How to write a resume US companies notice when you apply from Latin America

A US hiring manager may spend less than a minute on your resume. Here is how to format it, describe your work and tools, and show your English so that minute counts.

Your resume is not a record of your life. It is a short sales document with one job: to get you an interview. Many talented professionals in Latin America lose good chances with US companies because their resume follows local rules, and US readers expect something different. The fix is not hard. It just needs a few changes.

What does a US resume look like?

It is simple, clean and focused on work.

Length: one page if you have under 8-10 years of experience. Two pages at most.
Order: newest job first. This is called reverse chronological order.
File: send a PDF. Name it clearly, like Maria-Lopez-Resume.pdf.
Design: one easy font, clear headings, plenty of white space. No tables or graphics. Some companies use software to read resumes, and fancy layouts can break.
Title: call it a resume. In the US, "curriculum vitae" usually means a long academic document.

What should you leave out?

This is where many Latin American resumes go wrong. In the US, these details are not expected, and some companies avoid seeing them so they can hire fairly.

Your photo
Your age or date of birth
Marital status or children
National ID number
Your full home address (city and country are enough)

In the US, your resume should say what you did, not who you are.

What goes at the top?

Your name, email, phone with country code, LinkedIn link, and location. Add one line about your schedule if it helps you, for example: "Based in Bogotá, Colombia. Available to work US Eastern hours."

Then write a short summary of two or three lines. Skip the long "objective." Say what you do and what you are good at:

"Bilingual virtual assistant with 4 years supporting real estate teams. Strong in calendar management, CRM updates and client follow-up."

How do you describe your experience?

Do not list duties. Show results.

A duty sounds like this: "Responsible for answering phones."

A result sounds like this: "Answered 40-60 calls a day for a dental clinic and booked appointments in Dentrix."

Some tips:

Start each line with a strong verb: managed, booked, reduced, built, trained, resolved.
Use numbers when you can: calls per day, clients served, invoices processed, hours saved. Only use numbers that are true and that you can explain in an interview.
Explain local companies. A US manager may not know a bank in Peru or a store chain in Mexico. Add a few words: "one of the largest retail chains in Chile."
Use 3-5 lines per job. Older or less related jobs can have one line.

How do you list your tools?

US companies hire for skills they can use on day one. So name your tools clearly in a Skills section: Google Workspace, Microsoft Excel, QuickBooks, Salesforce, HubSpot, Shopify, Canva, Slack, and so on.

Be honest about your level. Many recruiters give hands-on skills tests. If you write "advanced Excel," be ready to build a formula or a pivot table in front of someone.

One honest skill beats five you cannot prove.

A simple way to show levels:

Advanced: QuickBooks Online, Excel
Working knowledge: Salesforce, Canva

How do you show your English level?

First, write the whole resume in English. That alone tells a story.

Then add a Languages line:

Spanish: native
English: professional working proficiency (C1)

If you have a test score like TOEFL, IELTS or EF SET, include it. If you worked with US clients or used English every day at work, say so in your job lines: "Handled email and phone support for US customers." That is stronger proof than any label.

Remember that your resume is also a writing sample. Every typo makes a reader wonder about your English. Read it out loud. Ask a friend who writes well in English to check it. Use a spell checker set to US English.

What are the most common mistakes?

Too long. Three or four pages will not be read.
Personal details. Photo, age and ID number should go.
Duties without results. Show what changed because you were there.
Inflated skills. It is easy to discover in a test.
Spanish or Portuguese leftovers. Check dates, job titles and school names. Translate degrees: "Licenciatura en Administración" becomes "Bachelor's degree in Business Administration."
Strange email addresses. Use your name, not a nickname.
One resume for every job. Change your summary and top skills for each role. A bookkeeping job and a customer service job need different first lines.

Is there a quick checklist?

Before you send it, ask yourself:

Is it one or two pages?
Is it a clean PDF with my name in the file name?
Did I remove my photo and personal data?
Does each job show at least one result?
Are my tools listed with honest levels?
Is my English level clear, and is the text free of errors?
Did I adjust it for this specific job?

The bottom line

A good US-style resume is short, honest and focused on results. You do not need fancy design. You need clear proof that you can do the work and communicate well in English. Recruiters, including teams like RemoteVetted that run searches for US businesses, look for exactly that, and candidates never pay to be considered. Update your resume this week, one section at a time. Small changes can open real doors.