How to State Your Translation Experience in Your Resume

When you’re applying for a job, your resume needs to speak for you. It’s the only way you can ever get the chance for a live interview to show your personality and expertise. This is why it’s very important that you nail all the segments of your resume and ensure they impress the hiring recruiters and your future employers. That includes stating your translation experience.

If you need to write a new resume but aren’t sure how to properly state your translation experience, just keep reading. We’ve put together the ultimate guide to help you nail your resume each time.

Let’s break it down together.

1. Read the Job Description
Before you start writing your resume, you need to understand that you should write it according to the job description.

Yes, you should write a new translation CV every time you apply for a new job. That’s the only way that you nail your application and stand out among the rest of your competitors.

While you’re reading, pay attention to:
- specific translations skills they’re looking for
- what you’re expected to know/do
- what level of expertise are they looking for
- peculiarities and specific requests

Only once you thoroughly read the job description you can start writing your resume.

Make sure that you include parts of the job description into different segments of your resume to make it more relevant and credible for the recruiters.

2. Personal Statement
The first time you’ll mention your translation experience in your resume is in the personal statement. That is the brief opening paragraph that tells the recruiters a little something about yourself.

Here, you have a chance to say something unique and earn yourself a couple of extra points right from the beginning.

Here’s how to mention your translation experience:

- do it in one simple sentence
- mention your passion and drive
- mention your years of experience in this field
- mention your level of expertise

Naturally, you will optimize your CV according to their specific requests in the job description. So, here’s what it would look like in your opening statement:

- I am a passionate professional translator with 9 years of experience and a strong determination to keep learning more.

If you nail our opening statement, the recruiters will be willing to learn more about you and keep reading your resume.

3. Translation Education
As a translator, you need to prove your value and convince the recruiters to hire you and not one of the dozens of other candidates that applied. This is why you must write about your translation education.

Your official training and education is the foundation of your translation experience, so make sure that you cover:

- college degree
- certificates
- additional training
- courses and accreditation

Write about the specific stages of gaining knowledge and experience as a translator, to make sure the hiring recruiters get to know you better. This will help them see you as a professional with true ambition and a solid foundation.

4. Previous Work Experience
Your previous work experience could be the most important segment of your resume for most hiring recruiters. They want to see what you've been doing so far and learn more about you based on your experience.

So, when you’re stating your previous employments, we suggest you do it this way:

- state the company/client
- state the period you worked for them
- name your specific job title
- write about your tasks, obligations, and responsibilities
- write about the skills you acquired and the knowledge you gained

Write about the relevant experiences. For example, your career in tourism can be relevant if you used your language skills, while your career in an ice-cream shop has little to do with your current job quest.

Make sure to be very specific about the way each previous job experience helped you grow, improve, and become a better translator.

They’ll want to know about your official experience since this will help them understand you better and see you the way you see yourself.

5. Translations Skills
Your skillset is another crucial part of your resume.

In this section, you’re not just showing how good you are or why they should pick you. You’re also showing that you understand the importance of specific skills and you understand what it takes to be a great translator.

Think about the translation skills you have and find to be the most important for the specific job you're applying for. Here are some of our top choices:

- fluency in certain languages
- excellent writing skills
- exceptional cultural knowledge
- research skills
- creativity in translations
- accuracy
- attention to details
- reading and comprehension

Naturally, you can write about those skills that you find to be the most valuable and the most important.

Show the recruiters you know what it takes to be a great translator and that you’ve got it. Your skillset will speak for you, so make sure you write it like a professional.

6. Include a Website Link
It would be great if you could showcase your actual translation skills in your resume. But, a resume is not a place for you to do it.

Still, you could add a link to your website and leave it up to the recruiters to visit it if they’re interested in seeing some of your work.

You could:

- create a website
- showcase your translation portfolio
- discuss your business ideas
- write more about the specific languages you speak and translate from and to

This way, you’re making room for the recruiters to learn even more about you and try and understand you better.

7. Translate Your Resume
Finally, there’s one last trick in the book that we feel could impress the hiring recruiters the most.

To showcase your translation skills, translate the resume into the other language that is required for the job.

That means you will:

- submit two resumes
- show your skills on an actual example
- show your dedication and determination to get the job

It's always a good idea to do just a little bit more than what is requested. Submitting two resumes in different languages could give you the extra attention that you need and win you that next interview.

Final Thoughts

Stating your translation experience in your resume could be a challenging task. Still, with the right strategy and guidance, you can nail each new resume that you write.

Use the tips we’ve shared above to improve your translation resume and make the most out of each job application.

_____________________________________________________________________________________

Dorian Martin is an experienced writer and blogger. He mainly covers topics regarding professional advancement and improving your career. He’s an expert editor as well, and specializes in writing CVs, resumes, and gives incredible personal statement help to students all around the globe.