4.3 Writing a Résumé for Government Work
10 Things NOT to Put in Your Résumé
Employers' Pet Peeves About Résumés
Tips for an Awesome Résumé
A government job might be right for you. The
Public Service Commission of Canada (PSC), which is responsible for recruiting people into the federal
public service, offers all types of experience. These can range from office clerks to farm workers, and from administrative assistants to zoologists.
The Public Service Commission has offices in every region of Canada which provide listings of jobs open to the public. The PSC also offers employment opportunities under the categories of Post-Secondary
Recruitment, Information Technology Recruitment, Federal
Student Work Experience Program (FSWEP) and Co-op/Internship programs.
Check out the PSC Web site
to find out more about these programs. For the office nearest you, click on the link to PSC offices in the menu bar at the top of the page, or look in the blue pages of your phone book.
The PSC and other federal departments and agencies review job applications to find candidates who have the education, skills and experience important to the job. The candidates whose applications match
the job poster are contacted to arrange a written test or interview. Your résumé, when properly written,
can provide the hiring department/agency with a snapshot of how your skills and experience can help it
meet its objectives.
While you may have the necessary qualifications and experience for a particular position, you have
to prove that you meet all of the job requirements by making a clear connection between the proposed
job and your previous experience, skills and abilities.
The more you know about the duties and skills required for the job, and organize your résumé around these points, the more effective a marketing tool your résumé will be. Read the job posting and the detailed description of job requirements in the on-line Statement of Qualifications carefully.
These requirements are usually listed under headings such as: education, official language proficiency, experience, knowledge, skills/abilities, Personal suitability, conditions of work, and professional or
occupational certification. Remember, if you are interviewed, you will also be asked questions on what you have done.
10 Things NOT to Put in Your Résumé:
- Expected salary
- Reason for changing jobs, or leaving a previous job
- Social Insurance Number
- Addresses of former employers
- Age
- Marital status
- Parental status (whether you have children, or are pregnant)
- Height, weight
- Health status or disabilities
- "Race or religion" (if it's important for the job, it should be in the cover letter)
Employers' Pet Peeves Include Résumés That:
- Are more than two pages long
- Are printed on poor quality or coloured paper
- Have typing mistakes or hand-written corrections
- List odd jobs that aren't related to the position you're applying for
- Repeat information, repeat information, repeat information!
- Contain inflated or boastful claims
- Contain fancy pictures or charts
- Are wrinkled, dirty or not photocopied clearly
Tips for an Awesome Résumé:
- Type your résumé on a computer or typewriter. Use good quality, white or off-white, letter-size (8 1/2 x 11 inch) paper.
- Make sure your résumé is easy to scan. This means that it's in a clear, legible font (Arial 12 point), and that you have left space between lines and paragraphs.
- Choose your words carefully. Your résumé represents you to an employer.
- Keep it short. Employers get a lot of replies to ads, and may not read a résumé that is messy or too long.
- Make sure it's accurate. People will check.
- Proofread to catch mistakes, fix them, and print a new, clean copy.
- Make sure your personal information is correct and current.
- Don't sign or date your résumé.
- Always send a cover letter with your résumé.
- Use wide margins to make your résumé easier to read (1 1/2 inch right and left margins)
Federal Job Open to the Public - Mock Poster
Mock résumé written for a federal public service job
Federal Job Open to the Public - Mock Statement of Qualifications
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