Interpreters & Translators

information artistic translation language meaning technical term english language content

Interpreter, Medical Interpreter, Sign Language Interpreter, Translator

What they do:
Interpret oral or sign language, or translate written text from one language into another.
On the job, you would:
  • Follow ethical codes that protect the confidentiality of information.
  • Translate messages simultaneously or consecutively into specified languages, orally or by using hand signs, maintaining message content, context, and style as much as possible.
  • Listen to speakers' statements to determine meanings and to prepare translations, using electronic listening systems as necessary.

Knowledge

Arts and Humanities

  • English language
  • foreign language

Business

  • customer service
  • administrative services

Education and Training

  • teaching and course design

Safety and Government

  • public safety and security

Skills

Basic Skills

  • talking to others
  • listening to others, not interrupting, and asking good questions

Problem Solving

  • noticing a problem and figuring out the best way to solve it

Abilities

Verbal

  • communicate by speaking
  • listen and understand what people say

Ideas and Logic

  • order or arrange things
  • notice when problems happen

Attention

  • pay attention to something without being distracted
  • do two or more things at the same time

Personality

People interested in this work like activities that include creating, designing, and making your own rules.

They do well at jobs that need:

  • Integrity
  • Attention to Detail
  • Dependability
  • Independence
  • Cooperation
  • Self Control

Technology

You might use software like this on the job:

Web platform development software

  • Extensible hypertext markup language XHTML
  • Hypertext markup language HTML Hot Technology

Presentation software

  • Microsoft PowerPoint Hot Technology

Foreign language software

  • AceTools.biz Ace Translator
  • Stormdance CatsCradle

Education

Education: (rated 4 of 5)
bachelor's degree or
master's degree
usually needed

Get started on your career:

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Job Outlook

Bright
New job opportunities are very likely in the future.
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See more details at O*NET OnLine about interpreters and translators.