Lately I have been reading a ton of resumes. Indeed, I’ve seen more resumes in the past few weeks than I have in all of my life, to the tune of over 550 resumes and CVs in the past month alone. Although the largest percentage came to me as job applications from translators (we recently posted a hiring notice, you can check it out here), we have also been translating a higher-than-usual number of resumes and CVs from clients looking to change jobs in a variety of industry sectors. Employees looking for better pay, better hours, more opportunities, a change of scenery… although the reasons may be endless and the geographic range just as diverse, the sales tool is always the same: the vital and indispensable resume.
As someone who spent some time writing and rewriting resumes for a living, I can tell you that no two resumes are identical and the same holds true for any written document translated by two different translators. Since translating a resume can sometimes involve some or substantial rewriting of the original document, not only do you need an excellent translator, you also need someone who is an excellent writer in their native language.
Coupled with that, the best translator for the job will also be someone who is comfortable and familiar with the principles, practices and general techniques of excellent resumes. I won’t go into the “how-tos” of good resume writing because there are dozens of terrific, useful resources on the web; however, I will say that, from the perspective of a language professional, the value of having someone else proofread your resume cannot be overstated. We are often blind to our own errors, and it can take a fresh pair of eyes to single out the misplaced modifiers, sentence fragments and other language errors that invariably crop up, no matter how careful we aim to be. (And like it or not, these errors may cost you your only shot at an interview and potentially the job of your dreams.)
In the same way that it’s not unusual to tailor your resume or CV to different industries, the same is true when it comes to translating your resume or CV into another language. You should consider how much customization you might want or need from your translator. And since translating a resume is unlike any other form of translation, there are certain things you need to know before you hire a translator to translate your resume or CV.
We have put together a two-part series to help our inspired job-seekers get the most out of translating their resumes and CVs into other languages. The series will run today and tomorrow. We hope you enjoy the first part!
With the exception of some highly-technical documents that may require a more literal approach, most documents do not read naturally when they are translated on a word-for-word basis. (In fact, this may be evidence of a less experienced translator who has not yet learned to distance him or herself from the structure of the source document.) With that in mind, make sure you will not be getting a word-for-word or literal translation.
Consider this example from the textbook La Traduction Raisonnée*:
”Swimming outside the buoy lines is forbidden.”
If this sentence were translated into French word-for-word, you might get something like:
“La baignage à l’extérieur de la ligne de bouées est interdite.”
A native French speaker will tell you that this example of a literal translation is a) not idiomatic, and b) not suitable for the type of message here (a public notice). In my experience, this happens more frequently among less experienced translators, and in particular, translators who are not translating INTO their native language (i.e. I might translate it this way if I were translating into French, which is not my mother tongue).
A more liberal, more “correct” translation might instead read as:
”Baignage interdite au-delà des bouées.”
Both sentences essentially mean the same thing, but both sentences do not say the same thing in the same way. One sentence is more idiomatic, mirroring the way a native speaker might actually write it in French and this is crucial in translating documents, especially general or literary projects, into another language.
Unless you simply want your current, updated resume translated into another language, it might be wise to find out whether the particular translator you have in mind is comfortable rewriting or adapting certain parts of your resume so that they adhere to best resume writing practices.
Solid background research is vital in any translation project and this is especially true for a translator translating resumes because a translator may be able to find a better way of wording your previous jobs so that they market your skills better.
For example, a translator might ask or check to see whether your resume adheres to certain principles. Does your resume put the most important information first (naturally your contact information, and if applicable, a summary of your skills or qualifications)? Is your current resume succinct, concise and specific about your current and past responsibilities? Does your resume use “power ” or action words? Does your resume do a good job of summarizing and selling your career and professional activities? If not, you may want to have your translator rewrite or “improve” upon your current resume to polish it up a bit before you apply for a new job.
Thanks for reading this post and stay tuned for the second part of our series on resume translation for clients tomorrow!
* La Traduction Raisonnée: manuel d’initiation à la traduction professionnelle, anglais, français: méthode par objectifs d’apprentissage. Jean Delisle with Alain René. 2e édition. Ottawa, Ontario: Les Presses de l’Université d’Ottawa, 2003. pp 194-195.
