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How to write the perfect interpreter CV

ablio

• 6 min read

As a freelance interpreter (and/or translator) you are proposing your services to several potential clients, language agencies, and service providers. Your CV is the first chance you get to make a good impression: a well-written CV can set you apart from other applicants and make it easier for these potential clients to evaluate if you would be a good fit for the assignments they might have.

A good CV is important also for those agencies that have set their application policies for interpreters since the CV might also be requested by their clients, who wish to evaluate the profiles of the proposed interpreters before proceeding to their orders. 

In this article, we will give you tips on how to create the perfect CV and boost your service opportunities. Choose the right format 

You must write your CV in Europass format, which is the standard in Europe and is also well accepted in other continents. You can download here a template of the Europass CV that we have prepared for you, once downloaded, click "File - Make a Copy - Save it to your drive" you will then be able to freely edit the template with your information. But you can also find similar templates on the web. 

The majority of evaluators require this format since it makes it easier for them to quickly identify the information they are looking for (many of them are spending just a few seconds on each CV...). 

We see that many interpreters' CVs are full of graphics, with too much or too little information, organized in different order in the document. Avoid these mistakes by: 

  • Stick to the style of the template: don't try to embellish it with graphics or change the order of the items. 
  • Use Arial 10pt or Calibri 10pt fonts, which are well-readable: avoid fancy fonts. 
  • Keep the CV from 2 to 4 A4 pages long.

The contents 

Let's see now how to properly compose your CV, item by item of the template. 

Your picture 

It's not fundamental, but it's nice to have it. It enhances the retention of the information, plus your picture is already available when the clients need to prepare entry passes to restricted areas for your on-site assignments. 

Personal information 

Complete all the personal information (address, telephone(s), email, sex, date of birth, nationality), ensuring it is accurate. Update your CV whenever any of these details change, and send the updated version to your references. If you have a professional networking profile, website, or online portfolio, link them to your contact details. 

Protect yourself against misuse of your personal information. You should ensure that the recipients of your CV are treating your personal data according to the current Privacy Laws. Reliable agencies should only use your CV to select and assign the most suitable interpreters to each specific project. They should share your CV in anonymous form (covering your personal information and picture) to their potential clients, if required during their evaluation phase and you should be previously informed and agree to share your CV in full with a client just for the proper execution of a service assignment.  

If unsure about the ethics of the recipients of your CV, state and clarify their disclaimers before sending them your CV.

Qualification 

A good CV profile focuses on the sector you're applying to. Enter just your main qualification as a title (in bold font, 12pt), such as "interpreter", "freelance interpreter", "interpreter and translator". "freelance EN/ES interpreter". 

Other good examples could be: 

  • "Conference interpreter specialized in EU legislation, Legal, and Finance since 2012. Large experience in the framework of the Social Dialogue, EWCs, and parliamentary procedures. Court-appointed interpreter in Luxembourg". 
  • "Conference interpreter and translator since 1992". 

Avoid leaving the space blank, or using sentences like: 

  • "A motivated, confident, and methodical multilingual professional with extensive experience in the Localisation / Translation/ Business Growth industry" (not to the point). 
  • "To secure a responsible and challenging position as Interpreter/Translator where my knowledge, skills and experience will be utilized to contribute to the growth and success of your company" (not suitable, unless you are looking for an employment contract, which is not our case). 

Work Experience 

Here, you must not be too long nor too short and include all the proper data: interpreting modes, topics, and numbers are the keywords that catch the attention.  

You might start with "from 2015 to now: professional interpreter for x years – (specify your interpreting modes, i.e. conference interpreting – remote/onsite assignments, telephone interpreting, etc.) 

Enter your specializations in specific fields (like aerospace, medical, etc.), if you have them, and other language-related activities, like language teaching, subtitling, or voice-over, if any. 

Proceed by summarizing the entries such as:  "2023: 70 days of interpreting assignments for topics like healthcare, politics, financial", "2023: 25.000 words written translations on topics like xxx, yyy, for clients like zzz (enter the names of some clients)."  

Avoid describing ALL the services you have done: it'll make your CV too long and nobody will read them!   

Education and training 

Enter the references of your diplomas, degrees and certifications, such as: 

  • "2010: Master's degree in conference interpretation – Monterey Institute of International Studies. CA. USA"  
  • "2020: Certificate Court Interpreting English/Dutch - Association of SIGV Court Interpreters and Legal Translators, Utrecht" 
  • "15/09/2004 – 15/06/2005 Toulouse, France: Master's Degree in Foreign Languages (English and Spanish) applied to International Relations and Trade - University of Toulouse Le Mirail”. 

Mention specific modules only if relevant and avoid incomplete descriptions like: 

  • "Government certification as evaluator and as interpreter" (which government? Which certification?)  
  • "Community Interpreting Course LV2" (which institute/organization? Duration? Etc.) 

Working languages 

There are two main standards for classifying your working languages as interpreter: ISO 23155 or CEFR. 

The ISO 23155 Standard classifies the languages as "A", "B" or "C", where: 

  • "A" is the primary language or its strict equivalent of which the interpreter has complete command and into which the interpreter interprets from all their other 'A' languages, 'B' languages or 'C' languages  
  • "B" is a language in which the interpreter is proficient, but which is not their primary language or its strict equivalent 
  • "C" is a language from which the interpreter interprets into their 'A' languages or 'B' languages 

Instead, the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) organises language proficiency in six levels, A1 to C2, which can be regrouped into three broad levels:  

  • C1 and C2: proficient user 
  • B1 and B2: independent user  
  • A1 and A2: basic user 

and that can be further subdivided according to the needs of the local context. 

The proper description of these classes can be found at this link.  

As you can see, A is the best language class in ISO, while is a poor language class in CEFR. You should therefore enter your working languages using any of these two classification modes, but ensure you clearly state which mode you are using, to avoid confusion. 

We suggest you use the ISO classification. Both ways of classification are widely adopted and accepted, but it's worth mentioning that ISO 23155 is the real ISO standard for the profession of interpreters, while CEFR is a more generic language classification for anybody, whose profession is not necessarily translation or interpreting. 

Communication and other skills 

Enter your soft skills, which should be relevant to the job,  specifying in what context they were acquired. Don't exaggerate your abilities. 

Some examples: 

  • "Interpersonal skills: accompanying high-level delegations in missions abroad" 
  • "Working in a team: extensive experience in working in teams of interpreters in large multilingual event assignments" 
  • "Leadership: management of interpreters teams (4 to 24 interpreters / 2 to 4 languages)" "Organisation: identification of the best interpreter based on the conference venue, topic, programme and matching both in the booth and in the team" 
  • "Management: negotiation of the various aspects of interpreting; interface between the interpreter team and the customer before, during and after the event" 
  • "Organisation: Chef d'Equipe during on-site assignments" 
  • "Good communication skills gained through my experience as freelance conference interpreter in about 30 years of service provision and negotiation with customers" 
  • "Verbal communication: creating and giving classes as associated English professor at UNINT University, Rome, for 7 years" 

Digital competence 

You should specify here your computer skills, including the IT infrastructure that you have. 

Examples: 

  • "I operate as remote interpreter and translator from my own office, equipped with two late generation workstations, professional headsets with microphone, UPS, fast Internet connection""Extensive experience in using RSI remote interpreting platforms (Ablioconference, etc.) and videoconferencing platforms (Zoom, MS Teams, etc.)" 
  • "Extensive experience in using translation CAT tools, Trados, etc." 

Memberships 

Report here your memberships to Interpreters and/or Translators Associations, like: 

"AIIC - Association Internationale Interprètes di Conférence (2013 - to date)" 

Additional information 

Other unique experiences or attributes that set you apart. 

Other useful suggestions 

Finally, here are some extra tips:  

  • Write your CV in English, unless otherwise requested by the client. 
  • Use an editing app such as Grammarly to proofread your CV. There should be no grammar or spelling errors in the document as this looks unprofessional. 
  • References - You don't have to provide the names of referees. 
  • Don't lie on your CV as you will likely be found out and excluded from any potential service opportunity. 

If you follow all these instructions your CV will show your capabilities and be well received by your clients. Wishing you all the best in your interpreter profession! 
The Ablio team

About us

Ablio is a global provider of language interpretation services, working with a pool of 2.000+ accredited interpreters for business corporations of any kind of industry, government and public institutions, as well as SME enterprises.  

This article is the result of our experience gained through the processing and evaluation of 5.000+ interpreters' CVs, handling the requirements of hundreds of projects for our clients. 

You are also welcome to join our community of interpreters by sending your CV and your application at https://ablio.com/jobs

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