How to write a bilingual Arabic and English CV

When do you need two versions?

• When you apply to local employers who advertise in Arabic and to international or multinational ones who advertise in English.
• When your work involves clients from both sides.
• When you do not know the language of whoever you will be sending to, so you have both ready.

A simple rule: write the CV in the language of the advert. If the advert does not say, choose the usual working language of that sector, or send both if the form allows.

Two separate versions, not a double-sided CV

Some people put Arabic in one column and English in a column beside it. That doubles the clutter and makes reading hard, especially on a phone, and may confuse software that reads the file. Two files are better, such as "Your Name - CV.pdf" and an Arabic one named in Arabic. In each file the reader sees what they understand without skipping half the page.

Do not translate, rewrite

Literal translation produces odd phrases. An Arabic CV tends toward slightly longer descriptive sentences, while English prefers short sentences that open with a verb. So do not carry "I was responsible for" into "Was responsible for" in every bullet; in English, start with the action verb directly.

The meaning is the same, but the wording follows the nature of each language. If you are not confident in your English, ask someone fluent to review it; a language error in the first line does more harm than a simpler CV in correct English.

Your name and job titles

Write your name in Latin letters one fixed way

Arabic names have more than one English spelling (Mohammed and Muhammad, Abdullah and Abdallah). Pick one, look at how your name appears in your passport or official papers, and use it everywhere: the CV, email and professional profiles. Consistency makes you easier to find and your name easier to match with your papers.

Job titles

Use the title recognised in the market in each language, not a literal translation of an internal title. For example, «محاسب» is Accountant, and «أخصائي موارد بشرية» is HR Specialist. If the title at your employer is unusual, add a clarification in brackets.

Dates, numbers and contact details

• Dates: choose the Gregorian or Hijri calendar as suits the employer, and use one style across the whole file. Gregorian is the most common in English.
• Numerals: Western digits (0-9) are clearest in the English version; in Arabic either is accepted, but be consistent.
• Mobile number: write it in international form such as +966 5X XXX XXXX in both versions.
• Names of organisations and universities: use the official English name published by the organisation itself where there is one.

Layout: direction and mixing the two languages

• The Arabic version is laid out right to left and the English left to right. Do not take an English template and drop Arabic text into it without flipping the direction.
• When an English word appears inside an Arabic sentence (such as Excel or a company name), inspect the file: punctuation can flip or the order can change. Read the final file in full.
• Use a font that supports the language well, and check that Arabic letters are joined and correct in the PDF.
• Avoid templates designed for one language and then hurriedly adapted.

How to state your language level

Avoid percentages and stars. Use words the reader understands, such as: Arabic (native), English (fluent in conversation and professional writing), French (beginner). If you hold a recognised language test, give its name, your result and the year; that is clearer than any description. And be accurate: someone who writes "fluent" and then stumbles in an English interview loses more than if they had described their level as it is.

Which version do you send, and when?

• An Arabic advert from a local employer: the Arabic version, with the English ready if asked for.
• An English advert or an international employer: the English version.
• A form that lets you upload two files: upload both, clearly named.
• Not sure: ask the employer if you can, or send the version in the advert’s language.

Keeping the facts consistent

Your job titles, dates, employer names and figures must match in both versions. Any difference looks like a mistake or a contradiction. Keep one master record of the facts, write each language from it, and when your experience changes, update both versions together.