How to write an Arabic CV
When Arabic is the right language, and how to lay it out so it looks right and reads right.
- Use Arabic for Arabic-language roles and many local or government employers.
- Multinationals usually expect English. When unsure, keep both versions.
- The whole page is right-to-left, but phone numbers and emails stay left-to-right.
- Pick one style of digits and use it everywhere.
Arabic or English?
Follow the job post. If the advert is in Arabic, or the role is with a government or local employer where Arabic is the working language, an Arabic CV is the natural choice. If the advert is in English, or the company is international, send English.
Many candidates keep both. That is fine, as long as the two versions match on dates, job titles and achievements. A recruiter who compares them should not find two different careers.
How right-to-left layout works
An Arabic CV is mirrored: text is right-aligned, section headings sit on the right, bullets sit on the right of each line, and columns swap sides. A sidebar that would be on the left in English moves to the right.
Do not just paste Arabic text into an English template. Left-aligned Arabic looks wrong to native readers, and punctuation and numbers can jump to the wrong end of a line. Use a template that is built right-to-left.
Phone numbers, emails and links
These stay left-to-right even on a right-to-left page. Otherwise a number such as +971 50 123 4567 can display with its parts reversed. CV Wasl handles this for you, so contact details always read in the correct order.
Fonts and digits
Choose a clear Naskh-style font for body text, such as Noto Naskh Arabic. Avoid decorative calligraphy fonts for a CV: they are harder to read at small sizes and on screens.
Arabic writing can use Western digits (0 to 9) or Arabic-Indic digits. Both are understood in the Gulf, and Western digits are common in business documents. Pick one and use it for every date, phone number and figure.
Job titles and company names
Translate job titles consistently: the same English title should always map to the same Arabic phrase. Keep the official company name, and add the Arabic name in brackets if the company has one.
Have a native reader check the finished CV. Machine translation is a good start, but titles and industry terms need a human eye.
Applicant tracking systems
Support for Arabic varies between systems. If you apply through an online portal, an English CV is usually the safer choice, and you can keep the Arabic one for email applications and in-person meetings.
Questions
Should my CV be in Arabic or English?
Match the job post. Use Arabic for Arabic-language roles and many local or government employers, and English for international companies.
Can I have both an Arabic and an English CV?
Yes. Keep dates, job titles and achievements identical across both, so they read as the same career.
Which font is best for an Arabic CV?
A clear Naskh-style font such as Noto Naskh Arabic. Avoid decorative calligraphy fonts.