Translator CV example: language pairs first, then credentials and tools
Put your language pairs and their direction at the top of a translator CV, then credentials someone tested you for, such as ATA certification or ITI membership, then specialist fields with word volumes, then CAT tools.1
Written 13 October 2026. CitedCV. How we write our guides
Write your language pairs before anything else
Pair and direction are the first facts a buyer of translation needs, so they belong under your name, written as arrows: Turkish > English, English > Turkish, German > Turkish. If you work into one language only, say so plainly rather than listing both directions.
The BLS says translators need proficiency in at least two languages, and the National Careers Service adds cultural understanding of the communities whose language you work in, usually from living or working there. A line for each language with its level and where you lived or studied answers both points at once.
Mother tongue and working languages
Name your mother tongue plainly. For other languages, give a CEFR level or an exam result rather than words like fluent; the guide on CEFR levels shows the format.
Credentials and what each one proves
| Credential | Issued by | What it tests | How to write it |
|---|---|---|---|
| ATA certified translator (CT) | American Translators Association | A three-hour, open-book, proctored exam, pass or fail, offered for specific language pairs | ATA certified, pair and direction, year |
| Qualified Member (MITI) | Institute of Translation and Interpreting, UK | Portfolio-based assessment; at least three years of experience shown by references, or six without a degree | MITI, pair, year admitted |
| CertTrans or DipTrans | Chartered Institute of Linguists, UK | Translation qualifications named by the National Careers Service | Qualification, pair, year |
| Federal court interpreter certification | US federal courts | Court interpreting in several languages, per the BLS | Language and year |
| Sworn translator (yeminli tercüman) | A Turkish notary, office by office | The notary must be satisfied you know the language, from a diploma, other documents or other means | Notary offices and year of oath |
ATA asks certified translators to meet a continuing education requirement to keep the credential, and suggests showing the CT designation on a resume. The BLS notes that general certification is usually not required in the US, so a CV without one is normal; a credential simply saves the client a test.
Sworn status in Türkiye: what the notary records
Article 96 of Turkey's Notary Law Regulation requires the notary to put a translator under oath and record it: name, date of birth, addresses, education, the languages and scripts the translator knows, and how the notary satisfied itself of that knowledge. Each notary keeps its own file of oath records and cannot use a translator who has none there. That is why a Turkish CV lists the notary offices, not a single licence number.
Sample CV section: freelance legal and medical translator (example)
Example only. The person, clients and figures are invented to show the form; use your own facts.
- Deniz Arslan, Translator. Turkish > English, English > Turkish. Izmir. Email, phone, portfolio link.
- Credentials: sworn translator (English) at two notary offices in Izmir, oaths taken 2021; ATA certification exam booked for 2027.
- Freelance translator, 2019 to present: about 400,000 words a year for three agencies and four direct clients; 60% legal (contracts, court judgments, powers of attorney), 30% medical (discharge summaries, device instructions), 10% general.
- In-house translator, a logistics company, 2017 to 2019: translated tenders and customs correspondence; built a termbase of 2,300 entries used by a team of four.
- Tools: Trados Studio and memoQ for translation memory work; Xbench for QA; Aegisub for subtitle timing.
- Education: BA Translation and Interpreting (English), 2017. Languages: Turkish (mother tongue), English (C2), German (B2).
Why the volume line matters
A yearly word count and the split by field tell a client what you can carry and where your terminology is deep. Keep the numbers to what your invoices support; an agency may ask for a test translation that will show the same thing.
Specialist fields and how to show them
| Field | Typical documents | Evidence to add |
|---|---|---|
| Legal | Contracts, judgments, powers of attorney | Sworn status, law courses, document types handled |
| Medical and life sciences | Discharge summaries, patient leaflets, device manuals | Clients by type, glossaries built, any clinical background |
| Technical | Manuals, specifications, tenders | Industries, termbase size |
| Audiovisual | Subtitles, dubbing scripts | Hours of content, subtitle software |
| Localisation | Apps, websites, games | Platforms, string counts, review workflow |
CAT tools and the rest of the toolkit
Turkey's national occupational standard for translators (MYK, Level 6) lists the equipment of the trade: computer-assisted translation tools, subtitle software, electronic or printed dictionaries, audiovisual editing programs. Name the tools you use, grouped by job, so a project manager can match you to their workflow.
- Translation memory: the CAT tools you can work in, and whether you can handle a client’s package file.
- Quality assurance: the QA checker you run before delivery.
- Terminology: termbases you built, with the number of entries.
- Subtitling or localisation tools, only if you do that work.
Skills table for a translator
| Skill named by official sources | Proof on the CV |
|---|---|
| Thoroughness and attention to detail (National Careers Service) | QA step, error-free audit or reviewer role |
| Excellent writing skills (National Careers Service) | Published translations, style guides followed |
| Working independently (National Careers Service) | Freelance years and number of repeat clients |
| Cultural sensitivity (BLS) | Time lived or studied abroad |
| Business skills for the self-employed (BLS) | Direct clients, invoicing, deadlines kept |
Proof: sources read on 13 October 2026
We read each source on 13 October 2026. The BLS counts 73,900 interpreter and translator jobs in 2025, about 28% held by self-employed workers, and a median wage of $60,170 in May 2025, which excludes the self-employed. The National Careers Service says most translators work freelance or through agencies and gives the salary as variable. MYK's standard for the translator, reference 12UMS0274-6, revised in the Official Gazette of 16 May 2020, says there is no profession-specific legislation for translators in Türkiye.
Credential rules and fees change; open the issuing body’s page before you apply for any of them.
When to change the layout
Interpreters lead with settings and modes (consecutive, simultaneous, remote) and hours or days worked, not word counts. In-house translators put the employer first and the pairs second. Language teachers who translate on the side belong closer to the English teacher CV, with translation as a section.
Applying abroad
There is no country guide for translators on this site yet. The CV for jobs abroad checklist covers photos and personal details, and the CEFR guide covers language levels. CitedCV can write the CV in English, Turkish or German from the facts you enter, such as your pairs, clients and volumes; it does not verify credentials, so list only those you hold.
Questions people ask
How do I write language pairs on a translator CV?
Write each pair with an arrow for direction, such as Turkish > English, directly under your name, and list your mother tongue separately.
Do I need a certification to work as a translator?
Usually not. The BLS says general certification is typically not required, though courts and some specialties require or prefer it.
What is a sworn translator in Turkey?
A translator who has taken an oath before a notary; the notary records it and can only use translators whose oath record it holds.
Which CAT tools should I put on my resume?
Only the tools you have delivered real jobs in, grouped by task: translation memory, QA, terminology and, if relevant, subtitling.
How do I show translation experience as a freelancer?
Give years freelancing, yearly word volume, the split by field and the number of agencies and direct clients, all backed by invoices.
Is ATA certification worth putting on a CV?
Yes, if you hold it; ATA itself suggests using the CT designation on resumes, with the pair and year it covers.
How do I get ITI membership?
Qualified membership needs a portfolio-based assessment and at least three years of experience shown by references, or six years without a degree.
Sources
- BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook: Interpreters and Translatorswww.bls.gov/ooh/media-and-communication/interpreters-and-translators.htm
- National Careers Service: Translator job profilenationalcareers.service.gov.uk/job-profiles/translator
- American Translators Association: Certificationwww.atanet.org/certification/
- ITI: Qualified translator assessmentwww.iti.org.uk/membership/individual-membership-categories/qualified-translator/qualified-translator-assessment.html
- Noterlik Kanunu Yönetmeliği, article 96 (mevzuat.gov.tr)www.mevzuat.gov.tr/MevzuatMetin/yonetmelik/7.5.5040.pdf
- MYK national occupational standard: Translator, Level 6portal.myk.gov.tr/index.php?dl=Meslek_Standartlari%2F5427%2FSON_TASLAK_PDF_20200521_164304.pdf&fileName=12UMS0274-6+Rev+01+%C3%87evirmen