How to Write a CV in English as a Non-Native Speaker (With Examples)

Writing a CV in English when it is not your first language is not mainly a grammar problem. Recruiters forgive the odd preposition. What they do not forgive is a document that reads like a word-for-word translation: long passive sentences, duties instead of results, local job titles nobody recognises and personal details that are inappropriate in the target market. This guide covers both halves — the language and the conventions.

Do not translate — rewrite

A CV translated line by line keeps the structure and habits of your home country. An English CV for the UK, Ireland, the US, Canada or Australia follows different rules: shorter sentences, active verbs, numbers, and no personal data beyond contact details. Start from the target country, not from your old document.

The most common translation traps

• Literal job titles: translate the function, not the words. Use the title an international employer would search for, and keep the original in brackets if it helps.
• False friends: words that look familiar but mean something else in English. Have a native speaker or a reliable tool check every job title and section heading.
• Responsible for…: the most overused phrase in translated CVs. Replace it with what you actually achieved.
• Passive voice: was done, was managed, was handled. English CVs use active verbs with the subject left out.
• Long paragraphs: English CVs use short bullet points, one achievement per bullet.
• Local qualifications without context: add the international equivalent or a short explanation.

Verbs and phrases that work

Start each bullet with a strong past-tense verb (present tense for your current role), then add the result and, where possible, a number.

• Led, managed, coordinated — for responsibility over people or projects.
• Increased, reduced, improved, saved — for measurable results.
• Built, launched, designed, implemented — for things you created.
• Negotiated, trained, resolved, analysed — for skills in action.

Instead of: Responsible for the customer complaints department. Write: Reduced average complaint resolution time from 5 days to 2 by introducing a ticketing system.

What to remove from your home-country CV

1. Photo, date of birth, marital status, religion and nationality — unless the target country expects them (the Gulf and Germany are different).
2. Full postal address — city and country are enough.
3. Copies of certificates and long references inside the CV.
4. A career objective full of adjectives — replace it with a three-line professional summary.

Spelling and language level

Choose British or American spelling according to the market — organise or organize, CV or resume — and stay consistent. State your languages honestly with a standard level (CEFR such as B2 or C1, or Native, Fluent, Professional working proficiency). Overstating your English is the fastest way to lose an interview that will be held in English.

Check before you send

Read the CV aloud. If a sentence is hard to say, it is hard to read. Then compare it with the job ad: the keywords an ATS looks for should appear in your text exactly as the employer writes them.