Resume Tips - TDSB Business Connect Program
Overview
How to use this guide: skim the bold “Do this” lines, then borrow an example that’s close to your own experience.
Resume Essentials (One- Two Pages, Focused)
Use 1 page if you have limited experience or a few strong examples.
Use 2 pages (max) if you have multiple relevant courses/projects/clubs/part-time roles with measurable results. Page 1 must cover Contact, Education, Prerequisites/Keywords, and your most relevant bullets.
Why it matters: Recruiters scan quickly—clarity wins.
Do this: Keep it to 1-2 pages with simple sections; lead with what this role needs.
Suggested sections: Contact • Education • Relevant Coursework • Skills • Experience/Projects • Activities/Awards
Example layout (National Bank — Settlements): Contact · Education (Gr 12; TDSB) · Relevant Coursework (Gr 11 Accounting 90%, Personal Finance 88%) · Skills (Excel: filters, SUMIF; Google Sheets) · Experience/Projects (Treasurer, DECA case) · Activities/Awards (DECA Regionals)
Bullets That Prove Value
Why it matters: “Did tasks” ≠ impact.
Do this (formula): Action + What/How + Tool + Result
Examples :
National Bank (detail & process):
“Tracked 120 permission slips for a school event in Google Sheets using a two-step checklist; kept 0 missing submissions.”
CFA Toronto (events & communication):
“Coordinated a business-club speaker session for 100 students; created a run-of-show and moderator questions; finished on time.”
Kwantum (simple automation & how-to):
“Built a project time tracker with formulas/data validation; cut manual updates by 30% and wrote a 1-page how-to.”
Eatable (KPI/data hygiene):
“Cleaned the club mailing list (removed duplicates, standardized tags) to improve KPI counts; documented a 6-step SOP for future officers.”
Marsers (reconciliation & tidy files):
“Reconciled fundraiser cash to receipts monthly with $0 variance; organized PDFs in a shared Drive folder for easy review.”
Quantify Your Impact (Use Numbers!)
Why it matters: Numbers make your work feel real.
Do this: Add counts, frequency, time saved, accuracy—using school, club, volunteer, or part-time work.
Examples:
Eatable — Analytics: “Reviewed 4 weeks of Instagram stats; suggested 3 content experiments.”
Kwantum — Process: “Built a shared budget sheet with SUMIF; cut follow-up emails by 25%.”
Marsers — Reliability: “Replied within 1 business day; kept 100% on-time submissions all term.”
National Bank — Detail: “Filed 150+ student council forms with a naming checklist; zero missing files.”
Choose Relevant Experience
Tip: Match your examples to the skills each track values. Use the bullet formula and include a number.
Highlight: accuracy, spreadsheets, documentation, checklists
Show it with: spreadsheet checks (filters, SUMIF), tidy filing/naming, two-step checklists, clear working papers
Keywords: Excel/Sheets, reconciliation, documentation, controls, confidentiality
Highlight: Excel basics, organization, clear writing
Show it with: updating trackers (attendance/timesheets), catching entry errors, brief internal notes
Keywords: payroll support, variance, accuracy, internal comms, scheduling
Highlight: content, event support, simple analytics
CFA Toronto note: passionate about finance, curious about career pathways, interested in CFA designation; strong communication & reliability (Next Gen outreach)
Show it with: social/club analytics (reach/engagement), short write-ups, run-of-show, clear emails
Keywords: outreach, events, research, KPI/engagement, professionalism
Highlight: spreadsheets, simple automation, learn tools fast
Show it with: templates, data validation, SUMIF, basic pivots, one-page SOP/how-to
Keywords: QBO/Xero (cloud accounting), automation, SOPs, process
Highlight: reliability, tidy spreadsheets, on-time communication
Show it with: zero-variance reconciliations, shared-folder organization, weekly updates, fast replies
Keywords: remote, reconciliation, documentation, cadence, confidentiality
Skills That Stand Out
Technical: Excel/Sheets (filters, SUMIF, pivot basics), Xero/QBO, Docs/Slides, Canva, Zoom
Professional: confidentiality, attention to detail, time management, clear email writing
Make It Easy To Read
Why it matters: Clean design = easier yes.
Do this: simple fonts, clean spacing, consistent dates (e.g., Sep 2024 – Jun 2025); start bullets with strong verbs (analyzed, reconciled, coordinated, drafted, documented, automated, presented).
Last Step (File & Name)
Do this: save as PDF unless told otherwise.
Filename: Firstname Lastname- Resume.pdf.
Quick Do / Try-Instead — With Examples
Do: “Prepared working papers and reconciled sample accounts with 100% traceability.” (KPMG)
Try instead of: “Helped with accounting stuff.”
Do: “Summarized ROAS from TikTok & Meta; recommended 3 next-week tests.” (Eatable)
Try instead of: “Looked at ads.”
Do: “Processed incoming mail and updated client records the same day; zero backlog.” (National Bank — CPMC)
Try instead of: “Did admin tasks.”
Do: “Drafted HR comms and scheduled them on time for 50+ recipients.” (Ainsworth)
Try instead of: “Good communicator.”
Do: “Reconciled monthly budgets with 0 variances; kept documentation in a shared folder.” (Marsers)
Try instead of: “Responsible with money.”