Resume

Your first technical document⎹ Be original⎹ General tips

Your first technical document

Treat your resume (or CV, if you prefer) like your first serious technical document. Pay attention to:

Target audience
Layout and structure
Text formatting
Visual elements
Clarity and conciseness
Grammatical correctness
Relevance of information
Consistency and uniformity

Remember that your audience are recruiting you for a writing job. Grammatical errors, typos, or incorrect punctuation are unacceptable. Stick to some style guide and be consistent: don’t mix American and British spelling, don’t confuse hyphens with dashes, don’t use different bullet types for lists, etc.

It’s best to send your resume as a PDF, but this won’t always mask awkward formatting. If you write in Word, don’t align text with Space and don’t push lines down by pressing Enter. Use a single font type and maintain uniform spacing.

Don’t go all monochromatic, but do limit your design to 2–4 colors. You can use free tools to pick shades that complement one another nicely. Stick to toned-down but contrasting colors for better readability.

Don’t overload your resume with content. Write concisely and include only the necessary information.

Be original

Recruiters skim through hundreds of resumes, so try to make yours stand out. Don’t go over the top with flashy colors and avoid popular templates and generators. Aim for elegant, minimalistic designs. Pick a template from Canva or Word and then modify it, or create your own template from scratch. Do consider the latter for the sake of your design skills. Eventually, they might come in handy.

Content-wise, you can include subtle cues that will make you more memorable. For example, if you have interesting hobbies (even better if they concern technology), you might mention that. Hobby topics are great ice breakers – unless they’re something like “watching good movies” or “reading good books”, in which case they are deal breakers and it’s better to leave them out.

Consider whether you have job experience outside of translation that could still be relevant for the new position. For instance, if you spoke at a conference or tutored someone in foreign languages, this can be an indicator of your good communication and presentation skills. A good sales pitch can work magic here.

Start your resume with a profile statement. Write a few words about what kind of professional you are and why you want to enter tech comm. This will add some personality to your document.

Tailor your resume toward a specific employer. For example, you can bold or highlight the skills and tools that were mentioned in the offer you’re applying for, or you can modify your profile statement to mention the name of the company.

General tips

To make a good resume, follow these tips:

Write in English or in the language the job offer was written in.
In word-processors (e.g., MS Word), use proper formatting.
Use simple popular fonts (e.g., Arial).
Font size: 11-12pt for normal text, 14-16pt for headers.
Avoid popular templates and resume generators.
Consider using software such as Canva for design.
Save and send your resume in PDF.
Consider adding your photo so you are recognized and remembered more easily.
Include a profile statement.
Include a link to your portfolio.
Emphasize relevant skills and experience.
Double check for typos, mistakes, and inconsistencies.

❗ IMPORTANT: If a job offer lists specific requirements for the resume, those requirements take precedence.

⚠️ CAUTION: Some countries have anti-discrimination laws that rule against adding your photo to a resume. Make sure you check local regulations before you apply for a job abroad.

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