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The perfect translator CV outlines your experience and ability in translating specific languages. Naturally this should include the languages in question, but also the format and industries you’ve translated for. Solid educational qualifications and a comprehensive summary of previous roles or projects will give employers a good overview of what you’re capable of.
With our translator CV example and advice, you can translate all of your skills and experience into the language spoken by recruiters. Discover how to format your CV, what to write in your personal statement, and so much more, before building your own translator CV for UK roles.
Start by updating this Translator CV template, or peruse our professional CV templates to find one that fits your needs.
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Translator CV templates
Personal statement – translator CV tips
Opening your CV for translator job roles doesn’t have to be difficult. A personal statement or professional summary will outline your area of expertise, key skills, and personal qualities in a simple 3-4 sentence paragraph.
Be sure to mention the languages you can interpret and translate, along with any media you specialise in like written documents, face-to-face meetings or even phone calls. Sought-after qualities like friendly, professional, and calm are great as the icing on the cake.
Translator CV writing – 5 top tips
Wondering how to make your own application as good as our translator CV sample? These five simple tips will spell it out in plain English…
Tick the language boxes
A key feature of any good translator-interpreter CV sample is clarity when it comes to your specialist languages. Whether it’s Spanish, Mandarin, French or Portuguese, recruiters want to know that you specialise in the languages required for the role. While this might seem painfully obvious, recruiters receive plenty of irrelevant CVs for every role, so they need to make sure applicants tick this basic translation skills box before proceeding. Mentioning specific languages in your personal statement is the easiest way to do so.
Include key translation skills
Linguistic prowess isn’t all you’ll need if you want to embark on an interpreter-translator career. Even if they come naturally to you, it’s important to outline the skills of a good translator in your CV. These include translating written documents, performing multilingual customer service, or interpreting face-to-face during business meetings.
Back up your linguistic prowess
Translation degree requirements can vary with some recruiters looking for a relevant Bachelor’s or Master’s, while others simply want fluency in your chosen languages. Whatever the case, it’s important that you back up your translator CV skills with some achievements or qualifications. Include a relevant degree if you have one, though a language proficiency test is another great way of showing your capability in your qualifications section.
Keep it concise and simple
One of the many translator skills CV-wise is the ability to interpret and deliver the right information in a clear and concise manner. Your in-house or freelance translator CV should reflect this by listing your own skills and responsibilities in the same manner. Like a translation CV template, sections should be well spaced out with clear subheadings, using bullet points to keep things concise. Try to avoid complex language or ‘jargon’, as it could make recruiters question your ability to convey things clearly.
Show progression in your translator career
Whether you’re applying for entry level customer service roles or mirroring a freelance translator CV sample later in your career, it’s important to show how you’ve progressed in your interpreter-translator career. That could be developing your skills in legal document translation in previous roles. Or if you’re writing a translator CV with no experience, you can detail how you’ve progressed from studying a language at school through to college, university, and eventually becoming fluent.
Translator CV – UK skills
Most jobs require a combination of hard and soft CV skills. Translator roles are no exception. Here’s what recruiters are looking for.
Technical translation skills
- Fluency in multiple languages
- Translating written documents
- Proofreading and document review
- Interpreting spoken language
- Multilingual customer service
- Cultural knowledge
Transferable translator CV skills
- Clear communication
- Teamwork
- Attention to detail
- Self-motivated
- Process implementation
- Relevant industry understanding
Top translator CV FAQs
What languages are in high demand for translators?
English is the most popular language to translate to or from. Spanish and Mandarin are in high demand, as they’re spoken by so many people around the world.
What diploma do you need to get to be a translator?
Translators should hold both a degree or other certification for fluency in their target languages, and a postgraduate qualification in translation.
How to become a translator (UK)?
To become a translator, you’ll need to be fluent in your chosen languages with the training and qualifications to back it up. The next step is to choose an industry or specialism, whether that’s proofreading legal documents or interpreting during business negotiations. Finally, translation careers (UK) require some experience, whether it’s voluntary work or an entry-level position.
How to become a certified translator?
There are a number of professional bodies such as the Chartered Institute of Linguists, which act as a form of certification for translators. To join, you need to meet admissions criteria for your chosen grade and typically pay a membership fee.
How much do translators make (UK)?
The average translator salary (UK) is around £30,000 per year. Your translator UK salary depends largely on your level of experience and specialist expertise. You can earn well above the translator average salary if you are an expert in legal translation, for example. Or you might earn below the typical translator yearly salary for entry-level roles like bilingual customer service.
Translator CV writing made easy
At myPerfectCV, we’re fluent in the language of recruiters – and we’re ready to help you build a CV for interpreter-translator roles. Use our in-house and freelance translator CV example to guide the way, then head to our online builder. You can choose from a range of to impressive pre-made CV templates then select professionally written content tailored to translator career requirements for your skills, work history, and professional summary.
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