Chinese Resume 📝 The Ultimate Guide to Writing Your CV in Chinese!

Expert Tips and Tricks for Writing the Perfect Resume in Chinese

When writing a resume, it can be hard to stand out from the crowd.

And it can be even harder in a second language.

So that’s why we’re here to tell you everything you need to know about writing your resume in Chinese.

Whether you’re studying Chinese and want to secure that dream internship, or you’re already working and are looking for something new, we’ve got you covered.

We’ll cover some important ground like how to structure your resume and some key vocabulary to help make you stand out against your candidates.

This guide is especially useful if you plan to work or live in China and want to apply to work for a Chinese company.

First things first, let’s learn on how to say resume, or CV, in Chinese

Resume || 简历 || jiǎnlì

Chinese C.V. – Where to Start?

Chinese C.V. – The Structure & What to Include

Chinese C.V. – Helpful Resources

Chinese C.V. – Is it worth it?

Chinese C.V. – FAQ’s + Template Download

Chinese C.V. – Quiz

Resume in Chinese – Where to Start?

It is important first to highlight a couple of differences between Chinese and Western resumes.

Here’s just a couple of points on the layout to get us started, there are of course a couple more which will be pointed out along the way.

Quite often you will find that Chinese resumes resemble an application form, like the one to the right.

However, you can absolutely still exercise freedom and creativity, as long as it’s done tastefully, like these examples.

If you’d like to go for the more standard version, however, you can download our free template:

FREE DOWNLOAD ALERT – Download a CV template here.

👉 As with any resume in any country, it’s important to play to your strengths and highlight the skills and experience that make you suitable for the position.

CV in Chinese – Structure & What to Include?

In this section we’ll look at each part of the resume in greater depth.

Remember that this is a generalized approach and you can adapt this format to whichever way best showcases your skills.

Personal Information

Educational Background

Work & Internship Experience

Awards

Skills or Certifications and other

Self Evaluation

Personal Information –  个人信息 (gèrén xìnxī)

As to be expected, you’ll be expected to provide some standard personal and contact information, including:

However, whilst the trend in western countries is leaning more towards privacy and more anonymous style resumes to avoid discrimination, you might notice that some Chinese application forms may request the following information:

Psst… Do you have a Chinese name to put on your resume yet? If not, check out our Chinese name generator!

You might (rightly) think this information is private, but it’s not unusual in China and some people even include their height and weight on their resumes!

If faced with prying questions on an application form, you can leave some sensitive information out, but this may come up in the interview and it’s best to be prepared.

Note: Expected salary tends to be written in terms of monthly (not annual) salary. Make sure to write the expected figure in RMB to avoid confusion.

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Educational background – 教育经历 (jiàoyù jīnglì)

As with western resumes, you should list your educational experiences from newest to oldest.

Typical things to include are:

As for GPA, this can be simply written as ‘GPA’ – it’s used in China too.

Tip: Align the name of your University to the left and attending dates to the right. See the photo as an example.

If you are still studying at University, put the date you started and the end date as 至今 (zhìjīn). This simply means until the present time.

Work & Internship Experience – 工作与实习经历 (gōngzuò yǔ shíxí jīnglì)

Work and internship experience can often be a deciding factor in who gets to the interview stage, especially if you apply for a job that requires industry knowledge and know-how, so it’s important this section is up-to-scratch.

Remember, if you give the exact address of a previous work location, give the address in the order of biggest to smallest, meaning country, province, city, street address, etc.

With each workplace listed, you’ll need to elaborate on are your responsibilities and accomplishments from relevant tasks. Whilst this can be quite the challenge in Chinese, the best strategy after writing your resume is to get a Chinese friend or teacher to proof read it for you.

Tip: Cover letters are less common in China so try to concisely sum up the experience you’ve had.

Use sub-headers such as “position” (职位), “responsibilities” (职责), and “accomplishments” (业绩) for a structured and polished style with clear indications as to where the information lies. 

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Awards – 获奖情况 (huòjiǎng qíngkuàng)

This section might not be necessary, but it is good to list any awards or scholarships you have gained at your University or work, including any competitions you participated in and trophies you were awared.

Some words that might be useful are:

Skills, Certificates and Others – 技能/证书及其他 (jìnéng/zhèngshū jí qítā)

Skills are highly important to list!

Some things to include in this section are other foreign languages you are proficient in. It is useful to state any standardized exams you have taken such as HSK and the level of test taken or level you think are at.

You might also want to include in this section any software programs you are highly familiar with such as Canva or WordPress.

Some useful vocabulary that might help include:

Self evaluation – 自我评价 (zì wǒ píng jià)

In some Chinese resumés this section is called “hobbies and interests” (兴趣爱好: àihào xìngqu).

This last section normally outlines why you think you are a good fit for the company or position in question through your interests, experiences and skills.

In this way, and unlike in western resumes, this section is much more informal and personal.

Typical things to list here include:

List your interests in a way that the company you are applying for might find appealing and remember to put a positive spin on things, such as describing how boxing taught you the importance of self-discipline.

Hobbies and interests are also a great way to advertise the fact that you posses certain characteristics the company is looking for, such as:

Strong ability to solve problems

解决问题能力较强

jiě jué wèn tí néng lì jiào qiáng

Strong communication skills

沟通能力很强

gōu tōng néng lì hěn qiáng

Strong ability to adapt

具备较强的适应能力

jù bèi jiào qiáng de shì yìng néng lì

Excellent organization abilities

优秀的组织才能

yōu xiù de zǔ zhī cái néng

Pays close attention to detail

十分关注细节

shí fēn guān zhù xì jié

Try and point out your strengths to the company that you might think will be useful for the position you want to apply to.

👉 For students with little work experience, this might be a great time to mention any volunteering experience or clubs or sports you’ve participated in over the years.

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Resume in Chinese – Helpful Resources

If you are still struggling to write your resume and you don’t know how to structure it, we’d recommend visiting the website WonderCV.

Although it is in Chinese, it was recommended to us by a local and is a great way to get started.

WonderCV is a platform that helps you build your resume according to your experience and requirements.

You can create an account using your WeChat and use their templates to create a resume. Bear in mind, you only get one free choice, if you would like to use another template you might have to pay.

We’ve also written some guides for cover letters, emails and what it’s like working in a Chinese company ⬇️

• HOW TO – Write the perfect email in Chinese
• HOW TO – Write a killer cover letter in Chinese
• EXPLAINER – work for a Chinese company

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Resume in Chinese – Is It Worth It?

Ultimately, if you are looking for a job in China, having a resume in Chinese will enhance your chances in bringing you closer to the interview stage – it is definitely worth it!

Having your resume in English and Chinese can impress your employers and increase your chances that HR or headhunters will find you- who wouldn’t want a multilingual pro like you?

Although it can be a bit daunting to prepare, even if you are at beginner’s level it is worth having a go. 加油！

So there we have it – your complete guide on how to write a CV in Chinese – feeling confident?

If not – drop us a comment below with any questions or concerns, but first and foremost, download our templates below to and get practicing!

Resume Quiz

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Resume in Chinese || FAQ’s

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