Do you love languages and can you use at least two languages or above? Then a job as a translator might be for you. But landing a perfect job isn’t always easy, especially when you have to compete with a lot of applicants! To increase your odds, a perfect resume is crucial. If you have no clue about creating a resume for yourself, this article is for you! In the following, we’ll cover:
- Why do you need a resume?
- A step-by-step guide to create a resume
- What if you don’t have any experience?
Why do you need a resume?
This sounds like a ridiculous question, for job searching of course! But before you want to skip this paragraph, we want to make sure you know the true value and purposes of a resume!
Your resume is your personal brand and your sales representative. It doesn’t matter how much experience you have, your resume needs to sell your services out! Remember, your potential employers and HR recruiters receive many resumes every single day. If you hope to win jobs, you need to beat hundreds of other candidate. So, writing a good resume is the first step to land a perfect job.
Are you a freelance translator? You need a resume because you have to win contracts from clients or translation agencies. Thus, a good resume needs to convince people to give you a chance and develop conversation with you.
Thus, when you create a resume, think of it as a sales pitch. After having this “winning” mindset, now follow our below guide to create a perfect resume!
A Step By Step Guide for an Incredible Resume
Step 1. Choose the best format
Your resume must be perfectly formatted and totally error free (this is extremely important especially when you are a professional translator, who want to hire a translator who makes grammatical and spelling mistakes!). Make sure your resume is easy to read and choose the format that fits you. Have profound experience, strong work history and achievements? Then a chronological resume is ideal for you! Because it lists your work history in order of date. It is easier for recruiters to understand your work history.
But, if you don’t have much experience or if you are a freelancer, a functional resume could be a good option. A functional resume is a type of resume format that highlights skills and abilities. You can focus on your past translations projects and the skills you have developed.
In short, your resume is your sales representative, you need to format it in a way people want to know more about you.
Step 2. Write a succinct and persuasive summary
Imagine this is your sales pitch, what do you want your potential employers to know in a minute? Write a short paragraph about yourself, focus on your skills, experiences and strengths. Let the recruiters know you have the right skills and attitudes. Focus on your uniqueness, here is an example:
If you want to get a job as a technical translator, and you have a degree in computer science, highlight it! Your technical knowledge is your great asset.
Step 3. Use keywords and quantify your experiences
The fact is, HR professionals love reading numbers on resumes! You need to quantify your experiences and achievements. (e.g. 150k words of translation for a white paper, translated over 500 complete projects). It is a great way to prove to employers that you have provable accomplishments in your work history.
Also, add keywords to your resume to make sure people know you have the right skills. For example, in Australia, people are usually looking for NAATI-accredited translators. If you have the relevant certificates and exams, make sure you include them in your resumes. Use keywords like “award-winning”, “certified” and “accomplished” can also increase your odds!
Step 4. Education
Employers place a high value on the education in a resume of a translator. Make sure you start with your most advanced degree. Don’t forget to mention your academic achievements. If you are a First Class Honors graduate, it can increase your chance!
Also, get some language certificates and remarkable exam results? Don’t be shy, let your potential employers know that you are a gifted translator!
Step 5. Highlight your skills and specialization
Translation is a very broad field. Thus, remember to mention your field of specialisation. Make sure you tailor your resume to one specific job. You also need to bear in mind that you should only apply for a job when you have the skills and interests. For example, if you apply for a marketing translator, ask yourself: why do you want this job? What makes you qualified for it or passionate about it? Addressing these questions can help you create a winning resume!
What if you don’t have any experience?
If you don’t have any professional experience as a translator? Don’t lose faith! You can still land a job with a good resume and attitudes. Focus on your skills on your resume, highlight projects you have done before. My Japanese friend who lives in Tokyo landed his first job with no experience! How did he make it? He mentioned his past experience of being a Wikipedia translator! So, be creative! There are many ways to get translation experience. Even if you are a fresh graduate with no corporate experience, don’t lose faith, you’ll be fine!
All in all, writing a 5-star translator resume isn’t easy, but it is the first step to land your dream job. Always remember the points we have mentioned above. And most importantly, be personal and relevant! You need to think like a recruiter – what do they want to know about you? Why do they need to hire you? What value can you add to their company? A resume is your sales representative, make sure you address every key point! With a 5-star translator resume, you can definitely stand out from the crowd when it comes to finding a job!
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