Created by CakeYou'll learn:How to write a translator resume?What to put on a translator resume?Tips for writ
ing the best translator CVHow to write a translator cover letter?Translator resume sample
As the world becomes more globalized, multil
ingualism will ga
in more traction. A translator is usually employed to translate written materials
into one or more languages. The primary responsibilities
include ensur
ing that the context and mean
ing translated are properly ma
inta
ined, implement
ing the correct term
inologies, and proofread
ing the translated documents. It’s important to note that translators differ from
interpreters, the latter be
ing more specialized
in translat
ing orally, most often
in real-time sett
ings.
Seek
ing to market yourself more by creat
ing a fantastic freelance translator resume? Or perhaps you’re a fresh graduate craft
ing your first entry-level translator resume? Maybe you want to create a specific language translator resume, such as a Spanish translator resume or an Arabic translator resume? You and your career can benefit from hav
ing a firm grasp on the essence of a good translator resume.
How to write a translator resume?
As a professional translator, there is no doubt you would want to impress prospective employers with your translator resume. One might th
ink, surely, I can simply center my translator resume around my language skills and call it a day? Do
ing so might only do a disservice to yourself, as there is more that goes
into a resume than your skills, all of which will be discussed
in this guide!Step 1: Understand the Differences between a CV and a Resume
It’s easy to confuse a translator CV from a translator resume because of how frequently it’s
interchanged.
In general, a CV would be ma
inly used
in specific sett
ings such as academia, medic
ine, or science fields, be more detailed and longer (over 2 pages) compared to its resume counterpart, and has a simple structure.
In contrast, a resume is used for a job application; thus, it should only conta
in relevant details and be shorter
in length (with
in 2 pages). You can also choose from a large variety of templates for a resume. This usually matters for most jobs, but as a translator, you might specialize
in various fields, and your translator resume might need adjustments
in length, content, etc. Thus,
in the translation field, a translator CV is usually synonymous with a translator resume.
Step 2: Choose the Right Format for Your Translator Resume
There are 3 types of resume formats you can utilize for all k
inds of translator resume (
includ
ing a freelance translator resume!): chronological, functional, and hybrid/comb
ination. Which one is the best? The answer depends! Some formats might
work better for you depend
ing on your
experience, background, and the skills you possess. So before committ
ing to a format, you might want to carefully evaluate your translator background, job context, and abilities.
Step 3: Look Up Translator Resume Templates Samples Onl
ine
There are a plethora of excellent translator resume templates and translator resume samples onl
ine which can be of help when craft
ing your professional translator resume. The difficult part would be to sift through this sea of onl
ine references and pick out the good ones. Even so, these references might conta
in mistakes that you do not want to
include
in your translator CV. Thus, it’s important to not simply copy and paste the contents and format of these references.
Instead, tailor it to the job for maximum effectiveness.
Step 4: Tailor Your Translator Resume for the Position
Not your first translation gig? Great! You already have your entry-level translator resume as a solid start
ing po
int! Still, you should always tailor your translator resume for the position; this also goes for a translator CV with no
experience. Tailor your resume by
includ
ing keywords found
in the job ad or only
include relevant details and
experiences (a recruiter can only spend so much time look
ing through your resume).
Step 5: Craft a Translator Cover Letter
You should always craft a translator cover letter, no matter the type of your translator resume, may it be a freelance translator resume or a fresh graduate translator CV. A translator cover letter allows you to expla
in the
information with
in your translator CV. The cover letter should
introduce you, elaborate on the context of your achievements and qualifications, and expla
in your motivation and passion for the job.
Step 6: ProofreadAs a translator, proofread
ing is a part of your job. You do not want your translator CV to be ridden with careless grammatical errors or misspell
ings! You can do so yourself or you can utilize the help of a second pair of eyes or a spellchecker to ensure that your translator resume is error-free!
What to put on a translator resume?
The translator resume templates and translator resume samples you f
ind onl
ine can serve as a guide when craft
ing your own but you don’t have to necessarily follow their entire format. Even so, below are the
information that you should always
include
in your translator resume.1. Resume Profile (Personal
Information)✅ Always
include:
Full nameProfessional titleE-mail addressPhone numberAddress (city, state, and/or country)
❌ And exclude:
Current salaryYou’ll only do yourself a disservice by br
ing
ing out a number too early
into your hir
ing process. This may lessen your barga
ining power when negotiat
ing your salary.Social Security number/National
Insurance numberYou don’t need to provide your Social Security number or your National
Insurance number before you get hired.Sexual orientation, race, marital status, photograph, date of birth, nationality, gender, and religion.
2. Translator Resume Headl
ineA good newspaper headl
ine’s purpose is to quickly attract attention to a news story while convey
ing the significance beh
ind the said story. An excellent translator resume headl
ine should also serve the same purpose for yourself; a recruiter read
ing your translator resume should be able to immediately know about who you are: your strengths, achievements, and relevant
experiences. Your resume headl
ine should be short and concise (one-l
ine) and placed on top of your translator CV.
Translator resume headl
ine examples:
Passionate and Multil
ingual Translator With More Than 7 Years of
Experience in French-English TranslationDetail-Oriented Legal Translator Specializ
ing
in Translat
ing Legal Documents
into German, Mandar
in, Japanese, and English
3. Translator Resume SummaryAfter your translator resume headl
ine grabbed the recruiter’s attention, you should elaborate more about your resume headl
ine and yourself
in your translator resume summary. Ideally, a professional summary
in a translator resume summary would be around 2-3 sentences long, with the ma
in focus on your translator background, abilities, qualifications, and relevant
experience.
Translator resume summary example:
Highly
experienced and multil
ingual translator with a background
in translat
ing drug data sheets and medical bullet
ins
in Japanese, Mandar
in, Korean, and English. Successfully translated over 400 projects.
4. Translator Resume ObjectiveYour career objective as a translator should be conveyed
in your translator resume objective. A properly constructed translator resume objective should give recruiters an idea of who you are as a candidate. A standalone resume objective is not necessary, you can comb
ine it
in your resume summary too.
Translator resume objective example:
Passionate and highly skilled translator with more than 5 years
in Hungarian-English and Romanian-English translations.
Experienced
in translat
ing legal documents for purposes of apply
ing for citizenship
in the United States of America. Look
ing to further improve my translation skills as a translator
in the Embassy of Romania.
5. Skills for Your Translator ResumeA common misconception some translators may have is that recruiters will only focus on their language skills. Although your language skills (hard skills) are extremely crucial, you should also list your soft skills if you want to elevate your translator CV from a good one to an exceptional one.
Example skills for a translator resume:✒️Hard SkillsCopywrit
ingEnglish (Native Proficiency)French (Native Proficiency, CEFR C2)
✒️Soft SkillsCultural AwarenessTime ManagementProject Management
6. Translator
Work ExperienceYour previous translation
work experience, to prospective employers and clients, can serve as a testament to your skills as a translator.
In your
work experience section, you should
include basic details of your past job (job titles, your previous employers, employment periods, brief responsibilities) and the achievements you have atta
ined.Translator resume
work experience example:
Spanish-English Translator | ABC Publish
ingMay 2012 - Present
Translated over 100 books from Spanish to English and vice versa,
includ
ing 20 New York Times Best Seller books.Tra
ined a team of 5 other junior translators.
7. EducationTranslat
ing is a very specialized job that requires plenty of tra
ining and a high degree of precision and accuracy. For this reason, education is one of the most highly valued sections of your translator resume. Here, you should
include your education
institution, degree, major, course
work, year of graduation, honors and awards, GPA, and relevant extracurricular activities.
8. Additional
Information: CertificationsTranslators do not always require certifications to prove their fluency
in the language. However, certification is a form of quality assurance
in the translation and occasionally,
in the localization of documents. You may consider seek
ing certification if you want to assure recruiters and clients that the reliability and accuracy of your translation are of the utmost degree.
💡 Where to get certifications:
American Translators AssociationThe National Board of Certification for Medical
InterpretersNational Accreditation Authority for Translators and
Interpreters
Tips for writ
ing the best translator CV
#Tip 1: Customize the Resume for Translator PositionsAs mentioned prior, no matter the type of translator resume you are craft
ing, they should always be customized and tailored to the job ad. As similar as most translation jobs could be, you are bound to spot a few differences if you look through the job ad carefully. By customiz
ing your translator CV, you
increase your chances of stand
ing out from other applicants who might use a standardized translator CV.
#Tip 2: Quantify Results
in Your Translator ResumeQualitative descriptions of your results can limit you from show
ing the full extent of your qualifications. To combat this, you can quantify results
in your translator resume. Do
ing so can help your achievements look more outstand
ing and conv
inc
ing than words.
#Tip 3: Choose an ATS-friendly Resume LayoutCompanies may utilize the help of an applicant track
ing software (ATS) to filter out the massive amount of resumes they receive. To ensure that you pass through the filter, you may want to use resume templates and layouts that don’t conta
in too many visuals.
Incorporat
ing keywords found
in the job ad can also
increase your chances to be filtered
in by the ATS, so remember to always tailor and customize your translator resume!#Tip 4: Adopt Resume Action VerbsAction verbs are the way to go to provide
information about you
in an employer's m
ind. Proper use of powerful action verbs can propel your resume above other candidates’.#Tip 5:
Include Your
International
ExperiencesIf you have any
international
experiences that required you to frequently utilize your language skills, such as liv
ing abroad, go
ing on an exchange program, etc.,
include these
in your translator CV, especially if they
invlove languages you specialize
in.
Includ
ing these
international
experiences can help enhance your skills section.How to write a translator cover letter?
How would you show your professionalism as a translator other than ensur
ing that your translator CV is top-notch? You do so by craft
ing an excellent cover letter. As the first document that reaches the recruiter (even before your resume), you would want to ensure that you leave a good and last
ing impression.
All types of translator cover letter, may it be a freelance translator cover letter or a translator cover letter with no
experience, should conta
in:
Basic personal
information to identify yourself and your contact details.You may want to check out the hir
ing company’s website, L
inked
In, or other relevant websites to f
ind out more about the hir
ing manager and the company itself. Greet
ing the recruiter with the right name can make you stand out from other applicants. State who you are and the position you're apply
ing for.Elaborate on your reason for apply
ing for the job and what you can br
ing to the company.Conv
ince them why you're perfect for the role by emphasiz
ing 2 to 3 of your relevant skills and
experiences.End the cover letter
in a polite tone, thank
ing them for their time.
Cakeis an onl
ine resume builder that helps job seekers build professional translator resumes/CVs. Create your resume for free, Now!Sign Up
Translator resume sample
Anthony Tur
ingMultil
ingual and Professional Translator With More Than 7 Years
Experience in Translat
ing Books and Novels
+1- 245-534-8179 anthony.tur
in[email protected]l
inked
in.com/
in/anthonytur
ing
Summary
Multil
ingual, professional, and passionate translator with over 7 years of
experience in translat
ing English, Spanish, and German books. Completed over 400 projects,
includ
ing 55 New York Times Bestseller and 7 Pulitzer Prize books. Seek
ing to leverage and improve my translation and communication skills for the Spanish-English translator position
in Balboa Books Publish
ing.
Work Experience
German-English Translator| Freelance Mar 2019 – Present
Translated (German to English and vice versa) over 200 projects,
includ
ing legal documents, books, website content, news articles, and drug datasheets.Ma
inta
ined strict confidentiality policies concern
ing clients and materials translated.Commended by past clients for translation efficiency and accuracy.
Spanish-English Translator | Atlantic Press
Jan 2014 – Feb 2017
Tra
ined a team of 5 junior translators.Translated over 200 books and novels from English to Spanish and vice versa,
includ
ing 7 Pulitzer Prize books.Ensured other translators’ f
inal
works adhered to proper Spanish and English grammatical rules and are error-free.
Languages
English (Native Proficiency, CEFR C2, ILR 5)German (Native Proficiency, CEFR C2, ILR 5)Spanish (Native Proficiency, CEFR C2, ILR 5)
SkillsCopywrit
ing Copyedit
ing Research AnalysisCultural AwarenessCultural
IntelligenceCommunicationMultitask
ingTime Management
Education
M.A.
in Translation with Concentration
in GermanKent State UniversityGPA: 3.83/4.02017 – 2019B.A.
in SpanishThe University of ArizonaTranslation and
Interpretation EmphasisGPA: 3.86/4.02010 – 2014
--- Orig
inally written by Patricia Rosita ---