using American spelling in Canadian applications

using American spelling in Canadian applications

anon (guest) 15 Nov 2010 16:59

For those who are applying to Canadian positions, what are your thoughts on using American versus Canadian spelling in the application materials? I'm thinking of words such as counseling/counselling or center/centre for example.

I am applying with an American degree/publications/experience and wonder if it makes sense to use Canadian spellings or American?

Thanks for your thoughts.

anon (guest) 15 Nov 2010 18:04

As a CDN living in the US I did all mine with American spelling. Canadians are used to American spellings anyways and often interchangeably use the two (I was taught how to spell words both ways in school).

anon (guest) 15 Nov 2010 18:19

Thanks for the feedback. I assumed that it wasn't a deal breaker but I am finding it very easy to worry about the small details right now:)

anon (guest) 15 Nov 2010 18:46

I completely agree!!! Surprisingly, as a Canadian when I see words that can be spelled differently it doesn't even register most of the time. Although, it probably explains why my spell checker goes off all the time on certain words (I'm spelling them the Canadian way).

anon (guest) 16 Nov 2010 03:09

I lost a job that way. McGill was eager to hire me, then I wrote "counseling" and they broke off the start-up negotiations.

anon (guest) 16 Nov 2010 21:20

Thank you for the feedback anon. I think you raise a good point and that the use of American spellings could be interpretively negatively at some sites…

vd 16 Nov 2010 21:48

I'm pretty sure anon was joking.

Anon (guest) 16 Nov 2010 23:04

Yea, I'm guessing it was a joke too. As a Canadian I often don't even realize which words have American spellings until the spellchecker corrects me.

anon (guest) 17 Nov 2010 17:02

Thanks for cluing me into that. Sometimes I think in this process - you never know!