Toronto is a city where the demand for Bilingual, English-French speakers has exploded! Any company doing business with the Province of Quebec and other French speaking parts of Canada has the need for at least one person who is truly bilingual! This demand for bilingual staff opens many doors and opportunities for French speakers.
If you are truly bilingual and have great communications skills in both English and French and are having difficulty landing a job then you need to examine your approach: Sending out several copies of the same resume is not a good strategy, finding a good bilingual job requires effort. Let us assume you find a great bilingual job posting. Here are some simple steps to follow:
1. Thoroughly research the company and find out as much about the business as you can, determine if this is the right fit for you.
2. Ensure that you thoroughly understand the requirements of the currently opening; determine whether or not you have the skills and experience required.
3. Tailor your resume to highlight the skills and experience you have that align with the requirements for the position.
4. Carefully proofread your resume ensuring that there are no spelling or grammatical errors – make sure you are “thinking in English and not in French”!
5. Do not mix fonts; if you cut and paste ensure that the formatting is consistent throughout the resume.
6. Make sure your stated objective matches the position you are applying for, no point in saying you are looking for a position within the Financial Services Industry when you are applying for a job in the Medical Industry!
7. Write a concise cover letter stating why you feel you are a good fit for the position; do not ramble. Have a strong closing statement.
8. Follow up on your application with a phone call; this engagement often sets you apart and entices the hiring manager to take another look at your resume and opens the door for a face to face interview.
