum in length.

Resumé types| Les types de curriculum vitae

There is more than one way to structure a resumé:

• The chronological resumé | Le curriculum vitae chronologique

  • The chronological resumé format is an effective choice for students who have prior work experience including part-time or summer employment. Work experience is listed in reverse chronological order with the current or most recent job listed first. Education, skills and other information are listed after the work experience.

• The functional resumé | Le curriculum vitae fonctionnel

  • The functional resumé is an effective choice for students who do not have work experience. Since this type of resumé emphasizes job related qualifications rather than one’s work experience, the functional resumé highlights essential skills, work habits, abilities, attitudes, competencies and interests that make the student a great candidate for the job.

• The combination resumé | Le curriculum vitae combiné

  • The combination resumé combines aspects of the chronological resumé and the functional resumé to include both job related qualifications and work experience. The combination resumé is an effective choice for students who want to emphasize their work history in addition to their specific skills. This style of resumé lists the candidate’s skills and experiences first.

The common sections of a resumé | Les parties principales du curriculum vitae

Below is a list of some of the common sections that may be incorporated in a resumé. The order of the sections should be relevant to the employer, the job and the work experience as well as the type of resumé selected for use.

Headings | Les titres

• Personal information | Les renseignements personnels

  • Include your name, address, telephone number and email address

• Skills and Qualifications | Les compétences et les qualifications

  • List competencies, accomplishments, special abilities and applicable skills from work, volunteer experience or hobbies that relate to the job being sought

• Education | La formation

  • List each educational achievement in order, beginning with the most recent
  • List date, degree, name of institution and location of institution
  • Include special awards, scholarships or bursaries

• Work experience | L’expérience professionnelle

  • Include starting date and year and end year, position title, organization name and location
  • Use nuggets to list the most important and applicable responsibilities assumed and accomplishments
  • Begin nuggets with action words
  • Include volunteer experiences

• Activities and interests | Les activités et les intérêts

  • List clubs, professional associations, interests and other activities
  • Use nuggets to provide responsibilities, duties and any special accomplishments related to this area

• Other section heading examples | D’autres exemples de titres

  • Job Goals | L’objectif de carrière
  • Related Skills | Les compétences liées à l’emploi
  • Volunteer experience and community involvement | Le bénévolat et les engagements communautaires
  • Additional Training | La formation complémentaire
  • Language Skills | Les compétences en langues
  • International Travel | Les voyages internationaux
  • Computer Skills | Les compétences en informatique
  • Leadership Experience | L’expérience en leadership
  • Athletics | L’athlétisme et/ou les activités parascolaires
  • Academic Projects | Les projets académiques
  • References | Les références
    • On a separate page, have a list of three references that can be made available upon request
    • Provide title, organization, telephone number and email address for each
    • Get permission to use these references before including them in the resumé (teacher, guidance counsellor, coach, summer or part-time employer and community leader)
    • Keep your reference list up to date

An effective resumé does not include:

• Personal pronouns such as I | je
• Abbreviations
• Narrative elements
• Number or letter categories
• Slang or colloquialisms
• Picture(s)
• Emoticons
• Age/date of birth or sex
• Sexual orientation
• Marital status
• Religion
• Physical descriptions such as height and weight
• Race
• Social insurance number
• References, but these should be ready if they are requested