Resume and Cover Letter Course: Lessons 2026

Lesson 1: Resumes in Canada and choosing a format

A resume is a short document that shows an employer your skills, experience and results. Its main job is to get you an interview. It is not your life story.

Employers read resumes fast. Job Bank says an employer takes an average of 30 seconds to skim a resume. So the reader must see quickly why you fit the job.

How long should it be?

For most jobs in Canada, a resume is one to two pages. Job Bank says to limit your resume to two pages. Focus on recent work: Job Bank says jobs and experience more than 15 years old should be cut out or kept short.

The three main formats

Each format has a weak point. A chronological resume is familiar to employers, but it can draw attention to gaps, frequent job changes or limited experience. A functional resume hides gaps, but alis notes that it is not liked by many Canadian employers, so use it with care. A combination resume balances the two, but it takes more time to organize.

For example: six steady years in retail, applying to supervise a store? Chronological. An accountant moving into customer service? Often combination. Back after two years of caring for a parent? Functional leads with skills; be ready to explain the gap honestly.

Resume or CV?

In Canada, a resume is usually the preferred document. A curriculum vitae (CV) is a longer, complete record of your career. It is always chronological and can run up to 10 pages. Use a CV for academic or executive positions, graduate studies or professional programs, or when an employer asks for one. For most retail, office, trades and warehouse jobs, send a resume.

Keep it simple and error-free

Whatever the format, keep it short, simple, easy to read and free of errors; Job Bank warns that mistakes can cost you the job. Spell check helps, but it misses real words used wrongly, such as its and it's, or check and cheque. Read your resume aloud, then ask someone else to read it too.

Topic quiz 1: Resumes in Canada and choosing a format

Lesson 2: The sections of a resume

Most Canadian resumes use the same building blocks. Job Bank says a resume generally includes your contact information, an objective, work experience, education and credentials.

Contact information

Put your name, address, phone number and email at the top of page one, and check that they are correct. WorkBC advises listing one phone number and one email address, so the employer knows exactly how to reach you.

Job Bank says your email address should be based on your name, with no nicknames, numbers or special characters. priya.sharma@example.com looks professional; coolpriya_99@example.com does not.

Profile or objective

A short profile (also called a summary or objective) sits under your contact details. In two or three lines, it says what kind of work you do and your strongest skills for this job. "To get a job" tells the reader nothing. "Cashier with 3 years of experience, accurate cash handling and friendly service" tells them a lot.

Work experience

List jobs in reverse chronological order, so your most recent job comes first. For each job, give the job title, employer, location and dates, then bullet points with your key accomplishments. Job Bank suggests keeping each section or subsection to about 5 to 7 bullet points.

Unpaid work counts. Job Bank says to include volunteer work that shows relevant skills, either under work experience or in a separate volunteer section.

Skills, education, awards and memberships

• Skills and certifications: job-specific skills, computer skills, trades credentials, certificates such as first aid, and languages you speak. Remove skills that do not relate to the job.
• Education: start with your highest or most recent credential. Add relevant courses and training.
• Awards: work, school or community awards, but only those that relate to the job.
• Memberships: professional or community groups. They show you are involved, which helps if you have little work experience.

WorkBC says to lead with your most relevant information, even if that means putting a training certificate before work experience. A new forklift operator with no warehouse jobs yet should put the forklift certificate near the top.

Topic quiz 2: The sections of a resume

Lesson 3: Writing achievements with results

A duty is what the job required. An achievement is a result you got. Job Bank says not to just list your responsibilities; describe what you accomplished.

A simple formula

Build each bullet from three parts: action verb + what you did + result. For example: "Trained 6 new servers on the menu and the point-of-sale system." or "Cut checkout wait times by 20% by changing break times."

• Start with an action verb such as trained, reduced, organized, repaired or completed. Avoid "Responsible for" and "Duties included": they say what you were supposed to do, not what happened. "Completed the project" shows the work was finished.
• Add numbers where you can: team size, sales amounts, number of customers, percentages of improvement, money or time saved.
• No numbers? If you have little experience, use strong verbs and specific details instead. Never invent results.
• Use the past tense for jobs you no longer hold (trained, reduced) and the present tense only for your current job. Stay consistent.
• Vary your verbs so the resume does not sound repetitive. A thesaurus helps.

Leave out pronouns and buzzwords

Job Bank says to avoid I, my and me: write "Trained new staff," not "I trained new staff."

Avoid buzzwords such as hard-working, results-driven and team player, and general claims like "excellent communication skills." Instead, show the skill with a specific example: "Covered 12 extra shifts during the holiday rush" proves reliability better than "reliable."

Be honest

Job Bank says not to overstate your skills or results. Employers may check, and you must be able to explain every line. If you only used a forklift in a training course, say so.

Topic quiz 3: Writing achievements with results

Lesson 4: Tailoring to a job ad and ATS-friendly formatting

Hiring managers can spot a generic resume right away. A tailored resume shows how you fit this particular job. Job Bank says to match your experience and achievements to the job, using the job description or the employer's website.

Research, then build from a master resume

Before you apply, Job Bank suggests learning what the company does, the duties, the required skills, who its customers or clients are and its reputation.

Keep a master resume: one full record of all your jobs, duties, results, training, volunteer work and awards. For each application, copy the parts that fit the job into a new, shorter resume.

Keywords and applicant tracking systems

Many employers use an applicant tracking system (ATS): software that screens resumes by matching words and phrases. A resume that uses different wording may never reach a person. alis gives the example that software may recognize "manager" but not "management." So mirror the exact words in the job ad, but only where they are true for you. Put your strongest matching qualifications near the top.

Formatting that software (and people) can read

• Use one column, simple bullet points and standard headings such as Work Experience, Education and Skills. Avoid creative headings like "My Journey."
• Avoid tables, columns, graphics, charts, images and decorative bullets such as stars or checkmarks.
• Do not put contact details in the page header or footer; the software may not read them.
• Use a standard font such as Arial, Calibri or Times New Roman, in black, about 10 to 12 point.

Sending your application

Always follow the posting's instructions. If the posting does not say which file format to use, contact the employer and ask. Use a standard format, such as a Word file (.docx) or a PDF, and send PDF only if the posting allows it. Do not password-protect the file.

• File name: your name and the document, such as Chris-Black-Resume.docx. Avoid names like "Document1" or "resume_final_FINAL2."
• By email: attach your resume as a file. Never paste it into the body of the email, and never leave the subject line or body blank.
• Subject line: your name, the job title and the posting number, for example: Ana Lopez – Warehouse Associate – Posting WH-2291.

Federal government job posters often list essential qualifications. Parks Canada advises using each criterion as a heading in your cover letter, explaining how you meet it with real examples, and saying when and for how long you did the work. Leaving one out may mean you are not called for an interview.

Topic quiz 4: Tailoring and ATS-friendly formatting

Lesson 5: What to leave out in Canada, and references

Canadian resumes focus on your skills and experience, not your personal life. Some details common in other countries are left out in Canada.

Leave these off your resume

• A photo. Job Bank says it is not the norm in Canada. Alberta's career site (alis) says a photo is considered unprofessional in Canada.
• Your date of birth or age, height or weight, marital status, religion and political views. Job Bank and WorkBC both advise leaving out this kind of personal information.
• Your Social Insurance Number (SIN). Job Bank says never to include it.
• Reasons for leaving a job. Job Bank says they add no value. If an interviewer asks, alis says to be honest, tactful and professional.
• Hobbies, in most cases. Job Bank does not recommend them because of the judgments employers can make.
• References. Keep them on a separate sheet (see below).

Your SIN and job applications

Service Canada says employers need your SIN to report your income for tax and benefits, but your SIN is only required after hiring and upon earning income. You do not have to provide your SIN to fill out a job application. Service Canada also says you are responsible for protecting your SIN, so do not share it before you need to.

Why: human rights law

Section 3 of the Canadian Human Rights Act lists prohibited grounds of discrimination, including race, national or ethnic origin, colour, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, marital status, family status, genetic characteristics and disability. Section 8 makes it a discriminatory practice to use an application form or make an inquiry that expresses a limitation or preference based on one of these grounds.

This federal Act covers employers within federal jurisdiction, such as banks, trucking companies, broadcasters and telecommunications companies; most other workplaces fall under provincial and territorial laws. Leaving personal details off keeps the focus on your ability to do the job.

References

Job Bank says to keep references on a separate sheet and provide them only when they are specifically requested. WorkBC agrees: unless the employer asks for references up front, do not include them on your resume.

• Choose people who know your work, such as former supervisors or colleagues. A relative or a famous person you met once cannot speak about how you work.
• New to Canada? A supervisor from volunteer work in Canada, a teacher or settlement agency staff can speak about your work habits. For references abroad, offer an email contact or a good translation of a written reference.
• Ask permission each time you give out someone's name, and ask which phone number or email to share.
• Prepare them: tell them about the job, so they can expect the questions.

Topic quiz 5: What to leave out, and references

Lesson 6: Writing a cover letter

A cover letter introduces you and your resume. Its goal is to make the employer want to read your resume. Job Bank says it should be concise, well written and tailored to the company and the job, so you may need a different letter for each job.

Not every job asks for a cover letter, so check the posting. WorkBC says that if you are unsure, include one. Keep it to one page or less.

Addressing the letter

• Address a real person by name. Look for the name in the job posting or on the company website.
• If you cannot find a name, use "Dear Hiring Manager" or "Dear [Company] Team."
• Avoid gender-specific greetings such as "Dear Sir or Madam."
• Name the job title and the posting or reference number early in the letter.

A simple three-paragraph structure

1. Opening: who you are, which job you are applying for and why it interests you. Mention something about the company.
2. Middle: how you meet the job's main requirements. Pick two or three key experiences and give concrete examples, using the ad's keywords. Do not repeat your whole resume.
3. Closing: why your mix of skills and experience makes you a strong fit, that you are available for an interview, the best phone number to reach you, and thanks.

Style

• Use simple, direct sentences in short paragraphs. Keep it professional, without humour.
• Use the active voice: "I led a team of 8 volunteers," not "A team of 8 volunteers was led by me."
• Start only a few sentences with "I." Focus on what you offer the employer, not what you need from the job.
• Replace claims like "hard-working team player" with one specific example that shows the skill.
• Use the same font as your resume so the two documents match. Proofread, and ask someone else to check it.

Sending it

By email, you can put the cover letter in the body of the email as plain text, because formatted email may not display in every program. You can also attach it as a separate file or as the first page of your resume file. On a printed letter, sign above your typed name and add the word "Enclosure" on its own line after your name to show your resume is included.

Topic quiz 6: Writing a cover letter