Should I put a photo, age or marital status on a U.S. resume?

No. U.S. resumes normally leave out photos, birth date, age, gender, marital status, family and national ID numbers. Employers generally should not base hiring on these, and many prefer not to receive them.

How should I describe my Korean language skills?

Name the level and show how you use it — for example "Korean (native) — translated supplier specifications and led weekly calls with headquarters in Korea." Avoid vague words like "fluent" without context.

Do I need a Korean-language resume too?

Only if the employer asks. Some Korean companies' U.S. offices ask for both a Korean and an English resume, or a Korean self-introduction (자기소개서). Read the posting and prepare both when Korean is required.

How long should a U.S. resume be?

One page for most early-career candidates, two pages for experienced professionals. Academic and research CVs can be longer.

Bilingual resume and interview tips: from a Korean resume to a U.S. one

Many people who search on JOBnaru™ have two professional identities: one shaped by Korean schools and companies, another by U.S. schools and workplaces. That is an advantage — if your resume and interviews show it clearly. Here is how.

1. What changes from a Korean resume

A typical Korean 이력서 and a U.S. resume differ in a few important ways:

Korean resume often includes	U.S. resume usually
Photo	No photo
Birth date, age, gender	Left out
Marital status, family, military service details	Left out (military service only if relevant as experience)
Resident registration number	Never — do not share ID numbers on a resume
Long list of certificates and test scores	Only the ones relevant to the job
Duties ("responsible for …")	Achievements with numbers
Separate 자기소개서	Short summary at the top; cover letter if requested

U.S. employers are covered by anti-discrimination laws enforced by the EEOC — hiring must not be based on race, national origin, sex, age (40+), religion, disability and other protected traits. That is one reason U.S. resumes leave those details out.

2. A simple U.S. resume structure

Name and contact — name, city and state, phone, email, LinkedIn or portfolio link.
Summary (2–3 lines) — who you are and what you bring. Example: "Process engineer with 5 years in 300mm fab yield improvement at a Korean memory manufacturer; bilingual Korean-English; experience coordinating with headquarters engineering teams."
Experience — most recent first. For each role, 3–5 bullets that start with a verb and include a number when possible: "Cut wafer scrap 18% in 9 months by redesigning inspection sampling."
Education — degree, school, year. Translate Korean degree names into U.S. equivalents (학사 → Bachelor's, 석사 → Master's) and use the school's official English name.
Skills — tools, software, certifications, languages.

Tips:

Write company names the way they appear in English (e.g., "Samsung Electronics", "Hyundai Mobis") and add a short description if the U.S. reader may not know the company.
Convert units and titles. Korean job titles (대리, 과장, 차장) do not translate one-to-one; describe the level ("Senior Engineer, led a team of 4").
Save as PDF unless the employer asks for Word. Keep the file name simple: Firstname-Lastname-Resume.pdf.

3. Showing bilingual skills

"Bilingual" is a skill, so show it like one:

State the level for each language: native, professional working proficiency, conversational. Add a test result (TOPIK, OPIc, TOEIC) only if the job asks for it.
Show use: translation of technical documents, interpreting in meetings, managing Korean suppliers, customer service in both languages.
Be honest. If a job says Korean required, expect part of the interview in Korean.

On JOBnaru™ you can find roles that need this skill with the Korean required filter or look at Korean companies only.

4. When the employer asks for a Korean resume

Some U.S. offices of Korean companies ask for a Korean resume or 자기소개서 in addition to an English resume. In that case:

Follow the format they give. If none is given, a clean Korean resume without photo and personal details is fine unless they specifically ask.
Keep both versions consistent — same dates, titles and numbers.
In a 자기소개서, be concrete: one or two real situations, what you did, what changed.

5. Interviews

Behavioral questions ("Tell me about a time when…") are standard in the U.S. Use STAR: Situation, Task, Action, Result. Prepare 6–8 stories covering teamwork, conflict, a failure, leadership, a tight deadline and a technical problem.

Bilingual interviews. For Korean-required roles, an interviewer may switch to Korean mid-interview. Practice explaining your work in both languages — especially technical terms you usually say only in one.

Cultural differences to keep in mind:

U.S. interviewers expect you to say "I" for your own contribution, even in team work.
It is normal to ask questions at the end: about the team, success in the first 90 days, and next steps.
Salary: in many states the posting must include a range — see pay transparency laws. It is fine to ask about the range.

Questions employers should not ask. Questions about age, marital status, pregnancy plans, religion or national origin are generally inappropriate. An employer may ask whether you are authorized to work in the U.S. and whether you will need visa sponsorship. If you think you were treated unfairly because of your national origin or citizenship status, the EEOC and the Justice Department's Immigrant and Employee Rights Section explain your options.

6. Before you apply

Match your resume keywords to the posting; large employers often use applicant tracking systems.
If visa status matters, read H-1B basics or the OPT guide.
Never pay a fee to apply or to "get your resume to the hiring manager". See job scam warning signs.

Ready? Browse jobs and set an alert for the roles that fit.

Last checked: October 19, 2026.

Cite this article as: JOBnaru™ — https://jobnaru.com/news/bilingual-resume-and-interview-tips

General information as of Oct 19, 2026, not legal or immigration advice. Confirm with the employer, an immigration attorney or official sources before you act.