Translating the Resume: The First Step Towards a Job Abroad

Writing a compelling resume is never an easy task: not only does it require the right set of words and terms, but it also has to be visually appealing yet simplistic enough to catch the eyes of recruiters and, as a result, land you an interview. The process is quite a challenge on its own but, thankfully, it isn’t impossible. Doing the same thing in another language, however, is something that even the most prepared candidates are afraid of.

However, if you already possess the knowhow of successful resume writing, then it only requires learning a few tricks to prove that you are the ideal candidate regardless of your country of origin.

Sentenced to Eternal Translating?

The most common question that pops into the mind of those applying for a job at a non-English speaking company is whether the resume needs to be translated into the language spoken at the workplace or not. Logic and common courtesy would immediately answer ‘yes’ to this question but, as it turns out, not all resumes need to be translated.

First and foremost, if the job advertisement is in English by default, then chances are that the resume is expected to be written in English as well. But when it’s clearly specified that the CV has to be presented in another language, it’s impossible to overlook the need to translate the resume. However, if the job description doesn’t specify in which language the CV should be written, then it’s better to be safe than sorry; in other words, use the same language in which the job was advertised in the resume, too.

How to Correctly Translate the Resume

Preparations

Even though the basic requirements regarding the legibility, overall structure, and design of a CV are mostly the same everywhere, there are many instances where information deemed unnecessary for U.S. applications – a photo, marital status and the like – might be required in foreign resumes.

As such, creating a perfect foreign CV should always start with researching how a typical resume in that specific country looks with particular attention to details like layout, keywords, sections, and so on. Once that’s done, writing the resume in accordance with the necessary job application etiquette of the foreign country will definitely be easier.

Translation

As for the translation process itself, there are various methods to choose from – but one of the best options is turning to professionals. Whether that’s a translation agency or anyone in your circle of friends and family members that is fluent in the required language, anything goes so long as the final result is comprehensible by those who speak the targeted language fluently as well. But even if you are confident in your language skills, it’s still highly recommended to show the final version of the CV to someone else in order to spot any mistakes that you might have missed.

And what about Google Translate? We’re going to be honest here: even if Google’s machine translator isn’t performing too poorly where Indo-European languages are concerned, it should be considered strictly forbidden to translate the CV with Google’s service. The reasons for this are simple: a resume translated this way simply won’t come across correctly, and as such will appear highly unprofessional, not to mention doing so will convey the message that the applicant has no respect for the employer or the country the job is located in.

Resume Builders and Foreign CVs

Although creating a CV in a foreign language is quite the task, it becomes much easier when the right tools are used – like a resume builder.

For starters, resume building software is perfect for putting together CVs in such a way that they perfectly mimic resumes written by natives. Secondly, since resumes can be copied as many times as you want, there is the ability to draft the English version of the CV first and then simply create a similar looking copy where the sections contain a translation of the text found in the original CV. In addition to that, resume sections can easily be modified to your liking by adding or removing them, rewriting the name of each section in another language or putting them in the different order more culturally suitable for the country you’re planning on working in.

And lastly, most resume builders automatically create a digital version of resumes that can be quickly and effectively sent to employers via email, which not only speeds up the application process but it also helps you to stand out from the rest of the candidates.