Writing a Resume in Spanish? Don’t Get Lost in Translation!

Looking for tips to write a resume in Spanish? We’re not surprised. It is estimated that around 42.5 million individuals in the U.S. speak Spanish as their native tongue. This accounts for 13.4% of the total population of the country and the second-largest population of Spanish speakers in the world after Mexico. Spanish-speaking employees are needed to cater to this share of the market.

Perhaps you’re applying to a job with a foreign company in the U.S. or one with an organization working solely with Spanish-speaking communities, in which Spanish is the first spoken language at work and a resume en español is clearly a must. Or, you might be seeking opportunities abroad in Latin America or Spain, where according to the Spanish Instituto Nacional de Estadística 41,953 Americans already chose to live.

In this article, we show you some tips and a general template for a resume in Spanish that will secure a position in any scenario.

3 Pillars for a Work Resume in Spanish

When it comes to writing the perfect resume in Spanish, you should still stick to the same general principles as for your English one. This is because no matter your industry or your country, recruiters deal with hundreds to thousands of resumes a day and can only dedicate seconds to each one. To attract attention your document should be:

1. Brief. This means that even if you’re a seasoned professional your document should fit onto one or two pages maximum.
2. Relevant. Only include information that aligns with what the job ad requires. For instance, if you’re up for a bilingual customer service role and already have some years in the industry, you can safely skip your waiter experience in college. To make sure your resume gets on the recruiters’ radar, always scan the job posting for industry-related keywords and use them in your resume as well.
3. Easy to read and navigate. The largest companies rely on Applicant Tracking Systems, computer software programs that perform candidate screening. That’s why is imperative that your resume in Spanish can be read both by a human and a machine. Wisely use sections, spacing, bullet points and bold text to guide the reader through your resume.

Be Aware of Cultural Differences

If you’re applying for a job in a Spanish-speaking company or country, it’s important to keep an eye on cultural differences that can really make a difference in recruiters’ eyes. Here are the most important ones:

Resume vs CV

While in the U.S. we have say “resume”, abroad you’ll often find the term “CV”, short for “curriculum vitae”. Moreover, other national variations exist, such as in Colombia, where the same document takes the name of “hoja de vida”.

Even such a small detail as what format you save your resume in Spanish in (PDF vs Word) can influence if a recruiter will open your document or not. Always research the country you’re applying in to prevent such issue.

Picture

While US recruiters tend to discard resumes with photos to avoid discrimination or bias, in other cultures a resume with a picture is sometimes expected. A professional passport-sized picture on the front page of your resume, when applicable, can take bring you further in your Spanish-speaking job search.

Choose the Right Verbs

In most Spanish-speaking cultures you must write your resume in the first person (skip the pronoun “yo” though), in the past tense for previous experience, and present for current roles. However, in certain Latin American countries it is customary to use the third person for specific careers. Always double-check if this applies to your case.

Sections to Include When Writing a Resume in Spanish

Personal Information

If you’re after a job abroad, keep in mind that recruiters might be more favorable towards your profile if you already have a local phone number and address. Also include a declaration of your valid documents such as visas or a driving license at the end of your resume. This will increase your chances to get selected abroad, although they’re not necessary on an American resume.

Professional Summary

This section is not traditionally required in Spanish-speaking countries, or if it is, it’s usually very brief - a sentence or two. However, following your American model here could actually give you an upper hand. Just make sure to slip in valuable metrics related to your years in the industry, best accomplishments and future goals.

Skills

Going for a Spanish bilingual position in the U.S.? Place this section just below your personal statement to present your entire skillset, which includes your ability to speak a different language. List your skills and how you acquired each one of them, but place your Spanish and English level at the top of the list to catch attention. For example:

Competencias

• Español: nivel C1 avanzado, certificado ACTFL en 2023
• Inglés: nivel nativo
• Python, HTML5, JavaScript, CSS: adquiridos mientras cubría el rol de desarrollador back-end para la empresa XZY durante 5 años

Remember that you also need to stress that you’re bilingual in your personal statement and in your cover letter.

If you apply abroad, on the other hand, the skills paragraph doesn’t hold as much importance so you should move it below your experiences and simply list your skills, as in the following example:

Competencias

Inglés: nivel nativo | Español: nivel avanzado

Python | HTML5 | JavaScript | CSS

Experience

In your resume in Spanish the experience section is vital. Follow a reverse chronological order and if you had many short experiences at the beginning of your career, skip them in favor of more recent ones. Short experiences can make you look less loyal to foreign recruiters.

As with the rest of your resume, try to list your accomplishments rather than the simple task you performed by describing them with active verbs and plenty of numbers and percentages. You can also use bullet points to make the paragraph easy to read.

Education

In the education paragraph of your resume for a Spanish-speaking company, once again it’s important to follow the reverse chronological order. On top of that, you should also translate the title of your college major. If your highest qualification is a high school diploma, work out the equivalent of your GPA score in the country you’re applying to.

When to Include a Languages Section in Your Resume En Español

Have you mastered more than two foreign languages? Speaking Spanish at work, along with other foreign languages is even more desirable. That’s why in this case it’s worth adding to your work resume in Spanish a specific language section, just under your experiences and skills. If you’re applying to a Spanish-speaking company in the U.S. or any Latin America country, list the level you’ve mastered in your languages, for example:

IDIOMAS

• Inglés: nivel nativo
• Español: nivel bilingüe
• Francés: nivel intermedio

However, if you’re targeting a role in Europe, it’s best to use the scale of the Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR) for languages in your resume in Spanish:

IDIOMAS

• Inglés: C2 Maestría
• Español: B2 Avanzado
• Francés: B1 Intermedio

Bonus: Hobbies, Interests and Volunteering

If, and only if, your hobbies and interests align with the position you’re seeking dedicate a section to them. For instance, if you’re looking for a job as a bilingual medical assistant and in your free time you volunteer for an association supporting immigrant health care, it’s worth mentioning.

See how all the sections combine in our resume in Spanish example below and use it as inspiration to get started on yours:

Basic Resume en Español Template

JOE JONES

Boston, MA 02101 EEUU | Teléfono: (+1) 555.555.5555 | j.jones@email.com | linkedin.com/j.jones

RESUMEN PROFESIONAL

Profesional creativo e innovador con 6 años de experiencia en ventas, atención al cliente e introducción de datos. Soporte a más de 50 clientes diario con índice de satisfacción del cliente medio 4,9/5 en los últimos 2 años. Habilidad natural para ganar confianza, construir relaciones comerciales sólidas, crear entusiasmo y motivar equipos. Persona con iniciativa y ambición, tengo además atención a los detalles y sólidas habilidades de comunicación.

COMPETENCIAS

Bilingüe en Inglés y Español | Satisfacción del Cliente | Resolución creativa de problemas | Cooperación | Habilidades organizativas sobresalientes | Recopilación e ingreso de datos | Redes Sociales | Promociones y Eventos | Iniciativa Personal | Colaboración interfuncional | Estrategia de comercialización | Formación | Producción de vídeo | Soporte administrativo

EXPERIENCIA LABORAL

Empresa Uno | Boston, MA | 20XX-20XX

Representante de atención al cliente

• Comuniqué con clientes comerciales como primer punto de contacto para compras y detalles de la cuenta. Proporcioné una experiencia de cliente elevada para generar una clientela leal.
• Brindé soporte a 50 clientes diariamente, desde preguntas generales hasta soporte de cuenta.
• Reconocido por resolver problemas de forma rápida y tranquila.
• Gestioné llamadas en una amplia variedad de productos y servicios, manteniéndose siempre actualizado en las especificaciones del producto.
• Utilicé Excel para actualizar hojas de cálculo con nuevos productos.
• Ajustes procesados a las cuentas de los clientes; creé nuevas cuentas y registré la información de la cuenta.

Empresa Dos | Boston, MA | 20XX-20XX

Representante de ventas

• Serví como primer punto de contacto para esta organización. Teléfonos contestados; saludé a clientes e invitados.
• Asistí a eventos de ventas para ayudar con las promociones y el marketing.
• Mantuve una conducta optimista y positiva; saludé a un gran número de personas mientras promocionaba la empresa.

Empresa Tres | Boston, MA | 20XX-20XX

Asistente de producción de video

• Ayudé al equipo de producción a grabar los momentos destacados de los videos promocionales y los clips de noticias.
• Involucré a los seguidores en el estadio mientras filmaba concursos.
• Conciertos en vivo grabados y momentos destacados del juego que se transmitirán durante las entrevistas posteriores al juego.

PRÁCTICAS

Empresa Cuatro | Filadelfia, Pensilvania | 20XX-20XX

Administrativo

• Manejo y redirección de 100 llamadas diarias entrantes de clientes. Gestión de entrada de datos.
• Investigué información relevante para varios proyectos de la compañía.

Empresa cinco | Filadelfia, Pensilvania | 20XX-20XX

Becario edición de videos

Programas de edición de video utilizados.

• Creación de un documental corto para la Philadelphia String Band.

FORMACIÓN

Licenciatura en Artes, Administración de Empresas - University One, Filadelfia, PA

Proofread Before You Hit the Send Button

Before submitting your resume in Spanish, it’s crucial you proofread your document and make sure there are no typos or simple errors, and that your accent marks are on point. You should also double-check the dates in your resume because Spanish-speaking countries use the DD/MM/YYYY format. It’s also a good idea to ask a native speaker to go through your resume as a last check.

Need Extra Help? Ask the Experts to Assess Your Resume in Spanish

Looking for a new professional challenge to put your resume en español to work? Rely on Monster’s decades of experience. Get a free resume review today. Trust our experts to help you stand out from the competition. We’ll suggest keywords for your specific skillset and industry and help you optimize your resume for success.