Employment for spouses and partners

Header
Your header should include your first and last name, home address, phone number, email address, and website/linkedin (left-justified).
 

Date
Below the header (left-justified).
 

Subject line
Here you should include a subject line that includes the title of the position you are applying for.

Greeting
If possible, you want to avoid a generic greeting; do your research and find the hiring manager’s name if you can. If you don’t know the hiring manager’s name, ‘To whom it may concern’ is fine.

Paragraph 1
Your first paragraph should be concise, focused, and grab the reader’s attention right from the start. Clearly state the position you are applying for, and highlight why you are excited about the role. State why you believe you would be a good fit for the position, connecting 2 or 3 specific job requirements to your own skills and experience.

Paragraph 2
In this paragraph, use specific examples and stories that expand on the skills you mentioned in the first paragraph. Be sure to demonstrate your strengths, and include how these experiences will allow you to contribute to the company’s goals and success.

Closing paragraph
In this paragraph, briefly summarize why you are a good fit for the role, reaffirm your interest and include your contact information.

Other things to consider
• Use a professional font that is easy to read
• Before sitting down to write your cover letter, take time to thoroughly review the job posting and jot down examples of situations you’ve used some of the required skills listed. You should also research the company itself; to ensure you have a sense of the company’s voice and values
• Carefully proofread your cover letter to ensure there are no grammatical/formatting errors.

Header
Your header should include your first and last name, phone number, email address, and website/linkedin (if you have one).
 

Skills
Your skills section should be tailored to the job description and include all of your skills that are relevant to the job you are applying for. Divide your skills section into categories such as: technical skills, soft skills, or industry-specific expertise.
 

Education
In this section, outline any degrees, diplomas, certificates, or other relevant training you may have. Include the institution name, degree obtained, graduation date (right-justified), and any honors or distinctions to showcase your educational background. You do not need to include secondary school in this section.
 

Work experience
List relevant work experiences in reverse chronological order, with the most recent at the top. For each role, include the company name, position title, dates of employment (right-justified), and location. Add 2-4 accomplishment statements for each experience to highlight your key achievements. An accomplishment statement describes a specific achievement, outlining what you did, how you did it, why it was important, and highlights the result or impact of your actions, demonstrating the value you brought to the organization or project.
 

Professional affiliations
List relevant professional affiliations, including the organization name, your role or membership status, and any notable contributions to show your industry involvement and commitment to growth.
 

Interests and/or volunteer experience
If you have room, include a section for relevant interests or volunteer experience.
 

Personalize your resume
To help your resume stand out, feel free to personalize it by adding a colourful header, a unique layout, or other interesting design touches. When doing so, keep in mind that you want your resume to remain well organized and easy to read. We don’t recommend adding photos or graphics to a resume.

Research the company
Take some time to review the company’s website, in order to understand the company’s values, culture, and products. This helps you tailor your responses to show your alignment with their goals. Ideally, you want to prepare some of your own insightful questions to ask the interviewer.
 

Review the job description
Familiarize yourself with the role’s responsibilities and qualifications. Be prepared to highlight your skills that match the job requirements, demonstrating why you’re the right fit.
 

Practice with common interview questions
Look up common interview questions, and practice concise, focused answers that showcase your enthusiasm and qualifications.
 

Provide specific examples
When answering interview questions, use concrete examples that demonstrate your skills. The STAR method (Situation,Task, Action, Result) can be a helpful framework for answering behavioral questions clearly and effectively. Using this method, you will break down your response into four parts: Situation (the context or background of the scenario),Task (the specific responsibility or challenge you faced), Action (the steps you took to address the situation), and Result (the outcome of your actions, ideally with measurable success).
 

Ask questions
At the end of the interview, ask thoughtful questions about the company, team, or role - this shows that you are engaged and interested in the position. Examples of questions you can ask are ‘what are some key priorities for someone in this role during the first six months?’ or ‘how would you describe the culture of this company?’
 

Follow up
Send a brief thank-you email after your interview (within 24 hours) to express your gratitude and reinforce your interest in the role.
 

Other key considerations
• Arrive 5-10 minutes early for your interview
• Introduce yourself, smile and make eye contact with your interviewer(s)
• Wear professional attire suitable for the industry/company culture
• Listen carefully to the questions you are being asked, and try not to launch directly into answering a question. It is helpful to take a few seconds to prepare your response to each question.