Fall is the Perfect Time for a Résumé Refresh
– By Lori Jazvac and Ksenia Lazoukova –
For career development practitioners, fall is a great season to help clients refresh their résumés. Starting with September, the fall season often marks a new cycle—the peak hiring time for many employers and recruiters. Could there be a more perfect time to refresh our clients’ résumés?
In Canada, the labour market is tightening under multiple pressures. Statistics Canada reported that the national unemployment rate rose to 7.1% in August 2025—the highest level since May 2016, excluding the pandemic years of 2020 and 2021.
This increase, driven largely by a decline in part-time employment, added 0.2 percentage points to the rate compared to July. At the same time, strong labour demand paired with limited supply, mass immigration, wage pressures, inflation, and rising costs are compelling job seekers to sharpen their personal brand and, in many cases, reconsider their career direction.
The Canadian Job Market: A Reality Check
- 44% of Canadian job seekers see résumé gaps as a significant issue; 42% report skills decline during periods of unemployment.
Source: Talent Canada Report (2023) - Candidates with professionally crafted résumés have a 68% chance of employment within 90 days.
Source: Flair HR Blog - 24% of hiring managers skim résumés in under 30 seconds.
Source: The Ladders study via Forbes article - ATS systems screen out 88% of qualified applicants due to résumé formatting errors.
Source: Wikipedia, Applicant Tracking System (ATS)
One great way for career practitioners to stay current on labour market trends in Canada is by regularly checking in on Statistics Canada’s Labour Force Survey.
The Résumé: More Than a Job Application
The above statistics show why a solid résumé must blend strategy, clarity, and storytelling, and align with a professional’s LinkedIn profile. Today’s ATS systems are even more sophisticated. When you add the rise of artificial intelligence (AI) into the mix, the job search and résumé screening process may prove to be more rigorous and challenging than in the past.
In this competitive environment, a polished, strategic, living Canadian résumé isn’t optional—it’s essential. Yet, with more candidates applying, and technology screening applications before humans ever see them, your client needs more than a “sufficient” résumé. Your client’s document must communicate a compelling story, highlight impact, and position them as a professional worth noticing.
A résumé is not just your client’s job application ticket. It can also represent:
- A thoughtful personal reflection tool to spot growth areas.
- A compelling portfolio piece for volunteer roles or board positions.
- A solid base for presentations or professional biographies.
- A verifiable record to facilitate performance reviews.
However, résumés alone don’t secure jobs. They open doors, but how our clients leverage them—through conversations with hiring managers, recruiters, and network connections—is what creates real opportunities.
Essentially, while the résumé is the foundation, relationships and influential contacts keep doors open.
From Task Lists to High Impact Stories: The CAR Method
Résumés are most effective when they emphasize accomplishments, rather than listing responsibilities or experience. Hiring managers seek concrete, qualitative (descriptive) and quantitative (numeric) results. Remember to use the powerful CAR (Challenge – Action – Results) framework:
- Challenge: What problem or situation did you face?
- Action: What action or strategy did you use to solve it?
- Result: What measurable outcomes resulted, both qualitatively and quantitatively, using dollars, numbers, or percentages?
If your client is having difficulty quantifying the results of their work, ask them to consider the scope of the impact. Remind them that results can be dissected later to provide a clearer and more objective analysis. For example, the scope of an accomplishment can be described using the following ranges: Marginal (10%-25%) | Considerable (30%–40%) | Significant (50%–70%) | Exceptional (80% and above).
This approach transforms dull job descriptions into proof of value, which recruiters seek. It can be used in client résumés and during interviews to convey an impressive career narrative. Applying the CAR method can lead to the creation of high impact accomplishment statements that lead with solid results.
Example #1
Before:
- Managed social media accounts.
- Faced declining social engagement.
- Posted marketing content weekly.
After (using the CAR Method):
- Addressed declining social engagement (Challenge) by implementing a data-driven content strategy (Action), which boosted follower engagement by 40% and inbound leads by 25% within 6 months (Result).
New High-Impact Statement (Leads with Results):
- Boosted follower engagement by 40% and inbound leads by 25% in 6 months (Result). Addressed declining social engagement (Challenge) by implementing a data-driven content strategy (Action).
Example #2
Before:
- Faced high churn during new employee onboarding.
- Refined training process.
After (using the CAR Method):
- Faced high churn during new-hire onboarding (Challenge), revamped training process (Action), reducing first-year attrition by 25% (Result).
New High-Impact Statement (Leads with Results):
- Reduced first-year attrition by 25% (Result) by revamping the training process (Action) that was the cause of high churn amongst new hires (Challenge).
The difference? The latter statements show impact, making your client much more memorable because the statements lead with powerful action verbs and impressive quantitative results.
The Value of Résumés Beyond Job Applications
Résumés are versatile:
- Volunteer & Board Roles: Most organizations will request a current copy of a client’s résumé.
- Conferences and Presentations: Your client’s biography often evolves from key résumé highlights.
- Performance Reviews: Résumés simplify the tracking of growth or milestones.
- Self-Reflection: Can help identify skill gaps and growth areas.
Think of the résumé as a living document that grows with your client’s career progression and demonstrates readiness for future opportunities.
Powerful Résumé Tips
When refreshing or creating résumés, keep these simple game-changing strategies and tips in mind:
- Storytelling Headlines
Instead of a generic header like “Professional Summary,” use one that tells your value-driven story:
Example: Driving Growth Through Human-Centric Marketing | 12+ Years in SaaS & Consumer Brands - Value Alignment
Mirror the tone and priorities of the company your client is applying to. If the job posting emphasizes innovation and teamwork, consider:
Example: Collaborated cross-functionally to launch three new digital products, aligning with a culture of experimentation and rapid iteration. - Future-Forward Language
Signal adaptability for upcoming challenges:
Example: Prepared enterprise data systems for AI integration, ensuring scalability for future analytics initiatives. - Contextual Keywords
Use keywords in a way that demonstrates impact:
Example: Led digital transformation across 12 departments, automating workflows and reducing operating costs by 20%. - Quantify Soft Skills
Replace vague claims (such as “excellent communicator”) with measurable outcomes:
Example: Delivered executive briefings that secured $2M in project funding. - Reverse-Engineer Job Posts
Pull recurring themes from 5–10 postings and apply them:
If “strategic partnerships” and “data-driven decisions” appear often, write:
Example: Forged strategic partnerships with vendors and applied data-driven analysis to negotiate $500K in annual savings.
These strategies make your client’s résumé results-driven, optimized, and ATS-friendly—all elements which are crucial for making them a strong contender in today’s competitive job market.
Final Thoughts
Career practitioners who prompt their clients to bring their résumés up to date this fall are being more than just kind. They are offering an important and valuable piece of advice that prepares clients to be immediately ready to pursue their next job opportunity. Updating this critical job search tool sets the stage for a career journey that is resilient and future-focused.
To stay current with career trends, and résumé and personal branding strategies, and to empower clients to stand out, stay ready, and thrive in their careers, explore Career Professionals of Canada’s certifications or courses and events calendar.