As a freelance interpreter, properly showcasing your diverse experience and varied skill set on a resume can be a challenge. Our guide will provide you with tailored strategies to highlight your expertise and make your resume stand out to potential clients.
- Sample industry-leading examples to learn how to write your best resume yet.
- Improve the experience, education, and achievements section of your resume with insights from resume-writing professionals.
- Curate your technical expertise and personality to stand out amongst the pool of candidates.
- Succinctly focus on your unique skill set all through your freelance interpreter resume.
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Best practices for the look and feel of your freelance interpreter resume
Before you even start writing your freelance interpreter resume, first you need to consider its layout and format.
What's important to keep in mind is:
- The reverse-chronological resume is the most widely used format to present your experience, starting with your latest job.
- Your freelance interpreter resume header needs to include your correct, professional contact details. If you happen to have a professional portfolio or an updated LinkedIn profile, include a link to it.
- Ensure your resume is no longer than two pages - you don't have to include irelevant experience on your resume just to make it look longer.
- Unless specified otherwise, submit your resume in the most popular format, the PDF one, as this will ensure your freelance interpreter resume isn't altered.
Adjust your resume layout based on the market – Canadian resumes, for example, may follow a unique format.
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If you happen to have plenty of certificates, select the ones that are most applicable and sought-after across the industry. Organize them by relevance to the role you're applying for.
Recruiters' preferred freelance interpreter resume sections:
- A header with relevant contact information and headline, listing your current job title
- A resume summary or objective pinpointing what is most impressive about your expertise (that aligns with the role)
- An experience section highlighting the specifics of your responsibilities and achievements
- A skills sidebar to intertwine job advert keywords with your unique talents
- An education and certifications sections to serve as further accreditation to your professional experience
What recruiters want to see on your resume:
- Language proficiency and certifications in the relevant languages
- Experience with simultaneous, consecutive, or liaison interpreting, depending on the job requirements
- Specific knowledge or expertise in the relevant subject matter or industry (e.g., medical, legal, technical)
- Technical skills for remote interpreting platforms and software, if applicable
- Demonstrated ability to maintain confidentiality and adhere to ethical interpreting standards
The freelance interpreter resume experience section: a roadmap to your expertise
The resume experience section provides you with an opportunity to tell your professional narrative.
Recruiters, reading between the lines of your resume, use the experience section to better understand your unique skill set, accomplishments, and what unique value you bring about.
Discover five quick steps on how to write your experience section:
- Curate only relevant experience items to the role and include the company, description, and dates; all followed by up to six bullets per experience item;
- Each experience item should feature tangible results of your actions - if you can include a number or percent, this will further highlight your aptitude;
- If you've received any managerial or customer feedback, use short excerpts of it as further social proof of your technical or people skills;
- Make sure you're using the appropriate verb tense when listing your responsibilities;
- Within the description for each role, you could summarize your most noteworthy and relevant achievements.
Now, take note of how a real-world freelance interpreter professional received opportunities at industry leaders with these resume experience sections:
- Facilitated communication during international conferences for various industries, interpreting for over 100 speakers and contributing to successful cross-border understanding.
- Specialized in legal and business language, aiding in over 50 contract negotiations between English and Spanish-speaking parties with precision, ensuring clarity of terms.
- Managed multiple, concurrent interpretation assignments while maintaining a 98% client satisfaction rate, as evidenced by repeat client bookings and positive testimonials.
- Provided sign language interpretation services for deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals in a variety of settings including medical, educational, and corporate events.
- Collaborated with national interpreting agencies to extend service reach, resulting in a 40% increase in assignment volume within two years.
- Continuously developed skills in new languages, adding American Sign Language (ASL) to my portfolio which boosted my marketability to diverse clientele.
- Interpreted during high-stakes legal depositions for law firms, aiding non-English speakers in understanding proceedings which often affected case outcomes.
- Implemented a feedback system for interpretation services that increased service quality and client retention rates by 25% within a year.
- Adapted interpretation techniques for various dialects and colloquialisms, resulting in enhanced communication effectiveness and client satisfaction.
- Served as a technical interpreter for software and engineering firms, translating complex technical language during product development meetings.
- Assisted in localizing software applications for Spanish and French markets, ensuring cultural appropriateness and usability for international users.
- Led a team of junior interpreters, providing mentorship and training on industry-specific terminology and ethics, which improved the team's performance by 30%.
- Offered simultaneous interpretation for live broadcasts and streaming events, maintaining linguistic integrity under fast-paced, high-pressure environments.
- Expanded service offerings to include remote interpretation amid the pandemic, servicing clients globally and maintaining business operations without interruption.
- Conducted more than 200 hours of healthcare interpretations, ensuring non-English speaking patients received accurate and empathetic communication during treatments.
- Catered to the diplomatic sector by providing interpretation services for embassies and consulates, enhancing international relations through effective communication.
- Played a key role in community programs, interpreting for non-English speakers at town halls and local government meetings, fostering inclusive civic participation.
- Coordinated with other freelance interpreters to offer a comprehensive service package for international trade delegations, which increased my business volume by 60% over three years.
- Interpreted for tech startups during pitch sessions and investor meetings, contributing to their understanding and securing over $5M in funding.
- Helped organize international virtual workshops on cross-cultural communication, teaching participants the nuances of multilingual interactions.
- Developed and distributed resource material on common idiomatic expressions to clients, greatly reducing misunderstandings in multicultural settings.
- Supported non-profit organizations by providing pro-bono interpretation services at charity events, enhancing global engagement and donor participation.
- Streamlined the booking process through the implementation of an online scheduling system, increasing my availability and client convenience.
- Conducted cultural sensitivity training for clients prior to international visits, which was instrumental in achieving their communication objectives.
- Collaborated with tourism agencies to offer interpretation services for international travelers, enriching their cultural experiences and facilitating navigation.
- Increased revenue by 35% through the introduction of specialty guided tour interpretation services catering to niche history and art enthusiast groups.
- Created a glossary of industry-specific terms for the tourism sector, greatly improving the interpretive accuracy for future engagements.
- Specialized in real-time interpretation for live news coverage, working under stringent time constraints and delivering content-sensitive translations.
- Pioneered a training workshop for aspiring interpreters, highlighting the challenges and best practices of real-time broadcast interpretation.
- Employed my multilingual skills to support disaster relief operations by interpreting for international medical teams and affected local communities.
Quantifying impact on your resume
- Include the number of languages you are fluent in to demonstrate your linguistic versatility.
- Mention the total number of interpreting assignments completed to showcase your experience.
- Quantify the diversity of your work by listing the types of events or situations (e.g., legal, medical, conferences) you have interpreted for.
- Calculate and present the average number of interpreting hours you undertake per week or month to provide a measure of your work capacity.
- Specify the number of clients you have served to highlight your market penetration and client base.
- Detail the size of audiences you have interpreted for to show your ability to handle high-pressure situations.
- Report any percentage increases in client satisfaction or repeat business to underline your service quality.
- Include the number of interpreting training or certification programs you have completed to emphasize your commitment to professional development.
Action verbs for your freelance interpreter resume
How to shift the focus from your freelance interpreter resume experience section to your professional profile
If you're at the start of your career journey or transitioning industries, you might be concerned about the lack of professional experience while crafting your freelance interpreter resume.
How can you effectively present your freelance interpreter resume experience section under these circumstances?
Rather than a traditional, extensive experience section, demonstrate your expertise through:
- Emphasizing your education. Your academic background might impress recruiters, especially if it includes recent, industry-relevant knowledge;
- Creating a compelling objective statement. The first few sentences of your resume should map out your motivations and career aspirations, offering insight into your goals;
- Highlighting your transferable skills. For example, if you've honed communication skills through volunteering, illustrate on your freelance interpreter resume how these can benefit a potential employer;
- Detailing your technical background in certifications and skills sections. As a recent graduate, your technological foundations might be particularly attractive to employers looking to develop these skills further.
It's important to remember that employers sometimes prefer candidates with less experience but who are a better cultural fit for their organization.
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Bold the names of educational institutions and certifying bodies for emphasis.
In-demand hard skills and soft skills for your freelance interpreter resume
A vital element for any freelance interpreter resume is the presentation of your skill set.
Recruiters always take the time to assess your:
- Technological proficiency or hard skills - which software and technologies can you use and at what level?
- People/personal or soft skills - how apt are you at communicating your ideas across effectively? Are you resilient to change?
The ideal candidate presents the perfect balance of hard skills and soft skills all through the resume, but more particular within a dedicated skills section.
Building your freelance interpreter skills section, you should:
- List up to six skills that answer the requirements and are unique to your expertise.
- Include a soft skill (or two) that defines you as a person and professional - perhaps looking back on feedback you've received from previous managers, etc.
- Create up to two skills sections that are organized based on the types of skills you list (e.g. "technical skills", "soft skills", "freelance interpreter skills", etc.).
- If you happen to have technical certifications that are vital to the industry and really impressive, include their names within your skills section.
At times, it really is frustrating to think back on all the skills you possess and discover the best way to communicate them across.
We understand this challenge - that's why we've prepared two lists (of hard skills and soft skills) to help you build your next resume, quicker and more efficiently:
Top skills for your freelance interpreter resume:
Fluency in multiple languages
Transcription software
Translation software (e.g., SDL Trados, MemoQ)
Voice recognition technology
Video conferencing tools (e.g., Zoom, Microsoft Teams)
Terminology management systems
CAT tools (Computer-Assisted Translation)
Remote interpreting platforms
Audio recording equipment
Subtitling software
Cultural awareness
Active listening
Adaptability
Interpersonal communication
Attention to detail
Time management
Problem-solving
Empathy
Stress management
Professionalism
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List your educational qualifications and certifications in reverse chronological order.
The importance of your certifications and education on your freelance interpreter resume
Pay attention to the resume education section . It can offer clues about your skills and experiences that align with the job.
- List only tertiary education details, including the institution and dates.
- Mention your expected graduation date if you're currently studying.
- Exclude degrees unrelated to the job or field.
- Describe your education if it allows you to highlight your achievements further.
Your professional qualifications: certificates and education play a crucial role in your freelance interpreter application. They showcase your dedication to gaining the best expertise and know-how in the field. Include any diplomas and certificates that are:
- Listed within the job requirements or could make your application stand out
- Niche to your industry and require plenty of effort to obtain
- Helping you prepare for professional growth with forward-facing know-how
- Relevant to the freelance interpreter job - make sure to include the name of the certificate, institution you've obtained it at, and dates
Both your certificates and education section need to add further value to your application. That's why we've dedicated this next list just for you - check out some of the most popular freelance interpreter certificates to include on your resume:
The top 5 certifications for your freelance interpreter resume:
- Certified Interpreter (CI) - National Association of Judiciary Interpreters and Translators (NAJIT)
- Federal Court Interpreter Certification Examination (FCICE) - Administrative Office of the United States Courts
- Certified Medical Interpreter (CMI) - National Board of Certification for Medical Interpreters (NBCMI)
- Certification for Interpretation (CI) - Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf (RID)
- ATA Certified Translator (CT) - American Translators Association (ATA)
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Mention specific courses or projects that are pertinent to the job you're applying for.
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Freelance interpreter resume summaries or objectives: real-world samples for best industry practices
Grasp recruiters' attention from the get-go of your application with a professional freelance interpreter resume summary or objective.
It's wise to select the:
- Resume objective , if you don't happen to have much experience alignment and would like to more prominently feature your dreams and personality.
- Resume summary , if you'd like to have a more standard approach to your application and feature up to five career highlights to help you stand out.
Writing your resume summary or objective should be tailored to each role you apply for.
Think about what would impress the recruiters and go from there.
But, if you need further help with this introductory section, check out some real-world samples in the next part of this guide:
Resume summaries for a freelance interpreter job
- With over 10 years of experience as a professional interpreter, fluent in Spanish, French, and English, I have facilitated numerous high-stakes negotiations for international corporations. Notably, I played a pivotal role in a landmark trade agreement, demonstrating exceptional linguistic dexterity and cultural sensitivity.
- Armed with 8 years of translating expertise within the medical industry, including in-person and remote interpreting for healthcare facilities, I am adept at conveying critical information with clarity and precision, contributing to the successful treatment of non-English speaking patients.
- Transitioning from a 6-year career in law enforcement where keen observation and communication were key, I have developed strong Spanish language proficiency. My linguistic skills, coupled with a solid understanding of legal terminology, prepare me to effectively bridge communication gaps in legal settings.
- Former bilingual IT specialist seeking to leverage 5 years of technical communication and customer service experience into a new career as an interpreter. With in-depth knowledge of technical jargon in both English and Mandarin, I am equipped to provide accurate and timely translations for tech companies expanding into Asian markets.
- As a recent graduate with a degree in Modern Languages and passionate multilingual speaker, I am eager to apply my academic training and enthusiasm for cultural exchange by providing accurate interpretive services for conferences, business meetings, and community events.
- Eager to launch a career in interpretation, I bring a fresh perspective rooted in an extensive travel history and cultural immersion in Latin America. My objective is to employ my fluency in Spanish and English to foster understanding and cooperation in multinational collaborations.
Miscellaneous freelance interpreter resume sections for a more personalized approach
Your freelance interpreter resume can reflect even more upon your personality and best qualities - that is if you decide on including a couple of additional resume sections to support your application.
Some of the best-accepted industry-wide choices include the:
- Resume projects - getting into the outcomes of your most important work, so far;
- Languages on your resume - detailing your proficiency level;
- Special recognitions - dedicated to your most prominent industry awards;
- Hobbies and interests - defining how you spend your free time.
Key takeaways
Writing your freelance interpreter resume can be a structured and simple experience, once you better understand the organization's requirements for the role you're applying to. To sum up, we'd like to remind you to:
- Always select which experiences, skills, and achievements to feature on your resume based on relevancy to the role;
- In your resume summary, ensure you've cherry-picked your top achievements and matched them with the job ad's skills;
- Submit your freelance interpreter resume as a one or two-page long document at the most, in a PDF format;
- Select industry leading certifications and list your higher education to highlight you have the basis for technical know-how;
- Quantify your people's skills through various resume sections (e.g. Strengths, Hobbies and interests, etc.) to show recruiters how your profile aligns with the organizational culture.
