Whether you are looking for an international internship or a new job overseas, you need a resume in English. A resume is an essential tool that determines whether or not you will land that interview or get your dream job. A well-written resume can help sell your qualifications and make you appear eligible for the job position. On the contrary, writing a resume filled with many grammatical errors is likely to send the wrong message to the interviewer, thus disqualifying you from the position. If English isn’t your native language and you need to translate your resume into English, there are several aspects you need to pay attention to so that you’re guaranteed to present yourself in the best possible light.
Format of the Resume
Different English speaking countries demand various formatting of your resume. Therefore, if you previously wrote the resume in your native language (which is not English), you need to reformat your resume to fit the format of your target country. The UK resume formats differ from those of the US, Canada, or even Germany. The headings, dates, content placement in the resume are all different. That’s why you need to carefully study the format of your targeted country so that you can write an appropriate resume.
Content of the Resume
The required information needed in a resume differs from country to country. However, when translating your resume into English for an English-speaking country, there are several pieces of information that should be included, just like there is some information that should be shunned. You always want to add your extracurricular activities. For example, if you have done an IT-internship in Melbourne, you want to make sure you highlight that in your CV.
For example, in some countries, including personal information in a resume is a requirement, whereas, in English speaking countries, you shouldn’t include your personal information. Therefore, in the resume, you can include your name, email address, phone number, and location address. However, you shouldn’t add your photo, marital status, date of birth or citizenship. If you’re allowed to work in that country, personal information is not required in your resume. This is because personal information can be used to discriminate against candidates.
Examine The Language Closely
Paying close attention to the language used is critical for your success when writing the resume. This is because the English language may seem universal among all English-speaking countries, but there exist small differences in the type of English used among the nations. When writing for a UK-based firm, it may be appropriate to ensure you use the UK’s variant of English, and the same applies to US English. These are tiny details that one may overlook, but that can be critical in the selection of candidates.
Additionally, you should ensure you’re using prepositions as required in the English language such as ‘I am experienced in IT’, or ‘I recently graduated from Oxford University’. When you confuse your use of language, you send the wrong message to the employer. When examining the language, ensure your resume is thoroughly proofread, that checks the spelling of the required English variant, grammar, accuracy, and cohesion in sentences.
Power Write
When translating your resume, language is essential. But the content that you’re translating is more critical. You need to ensure you still maintain the same persuasion that you conveyed in your native language. Use eye-catching sentences and show how you’re going to be important in the organization based on your qualifications. Your resume is your sales letter, and a well-worded one will correctly represent you to the employer.
Match Job Description
The job posting is essential to help you in your resume writing. Use the keywords used in the job description in your resume, to show how relevant you are to the role. This does not mean word to word copy and pasting but highlighting your qualifications based on the job description. You can opt to use the initials in the job description in your resume, for instance, if the job posting says ‘need a qualified LPA’ use the term LPA instead of ‘Licensed Practical Attorney‘.
Look for Help
In case you feel overwhelmed when translating the resume by yourself, you can ask for help from your friends or family. They can help you in translating, formatting, and proofreading your content. This way, you can feel less anxious when writing the resume. Similarly, you can check online for some tools that can help you translate some words or to learn technical English words you need to include in your resume. In case you are not able to translate your CV, you can hire freelance resume translators to help you professionally translate your resume.
Translating a resume into a foreign language can be difficult; however, with the tips above, you can easily translate your resume into English, and land that lucrative job you’re dreaming of.