How to create a good IT resume in Quebec in 2024?
You never know when you might need your CV updated. Whether to apply for an interesting job offer in IT, or to send it to a headhunter specializing in technology, or to use it to optimize your LinkedIn profile, or to join it in an RFP for your company, it’s worth taking a few minutes to update your resume. Make sure it is optimized and aligned according to 2024 IT trends in Quebec.
Here are the best practices for a good IT CV to increase your chances of being called:
Contact Information
Start by updating the header of your CV:
✅ Your first name and last name
✅ Your mobile phone number (make sure there is room in your voicemail 😜)
✅ Your personal email address (make sure your email is a professional one and easily searchable with your name 😅)
✅ The hyperlink to your LinkedIn profile (check it!)
✅ Your region of residence (indicate if you plan to move, approximately when and where)
In Quebec, on your CV, avoid including:
🚫 The title CV or Curriculum Vitae (you can start directly with your name)
🚫 Your photo (even if you’re cute! 😂)
🚫 Your complete residential address (the region or city is sufficient)
🚫 Your date of birth and age
🚫 Your social insurance number
🚫 Your nationality and religious beliefs
🚫 Your marital status, family status, number of children
🚫 The names of your parents (yes, it’s the case in some countries 🌍)
Distinctive assets
It may be relevant to start with a summary in order to properly summarize your profile so that your application is clear and relevant. This will allow you to highlight what really sets you apart and will catch the eye with bracket emojis or, if you prefer, simple bullet points.
✅ +X years of experience in IT, including +X years as
✅ Expertise with such technologies
✅ Specialized in such types of projects
✅ Looking for permanent position (or contractual mandate) in X
✅ Status in Canada (only if you have been in the country for less than 5 years: permanent residence, work permit open until such date, or in the process of applying for a work permit)
✅ Valid driver’s license (if position requires travel)
✅ Member of X (IT association and/or professional order) since X
✅ Certified X from X
✅ TOP 3 of your soft skills (what sets you apart in a team? collaborative spirit, knowledge sharing, communication skills, simplification of technical concepts, analytical skills, priority management, ability to adapt, impact management, solutions mode, proactivity, continuous improvement, etc.)
✅ French X/5, English X/5 (or other languages you know)
Work experience
List your professional experience chronologically. Start with your current job, from the most recent job to the oldest relevant experience. For each job:
- Position title (if it is a contractual mandate, add “Consultant“)
- Company Name
- Region (you can also add 100% remote, hybrid, or 100% on-site)
- Month/year of start and end of employment (with duration in years/months in parentheses)
- Main achievements (3 to 8 bullet points, infinitive verbs, without using “I,” “me,” “my”)
- Technologies used: X (list them)
If you have several years of experience, focus on recent experiences and give more details. For previous experiences, dating back more than 8-10 years, list them rather briefly.
If you are an incorporated consultant, specify your company name and detail the recent mandates you have carried out (client name if possible, type of project, as well as the points in green above). If you have many mandates, focus on the last 5-8 mandates. List the others briefly.
If you are a graduate or student, briefly describe the projects you have carried out with the technologies used and an approximate number of hours. Group your student jobs in a different section.
Education
List your academic background in chronological order. Start with your most recent school diploma. If you graduated from university, avoid including your high school and CEGEP diploma.
- Year of graduation
- Degree title
- School name
- School city (Country if the school is outside Canada)
Other sections
In IT, here are some recommendations:
✅ You can add your professional training, certifications, social involvement
🚫 You don’t have to put your passions, interests and hobbies
Footer and format
If your CV has several pages, it is advisable to add your full name and telephone number in a small letter at the bottom left in the footer on page 2 and subsequent pages. On the right, you can enter the number of pages (example: page 1/3)
On the last page, at your convenience, you can specify “References available on request”, but do not write the contact details of your references right away. You will give them in due time.
When it comes to design and layout, don’t overdo it. There is no perfect CV, and there is no need to spend many hours adding lots of designs. Choose a Microsoft Word (or Google Docs) document to be able to edit it easily and keep it up to date quickly. Always send your CV in PDF format to employers. Canva or Adobe can be helpful, but make sure you have a copy in Word format in case some companies require it.
In the field of IT, there is no strict page limit. It is incorrect to believe that you must condense your CV into a single page, especially if you are a senior professional. Aim to be as concise as possible. Preferably, aim for 2-4 pages, considering your experience and achievements.
Review
Have your CV read and reviewed by another person:
⚠️ Are there any spelling, grammar or punctuation errors?
⚠️ Is the visual pleasant to look at?
⚠️ Are the dates aligned correctly?
⚠️ Are the projects concise and well-publicized?
Adapt your CV
Once you have completed your basic resume template, duplicate it to adapt it to each position you are applying for. Avoid sending your basic resume to many companies. Take a few minutes to adapt your CV to the job you are aiming for. Read the job offer carefully and highlight your strengths that correspond to this job or the transversal skills. You can even bold similar technologies. If the company specifies (asset) in the description and you have this asset, emphasize it in your CV.
If you are looking for a job in the IT field, here is the direct link to send us your new CV 😉 Looking forward!
💡 Discover 7 other tips to boost your job application
VP Operations at DELAN
