Creating a strong CV is an essential part of your professional success. A well-crafted CV displays your qualifications and skills clearly to potential employers and provides them with an understanding of your professional story.

For those in refugee situations who may not have access to formal employment in their country of refuge or who have had to change their career paths due to displacement, a CV can also be an opportunity to explain and highlight your varied experience, including unpaid and volunteer experience, as well as your transferable skills and adaptability.

Thanks to a generous $50,000 grant from the KPMG Foundation, TalentLift is making resources like this accessible to youth living as refugees, helping them put their best foot forward and pursue meaningful careers. We recently welcomed Krista DeCoste, a Talent Attraction Manager with KPMG, as a guest speaker at a virtual event, to share her expertise on building a high-quality CV for the Canadian (or international) job market. We’re grateful to share her insights here.

But first … should you include a cover letter?

You may have heard that you should include a cover letter when submitting a job application. Confusingly, you may have also heard the opposite, with some seeing cover letters as outdated and encouraging job seekers to avoid them.

Our guidance for job seekers in refugee circumstances? Yes, include a cover letter.

Of course, if the job posting asks for a cover letter, always include it. But even if it is not requested as part of a job application, we encourage you to do so.

A cover letter is an opportunity to introduce yourself, discuss your interest in the role and the company, demonstrate your understanding of the company’s needs and culture, and explain any interruptions to your work or education. You can also use it to highlight specific experiences and different achievements that are relevant to the role that you’re applying to. Even if you don’t have relevant work experience, you can highlight any transferable skills you possess that are important to the role. Think of it as writing a short, professional letter to introduce yourself. It’s your chance to connect your experience to the role and show your enthusiasm.

(Note: If TalentLift has connected you to a job opportunity, you do not need a cover letter unless we request one.)

How to write a strong cover letter

A cover letter should be concise, professional, and tailored to the role you’re applying for. Aim for 1 page, made up of 3-4 short paragraphs, each 4-5 sentences maximum.

What to include:

• A “hook” that shows what makes you unique.
• Your career direction and why this role fits.
• Specific examples of achievements or skills.
• Do not include visa or immigration details. Instead, save those for later conversations or for TalentLift’s letter of support, which you can include in your job application.

CV structure

Your CV is your professional story. Here’s how to structure it clearly and compellingly:

1. Heading

• Your name
• Phone number and professional email address
• Current location, noting if you’re open to relocation
• LinkedIn profile link, if you have one (if you do not have a LinkedIn profile, we encourage you to consider creating one as it is very frequently used by employers in Canada)

2. Education

• Schools attended, majors or minors, and graduation dates
• Relevant coursework and academic awards may be helpful to briefly include
• If your education was interrupted, you can note: “Education paused due to refugee circumstances.”

3. Work experience

• Position held, name and location of organization, dates of employment
• For each employment experience, include a maximum of 3-4 bullet points (fewer if it’s a less recent work experience) describing your duties and responsibilities in the position
• Start each bullet with a strong action verb (i.e. managed, coordinated, improved)
• Include volunteer roles, internships, or freelance work, especially if they helped you build relevant skills

4. Activities and leadership roles

• Here you can add any self-led projects, volunteer positions, extracurricular activities, professional organizations
• Don’t just list them, but share what you accomplished within them!
• Again, highlight any transferable skills you gained during these experiences; examples may include leadership, teamwork, communication, organization, client service etc.
• For candidates in refugee circumstances and who may have gaps in their education or work experience, it’s especially important to highlight these extracurricular activities to complement your CV

5. Skills

• List any hard skills you have (i.e. Microsoft Office, Python, project management), along with your soft skills (i.e. communication, adaptability, resilience)

If you’d like to use a CV template to get started drafting your CV, you can use the TalentLift CV template, which includes all of the sections mentioned above. You can also use TalentLift’s CV editor tool by logging into your TalentLift profile and navigating to the CV tab to easily create and edit your CV.

How to address displacement situations in your CV

If you have gaps in your CV due to displacement, we encourage you to address them. Many employers will value your resilience and adaptability. Here’s how to address these gaps positively:

• Treat periods of displacement, relocation, and settling in to a new country as a “role” in your experience section
• List any volunteer work or freelance projects you undertook during that time
• Highlight any trainings or certifications that you completed during this time, even if these trainings or certifications may not directly transfer to the Canadian job market; upskilling can show your ambition and dedication to continuous learning

In cases of breaks in employment, or interrupted employment or education, here are some phrases you can use:

• “Career/education paused during relocation following political instability in home country.”
• “Employment/education interrupted due to political unrest.”
• “Political unrest in home country requiring immediate relocation.”

In cases of abrupt career changes (i.e. where there’s an end date and no new start date; maybe you’re still not working; taking on a new occupation after displacement), here are some phrases you can use:

• “Transitioned to a new career path following relocation due to conflict in home country.”
• “Leveraged transferable skills to successfully shift careers after forced migration.”
• “Demonstrated adaptability by changing careers following displacement due to armed conflict.”

Here’s an example of what this may look like on a CV, listed in the work experience section:

Career break due to political unrest in home country requiring immediate relocation | 2023 – 2024

• Focused on settlement, community volunteering and skills development.

Or:

Career transition and skills development | 2022–2023

• Completed online courses in project management and data entry.
• Volunteered as a virtual tutor for refugee youth, improving English language outcomes for 15+ students.
• Developed strong time management and remote collaboration skills.

General CV tips

• Be concise: Your CV should be 2 pages at most, and shorter if possible. If you’re struggling to keep your CV to this length, try a CV template with columns. This will allow you to fit more text in the limited space you have.
• Tailor your CV: Adjust the content to the role that you are applying to. If you have specific skills and experiences that relate to the position you’re applying to, really shine a light on those.
• Avoid gaps: Create a timeline of your experience, avoiding any gaps in dates and making sure to address any longer gaps of 6 months or more.
• Be consistent: Use the same font, sizing, and formatting throughout and keep your CV organized and neat.
• Proofread: Use spell-check, grammar tools, or ask someone to review.
• Follow instructions: Read the job description thoroughly and submit your complete application before the deadline. Ensure that you have included everything that the employer has requested. For example, if an employer requests a cover letter or a specific application form, make sure that your submitted application includes it. This is an easy way to demonstrate attention to detail and ability to follow instructions
• Do your research: If a position requires education or certification, especially if these designations are specific to the country the employer is in, it’s a good idea to research the path to certification you would have to undertake. This is helpful to show the employer you’ve done your homework and are willing to work towards certification. 

What to avoid

• Personal details not relevant to the requirements of the role: Do not include a photo of yourself, your birth date, marital status, or religious affiliation.
• ‘Fluff’ or buzzwords: Be clear and concise and avoid exaggeration and unnecessary repetition.
• Long paragraphs: Use bullet points for readability.
• Generic objectives: Focus on your specific skills and achievements instead.
• Ignoring gaps: Address them proactively to avoid leaving questions unanswered.

Finally …

Your CV and cover letter are not just about your past, they’re about your potential. They’re where your resilience, skills, and story come together to show an employer why you’re the right fit.

Remember:

• Your journey is a strength.
• Transferable skills matter. Highlight them.
• You don’t have to explain everything upfront; focus on what you bring to the role.
• Always attach TalentLift’s letter of support when applying to help employers understand your visa eligibility and unique path.

You can access your letter of support through your TalentLift profile. After logging in, navigate to the “Jobs” tab and select the “Looking for jobs on your own?” button. There, you can request a personalized letter of support to be emailed to you.

We believe in you and look forward to seeing where your applications take you.

Candidates living in refugee circumstances and seeking a job in Canada can join TalentLift. 

Interested in a career at KPMG Canada? Check out their open roles here.