Resume: Electrician

Language Proficiency

Challenge – The text in the resume is limited and / or highly technical, making it difficult to determine the level of English. The candidate did not indicate his/her language proficiencies; however he/she is working in a customer facing role in Canada, and this would require a certain proficiency in English. Should I assume that he/she is proficient?

Solution – It is important to assess candidates against the level of language proficiency determined for the role. The candidate’s current role as a customer service representative in Canada indicates a certain level of conversational English. As an electrician, a command of the technical language for the field is also necessary.

As this resume is applying for a role in a regulated profession, the licensure of the candidate will indicate that they meet the full requirements to be an electrician in Canada.

International Experience

Challenge – While the role titles and job duties appear to indicate the right level of experience, there is no detail provided to explain what the candidate accomplished in each role / their level of performance. What should I do?

Solution – New Canadians may modify their resumes to fit advice that they have received in person or online (e.g., have you ever heard the advice “keep it to no more than a page”?). Consider this before discounting the candidate.

If the role titles and job duties outlined appear to match the position posted, consider conducting a phone screening to determine if the candidate should proceed to the next level of the interview process. The intent of the phone screening is to address those aspects of the resume review process that the resume does not address.

Professional Credentials

Challenge – Construction Electricians are a regulated trade in Canada and there is no indication that the candidate is licensed. Otherwise, the candidate seems as though he/she may be well qualified for the position. How should I proceed?

Solution – In the case of a regulated profession, the candidate cannot work in the province without a license. If the rest of the resume appears to indicate a strong candidate, contact the candidate and inquire about the status of licensure in Canada.

If you would like suggestions about how to word your discussion with the candidate and three potential candidate responses and your next steps based on these responses, see the Assessing Professional Credentials page, under the challenge heading: The position I’m hiring for is in a regulated profession, but the candidate has not indicated that they are currently certified / licensed in Canada, how do I approach the situation?

Academic Credentials

Challenge – I am unfamiliar with these academic institutions. How can I assess the credibility of the education?

Solution – First, determine if the educational credential is essential to the role. In the case of regulated professions, the regulating body will only grant licensure if pre-requisite academic credentials are achieved; thus, if the candidate holds the license, you can rest assured that their credentials have already been checked.

If it is and the resume appears to be that of an otherwise qualified candidate, ask the individual to have his / her credentials evaluated. There are a variety of services that can be accessed for this purpose, and they are listed on the Assessing Academic Credentials page.