Translating an HR CV into English seems simple, until you have to write “chargé RH”, “GEPP”, “CSE” or “NAO”. These French notions have no word-for-word equivalent, because they describe French employment law and social organisation. A recruiter based in London, Dublin or Amsterdam will not understand a French acronym, and a machine translator will often produce an expression that does not exist. This article helps you know when an English CV is expected, translate HR job titles, make French notions understandable, follow the conventions of the English-language resume and avoid the most frequent translation mistakes.
When an English CV is expected
The most common situations
- An application to an international group whose working language is English, even for a role based in France.
- A role reporting to a regional team (Europe, EMEA) or to a foreign parent company, where your future manager does not read French.
- A job ad written in English: this is usually the signal that an English CV is expected, or at least accepted.
- Recruitment through an international agency that presents candidates to a foreign client.
When to keep French
If the ad is in French, the company is French and the role is local, send a French CV. You can mention your level of English, and prepare an English version if you are asked for one.
A complete version, not a summary
An English CV must contain the same information as your French version. Do not reduce it to a list of titles: an international recruiter wants to understand your scope and achievements as much as a French recruiter does.
Translating HR job titles
The principle: the market title, not a literal translation
A title is translated by the title that designates the same role in English-speaking companies, not by a word-for-word translation. Here are commonly accepted equivalents, to adjust to your actual duties:
| French title | Common English equivalent | |---|---| | Assistant RH | HR Assistant or HR Administrator | | Chargé RH | HR Officer or HR Generalist | | Responsable RH | HR Manager | | Directeur des ressources humaines | HR Director, Chief People Officer depending on level | | Chargé de recrutement | Recruiter or Talent Acquisition Specialist | | Responsable recrutement | Talent Acquisition Manager or Head of Recruitment | | Gestionnaire de paie | Payroll Administrator or Payroll Specialist | | Responsable paie | Payroll Manager | | Chargé de formation | Learning and Development Officer or Training Officer | | Responsable rémunération et avantages sociaux | Compensation and Benefits Manager | | Chargé de relations sociales | Employee Relations Specialist |
Titles already in English
HRBP, Talent Acquisition, People Analytics, Compensation and Benefits: these titles are understood everywhere. Keep them as they are. Our article on the HRBP CV and the one on the comp & ben CV show how these jobs are presented.
Level
In English, level is often conveyed by qualifiers: Junior, Senior, Lead, Head of. Use them carefully, consistently with your real seniority. For the CV title itself, the rules are the same as in French: our article on the HR CV title details them.
French notions with no direct equivalent
This is where most mistakes happen. The rule: translate the meaning, and keep the French term in brackets when it is useful.
Employee representation and social dialogue
- CSE: “works council (CSE)” or “employee representative body (CSE)”. Avoid “social and economic committee”, a literal translation that is poorly understood.
- Délégué syndical: “union representative”.
- NAO: “annual mandatory pay negotiations with trade unions (NAO)”.
- Accord d’entreprise: “company-level collective agreement”.
- Convention collective: “industry-wide collective agreement” or “collective bargaining agreement”.
Skills management
- GEPP (or GPEC): “strategic workforce planning”. It is the closest equivalent, understood by international recruiters.
- Entretien professionnel: “career development review”, distinct from the “annual performance review” (entretien annuel d’évaluation).
- Plan de développement des compétences: “training and development plan”.
- OPCO and CPF: explain them in a few words, for example “government-regulated training funding (OPCO, CPF)”.
Payroll and administration
- DSN: “monthly social security filing (DSN)”.
- DPAE: “pre-employment declaration to social security”.
- Solde de tout compte: “final settlement”.
- Rupture conventionnelle: “mutual termination agreement”.
Contracts
- CDI: “permanent contract”; CDD: “fixed-term contract”; alternance: “work-study contract” or “apprenticeship”.
The conventions of the English-language resume
No photo, no personal details
In English-speaking countries, photos, age, family situation and nationality do not appear on a resume, to limit the risk of discrimination. Remove them from your English version, even if your French version includes them.
A summary at the top
The resume often starts with a three- or four-line “Professional Summary”, the equivalent of the French accroche. It states your job, your level, your environment and your added value.
Action verbs in the past tense
Experience lines start with an action verb, in the past tense for past roles and often in the present for the current role: “Led”, “Designed”, “Negotiated”, “Implemented”, “Reduced”. French-style noun phrases (“Gestion de…”) translate badly.
Concrete results
English-speaking recruiters expect explicit results, with a scope and, if possible, an indicator. Compare:
Literal translation
Management of recruitment and onboarding.
Adapted version
Led end-to-end recruitment for three production sites and redesigned the onboarding programme with site managers, reducing early departures.
Format
One to two pages depending on experience, dates in month and year format, and a degree name explained if necessary: “Master’s degree in Human Resources Management (equivalent to an MSc)”. The Europass format is used in some European institutions, but private companies rarely expect it.
Frequent translation mistakes
False friends
- “Formation” is not translated as “formation” but as “training” (for professional training) or “education” (for studies).
- “Stage” is translated as “internship”, not “stage”.
- “Licence” is translated as “bachelor’s degree”, never as “licence”.
- “Personnel” in the sense of headcount is “staff” or “workforce”.
Unexplained acronyms
An untranslated French acronym (CSE, GEPP, NAO, DSN) is unreadable for a foreign recruiter. Explain it the first time it appears.
Machine translation without proofreading
Translation tools are useful for a first draft, but they translate French legal notions word for word and produce expressions that do not exist. Reread every line, and if possible have it proofread by someone who works in English.
Mixing conventions
A resume that keeps the photo, the age and French noun phrases gives the impression of a quick translation. Adapt the form as much as the content.
Formatting your English version
For an example of a profile working with international teams, look at the international payroll administrator CV example and the HRBP CV example. When your English version is ready, create your CV for free: the layout is handled by the editor, and the PDF stays readable by international groups’ ATS, which are often configured for English and pick up standard titles better than approximate translations.
Frequently asked questions
Do you need a different CV for the UK and the US?
The conventions are similar: no photo, a summary at the top, action verbs. In the US, people tend to say “resume” and aim for one page early in their career; in the UK, people say “CV” and two pages are common. Spelling also differs slightly.
How should you state your level of English?
Give a European framework level (B2, C1) or a score on a recognised test, and specify professional use: “Fluent (C1), daily use with regional HR teams”.
Should you translate the name of your school?
Keep the name of the institution in French and explain the degree in English: “IAE Lyon, Master’s degree in Human Resources Management”.
Can you send a bilingual CV?
It is rarely a good idea: the document becomes long and hard to read. Prepare two separate versions and send the one that matches the ad.