In the context of increasingly widespread globalization, the demand for professional translators is increasing strongly in the labor market. To stand out among a series of potential candidates, a complete and impressive resume is a key factor for translators. This profile needs to include many important components such as: summary of professional competencies, language-related degrees and certificates, work experience in the field of translation, and supporting skills such as using Translation support tools, and a list of typical translation projects implemented.
In addition, cover letters and CVs are also indispensable documents, helping employers have an overview of the candidate. Carefully preparing a professional resume not only demonstrates the translator's ability and experience, but also reflects their seriousness and dedication to their profession.
The Importance of a Professional CV
One of the basic goals of a freelancer is to take on new business consistently. To do this, you need to present yourself professionally, starting with your CV.
Your CV is the first point of contact between a potential customer and your personal brand. An outstanding CV can:
- Attract the attention of employers
- Make a good impression of your professionalism
- Start a conversation with potential customers
Understand Your Target Customers
To increase your chances of being selected, you need to learn carefully about your potential readers when drafting your CV. Adjust content and style to suit each specific audience:
- Language resource manager or project manager: Prefer a highly technical CV
- Direct customers: Pay more attention to quality, ROI, and efficiency in your previous work
Information Needed in CV
Your CV should inspire confidence and professionalism, and help you stand out from the crowd. Make sure your CV includes:
- Areas of expertise
- Relevant previous projects and experience
- Language combinations
- Software to which you have access (e.g. CAT tools)
- Communications
- Related services other than translation
- Achievement
- Educational history and relevant qualifications
Note: Highlight your top selling points to make a stronger impression.
Information That Should Be Removed
Although there are no hard and fast rules, you should:
- Only add relevant information to your CV
- Avoid cluttering your CV with unnecessary information
- Use your best judgment to decide what to include
CV Layout and Length
Layout
- Prioritize readability in your CV
- Avoid clumsy and unprofessional design
- Make sure employers can easily understand and evaluate your capabilities
Length
- There are no fixed rules regarding length
- Focus on essential information, avoid listing everything about yourself
- Make your CV simple and concise
- Remember that employers have many CVs to review
Note:
- Make an immediate impression: You probably won't get the chance to have a face-to-face interview, so your CV must be convincing at first glance.
- Ease of contact: Make sure employers can easily contact you if they need your services in the future.
- Update regularly: Always update your CV with the latest experiences and skills.
By following these guidelines, you will create a professional CV, attract the attention of employers and increase your chances of being selected for translation projects.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
1. How many translation projects should be listed in a CV?
You should list 5-7 most typical projects, demonstrating the diversity of fields and complexity. Each project should include the client's name (if allowed), document type, word count, and completion time.
2. How to demonstrate skills in using CAT tools in your CV?
Create a separate section for “Technology Skills”, listing the CAT . tool Proficiency such as SDL Trados, MemoQ, Wordfast with proficiency level (eg: Proficient – 5 years of experience). Highlight the advanced features you can use such as terminology management, automatic quality checks.
3. How to demonstrate specialization in a specific field?
Create a "Expertise" section in your CV, listing 3-5 areas in which you have the deepest experience. For each field, clearly state the number of years of experience, major customers served, and typical projects. For example: “Medical – 7 years of experience, specializing in pharmaceutical and medical device documentation, translated more than 500.000 words for leading pharmaceutical companies”. You can immediately refer to these Advice when writing a CV for a translator Used and shared by many people today.
4. How to show the ability to work under pressure in your CV?
In the “Skills” or “Strengths” section, specifically state: “Ability to effectively handle urgent projects, completed 15 projects with a total of 100.000 words within 30 days while still ensuring quality” . Supplement with a specific example of a stressful project you successfully completed.
5. How should editing and proofreading skills be addressed?
Create a separate section “Editing and Proofreading Skills,” stating:
- Number of years of editing/proofreading experience
- Types of edited documents (e.g. academic, technical, marketing)
- Tools used (e.g. PerfectIt, Grammarly Professional)
- Average error rate (e.g. <1 error/1000 words)
6. How to demonstrate translation project management ability?
In the section “Project management skills”, clearly state:
- Number of projects managed (e.g. 50+ projects)
- Largest project size (e.g. 500.000 words, 10 languages)
- Project management tools used (e.g. Trello, Asana, XTRF)
- Percentage of projects completed on time (e.g. 98%)
7. How to demonstrate terminology research skills in your CV?
Create a “Research skills and terminology management” section, stating:
- Terminology management tools used (e.g. MultiTerm, TermBase)
- Number of terminology databases built (e.g. 10+)
- Largest database size (e.g. 5000+ terms)
- Research methods (e.g. cross-referencing multiple reputable sources, expert interviews)
8. How to show teamwork ability in a freelance translator's CV?
Create a section "Teamwork experience", clearly stating:
- Number of projects participated as a team member (e.g. 20+)
- Largest team size worked (e.g. 10 translators, 3 editors)
- Collaboration tools used (e.g. Slack, Google Workspace)
- Specific example of contributing in a large group project
9. How should communication skills with customers be addressed?
In the section “Professional communication skills”, clearly state:
- Experience communicating directly with customers (e.g. 5+ years)
- Proficient communication channels (e.g. email, Skype, Zoom)
- Fast response rate (e.g. 90% of emails answered within 2 hours)
- Ability to explain technical issues to non-technical customers
10. How to show commitment to information security in your CV?
Create a short “Commitment to Privacy” section, stating:
- Compliant with international security standards (e.g. ISO 27001)
- Use a security tool (e.g. VPN, end-to-end encryption)
- Experience working with confidential documents (e.g., handled 50+ projects requiring NDAs)
- Safe document handling and storage procedures
By being detailed and specific as above, your CV will demonstrate your professionalism, rich experience and commitment to the profession, increasing your chances of being selected for translation projects.
Nguyen Trung Khang - Talented interpreter and translator, passionate about translation
Nguyen Trung Khang is a talented interpreter and translator, with many years of experience in the field of translation and linguistics. He graduated from Ho Chi Minh City University of Education, majoring in Linguistics in 2015.
After graduating, Mr. Khang participated in a professional interpretation and interpretation training course at the University of Foreign Languages - Hanoi National University. He achieved a high-level certificate in interpreting and interpreting, and was also awarded a master's degree in linguistics.