How to Become an Interpreter | Interprepedia
Summary
TLDRIn this informative video, interpreter Rosa outlines a 10-step roadmap for aspiring interpreters, emphasizing that while formal education in translation and interpretation is ideal, interpreters are needed in diverse settings. She advises on language proficiency testing, taking relevant courses, crafting a resume, leveraging LinkedIn, understanding the industry, joining professional associations, networking, volunteering for experience, and job application strategies. Rosa's personal anecdotes and industry insights guide viewers through the practical steps to launch a career in interpretation.
Takeaways
- 🗺️ The video is a roadmap for becoming an interpreter based on the speaker's experience, not a one-size-fits-all guide.
- 🌐 Interpreters are needed in various situations beyond conferences and speeches, such as medical appointments and insurance claims.
- 📚 Proficiency in at least two languages is essential for interpreters, and language proficiency tests like TOEFL can be beneficial for certification and employment.
- 📘 Interpreter training involves multiple courses and workshops to learn about ethics, protocol, and field-specific vocabulary.
- 🔍 Creating a resume that highlights transferable skills from previous career fields is crucial for aspiring interpreters.
- 💼 Building a LinkedIn profile can be a key tool for finding clients, as the speaker has experienced success through this platform.
- 🤔 Researching the language services industry, including professional associations and credentials, is important for understanding the field.
- 📢 Joining a professional association can offer educational opportunities, networking, and demonstrate commitment to the interpreting career.
- 🤝 Networking through social media, events, and reaching out to others in the field is vital for building connections and gaining opportunities.
- 🌟 Volunteering can provide valuable experience, develop skills, and potentially lead to client connections in the interpreting industry.
- 📝 Job opportunities in interpreting often come in the form of contract work, and applying through language service providers' websites can yield unexpected offers.
- 💪 Patience and perseverance are key to landing opportunities in interpreting, as the process can involve extensive research and application efforts.
Q & A
What is the main purpose of the video by Rosa?
-The main purpose of the video is to share a 10-step roadmap on how to become an interpreter, based on Rosa's personal experience and the experiences of other practicing interpreters she knows.
Why does Rosa emphasize that the video's title is for algorithmic purposes?
-Rosa emphasizes this because she wants to convey that while the video is titled 'How to Become an Interpreter,' it is more of a flexible roadmap rather than a strict set of rules, acknowledging that there are multiple paths to becoming an interpreter.
What are some of the non-traditional settings where interpreters are needed according to the video?
-Interpreters are needed in various settings such as medical appointments, insurance claims, and even in war times, not just for interpreting conferences or presidential speeches.
Why does Rosa suggest taking a language proficiency test?
-Rosa suggests taking a language proficiency test to prove one's fluency in a language, as some certification programs, potential employers, or clients may require it, and it can help boost one's resume.
What does Rosa mean by saying that being bilingual alone doesn't make someone an interpreter?
-Rosa means that simply knowing two languages is not enough to work as an interpreter; one must also have the specific skills required for interpreting, such as those taught in interpreting courses and workshops.
Why is it important to create a resume even if one has no experience as an interpreter?
-Creating a resume is important because it forces one to assess their skills and can help identify transferable skills from previous experiences that can be applied to a career as an interpreter.
How does Rosa suggest one can find clients as an interpreter?
-Rosa suggests using LinkedIn, as she has found most of her clients through this platform, and also recommends optimizing one's LinkedIn profile for better visibility.
What is the significance of joining a professional association for interpreters?
-Joining a professional association offers advantages such as showing commitment to the new career, connecting with other professionals, and gaining access to educational opportunities at reduced costs.
Why is networking important for someone starting out as an interpreter?
-Networking is important because it helps build connections with potential clients and colleagues, participate in industry events, and gain advice and insights from experienced interpreters.
How can volunteering help someone who is new to the interpreting field?
-Volunteering helps by providing opportunities to meet new people who can become potential clients, develop and refine interpreting skills, and gain field experience, all of which are beneficial for building a resume.
What advice does Rosa give regarding job applications in the interpreting industry?
-Rosa advises to look for opportunities on mainstream job search websites and directly on language services providers' websites, as many have special links for uploading resumes and creating profiles, even when there are no active listings.
What qualities does Rosa emphasize as key to success in the interpreting field?
-Rosa emphasizes patience and perseverance as key qualities for success in the interpreting field, as it took her weeks of research and effort to land her first opportunity.
Outlines
😀 Introduction to Becoming an Interpreter
Rosa, an interpreter, introduces the video's purpose, which is to guide viewers through the process of becoming an interpreter in 10 steps. She clarifies that the video is based on her personal experience and the common path taken by many interpreters she knows. Rosa acknowledges that while a prestigious education in Translation and Interpretation is ideal, interpreters are needed in various situations beyond high-level conferences, such as medical appointments and war times. She emphasizes the importance of considering local regulations and the diversity of paths to becoming an interpreter. The core skill required is high proficiency in at least two languages, and Rosa suggests taking language proficiency tests to validate one's abilities. She also highlights the importance of taking classes and workshops to learn about interpreting ethics, protocols, and field-specific vocabulary.
🤝 Steps for Interpreter Career Development
This paragraph focuses on the practical steps for aspiring interpreters to advance their careers. Rosa advises creating a specialized resume to assess and showcase one's skills, even without prior interpreting experience. She recommends leveraging LinkedIn for networking and finding clients, as she has done successfully. Rosa also stresses the importance of researching the language services industry, including professional associations, credentials, certifications, and language service providers. Joining a professional association is suggested for its educational opportunities and networking benefits. Networking is further emphasized through social media and participating in industry events. Volunteering is presented as a way to gain experience, refine skills, and meet potential clients. Rosa then discusses the job application process in the interpreting industry, noting that many opportunities are contract-based and suggests directly engaging with language service providers for potential job listings. She concludes by encouraging patience and perseverance in the job search process and invites viewers to her new blog for more content on the subject.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Interpreter
💡Language Proficiency
💡Certification Programs
💡Resume
💡Professional Associations
💡Language Services Industry
💡Networking
💡Volunteering
💡Contract Work
💡Patience and Perseverance
Highlights
Introduction to the video on becoming an interpreter in 10 steps by Rosa.
The video serves as a roadmap based on personal experience and common practices among interpreters.
Interpreters are needed in various situations beyond conferences and speeches, such as medical appointments and insurance claims.
Different countries have different regulations for practicing translation and interpretation.
The necessity of being highly proficient in at least two languages for interpreters.
Suggestion to take language proficiency tests like TOEFL to prove language skills.
The importance of taking classes and workshops to learn interpreting skills beyond language proficiency.
Creating a resume to assess skills and transferable experiences from other career fields.
Utilizing LinkedIn for networking and finding clients as an interpreter.
Researching the language services industry to understand professional associations and credentials.
Joining a professional association to connect with professionals and gain educational opportunities.
The significance of networking through social media and participating in events to build a professional network.
Overcoming inexperience through volunteering to gain field experience and meet potential clients.
Applying for jobs, with a focus on contract work as a service provider in the language services industry.
Finding job opportunities through language services providers' websites and creating a profile for potential offers.
The importance of patience and perseverance in the job search process for interpreters.
Invitation to Rosa's new blog for more content on becoming an interpreter and industry insights.
Transcripts
Hello! and welcome to Interprepedia! My name is Rosa, I'm an interpreter and in this video
I'm going to share with you "How to Become an Interpreter" in 10 steps. Before we start,
I would like to point out a few things. Although I've named this video
"How to Become an Interpreter" for algorithmic purposes, in reality this is more of a roadmap
of how the majority of practicing interpreters I know, including myself, have become interpreters.
Evidently, there is more than one way to achieve this, and in a perfect world we would all have
the will - and the opportunity - to attend a prestigious university to get a Bachelor's Degree
in Translation and Interpretation followed by a Master' Degree in Conference Interpreting with
extensive internships here and there to eventually become interpreters for the United Nations
and live happily ever after. But we are not in a perfect world and interpreters are needed in many
situations, from medical appointments, insurance claims, and even in war times as we are witnessing
right now. They're not just needed to interpret conferences or presidential speeches. So,
anyway, I'm going on a tangent here. The last thing I want to point out is the fact that
I'm only speaking from personal experience based on where I work and the type of clients I have.
Obviously, if you are tuning in from a different part of the world this may not apply to you as
different countries have different regulations to practice translation and interpretation.
With that being said, let's get started. Obviously, the core skill needed to work
as an interpreter is being highly proficient in at least two languages. Now, if you speak
two languages already and you're wondering if your proficiency is enough to actually
work as an interpreter you can take a language proficiency test. In my case, for example, I have
a degree from a higher education institution in a country where Spanish is the official language
so for most intents and purposes, that alone can serve as proof of my proficiency in Spanish.
However, I had to take the TOEFL exam to prove my proficiency in English. I would not say this
is mandatory but I highly suggest you consider it because some certification programs and potential
employers or clients require this and it can help boost your resume. Much like dancing at your
cousin's wedding doesn't make you a professional dancer being bilingual alone doesn't make us
interpreters. I learned that the hard way when I just started and I had to take my first
interpreting test and in spite of knowing pretty much all the vocabulary I didn't pass the actual
interpreting exercises. So, take some classes. And I say that in plural because there is not one
single course that will teach you absolutely everything that you need to know to work
as an interpreter. You can start small and take a combination of short courses and workshops or
webinars to learn about ethics and protocol, how interpreters are expected to work in the field
where you want to work, and vocabulary related to that field. It's important to start creating
a new resume as soon as possible even if you have little or no experience working as an interpreter.
Preparing your resume will force you to assess your skills and if you are transitioning from a
different career field you can dig deep into your background to see what skills and experience can
be transferred to create your new resume. Once your new resume is done it will be easy peasy to
create your Linkedin profile. I can tell you that I've found most of my clients through Linkedin
and since I already made a video with some tips about how to make the best of Linkedin if you are
an interpreter or translator I would like to invite you to check it out. Another very
important step is to take time to learn about the language services industry. I suggest you do some
research to learn about professional associations for interpreters, credentials or certifications
in the field that you're interested in working, language services providers because those are the
companies that hire or subcontract interpreters, and also learn about fellow interpreters.
Many interpreters have podcasts, YouTube channels, websites, and social media pages or groups
where you can learn a lot about the industry. Another step I suggest is joining a professional
association because this offers a lot of advantages to all interpreters, but to new
interpreters, it shows that you are committed and engaged in this new career, it gives you unique
opportunities to connect with other professionals in the industry, plus most associations offer
regular educational opportunities at no cost or at least at a reduced cost for their members which is
another perk of joining one. Once you know who's who and what's what it's time to start networking.
Post about your new career on social media so colleagues and recruiters can start noticing you
reach out to others and ask for advice, ask questions, and participate in events both online
and in-person to start building your network. If you are just starting out, obviously that
means you have little experience and one great way to overcome that is through volunteering.
No matter the industry you're in, doing volunteer work feels good and looks good on your resume.
Volunteering offers a lot of advantages because it gives you the opportunity to meet new people
who can later become potential clients. It helps you develop and refine your skills, and it helps
you gain some experience in the field. At this point you should be ready to start applying
for jobs. One thing you should know is that in this industry many opportunities are not actual jobs
or traditional employment. In my experience, I would say the majority of listings are for contract work
where you are considered a supplier of services to another company. But either way the application
process is somewhat similar. You can find out about open positions on mainstream job search websites
but I suggest you visit the language services providers' websites directly because many have
special links where you can upload your resume and create a profile even if there's no active
listing or an open position, because you might be surprised by an offer when you least expect it.
I hope this helps bring some clarity as you embark on this new career field and please remember
that patience and perseverance are key in this process. It took me weeks and weeks of research,
emails, filling out forms over and over, and tweaking my resume, before I landed my first
opportunity. If you are interested in this type of content I would like to invite you to visit
my new website where i have started a new blog and I'll be posting articles very frequently.
I actually posted an article about this in the blog days before I posted this video here. So, if
you want to stay in the know make sure to check it out and subscribe to the email list to get notices
when new articles are uploaded. And that was it for today. Thank you so much for watching! ¡Adiós!
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