Getting a Job in the Translation Industry

Getting a Job in the Translation Industry

People who have excellent bilingual skills can easily find satisfying work and a decent income by pursuing translation if it is something they are interested in. True bilinguals are those who are native speakers of languages to the point of being able to speak, understand, read and write both languages. Possessing the skills of a native speaker in a language is important to the translation industry. If the candidate is not a true native speaker, they must have obtained extensive experience and education in order to be as skilled.

Getting a job in the translation industry is not a difficult endeavor especially if the applicant is a native speaker who is comfortable with both the source language of the translation jobs as well as the target language. This simply means comfortable with the language being translated from and the language being translated to. That bilingual (or more) ability is the cornerstone of a successful translation career. In addition to the language abilities, a good translator must be a good writer, one who is creative and skillful at translating one language into another without changing any of the meaning of the original.

Formal schooling in translation is not a necessity for a native speaker, true bilingual person when they can speak, comprehend, write and read the target language. However, certification in the translation industry is a very smart move in that most of the time prospective employers will only seriously consider applicants who have certification and experience in translation. What does this mean for a new translator just getting started in the field? This means that certification in the translation industry will open doors that might otherwise be closed. Proof of skill and experience is a necessity in the translation industry.

In order to obtain proof of skill and experience, new translators should take whatever courses and tests are necessary to become certified translators. Once certified, translators can go about getting a job in the translation industry by seeking online employment in order to get a foot in the door and get started gaining experience. A willingness to work smaller jobs to start with will result in better jobs in the future, whether from the original employer or from other companies or clients that will come up as time goes on. It is important to gain experience and to continue to build experience by honing and practicing the translation skills as well as completing jobs.

-By Adriana Tassini

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