Writing an English CV that lands remote interviews
A CV translated word-for-word from Bahasa Indonesia usually reads stiff and unclear to a native English reader. The fix isn't perfect grammar — it's simple sentences, the right verb tense, and vocabulary a hiring manager actually recognizes.
- 1
Use short, direct sentences
Skip the long, formal sentence structures common in Bahasa Indonesia business writing. "Responsible for the management and coordination of various marketing activities" becomes "Managed marketing campaigns across 3 channels." Shorter reads as more confident, not less qualified.
- 2
Get the tense right: past for old jobs, present for your current one
This is the single most common mistake reviewers see: mixing tenses within one CV, or using present tense for a job that ended two years ago. Your current role uses present tense ("Manage a team of 4"); every past role uses past tense ("Managed a team of 4"). Keep it consistent line by line.
- 3
Avoid literal translations of Indonesian job titles
"Staff Admin" and "Marketing Officer" don't map cleanly to how foreign companies title roles. Look up 2-3 real job posts for the same function abroad and match the closest standard title (e.g. "Administrative Assistant", "Marketing Coordinator") — it helps both a human reader and an ATS keyword match.
- 4
Run it through a grammar checker, then read it out loud
A free grammar tool catches obvious tense and article errors. Reading each bullet out loud after that catches what a tool misses — if a sentence sounds awkward to say, it reads awkward too. Don't skip this step even if the grammar checker shows zero errors.
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Frequently asked questions
Does my English CV need to be perfect to get an interview?⌄
No — clear and consistent beats perfect. Short sentences, the right tense, and honest content matter far more than flawless grammar. Most non-native applicants get interviews with a CV that has small imperfections.
Should I translate my Indonesian job title literally?⌄
No. Look up equivalent job posts abroad and use the closest standard English title — a literal translation can confuse both the recruiter and any ATS keyword matching.