US engineering recruiters and hiring managers often scan resumes for specific technical contributions. If you list a Chinese patent or publication with only Chinese characters, they cannot quickly assess the content. If you list only an English translation, they cannot verify the original work. The correct approach bridges both audiences: provide a clear English translation, keep the original Chinese characters for authenticity, and include the patent number or publication identifier in its standard format.
Use this simple three-part structure for each patent or publication:
For a publication, replace the patent number with the journal name, volume, pages, and year. The Chinese characters should appear exactly as on the original document.
Before (incorrect):
After (correct):
Before (incorrect):
After (correct):
Notice the after version gives the recruiter an immediate understanding of the technology, while the Chinese characters allow them to search the patent database if needed.
For a journal article or conference paper published in Chinese, follow the same principle: translate the title, then include the original characters. Add the journal name in English (or the official English name if the journal has one) and the volume, issue, and page numbers. If the paper has an English abstract, you can list that as a separate bullet point describing your contribution.
Example:
If the publication is indexed in Web of Science or Scopus, you can also mention the index to add credibility.
Applicant tracking systems (ATS) parse resumes for keywords and patent numbers. Using a clear English translation increases the chances that your resume will surface for relevant searches (e.g., "deep learning" or "image recognition"). The Chinese characters in brackets will not negatively affect parsing — modern ATS software handles Unicode characters or may simply skip them. However, avoid using special characters like full-width parentheses or dashes that some older systems may misread. Stick to standard ASCII brackets and punctuation.
Key formatting rule: Keep the patent number as a continuous string (e.g., CN109891234A). Do not add spaces or hyphens. Do not use a font that may not render Chinese characters (e.g., Courier New may show boxes; Arial or Calibri are safe).
No. If the patent or publication has an official English version — for example, a PCT application or an English-language journal — list only the English title and the patent number. The Chinese characters are only needed when the original document is in Chinese.
List it exactly as it appears on the patent document. Do not abbreviate or truncate. ATS tools and patent databases rely on the full number.
No. Each patent should have its own bullet point with the full three-part format. Condensing them into a single line reduces readability and may make the resume appear cluttered.
For a quick check of your rewritten resume, try PrismResume's free resume checker.
Converting a Chinese resume for US applications? Try PrismResume's Chinese-to-English resume tool.
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