How to write your resume in French for Quebec

Do you need a French resume to work in Quebec?

Yes, whenever the job posting is in French. The Charter of the French language makes French the normal and everyday language of work in Quebec, and the Office québécois de la langue française (OQLF) points out that job postings there must be published in French. A resume in the language of the posting shows right away that you can work in that language.

French is the working language of most Quebecers. In the 2021 Census (opens in a new tab), 79.9% of workers in Quebec mainly used French at work and 92.1% used it on a regular basis. Even for a job where English dominates, a well-written French resume is an asset with a French-speaking team.

This guide is about the language of your resume: how to write or translate it into correct, natural French. For the broader differences between a Quebec resume and a resume for the rest of Canada, see our comparison of the two markets.

How do you translate an English resume without losing its meaning?

Rewrite your resume section by section instead of translating it sentence by sentence. A word-for-word translation keeps English syntax, English section headings and terms that sound wrong to a Quebec recruiter. Start from the meaning of each achievement, then phrase it the way a French speaker would write it.

Begin with the section headings, which have well-established equivalents:

To describe your duties and achievements, the OQLF suggests, in its advice on writing a curriculum vitæ (opens in a new tab) (in French), using action nouns or verbs in the infinitive. "Managed a team of five" becomes « Gestion d’une équipe de cinq personnes » or « Diriger une équipe de cinq personnes ». Pick one form and keep it throughout the document. For stronger wording, see our list of action verbs and keywords.

Keep your numbers and results: they translate without loss and make your experience concrete. Do adapt credential names and job titles to local vocabulary instead of copying the English structure.

Which anglicisms should you avoid in a French resume?

Several expressions that are common in Quebec are calques of English that the OQLF advises against. In a resume, where every word counts, it is better to replace them with the recommended form. The most frequent ones concern the application itself, education and responsibilities.

When in doubt about another term, look it up in the Vitrine linguistique (opens in a new tab) (in French), which brings together the Banque de dépannage linguistique and the Grand dictionnaire terminologique. The same care applies to your cover letter.

Which typography rules should you follow?

French typography differs from English on several points that show up in a resume. The OQLF recommends a non-breaking space (opens in a new tab) (in French) before a colon, a semicolon, a question mark and an exclamation mark, and inside French quotation marks « ». A non-breaking space keeps the sign from ending up alone at the start of a line.

Amounts also follow a French rule: the dollar sign (opens in a new tab) (in French) goes after the number, separated by a non-breaking space, and thousands are separated by a space. You write « un budget de 50 000 $ », not "$50,000".

A few reference points for a resume:

• Punctuation: « Langues : français, anglais », with a space before the colon.
• Amounts: « 1,2 M$ de ventes », « budget de 250 000 $ », with a comma as the decimal separator.
• Percentages: « hausse de 15 % des ventes », with a space before the sign.
• Consistency: the same rule for dates, headings and lists throughout the document.

The OQLF also stresses that a resume must not contain any spelling, grammar or typography errors: recruiters often decide very quickly whether to keep reading.

How do you write a feminine or neutral job title?

Write your job title in the form that describes you: « conseillère en ressources humaines », « ingénieure de procédés », « cheffe de projet ». The OQLF considers feminine forms, including titles ending in « -eure », fully justified for naming women in their role, as its FAQ on feminine forms and gender-neutral writing (opens in a new tab) (in French) explains.

If you prefer a neutral wording, the OQLF suggests gender-neutral designations, such as « membre du personnel technique en administration »; a title that is already neutral, such as « responsable de la paie », also works. Abbreviated forms with dots or parentheses, which the OQLF does not recommend, also make a resume harder to read. Company and program names are written exactly as they appear officially.

How do you state your level of French?

State your level in a concrete, verifiable way, for each skill if they differ: « Français : avancé à l’oral, intermédiaire à l’écrit ». If you took a recognized test or French courses, give the result or level reached rather than your own assessment.

In Quebec, the reference is the Échelle québécoise des niveaux de compétence en français (opens in a new tab) (in French). It has twelve levels grouped into three stages: beginner (levels 1 to 4), intermediate (5 to 8) and advanced (9 to 12), for comprehension and production, both oral and written. A mention such as « niveau 8 à l’oral, échelle québécoise » places your level on a scale that is well known in Quebec.

If your French needs work, the Government of Quebec offers free French courses (opens in a new tab) to people aged 16 and over who live in Quebec and to those planning to settle there: full time (25 to 30 hours a week), part time, online or specialized by field of work. Admission and financial assistance conditions can change: check them with Francisation Québec before you register.

How do you get your resume proofread before sending it?

Have your resume read by someone who works in French, ideally in your field: they will spot phrases that sound translated and vocabulary that is not used in the trade. Also run the text through a French grammar checker, then read it aloud.

Finally, make sure your resume and the posting speak the same language, literally and figuratively: reuse the exact terms of the posting for the skills it asks for. Our method for tailoring your resume to each posting covers this step. If you are new to Canada, add our resume guide for newcomers.

How can Postulio help?

Postulio’s CV Studio writes your resume in French or English and applies Quebec-specific rules, with an explanation for each correction. You can keep a French version and an English version side by side. Cover letters are written in the language of the posting, based on your profile. You review, adjust and send each application yourself; Postulio never applies on your behalf and does not guarantee an interview.

Sources

• Office québécois de la langue française, advice on writing a curriculum vitæ (opens in a new tab) — action nouns or infinitives, no errors, quick reading by recruiters (in French).
• Office québécois de la langue française, appliquer and faire application (opens in a new tab) — borrowings to avoid and recommended forms (in French).
• Office québécois de la langue française, graduation and graduer (opens in a new tab) — borrowings to avoid in the sense of earning a diploma (in French).
• Office québécois de la langue française, être en charge de (opens in a new tab) — borrowing to avoid and alternatives (in French).
• Office québécois de la langue française, non-breaking spaces (opens in a new tab) — contexts that require a non-breaking space (in French).
• Office québécois de la langue française, currency symbols (opens in a new tab) — position of the dollar sign and spacing (in French).
• Office québécois de la langue française, feminine forms and gender-neutral writing (opens in a new tab) — feminine titles and neutral designations (in French).
• Office québécois de la langue française, language of work (opens in a new tab) — right to work in French and job postings in French (in French).
• Government of Quebec, Échelle québécoise des niveaux de compétence en français (opens in a new tab) — twelve levels in three stages (in French).
• Québec.ca, Learn French (opens in a new tab) — free French courses, formats and eligibility.
• Statistics Canada, The Daily, Jobs in Canada: Navigating changing local labour markets (opens in a new tab) — languages of work in Quebec (2021 Census). Statistics Canada Open Licence.