CV in Spanish: How to write it? (Complete guide)

For an Erasmus internship or a job search in a Spanish-speaking country, a Spanish CV is mandatory.

The translation of a CV into Spanish must be done according to the presentation rules of the Hispanic country in which you are applying. Throughout this article, we will guide you in your writing in Spanish. We will give you the essential rules to know to present a perfect CV in Spanish .

If you are having difficulty translating your CV, there are several online services that we present to you in the last section.

CV in Spanish: a simple translation?

When you apply for a job in Spain or Latin America, you will inevitably have to go through a job interview in Spanish . You might as well prove your skills in this language directly with a thoughtfully translated CV.

Therefore, it is strongly advised not to simply copy/paste your French CV into an automatic translator. Many errors can slip in, especially in the names of the different sections.

For example, “Contact details” or “Civil status” translates to “Datos personales”. Google translate will instead direct you to “Datos de contacto”, which is wrong. The same goes for “Langues étrangères” translated to “Lenguas extranjeras” instead of “Idiomas”. Be careful because translating the CV literally into Spanish is a disqualifying factor.

Also, depending on the Spanish-speaking country where you want to work, there may be several subtleties. Argentina, Spain or Mexico do not have the same presentation standards. Find out the rules of each country before writing.

You may be familiar with the CV formatting rules of your home country, but do you know what Spanish recruiters are looking for? Here's what's different:

• Photo is not mandatory
• Professional experience must be adapted to the position sought.
• Your extra-professional (extra-labor) experiences are very valuable. Being involved in an association can make all the difference.

As for the layout, there is no difference. Both French and Spanish recruiters demand great care in the presentation of the sections, all on a single page.

How to make a resume in Spanish step by step

This section guides you step by step through the presentation of your different sections. We provide you with the right terms that work with any example of a CV in Spanish .

The CV header, civil status: “Datos personales”

You can also use the term “Datos de contacto”. In Spain, your contact details and personal information must be compiled in a separate section.

As with a classic CV, this is attached to your profile photo. Indicate your address ( direccion ), your place and date of birth ( Lugar y fecha de nacimiento ) or your email ( Correo electrónico ). Also, don't forget to include these two important pieces of information:

• Nationality (Nacionalidad)
• Your phone number code

Professional objective: “Objetivo”

This is the equivalent of the hook sentence. It complements the information in the header and emphasizes your professional skills.

The professional objective allows you to signal to the recruiter your intentions towards his company. For example, in business, you can mention your desire to increase its turnover by using this or that method. As a foreign candidate, you must above all guarantee a good command of Spanish.

To do this, focus on your language practice during a language stay, as part of your training or a first job abroad.

Professional experience: “Experiencia profesional”

The presentation of this section does not differ much from the French version. Since the recruiter likes everything to be well structured on a single page, start by selecting your most relevant experiences.

As we have seen previously, Spanish companies select their candidates based on whether they have carried out missions similar to those of the position. Thus, a single professional experience can give you an advantage, provided that it is well detailed using a bullet-point system.

The most effective way to present your previous position is to briefly list all the tasks performed. On a Spanish CV , they should give an overview of your skills.

For a beginner profile, you must distinguish your internship experiences ( practicas ).

Remember to describe your field of activity well. Highlighting the name of the company will not be enough, especially if it is only present in your national territory.

Finally, don't forget to indicate your results ( logros más relevantes ) under each experiment.

Initial training: “training”

In Spain, this is probably the most important section. Hispanic recruiters pay a lot of attention to the educational levels of their candidates. They will tend to favor long studies and short experiences and not the other way around.

To maximize your chances of being accepted, you will need to provide a lot of information about your academic background. Here, the date of graduation and the title of the diploma are not enough. Provide this additional information:

• Where you studied
• Subjects studied
• The final note

Regarding the level of study, there is only one small difference with France. A degree in Spain lasts 4 years, which is 1 year longer than in a French university.

Obviously, you will need to translate the title of your diplomas. Here is our little glossary to help you:

• Doctorate: Doctorado
• Master: Master
• License: Grado
• BTS or DUT: Superior technical training
• Business school: Escuela de comercio
• Engineering school: Escuela de ingeniería

Continuing education: “talleres y cursos”

This additional section is particularly useful for some Latin American countries. You can literally translate it as “Workshops and training”. Group together all your short practical training courses, indicating the number of hours.

Specific skills: Abilities

In this section, you will be able to group together both your hard skills and your soft skills and specify your language level.

As on a French CV, your technical skills and your human qualities are in line with the experiences specified above.

Your language level must be assessed accurately. You should not lie about your language skills. If you speak Spanish fluently, you have an advanced level ( nivel alto ). If you have only practiced this language as part of your studies, aim for an intermediate level ( nivel medio ).

Another way to assess your language level is to specify your score on one of these Spanish tests:

• DELE
• ELYTE
• BULATS

Miscellaneous and interests: “Diverso” “Hobbies and aficiones”

This other section does not differ from a French CV. Group together all the additional information such as obtaining your license or the date of your last language stay.

If you are wondering how to put an erasmus in a CV, you can mention it here.

Your “ extracurricular activities ” or “extra-professional activities” should also be included in this section.

References: “referancias”

In Spain, as in Latin America, recruiters are particularly fond of references. For a first internship search, indicating the assessment of your internship supervisor can give you an advantage. Of course, remember to have it translated into Spanish.

Spanish CV templates and examples

We offer you several CVs in Spanish to put a visual on all the questions we have just discussed. All our models respect the current layout.

Have your CV translated: online services

Do you think that translating your CV into Spanish is difficult? Professional CV translators will take care of transcribing your content into the language of the Hispanic country in which you are applying.

Pro Translate

Pro Translate is a professional translation service for your CV in many languages, including Spanish.

Upload your CV to the platform and request a quote. The quote will be adapted according to the length of your content. You will also have an estimate of the delivery date. The team of translation experts takes the necessary time to review and correct your CV for a perfect translation.

Translated

The translation service “Translated” translates your CV, cover letter and professional certifications into Spanish.

Translators are certified bilingual/native speakers and offer you a translation that meets the expectations of Hispanic recruiters. Quick and free quote.

Have your CV translated by CV Market (prices)

CV Market offers you, in addition to its unique and personalized models, a translation service in 5 languages , including Spanish. Our service has been open since 2022 and is surrounded by a team of native translators for quality work.

To better meet your needs, we offer 3 packages:

• PREMIUM package (€99): complete translation of your CV + cover letter by a professional translator, native speaker of the language.
• CV TRANSLATION package (€59): complete translation of your CV by a professional translator who is a native speaker of the language.
• PROOFREADING Formula (€39): proofreading and correction of your CV by a professional Spanish translator.

Boost your career in a Hispanic country, thanks to our advice and the translation into Spanish of your application.

Plus de modèles de CV ➜