Translating your resume to French: the vocabulary that has no direct equivalent
The hardest part of translating a resume to French is not the words — it is the equivalences. Degrees map to the Bac+X system (Bachelor ≈ Licence/Bac+3, Master's ≈ Master/Bac+5), honors have French counterparts (mention bien, très bien), and several classic terms are false friends.
Degrees and education
High school diploma → Baccalauréat (le bac). Associate degree → Bac+2 (BTS/DUT level). Bachelor's degree → Licence / Bac+3. Master's degree → Master / Bac+5. PhD → Doctorat / Bac+8. State both: « MSc Computer Science (équivalent Bac+5 / Master) ».
Honors: cum laude ≈ mention assez bien ; magna cum laude ≈ mention bien ; summa cum laude ≈ mention très bien. GPA has no French equivalent — convert it into a mention or leave it out.
For regulated recognition (visa, public sector, further study), the official body is ENIC-NARIC France, which issues comparability attestations for foreign diplomas.
Sections, titles and false friends
Section names: Work experience → Expérience professionnelle ; Education → Formation ; Skills → Compétences ; Languages → Langues ; Interests → Centres d'intérêt ; Internship → Stage ; Apprenticeship/work-study → Alternance (contrat d'apprentissage ou de professionnalisation).
False friends to avoid: « résumé » in French means summary — the document is a CV. « Achievement » is réalisation, not achèvement (completion). « Formation » means education/training, not formation. A « chef de projet » is a project manager, not a chef. « Société » is a company, not society.
Job titles: translate them by market usage, not dictionary — Account Executive stays « Account Executive » in French tech sales, while VP Engineering becomes « Directeur/Directrice de l'ingénierie » in traditional firms. When in doubt, mirror the title used in the French job ad you target.
Frequently asked questions
Should I convert my GPA for a French CV?
French recruiters do not use GPA. If your grades are a selling point, convert to the French mention system (bien, très bien) or state a class rank; otherwise omit.
How do I write French dates on a CV?
MM/YYYY (03/2024) or month names in French (mars 2024). Avoid the US MM/DD/YYYY ambiguity anywhere on the document.
Can CVScore translate my CV automatically?
CVScore's translation feature converts a CV between French and English while adapting the conventions of each market — sections, degree equivalents, date formats — rather than translating word-for-word. You review and adjust the result in the editor.