The Ultimate Guide to Ditching Runglish: Common Errors When Translating Your CV to English

Why Runglish Is the Silent Killer of Your English Resume

Transitioning your career documents from Russian to English is more than just swapping words; it’s a cultural and structural translation. Many high-performing candidates unintentionally sabotage their applications by relying on “Runglish”—direct word-for-word translations that sound awkward, unprofessional, or downright confusing to Western recruiters and Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS).

At RolePilot, our mission is to act as your Candidate Protector. We understand that linguistic nuances are often the subtle gatekeepers of the global job market. Here is a comprehensive breakdown of the most common Runglish errors and how to correct them, ensuring your professional narrative shines clearly.

Cultural Traps: Personal Information and Structure

The structure and content of a typical Russian CV often contain elements that are strictly discouraged or even prohibited in Anglo-American resumes due to anti-discrimination laws and professional standards. Leaving these elements in is a massive Runglish giveaway.

1. Photos and Personal Identifiers

In the U.S., Canada, and many Western European countries, including a photograph, marital status, or number of children is a red flag. Recruiters are trained to filter candidates purely on skill and experience.

The Runglish Mistake: Including a passport-style photo, date of birth, or full home address.

The Professional Fix: Keep personal details to the absolute minimum: Full Name, Phone Number (with international code), Professional Email, and LinkedIn URL. Remove the photo entirely.

2. Patronymics and Education Details

While important in Russian-speaking contexts, patronymics (e.g., Ivanovich) should be omitted entirely on an English resume unless legally required for background checks later in the process. Similarly, detailed high school records or excessively long university names can clutter the document. Focus on the degree title and institution.

The Runglish Mistake: Including patronymic names; translating “Higher Education” (Высшее образование) as a specific degree name.

The Professional Fix: Use only your first and last name. For education, use specific titles like 'Master of Science in Economics' or 'Bachelor of Arts in Communications'.

Lexical Landmines: Words That Don’t Translate

This is where Runglish truly trips up applicants. Direct translations often lead to jargon that holds no meaning in a foreign context or uses passive, weak language instead of strong action verbs.

1. Job Titles and Specialties

Many common Russian job titles do not have direct, functional equivalents in the Western market, or they imply a scope that is too broad.

Key Takeaway: Always use the globally recognized, functionally equivalent English job title that aligns with your specific duties, not the literal translation of your employment record.

2. Weak Responsibility Statements

The Russian phrase “Responsible for...” (Отвечал за...) is the default description of duties. In English resumes, this passive construction is universally discouraged. Recruiters want to see what you did, not just what you were supposed to do.

The Runglish Mistake: “Responsible for leading the team,” “In charge of organizing reports.”

The Professional Fix: Use strong, active, quantifiable action verbs (e.g., Led, Spearheaded, Managed, Developed, Increased). Always start the bullet point with the action verb.

Example: Led a team of five analysts to reorganize the quarterly reporting process, reducing preparation time by 15%.

Structural and Formatting Bloopers

Even if the words are correct, poor formatting can scream “non-native” and confuse the reader or the technology analyzing your document.

1. The CV vs. Resume Debate

In many parts of Europe, the term CV (Curriculum Vitae) is standard for any job application document. However, in the U.S. and Canada, a Resume is the standard short document (1-2 pages) used for job applications, while a CV refers to a much longer, academic document used primarily in research or medical fields.

The Professional Fix: Unless you are applying for an academic role or specifically instructed otherwise, title and format your document as a Resume for the US/Canadian market, ensuring it stays concise.

2. Excessively Long Sentences

Russian professional writing often favors compound, descriptive sentences. English resumes demand brevity. Bullet points should be short, impactful, and focus on results, not process.

The Runglish Mistake: Long paragraphs explaining the background and rationale for your accomplishments.

The Professional Fix: Use bullet points exclusively in the experience section. Each bullet should be one line, never more than two, following the Action Verb + Task + Result formula.

Protecting Your Application from the ATS and Runglish

Beyond human error, Runglish can be fatal when filtering through Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS). The ATS screens for specific keywords and formats.

If you use an uncommon Runglish translation of a role or skill (e.g., calling yourself a ‘Chief Specialist’ instead of a ‘Senior Analyst’), the ATS may fail to match your experience to the keywords listed in the job description, leading to automatic rejection.

Your Protector Tip: Always run your translated resume through an ATS checker. Ensure the English terms you use are standard, searchable, and correctly aligned with the job requirements. This is the only way to confirm your translated document is recognized by the software designed to screen out applications.

Check your resume compatibility and optimize keywords before submitting your translated document:

Final Checklist: Ditching the Runglish Habit

Before submitting your newly translated resume, ensure you have addressed these critical checkpoints:

1. Format Check: Did you remove photos, patronymics, date of birth, and marital status?
2. Verb Check: Does every bullet point start with a strong, active English verb?
3. Title Check: Are your job titles and educational degrees translated into their globally recognized, functional English equivalents?
4. Clarity Check: Is the document concise, result-oriented, and free of lengthy descriptive paragraphs?
5. ATS Check: Have you validated the document against the required keywords? (/ats-check.html)