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Translator Resume Examples
Explore these translator resume samples or browse our resume template selection for a unique touch to your application.
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Want a stronger resume? Use our extensive library of professional resume examples as practical starting guides. You’ll also find ready-made content with our helpful Resume Builder — simple click, customize and download.
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Translator Resume Example (Text Version)
[Your Name]
[City, State ZIP Code]
[Email Address]
[Phone Number LinkedIn]
Resume Summary
[Insert your summary here. This should be a brief statement highlighting your core qualifications and career goals.]
Summary of Qualifications
- [Insert qualification #1]
- [Insert qualification #2]
- [Insert qualification #3]
- [Insert qualification #4]
[Type of] Skills
- [Add relevant accomplishment or responsibility related to Skill 1]
- [Add relevant accomplishment or responsibility related to Skill 1]
- [Add relevant accomplishment or responsibility related to Skill 1]
- [Add relevant accomplishment or responsibility related to Skill 1]
[Type of] Skills
- [Add relevant accomplishment or responsibility related to Skill 2]
- [Add relevant accomplishment or responsibility related to Skill 2]
- [Add relevant accomplishment or responsibility related to Skill 2]
- [Add relevant accomplishment or responsibility related to Skill 2]
Education
[Degree Earned]
[High School Name, Location]
[Graduation Date or Estimated Graduation Date]
- [OPTIONAL: Add relevant coursework or academic achievements]
- [OPTIONAL: Add any honors or awards received]
Work History
[Job Title #1 | Club or Employer Name #1]
[Location, Year]
[Job Title #2 | Club or Employer Name #2]
[Location, Year]
How to Format a Translator Resume
Your translator resume format is as important as how you write your resume. This sample resume demonstrates the best resume layout to follow: 1-inch margins, bullet points and clear resume headings for each of the following sections.
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Professional header and contact info
Include your name, contact information and a professional email address.
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Compelling summary statement
A brief resume summary or objective statement highlighting two or three communication-relevant skills, experience or accomplishments.
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Showcase your writing skills
Devote a section highlighting essential hard and soft skills such as cultural understanding, proficient use of translation tools and writing and editing skills in both source and target languages.
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Emphasize your work history
List your work experience in reverse-chronological order, like in a chronological resume. Include job titles, company names, dates of employment and key responsibilities and achievements for each role in a bullet list.
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Supporting education section
Detail your educational background, mentioning any relevant degrees, diplomas or certifications obtained.
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Additional sections
You can add resume sections for licenses, certifications, industry memberships or unions, awards, volunteer experience or spoken languages.
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Write a Translator Resume Summary
When writing a resume summary, it’s essential to highlight your resume skills and experience to stand out from the competition. This section is a brief statement that summarizes your professional background and career goals. Here are some tips on how to write a translator resume summary:
Highlight your experience
Start with a strong statement highlighting your expertise. For example, “Experienced translator with a track record of accurately translating technical documents in the engineering industry.”
Show your uniqueness
Include what differentiates you from other translators in your resume summary. It could be a specialization in a specific industry, fluency in rare languages, or experience working with high-profile clients.
Tailor to the job
When applying for a specific translator position, carefully review the job description and incorporate relevant keywords and skills into your resume summary.
Showcase skills
Mention the languages you are proficient in, your translation experience and any certifications or degrees you have obtained.
Keep it concise and to the point
A resume summary should be no more than three to four sentences.
Strong and weak Translator summary
“Experienced translator specializing in legal document translation with a proven track record of accurately translating complex contracts and agreements. Fluent in English, Spanish, and Mandarin Chinese and certified by the National Association of Judiciary Interpreters and Translators. Adaptable and detail-oriented, with a strong understanding of legal terminology and procedures. Known for delivering high-quality translations within tight deadlines for prestigious law firms and government agencies.”
Why it works:
This example tailors the summary to a specific field. It also showcases the translator’s specialization, language proficiency, certification and experience working with high-profile clients. These details provide a clear picture of the translator’s expertise and make them an attractive candidate for legal translation positions.
“Translator seeking a job in the translation industry.”
Why it fails:
This summary must provide more information about the translator’s skills or experience. It needs to be more specific and give the employer a reason to consider the candidate.
PRO TIP:
If you are new to the workforce or a recent grad, opt for writing a resume objective. It’s ideal for first-time job applicants because it shifts from your lack of experience to your skills aligned with the company’s goals.
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Add Your Translator Work History
Your translator resume work history is a crucial part of your application process as this is where you showcase your language proficiency and relevant experience to potential employers. Here’s how to structure this section effectively, along with tips and examples to enhance your translator resume:
Highlight relevant translation experience
Focus on listing translation roles directly applicable to the job you’re applying for. Prioritize positions where you’ve translated documents in the same industry or field.
Quantify achievements
Quantify your translation accomplishments to demonstrate your proficiency and impact. Include metrics such as the number of documents translated, languages involved or projects completed within deadlines.
Use action verbs
Start each bullet point in your work history with strong action verbs to convey your achievements effectively. Words like “translated,” “edited,” “collaborated” and “managed” can make your contributions more impactful.
Showcase language proficiency
Indicate your proficiency level in each language pair you work with (e.g., native fluency, advanced, intermediate). If you have certifications or proficiency test scores, include them to validate your language skills.
Highlight specializations or areas of expertise
If you have specialized knowledge in specific industries or subjects, highlight these in your work history. Mention any specialized translation projects you’ve worked on, such as legal documents, medical reports, or technical manuals.
Strong and weak Translator work history
Translator | Global CitiGals
San Francisco, CA | June 2021-Present
- Translated over 500 documents from English to Spanish for clients in the legal and healthcare sectors.
- Achieved an average accuracy rate of 98% through meticulous proofreading and editing.
- Collaborated with a team of translators to meet tight deadlines and deliver high-quality translations to clients in diverse industries.
This work history effectively demonstrates relevant experience, quantifies achievements and showcases essential skills such as collaboration and communication skills. This example provides specific details about the volume of translation work, accuracy rate and collaboration efforts, which help highlight the candidate’s expertise and professionalism.
Translator | Ogilvy & Mather Affiliate
Miami, FL | June 2021-Present
- Responsible for writing grant proposals and managing grant-funded projects.
- Conducted research on potential funders and assisted with grant applications.
In contrast, this work history needs a lot more detail and specificity, making it challenging for employers to assess the candidate’s qualifications and language proficiency. It needs to demonstrate achievements or highlight relevant skills effectively. This example could have more quantifiable accomplishments or specific examples of successful translation projects, which may fail to capture the attention of potential employers.
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How to Write a Translator Education Section
The education section is essential for showcasing your language proficiency, formal training and certifications to potential employers. Here’s how to structure this section effectively, along with examples of relevant schools, training programs or certifications that add value to your translator resume:
1List relevant degrees or certifications
Include details about your academic qualifications, such as degrees or diplomas in language-related fields. Highlight any relevant coursework or specialization demonstrating your language proficiency and translation skills.
Example
Bachelor of Arts in Linguistics
University of New York, New York, NY | May 2018
Relevant Courses: Translation Theory, Advanced Language Proficiency
2Highlight language proficiency
Specify your proficiency level in each language pair you work with, including any official language proficiency tests or certifications you’ve obtained.
Example
Certified Advanced Translator (English-Spanish)
Language Proficiency Test Institute | July 2019
3Include relevant training programs
Mention any additional training programs or workshops you’ve completed that have enhanced your translation skills or provided specialized knowledge in specific areas.
Example
Translation Skills Workshop
International Translation Institute | September 2020
Completed intensive workshop covering advanced translation techniques and specialized terminology.
4Emphasize certifications
List any relevant certifications you’ve obtained in translation or language-related fields. Certifications from reputable organizations or institutions validate your expertise and proficiency as a translator.
Example
Certified Translator (French-English)
Translation Certification Board | June 2021
Accredited certification demonstrating proficiency in translating documents from French to English.
5Mention language exchange programs or study abroad experiences
Include any language exchange programs or study abroad experiences that have enriched your language skills and cultural understanding. This demonstrates your immersion in different linguistic environments and ability to adapt to diverse cultural contexts.
Example
Language Exchange Program
Institut Français, Paris, France | Summer 2019
Participated in an immersive language exchange program to improve French language skills and cultural understanding.
PRO TIP:
Expand your expertise by enrolling in supplementary courses tailored to your field, such as Advanced Translation Techniques, Cultural Adaptation and certifications in translation software like SDL Trados and MemoQ.
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15 Skills for Your Translator Resume
Your translator resume skills section is essential for highlighting your proficiency and capabilities to potential employers. Here’s how to structure this section effectively, along with a list of soft skills, hard skills and technical skills that are valuable for translators
Soft skills
- Adaptability
- Attention to detail
- Collaboration
- Cultural sensitivity
- Time management
Hard skills
- Advanced language proficiency (source and target languages)
- Research skills
- Writing skills
- Terminology management
- Subject-matter expertise in specific fields
Technical skills
- Translation software proficiency
- CAT (Computer-Assisted Translation) tool proficiency
- Terminology management software knowledge
- Localization tools proficiency
- Computer skills
PRO TIP:
Customize your translator resume to the job by adding relevant skills and keywords that match the job description. This will help your resume get noticed by ATS scanners.
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20 Translator Action Verbs
Recruiters typically focus on the top third of a resume, drawn to dynamic phrases that convey capability and impact. Resume action verbs, or resume power words, effectively describe your skills and achievements in previous roles, quickly capturing the recruiter’s attention. Below is a tailored list of action verbs suitable for translators:
- Adapted
- Analyzed
- Collaborated
- Communicated
- Edited
- Interpreted
- Managed
- Negotiated
- Proofread
- Researched
- Reviewed
- Synthesized
- Transcribed
- Translated
- Validated
- Verified
- Coordinated
- Documented
- Facilitated
- Liaised
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Additional Resume Sections
Consider adding the following sections to your translator based on your specific circumstances and to enhance your qualifications:
Write a Cover Letter to Stand Out
While a resume briefly outlines your skills and background, a cover letter offers a more comprehensive view of your career aspirations. Strengthen your application by including a cover letter, allowing you to showcase achievements and illustrate how your skills fulfill the company’s needs. Explore our sample for ideas or utilize our resources to optimize your application further.
Cover Letters for Translators
Translator FAQ
How should I format my translator resume to stand out to employers?
Use a clean, professional layout with clear sections for easy readability. Highlight relevant skills, language proficiency and translation experience prominently. Tailor your resume to match the job description and emphasize your ability to meet the employer’s translation needs.
How can I optimize my resume for applicant tracking systems (ATS)?
Include relevant keywords from the job description to increase visibility to applicant tracking systems. Use clear formatting with headings and bullet points for easy parsing by ATS algorithms.
What is the average salary for translators?
The average salary for translators varies depending on experience, specialization and location. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median annual wage for translators and interpreters was $51,830 as of May 2020.
Should I include references on my translator resume?
No, it’s generally not necessary to include resume references. Save space to highlight your skills and experience. You can provide references separately upon request during the hiring process.
Is it necessary to include a cover letter with my translator resume?
While not always required, including a cover letter allows you to provide additional context for your application and further highlight your qualifications and passion for translation. It’s an opportunity to make a strong impression and demonstrate your fit for the role.
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Last edited by: Gabriela Barcenas, CONTENT STRATEGIST - November 12, 2024
Gabriela Barcenas
CONTENT STRATEGISTGabriela is a Certified Professional Resume Writer (CPRW) and career adviser. With 10 years of digital media experience and five years of resume writing expertise, her publication history includes fashion, education, travel, social justice, equitable design and career advice.