How to Write an Excellent Translator Resume Example

It is the Translator's responsibility to help the employer with international business and provide proper English translations or, otherwise, translate the text into another language.

Being a translator can be quite difficult and demanding. You'll have to meet multiple deadlines in very short time intervals, as well as be familiar with heavy duty translation work and know-how to handle a lot of documents.

We believe that you got what it takes to be a great freelance translator, but how can you show that to a potential employer that's looking to get some translation work done?

The most common and effective way to get translation jobs is by writing a proper translator resume that's going to catch the attention of a hiring manager.

A proper translator resume has the ability to showcase information about your translation skills and abilities successfully to the reader. This makes getting a freelance translator job much easier.

We're here to guide you through the process of writing a successful translator resume that will guarantee job search success with the help of our resume examples and tips.

Translation work and professional translators have been around for a very long time. This profession is centuries old. Nowadays, the demand and popularity of translation work hasn't decreased and they are still needed in a lot of places.

The national average salary for a professional translator is around $49,000 per year in the United States. While some of the best and highest ranking translator jobs will have salaries of around $83,000 for translators in their mid to senior level careers (Glassdoor).

Here are some examples of top salaries for a professional translator:

A translator working in computer software & hardware can earn around $30K - $40K in their early career, rising to $62,237 at the mid-career level. Translating specialists in the Accounting & Legal field start around $26,000 while increasing to $37,000 - $40,000 mid-career. A translator in Health Care & Hospitals can earn up to $30,000 in their early career stage, rising to $44,000 in their mid-career stage.

Since being a translator is in demand, a lot of people are applying for translation jobs. You'll be sending your resume to companies along with a lot of other applicants.

In order to rise above the competition and have a successful job application, you'll have to write an effective Translator resume sample.

How to make a Translator Resume

As a translator, you're most likely an expert at a certain target language, with some essential working experience that can even rival google translate.

Your strong ability and excellent command of foreign language skills, as well as meeting tight deadlines, needs to be showcased properly on your job application. The skills and experiences need to be properly written out in order to ensure job success.

But how can you gain the hiring manager's interest effectively?

A great way to showcase your abilities, achievements, and translation experience to the hiring manager is by writing a strong translator resume.

The best way you can start the writing process is by establishing a few foundational blocks for your application page. These first steps are going to determine how your resume looks, reads, and affects the reader.

First, we'll examine the structure and layout of the resume to understand how to get started with resume creation.

For more resume examples and expert tips for writing a perfect resume, check out our resume builder by clicking here!

The layout of the Translator Resume

The competition you'll encounter during your job search is going to be various in how they look and choose to present the content to the reader.

It is essential to make your resume be able to stand out from all the mediocre applications. What separates great resumes from mediocre ones is the writer's ability to follow style guidelines.

Making sure that your Translator's Resume looks good and effective is essential to the success of the job application.

There are a few ways you can make yours be more stylish, logical, and impactful.

In order to stand out from other translators with mediocre applications, you'll need to give your resume a proper resume layout. The resume layout, otherwise known as the template, determines the look and readability of the application.

A proper resume layout is going to change how the content and written word appear on the resume pages.

This approach makes for a more cohesive and logical-looking resume page.

In this article, we'll cover the following sections, which we recommend you include in your resume:

• The Contact Information
• The Professional Summary or Resume Objective
• The Job Description (Work Experience Section)
• The Education Section
• The Skills Section
• Additional sections with Information regarding Awards, Honors, and Certificates

The structure of the Translator Resume

When talking about proper, professional-looking Translator resume samples, they'll have a proper resume layout and structure.

Since we've discussed the importance of a strong layout, it's time that we start discussing the second most essential building block for a translator resume - the resume structure. This will be the factor that determines how your text appears on the application.

Making sure that the resume text is fleshed out, written, and presented in an appropriate way is just as important as establishing a strong resume layout. There are a few ways to ensure that yours has a good structure.

Here's how you do it:

The format: The first important step in structuring is giving the text a proper format. The most popular and established format for Translator resumes the reverse-chronological format. Formatting will give the text more structure.

Bullet points: Another essential structuring trick to show that you're an experienced translator is using bullet points in your resume. Make sure to use bullet points for your job descriptions, skill section, and other lists.

Action verbs: You should start each sentence with an action verb whenever you are explaining your translation experience and translated materials in the various resume sections. We recommend starting sentences with words like organized, oversaw, transcribed, etc.

Start with the contact information of the Translator Resume

When you have decided to begin writing your new resume, the first thing you'll have to take care of is providing the reader with some personal information.

Before you start writing about your professional experiences, key achievements and making your application stand out from related resumes, you'll need to start with something different but just as important.

Any successful application begins with a section dedicated to personal information and details that a hiring manager can see and use to get in touch with you.

You can provide personal contact details in the contact information section; a reader will be able to use the concurrent translation information you provide here to call you for a potential job.

It is important to get this section right to make the best resume. You'll have to consider a few things while writing the contact information:

Make sure to start this section with your name. Your name will be the title of your resume; the application is about you, after all.

Afterward, provide your job title, physical address, email address, phone number, and any relevant web-based promotional materials. This information goes below your name.

For more resume examples and tips to impress hiring managers, check out our resume builder.

Example of a proper header / Example of a bad header for Translator

This is the proper way freelance translators should write their contact information.

CORRECT

Karen J. Smith

English translator

Lincoln, NE

KarenJSmith@dayrep.com

402-430-4414

As we’ve said before, getting the first resume header and contact information right is essential. The contact information section has to start with your name and it has to be larger than the rest of the text.

Your name is the title of your application, so make it effectively visible to the reader.

INCORRECT

Karen J. Smith

English translator

1709 Sunnyview Boulevard

Lincoln, NE

KarenJSmith@dayrep.com

402-430-4414

https://sellhomefastnow.com/

Is a photo required in the Translator's Resume?

Resume writing may not come as easy to some as performing at high professional efficiency as an English translator. As someone who's in the process of writing a resume, you might be wondering whether or not to include a resume photo in your job application?

While it may seem like an effective idea, most companies in the US say they will not consider an applicant who has a photo on his or her resume.

The photo should be a picture of you in a professional-looking setting. Including an unprofessional picture can seriously damage your resume success chances.

Check here for more resume templates and examples.

Choosing your Translator Title

As we've mentioned before, the resume has to be about you. Therefore the title of your translator resume should be your name.

By making your name the resume title, that's what the reader is going to see first. In a way, you'll be introducing yourself to the hiring managers and following it up with professional information.

The resume title should appear larger than the rest of the text; it is also recommended to bold the resume header.

Professional summary / Resume objective for Translator resume sample

It is no secret that today's job market is overflowing with fresh talent; this fact is also true for professional translators. There are going to be a lot of freelance translators gunning for the same translation jobs you've applied for.

Additionally, because of the high demand for translators, most companies that have a job opening receive a lot of work applications every day.

Hiring managers are not going to be able to fully read through the hundreds of resumes they receive.

Because of this fact, you need to create a section that's going to present all of your top experiences, abilities, and knowledge in a short and impactful manner.

Translators are masters at regional variations, international studies, and various subjects related to translation experience. However, these skills and experiences need to guarantee that you can ensure accuracy. They need to be properly introduced in the intro section of the resume.

There are two ways you can go about writing this section for the best results:

• The resume summary is better suited to a more experienced Translator resume. If you already have several years of translation experience, then briefly talk about your top achievements, work experiences, and skills. You need to show the reader how you can benefit the company.
• The resume objective is going to be the better option for the entry level translator. If you don't have a lot of professional work experience, it's always best to discuss your top skills, abilities, education, and career goals. Tell the reader why you're applying for the position.

Summary Examples

CORRECT

Professional Summary

Talented Interpreter with expertise in Spanish and the English language. 5+ years of experience providing interpreting services in various environments including website content and working with external vendors. Committed to learning cultural idiomatic expressions and improving vocabulary skills.

A good professional summary has to be clearly written and logical. The summary has to deliver information about your professional experiences, skills and abilities in a grammatically correct way. This part of the resume can not be ambiguous!

INCORRECT

Professional Summary

Interpreter with experience with several different languages. Possess years of experience providing interpreting services in various environments. Committed to learning a lot more about different cultures and values.

Objective Example

A resume objective is going to be an entry level candidate’s way to introduce themselves to the hiring manager.

This section has to be effectively written and deliver information about what you can bring to the table in an accurate, valuable way.

CORRECT

Resume Objective

Motivated translator with a proven track record of success in creating and optimizing documents for the English language. Interested in gaining experience and applying skills to a new position that can lead to career advancement.

Work Experience in the Translator Resume

Translation professionals have a lot of duties to attend to. On top of having to work with professional proficiency, a good translator must provide quality assurance for the work being done.

Translators have to be able to save time and have a solid understanding of the subject matter that they're working on. Cultural awareness is also a significant plus, on top of knowing the native language.

It is crucial that you're able to show your professional knowledge as precisely and effectively as possible in order to impress the hiring managers.

When it comes to job applications, a tried and true way of making a solid resume is by writing a strong experience section.

What is the work experience section?

The experience section of your translator resume is going to be the most important part of your curriculum vitae or application. This part of the resume is where you'll be showcasing your relevant work history to the reader.

You can include your part-time experiences as well as volunteer work in this section! Any type of work that involves translation can be included here. This is especially true for entry-level translators.

We're here to guide you through the process of writing a resume with the help of our resume builder and Translator resume samples!

How to write a job description on your Translator Resume?

It is crucial to have work experience on a translator resume since it greatly affects your chances of getting a job. By following a few expert recommendations, you can make yourself stand out from other candidates and get the job interview.

Positions you held most recently should come first in the section; write them at the top. Start by writing the title you held at the company when writing the job description. Remember to include the name of the company and the length of time you spent working there as well.

Your responsibilities and accomplishments should be listed after you have listed the title of your job, the name of your company, and dates of employment.

Making the most use of this section can be very beneficial to your application. Make sure to list the most relevant work experiences you've had.

Try to follow our formatting guide closely to get the most out of the experience section!

Examples of professional experiences for a Translator Resume

A professional job description has to be written in a certain way. By following our job description styling guidelines, you’ll be able to write an impactful experience section.

Here’s a few examples that you can use to make your translator resume more structured and impactful:

CORRECT

Work Experience Freelance Translator

Saumya Enterprises

03/2016 - Present

• Acted as team leader for a Multilingual team for a legal project with the objective of promoting close cooperation to share information and develop satisfactory solutions to successfully deliver various services.
• Provided translations and explained meanings of ideas to enable people of different languages and cultures to communicate with each other while attending parties.
• At the direction of the company's attorneys, they prepared legal correspondence and interoffice memorandum for distribution.
• Responsible for monitoring various company databases to ensure accuracy of inventory.

A proper job description will start with action words, so try to start each one with a dynamic, active word.

CORRECT

Work Experience Freelance Translator

Johnson Security

03/2016 - Present

• Provided translation services during interviews of non-Spanish speaking witnesses, persons of interest, and suspects to assist police investigators.
• Conducted alarm systems demonstrations for customers/clients to illustrate all features of each system.
• Conducted negotiations to resolve disagreements and misunderstandings to successfully resolve conflicts to satisfy both parties.

Education in the Translator Resume

It is no secret that resumes aren't the only way for a candidate to show job descriptions from their previous work; as a translator, you'll have to show more information on your translator resume for the application to truly be effective.

On top of showing how you possess an excellent command of a target language and excellent writing skills, you'll have to show the hiring managers information about your academic background.

Nowadays, for a translator resume sample to truly have the desired effect on potential employers, it needs to show the candidate's education as well. You might be wondering how to go about showing this?

Most translator jobs today, as well as hiring employers, require some type of higher education for their translation professionals. A college degree or an associate's degree is a requirement for most places. However, a strong understanding of at least two languages can be enough as well.

Indeed, a solid education section can boost your chances of job finding success. Therefore, it's quite important that you present your academic information in a cohesive way to any workplace you'll be applying to.

It is not uncommon for translators to earn a bachelor's degree in American Sign Language or in a specific language.

Possessing a college degree can set you apart from your competition during the job search.

Should you start with education or work experience for a Translator Resume?

Writing a resume can be a challenge for those who don't have a lot of experience writing applications.

A professional translator who's been working with legal documents, translating them from the Spanish language to a target language, might have difficulty explaining his everyday job duties on a sheet of paper.

Indeed, writing a proper resume can be challenging even for a professional. You need to have a clear understanding of what you want to convey in your application and the type of information the hiring manager is going to see.

As a resume writer, you might be wondering how to go about writing your application. What should the resume template look like? Should the experience section come before or after the education section?

The answer is a little bit more complicated than you might think. The resume template can be written in two ways.

If you're a senior level translator or have a lot of experience working as a professional translator, then the work experience section should be the main highlight of your Resume. There is going to be a lot of relevant information you can provide to the reader.

In case you're an entry level translator who doesn't have a lot of experience, then you should start with your education first. You'll catch the hiring manager's interest with your academic background and reinforce it with some professional experiences.

How to properly list your education in a Translator Resume?

As we've mentioned before, getting the education section right is essential to the effectiveness of your resume. A proper education section is going to offer considerable insight into your career and even professional translator expertise.

There are a couple of essential elements you'll need to consider when writing your academic section for the Translator's Resume.

Here's a couple of neat tricks you should consider when writing your educational section:

• Start with the latest degree: The first thing you're going to write about in this section is the latest academic degree you've earned. For example, if you have a master's and bachelor's degrees, write about your master's first.
• List the information: You have to list the information about your school and degree, much like a job description. Starting with the name of your degree, provide the name of the school, the address, and the graduation date.
• Provide additional information: If applicable, we recommend including your GPA, relevant academic course work, and extracurricular activities after writing the name of the school. This information can serve as a way to boost your candidacy for the translator job.
• Use bullet points: Make sure to use bullet points every time you'll be listing additional details about your education.

For more translator resume ideas and tips, follow this link and check out our cover letters and Translator resume examples!

Example of the education section of a Translator Resume

Make sure to keep the academic section short and simple. You won’t be needing to write an impactful description of your academic experiences in this part of the resume.

However, it is vital that the information you want to provide is written in a direct manner. Here’s an example of how an effective education section looks:

CORRECT

Education

Bachelor of Arts

Major: Public Relations

Minor : English Teaching, English Translation

Ma Chung University | China | 2016

GPA 3.83

Skills to put in the Translator Resume

A successful resume is going to have a lot of parts, and all of them have to be effectively written. Each section of the resume needs to show the reader how skilled you are at delivering professional proficiency with your translating.

Every section you write needs to show off your translator expertise and skill set. In order to successfully do this, you'll have to specifically mention some of your translator abilities to the reader.

But what if you weren't able to fully list all of your relevant writing skills in the work experience and intro sections?

A proper resume is always going to have a strong skills section that represents the candidate's best and most relevant abilities.

A skills section is great for showcasing your soft skills as well as technical translating skills. Both interpersonal and technical abilities are recommended to be included in this section, as both types of skills are relevant to the translator position.

This is going to be one of the sections that the reader looks at right away, so this part of your resume has to be top-notch.

Try to only include skills and abilities that are relevant to both the translating profession and the relevant industry you're applying into.

What are the main skills sought for in a Translator Resume?

Making sure that you have both your soft and technical skills listed in this section is crucial to the effectiveness of the skills part of your resume. Make sure to take time to think about what abilities and skills you'll be including here.

We've compiled a list of effective translator skills that are acceptable and appreciated in most industries. Make sure to have a list of 5 - 10 skills, and keep the included influencing skills related to the job description.

These are some skills that can be used in a professional translator resume:

• Assessing outcomes
• Outreach programming specialist
• Exceptional problem solver
• An accomplished researcher in [Field]
• Problem identification
• Innovative teaching methods
• Group instruction
• Fostering and adoptions
• Domestic and International Experience
• Adaptable and flexible
• Training and development
• Advertising
• Goal setting and implementation
• Excellent memory for faces and names
• Coaching and training techniques
• Statement Billings
• File/records maintenance
• Project Management
• Classroom management
• Detail oriented
• Time management
• Understanding cultural differences

Write the Ideal Resume Hook for a Translator Resume

If you find yourself cramming information on the resume page and the text isn't fitting in the allotted spaces as it should, chances are you're overloading the resume with content. This can be detrimental to your application.

A great way to solve this issue is by removing certain parts of the application and replacing them with a more compact and effective way to present your skills and experiences to the reader.

For instance, if you feel like your introductory resume summary (or objective) sections are taking up a significant amount of space, then it could be beneficial to shorten this section.

A shortened summary section is simply going to focus on providing a reader with a catchy tagline or a hook for your application. Imagine that you're advertising a product, but the product is your application.

Example of a tagline for a Translator

A good tagline will have very few words. A hook is a single line that you use to build interest in the reader, so you need to make sure it’s written effectively.

Here’s an example of how an effective hook / tagline looks in a translator resume:

CORRECT

A hardworking, creative and detail-oriented translator and teacher with 5 years experience in translating and teaching.

You’ll need to keep this part of your resume brief and direct.

Additional Headings for your Translator Resume

The most important aspect you'll need to consider when writing a translator resume is how much and how effectively the application conveys information to the reader. Making sure that each section is used appropriately is necessary.

Some candidates might find themselves unable to fill out the entire resume page. It can be difficult to fill out an entire resume application with relevant professional experience, especially for entry level applicants.

Adding additional information to a resume is beneficial, especially if it has some space left over.

In order to enhance your resume and add additional information that is going to impress the hiring manager, it's always a good idea to add additional sections.

Additional sections are a great way to increase the impactfulness of your translator resume, as they add more credibility and information about your translation abilities.

Hiring managers will often look over sections of your resume that contain specific information. Therefore, writing additional sections that talk about your proficiency with different languages or earned translator certificates will set your resume apart from the pack.

Additional headings will always be a great addition to your job application. However, the information you'll be providing has to stay related to the job you're applying for.

For more resume examples that contain additional headings, check out our resume builder here!

Certifications in a Translator Resume

Working as a translator requires extensive knowledge of a native language as well as the language you'll be translating the text into. Indeed, giving a text that's written in a different language the same meaning in a different dialect can be challenging.

Because of the challenging nature of the position, hiring managers will always look for a candidate that's more specialized in the field. Applicants that show that they possess extensive knowledge of the subject matter will be noticed more often.

An effective way of showing the recruiters your translation expertise and knowledge is by providing proof of your translating skills.

We're not talking about the experience section or the education section - adding a certificates section to your application can propel your application into finding your dream job.

If you were thinking about getting a certification, now would be a great time as you can get them online and in a short amount of time!

Here's a list of some certifications that you can get as a translator to make your resume more effective:

• Certification – American Translators Association (ATA)
• Certified Translator – NAATI
• American University Translation Certification Courses
• ALTA Medical Interpreter Training Online

Languages in a Translator Resume

The most important skills you'll have to show in a translator resume have to be your translation and language abilities. These skills are going to be the information you're going to be evaluated on by a potential employer.

Because translating is a line of work so focused on the knowledge of languages, you're going to have to show the reader exactly what level of expertise you possess.

As a professional translator, the more languages you'll have included in this section of the resume, the better your resume is going to look. However, you'll need to make this information appear informative and comprehensive to the reader.

After listing the name of the language, specify the level of proficiency you hold with the language as well as any additional certificate you possess in the language.

You can write information about a specific language and additional information just like this resume example:

• English - Native | TOEFL, IELTS
• Russian - Fluent | Delf, Dalf

Summary: Key Points for Writing a Perfect Translator Resume

There are a lot of moving parts when it comes to writing a proper translator resume. You need to be able to show the reader the necessary information effectively.

It is essential that a candidate's resume be comprehensive, well written, and demonstrate their capabilities fully in order to be successful during the job search.

The following key points should be considered when creating a translator resume:

• You'll have to start your application with your name.
• The summary / objective section has to be a brief intro for your resume. Make sure to include your knowledge, skills, and goals in your professional summary or resume objective.
• Professional resumes should include work experience. An easier way to read job descriptions is to use bullet points.
• Make sure your skill section includes skills that relate to the job description.
• Write your academic section with a great deal of care. If you don't have a lot of work experience, write your education section first.
• Ensure that all of your application sections are written comprehensively in order to avoid confusion for your reader.
• Use action verbs for your job descriptions.

Write a Cover Letter That Goes With Your Translator Resume

You can increase the effectiveness and strength of your application in other ways. Indeed, you don't have to only focus on writing a proper resume to have an effective job application. You can add additional parts to your application that don't belong on the resume page.

A great way to find job search success is by writing an additional translator cover letter with your translator resume. A cover letter can help you impress the hiring manager even further.

A cover letter is basically a longer version of a professional summary or objective. You'll be writing about your skills, reasons for applying, career goals, and professional experiences in greater detail.

A cover letter needs to be a page long. A strong cover letter can be the difference between getting and not getting a job.

For more cover letter ideas and our resume builder, visit this link!

Frequently Asked Questions for a Translator Resume