Interpreter / Translator

In this career guide, you’ll learn everything you need to know about translation and interpreting as a career, from roles and responsibilities, to work environment and roadmap to becoming an Interpreter/ Translator.

Who's an Interpreter / Translator?

“If you talk to a man in a language he understands, that goes to his head. If you talk to him in his language, that goes to his heart.”

– Nelson Mandela

Do you love learning new languages? Do you like meeting people from different countries and learning about their culture? Would you enjoy helping people from different backgrounds converse with each other? If so, consider a career in translation!

To put it simply, an interpreter/translator is a professional who reads, understands, speaks, and translates messages from one language to another. Over and above the language, you will also learn about the culture, art, music, history and more about the languages you master. Most interpreters/translators specialise in one language other than their mother-tongue and help others understand it. For instance, if you learnt to speak French and your mother-tongue is Hindi, you would help other Hindi-speakers understand French when needed, and vice-versa. One distinct difference between interpreters and translators is that interpreters orally translate, while translators work with text. Think this is the career for you? Read on to learn more!

Responsibilities

What will you do?

Speaking, reading and writing fluently.

You must excel at speaking, reading and writing both source (the original language) and the target (language being translated into) languages. You will need to have strong grammar skills to write well, enunciation skills to clearly communicate, and oratory skills to read well.

Example: If you were translating for someone in French, you would have to speak clearly and keep in mind little things like how the french don’t pronounce the “H” (huh) sound.

 

Learning everything about a language.

While it is a given that you will have to master a language – it’s grammar, syntax, etc. Your knowledge shouldn’t stop there. You must also learn things like the culture of the place and the people the language originated from.

Example: In Hindi, Namaste is both a greeting and a religious gesture. You must understand the difference and translate accordingly.

Conducting research.

Dictionaries and encyclopaedias are going to be your bedfellows. In order to understand everything about a language, you will have to consult books and other experts. This comes in handy, especially when you are translating a particular topic.

Example: If you were translating a technical manual, you will have to know the different names for objects. A computer is called “ordinateur” and a mobile phone is called “portable” in French.

 

Translating from one language to another.

Your primary responsibility is to translate. You will be translating text, conversations, books, movies, plays, etc. You will be using a lot of reference material – for both the original language and the one it is being translated into – for this.

Example: A lot of us tend to watch movies “dubbed” in our own languages. Before these movies are dubbed, the dialogues and screenplay are translated by an expert.

Proofreading text.

One common task for most translators is to proofread various texts – books, advertisements, letters, etc. They check for grammatical, spelling, and syntax errors.

Example: Most people who speak two languages tend to literally translate words into the second language and hence make errors. Unlike English, French assigns genders to every object. This can get lost in translation thus leaving you with a grammatically incorrect sentence.

Take the Mentoria career assessment test, to find out how well-suited you are as an Interpreter/ Translator.

Workplace

Where will you work?

Corporates

You could work out of an office. Especially offices with international clients. Here you would take part in meetings, attend conferences along with someone from the company and help them actively participate in these events. 

Agencies

There also exist agencies and consultancies that provide translation services to other companies. Here you could either be assigned to a particular client or be assigned to particular events like tech conferences.

Government

As an interpreter/translator working with the government, you would accompany leaders to different venues and help them communicate with the others present. You could also work at consulates where you could help diplomats or take up any other job there.

Education

How do you get there?

STEP 1: Class XI-XII/Junior College

Arts would be the ideal option for you as it provides opportunities to specialise in languages at the graduation level. Most colleges offer second languages like Sanskrit, French, German, Spanish, etc. Make sure you opt for the one you wish to pursue

STEP 2: Certificate Courses

Depending on the subject you want to specialise in, you can opt for a certification course after your Class 12 exams or after your graduation. You can pursue certification courses from institutions such as Institute of Spanish Studies, American Translator Association, Jawaharlal Nehru University, Central Institution of Indian languages, etc.

STEP 3: Graduation

Depending on the language you’re looking to study, you could pursue a three-year BA in French or Spanish from colleges like Loyola College (Chennai), St. Xavier’s College (Mumbai), Miranda College (Delhi), etc.

Alternatively, you could pursue some courses in English to strengthen your skills there. Pursue a three-year BA in Linguistics (English) or a BA in English Literature from college like Lady Shri Ram College (Delhi), St. Xavier’s College (Mumbai), etc. Once you have developed a strong skill-set in English, you can pursue a certification course in the second language you wish to learn.

STEP 4: Post Graduation

After graduation, you can choose to do a diploma or a post-graduation course in the subject you wish to specialise in. Most diploma courses last for a year. Jawaharlal Nehru University and the University of Pune offers diploma courses in quite a few languages like Japanese, Spanish, French, etc.

STEP 5: Certification

 After a diploma or post-graduation course, you will need a certification. There are centres like Mombusho Scholars Association of India (MOSAI) and Diplôme d’études en langue française (DELF) that provide certification through proficiency tests for Japanese and French respectively. There are other centres too that provide certifications for different languages. Once you have passed the proficiency test, you will be certified as a fluent speaker. Congratulations! You are now officially a translator.

STEP 6: Land a Job

You can look for jobs as a translator in various industries including the healthcare and government sector, or at a content/translation agency.

Thinking of a career as an Interpreter/ Translator? Take the Mentoria assessment test & talk to our career counsellors to get personalized step-by-step guidance for your future career path.

STEP 1: Class XI-XII/Junior College

If you’re interested in subjects such as economics, bookkeeping and others, choose commerce in junior college. This will help you develop a strong foundation for a translating career in legal and finance-related matters.

STEP 2: Certificate Courses

Depending on the subject you want to specialise in, you can opt for a certification course after your Class 12 exams or after your graduation. You can pursue certification courses from institutions such as Institute of Spanish Studies, American Translator Association, Jawaharlal Nehru University, Central Institution of Indian languages, etc.

STEP 3: Graduation

Depending on the language you’re looking to study, you could pursue a three-year BA in French or Spanish from colleges like Loyola College (Chennai), St. Xavier’s College (Mumbai), Miranda College (Delhi), etc.

Alternatively, you could pursue some courses in English to strengthen your skills there. Pursue a three-year BA in Linguistics (English) or a BA in English Literature from college like Lady Shri Ram College (Delhi), St. Xavier’s College (Mumbai), etc. Once you have developed a strong skill-set in English, you can pursue a certification course in the second language you wish to learn.

STEP 4: Post Graduation

After graduation, you can choose to do a diploma or a post-graduation course in the subject you wish to specialise in. Most diploma courses last for a year. Jawaharlal Nehru University and the University of Pune offers diploma courses in quite a few languages like Japanese, Spanish, French, etc.

STEP 5: Certification

After a diploma or post-graduation course, you will need a certification. There are centres like Mombusho Scholars Association of India (MOSAI) and Diplôme d’études en langue française (DELF) that provide certification through proficiency tests for Japanese and French respectively. There are other centres too that provide certifications for different languages. Once you have passed the proficiency test, you will be certified as a fluent speaker. Congratulations! You are now officially a translator.STE

STEP 6: Land a Job

You can look for jobs as a translator in various industries including the healthcare and government sector, or at a content/translation agency. Your tasks would involve translating small text or transcribing videos for subtitles.

Thinking of a career as an Interpreter/ Translator? Take the Mentoria assessment test & talk to our career counsellors to get personalized step-by-step guidance for your future career path.

STEP 1: Class XI-XII/Junior College

If you’re interested in subjects like physics, chemistry, biology, take up science in junior college. It will help you build a strong background to translate for fields like medicine.

STEP 2: Certificate Courses

Depending on the subject you want to specialise in, you can opt for a certification course after your Class 12 exams or after your graduation. You can pursue certification courses from institutions such as Institute of Spanish Studies, American Translator Association, Jawaharlal Nehru University, Central Institution of Indian languages, etc.

STEP 3: Graduation

Depending on the language you’re looking to study, you could pursue a three-year BA in French or Spanish from colleges like Loyola College (Chennai), St. Xavier’s College (Mumbai), Miranda College (Delhi), etc.

Alternatively, you could pursue some courses in English to strengthen your skills there. Pursue a three-year BA in Linguistics (English) or a BA in English Literature from college like Lady Shri Ram College (Delhi), St. Xavier’s College (Mumbai), etc. Once you have developed a strong skill-set in English, you can pursue a certification course in the second language you wish to learn.

STEP 4: Post Graduation

After graduation, you can choose to do a diploma or a post-graduation course in the subject you wish to specialise in. Most diploma courses last for a year. Jawaharlal Nehru University and the University of Pune offers diploma courses in quite a few languages like Japanese, Spanish, French, etc.

STEP 5: Certification

After a diploma or post-graduation course, you will need a certification. There are centres like Mombusho Scholars Association of India (MOSAI) and Diplôme d’études en langue française (DELF) that provide certification through proficiency tests for Japanese and French respectively. There are other centres too that provide certifications for different languages. Once you have passed the proficiency test, you will be certified as a fluent speaker. Congratulations! You are now officially a translator.

STEP 6: Land a Job

You can look for jobs as a translator in various industries including the healthcare and government sector, or at a content/translation agency.

Thinking of a career as an Interpreter/ Translator? Take the Mentoria assessment test & talk to our career counsellors to get personalized step-by-step guidance for your future career path.

What skills would you need?

Communication Skills

Communication Skills

Communication and interpersonal skills are very important while dealing with patients. You will have to guide certain people about a procedure or treatment. You may need to provide them with some serious information about their fertility and treatment progress. Hence these issues would need to be handled sensitively.

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Technical Skills

Technical Skills

As a marketer, you will work on different platforms to communicate with people. If you don’t understand how they work, you won’t be able to come up with the best strategy. You will also use various kinds of software like Google Adwords, MailChimp, SurveyMonkey, etc., during your promotions. You need to know how they work, and how to use them to your advantage.

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Research

Research

You need to perform research on the eggs, sperms and embryos you obtain from the patient. This will involve some long hours of research.

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Time Management

Time Management

The best - and worst - part about marketing is that there is never a dull moment. But this also means that there is NEVER A DULL MOMENT. Be prepared to be working on several tasks at once. That means that there are times when you will have to put certain projects on the backburner. You will have to know how to prioritise so that you don’t lose out on any opportunities.

Attention to Detail

Attention to Detail

Working with eggs and embryos is a very tedious task. Every little detail matters when you are observing them. If you are good at giving attention to detail, then your job at the laboratory will be made much easier.

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Analytical and Data Skills

Analytical and Data Skills

You will receive huge amounts of data from your client. This data will have to be analysed effectively so you can find ways that will help your client reach their customers is the best way possible. While it is true that the more data you analyse, the more insights you generate; analytical thinking will help you narrow down your search and find your key actionable items, thus saving you a lot of time and resources.

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Promotion levels

How do you make it to the top ranks?

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Intern

As an intern, your tasks would include researching, uploading content onto a website, looking for new terms of the language you specialise in, etc., and over and above assist the translators with their tasks.

Junior Translator

As you’re just starting out, you would be working on simple projects such as news brochures, product descriptions, news piece and others.

Senior Translator

At this level, you would be heading a team of junior translators and overseeing their work. Depending on where you work, you would handle multiple projects at a time. As a senior, you would also be involved with editing and proofreading the content written by junior translators.

Group Head

As a group head, your job would not just be limited to translating content, but also meeting clients, understanding their requirements and then guiding your team of translators to work on the same. It will be your job to ensure the timely submission of projects.

Director

You’re the Boss, Le Chef, El Capitan at this stage. You would oversee the entire working of your team of translators. You would be involved in the marketing activities and be on the constant lookout for new projects.

Scope

Pursuing your career locally VS abroad

If you pursue a career in translation in India, then it’s easier for you to get a job in the country as a translator in tourism, entertainment, media, publishing house, diplomatic service, legal or medical field. Most businesses in India are expanding globally and schools, as well, are introducing new languages to their curriculum. There is, therefore, high demand for translators in languages like French, German, Spanish, Japanese and Korean in India.

You can pursue a career in translation in India by opting to do a certification, diploma or a degree course in the language of your choice. The eligibility for these courses is your Class 12 exams. Most diploma courses in India are one-year courses. Top colleges from where you can pursue a career in translation in India are Central Translation Bureau, University of Pune, Visvabharti University, Jawaharlal Nehru University and Himachal Pradesh University.

Pursuing a career in translation abroad would give you a deeper understanding of the language. You will meet people, learn about the land, understand their culture, etc., which will eventually help you obtain a deeper understanding of the language. Once you have completed your degree, you can always look for a job in the country. Other than graduation or master’s degrees, there are language programmes abroad that will help you master the basics. Top colleges to pursue a career in translation are Middlebury College, University of California, Cornell University, and Harvard University.

Payscale

How much would you get paid?

Your pay will largely depend on your skill-set, the languages you’ve learned and the organisation you work for. However, we can give you a fair idea of the kind of salaries translators make.


Specialisations

What are your career options?

Writer

If you know multiple languages, you can establish a career as a writer. As a writer, you could work for publications or websites. You can work in various fields such as medical writing, scriptwriting, current affairs, travel and others. You could either be involved in translating text or writing an original piece for a regional or international publication. A degree in linguistics or literature in the language of your choosing will help you go a long way in this field.

 

Interpreter

As an interpreter, you would aid people who speak in different languages to have conversations with each other. Your job would be to understand what is being said and correctly translate it to the other person. Your job here is two-way. You must translate what is being said and also translate the response given to it. There is a strong demand for diplomatic interpreters in the government. However, it is important that you possess a thorough knowledge of the subject (finance, politics, etc.) in order to translate it properly.

Tourism

You can work with the tourism industry in India. Here you could look at creating brochures for people in different languages. Or, you could serve as a tour guide where you can help people from different nationalities enjoy all that India has to offer by making the communication process smoother for them. A diploma in travel and tourism would come in handy here. There are several courses offered by Blue Whale Academy, Thomas Cook, etc.

Transcriber

Today with streaming platforms like Netflix, Hotstar and Amazon prime bringing in more and more international content to our screens, there is more need than ever for translators and transcribers. As a transcriber, you would work on creating subtitles for video content in either the original language or in the local language.

Teacher

If you enjoy teaching, there is a good demand for German, French, Chinese, Sanskrit and other language teachers. You can either work with a school or college or start your own classes. Depending on your expertise and qualifications, you can decide at what level you want to teach the language. In India, to teach, you need to appear for and clear the UGC-NET exams.

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QUIZ

#CAREERREADY QUIZ

Think you know everything there is to know about this career?

Take the quiz to test your knowledge and find out how #CareerReady you are!

 

START

1. What do interpreters/translators do?

2. Which of these is NOT the responsibility of an interpreter/translator?

3. Which of these offers courses in different languages?

4. Which of these is a must-have functional skill for interpreters/translators?

5. Which of these is a must-have soft skill for interpreters/translators?

6. What does a junior interpreter/translator do?

7. Which of the following is a benefit of becoming an interpreter/translator abroad?

8. Which of the following is NOT a specialisation for interpreters/translators?

9. Which of these is NOT a challenge interpreters/translators face?

10. Which of these is a myth about interpreters/translators?

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