Key takeaways
- Maintain two parallel versions — Chinese and English.
- Photo standard on local-firm applications; omit for multinationals.
- Annotate GPA scale (4.0 / 5.0 / 100-point).
- Include English-test scores (CET-6, IELTS, TOEFL).
- Career objective (求职意向) common at the top.
Format rules at a glance
- Length
- 1–2 pages
- Versions
- Chinese + English parallel
- Photo
- Local firms yes, multinationals no
- English-test scores
- Included for English roles
Introduction
A Chinese-style résumé (个人简历, gèrén jiǎnlì) blends East-Asian conventions with what multinational employers in Beijing, Shanghai, and Shenzhen expect. Photo, date of birth, nationality, and household registration (hukou) status are standard on local-firm applications; multinational firms (foreign banks, top consultancies, BATX) prefer photos omitted on the English version. Length is typically 1 page for new graduates and up to 2 for early-career applicants.
Top universities (Tsinghua, Peking, Fudan, SJTU, Zhejiang) often coach students to maintain two parallel versions — one Chinese, one English — for the same role.
China resume format
- Length: 1 page (graduate), 1–2 pages (early-career).
- Font: Arial, Calibri, or a CJK-friendly sans-serif at 10–12 pt.
- Margins: 1.5–2 cm.
- Photo: standard on Chinese-language local-firm applications; omit on English-language multinational applications.
- Personal details: DOB, gender, nationality, and contact information at the top.
Personal summary
A 2–3 line career objective (求职意向) at the top — naming target role, target industry, and target city — is common. For English-language CVs to multinationals, a 2–3 line profile in the US/UK style works.
Experience section
- Open with a strong action verb.
- Quantify outcomes — Chinese employers in tech, finance, and consulting expect numeric impact.
- Treat substantive student-club leadership, hackathons, and research as Experience entries.
- Cap each bullet at two lines.
Education and certifications
- University (清华大学 / 北京大学 / 复旦大学 / etc.), degree (e.g. BEng in Computer Science and Technology), graduation date.
- Include rank (e.g. "Top 5% of class") or GPA on the 4.0 or 100-point scale, annotated.
- Awards (国家奖学金, 国一, 国二) and scholarships as sub-entries — annotate for non-Chinese recruiters.
- 985/211 or Double First-Class designation can be noted in the English version for international recruiters who recognise it.
Skills guidance
Skills section grouped by category. Languages should distinguish Mandarin (native), regional dialects if relevant, and English with CET-4, CET-6, IELTS, or TOEFL scores — Chinese employers and Chinese-trained multinational HR teams scan for these.
Mistakes to avoid
- Photo on English-language multinational applications. Match the employer.
- Reporting GPA without the scale — 4.0 vs 5.0 vs 100-point all exist in China.
- Skipping English-test scores (CET-6 / IELTS / TOEFL) for English-language roles.
- Translating Chinese-specific honours literally without context.
Frequently asked questions about the China resume format
Both — Chinese employers often want a Chinese version, multinationals often want English. Top Chinese universities coach students to maintain both for the same role.
For local-firm Chinese applications, yes. For multinational firms' English-language applications, omit it.
Include the score and a brief annotation: 'CET-6: 580/710 (College English Test, Band 6)'. CET is unfamiliar outside China.
Career coaching and hiring-side experience, written into practical resume and job-search advice.
This template represents the conventions taught by career-services offices at top Chinese universities, including Tsinghua, Peking, Fudan, Shanghai Jiao Tong, and Zhejiang. The English-language version shown here is intended for applications to multinational employers in China; a future release will add a Chinese-language version with localized section headers, dates, and address conventions.
Source · career.tsinghua.edu.cn