Interpreter

Job description

Interpreters convert spoken or sign language statements from one language to another. Interpreting involves listening to, understanding and memorising content in the original 'source' language, then reproducing statements, questions and speeches in a different 'target' language. This is often done in only one direction, normally into the interpreter's native language, but may be on a two-way basis.

Interpreters facilitate effective communication between clients in the following settings:

• large conferences and formal meetings;
• business functions such as smaller meetings, exhibitions and product launches;
• criminal justice proceedings, known as public service interpreting or PSI, including police and probation service interviews, court hearings, solicitor interviews, arbitration hearings and immigration tribunals;
• community-based events and assignments within the education, health and social services sectors.

Typical work activities

Interpreting can be carried out in various ways:

• in person, whether in the same room or from a nearby conference booth;
• by telephone, when the interpreter is in a different location from the speakers;
• via video conferencing and internet-based technologies.

There are several types of interpreting.

• Simultaneous interpretation (SI): working in a team at a conference or large meeting, the interpreter sits in a soundproof booth (there are separate booths for each conference language) and immediately converts what is being said, so listeners hear the interpretation through an earpiece while the speaker is still speaking. A variation of this is whispering, or chuchotage, where the interpreter sits near one person or a small group and whispers the translation as the speaker carries on. Sign language interpreting is also usually simultaneous.
• Consecutive interpretation (CI): more common in smaller meetings and discussions, the speaker will pause after each sentence or point and wait while the interpreter translates what is being said into the appropriate language.
• Liaison interpretation, also known as ad hoc and relay: this is a type of two-way interpreting, where the interpreter translates every few sentences while the speaker pauses. This is common in telephone interpreting as well as in legal and health situations. The interpreter supports people who are not fluent in the language being used to ensure their understanding.
• Sign language interpretation: interpreters convert spoken statements into sign language and vice versa. Interpreting from one sign language to another is a new area.

The following work activities are likely in any interpreting setting:

• assimilating speakers' words quickly, including jargon and acronyms;
• analysing sentences expressed in one language and explaining them using another language;
• building up specialist vocabulary banks;
• writing notes to aid memory;
• using microphones and headsets;
• preparing paperwork - considering agendas before meetings, or lectures/speeches when received in advance;
• using the internet to conduct research;
• organising workload and liaising with internal departments, agencies and/or employers;
• working to a professional code of ethics covering confidentiality and impartiality.

Salary and conditions

• The range of salaries is varied and there are relatively few salaried jobs. The highest paid jobs tend to be based outside the UK.
• Freelance rates vary from £110 - £500 or more per day depending on the setting, type of interpreting required, location, the interpreter's experience and level of demand for the languages.
• Traditionally, interpreters have been paid travel time and costs, along with a guaranteed minimum fee (normally two or three hours' work), and this remains the case in some settings. Typical hourly rates range from £30 to £40, rising to £60 for very experienced interpreters.
• Agencies and telephone interpreting are increasingly being used to reduce costs, particularly in the public sector, as interpreters receive a lower rate per minute or per hour with limited or no travel reimbursements; this is likely to reduce typical salaries in the affected sectors. For example, new Ministry of Justice rates start at £16 per hour for low-skilled interpreters with limited experience and peak at £22 per hour for a professional registered member (Linguist Lounge , 2011).
• Annual income varies depending on the hours worked. It may be difficult to sustain a stable income from interpreting unless you are employed by one organisation as a conference interpreter or by several agencies. Most interpreters have additional employment, for example in translation, teaching or training.
• Working hours are flexible. While business, routine medical and court-related assignments tend to take place during office hours, evening and weekend work is not uncommon, especially for police interviews and emergency medical care. Telephone-based interpreters can work at any time, serving both national and international clients.
• Interpreters may be based inside conference centres or working on the telephone for long periods.
• The majority of interpreters are self-employed with most finding work through networking and registration with professional directories or language agencies. It can take time to become established and build a regular client base.
• Working on a freelance basis allows interpreters to accommodate part-time hours and career breaks to suit their needs, offering flexible services and choosing the work they wish to undertake.
• Opportunities for employment may arise anywhere, especially for community-based assignments and telephone work, but the main centres for international conferences include Brussels, London, Geneva and Paris. In the UK, employment opportunities outside London are increasing.
• Business or smart casual dress is usually required, with the exception of telephone interpreting which is normally done from the interpreter's home.
• The role requires a huge amount of concentration, which can be tiring.
• You may be required to be away from home overnight or to be abroad for longer periods.

Entry requirements

This area of work is open to all graduates with a high level of language knowledge. For most, this will mean an undergraduate degree in one of the following subjects:

• modern languages;
• deaf studies;
• translation and interpreting;
• modern languages or British Sign Language (BSL) and interpreting.

Entry is also possible, however, for graduates who have an unrelated degree but possess the required language skills. Specialist knowledge in science, engineering, the environment, business, economics, law or politics can be helpful, as interpreters work for a wide range of clients and understanding specialist vocabulary and concepts to a high level is essential.

This area of work is open to those with an HND/foundation degree in one of the above subjects, although you will need to progress to degree-level study and/or a diploma in interpreting in order to enter the profession. Entry without a degree or HND/foundation degree is unlikely except where practitioners have come to interpreting through life experience, for example, a bilingual upbringing, residence abroad or regular work with speakers of a second language. BSL interpreters may develop their language proficiency through vocational qualifications such as NVQs.

A postgraduate diploma or Masters in interpreting techniques is usually expected. Some courses focus on particular aspects of interpreting, but there are options which also develop complementary skills, such as translation. Several institutions run both part and full-time courses.

Pre-entry experience is not essential but, if you want to work as a professional interpreter, you will need to show evidence of the following:

• an excellent command of English and the other language(s) into which you may interpret;
• fluency in at least one additional language for freelance interpreting and two or ideally more for a staff position in conference interpreting;
• a good memory and the ability to learn fast;
• the skills to interact well with people and work as part of a team;
• the ability to use discretion and maintain confidentiality;
• flexibility to deal calmly with the unexpected and difficult situations;
• reliability, dedication and commitment;
• knowledge of current affairs, politics and different cultures and customs.

In addition, conference and court interpreters must be confident about speaking in public and have a clear and pleasant speaking voice.

While building a network of contacts and developing experience, some interpreters offer their services voluntarily. They may also do this in the later stages of their career, if it is financially viable to do so. Interpreters will often use speculative applications in order to approach agencies when seeking work. Many professional interpreting associations offer membership at a reduced cost to students, which can assist you in developing contacts and knowledge of the industry.

Competition is fierce, particularly amongst the major European languages. If you do not have professional interpreting qualifications, you may still find informal work as an interpreter if you are fluent, or almost fluent, in more than one language, but rates of pay will be lower than those for professionally qualified interpreters. Some local authorities, colleges and universities offer short courses in community interpreting for those without such qualifications.

For more information, see work experience and internships and search courses and research.

Training

While a relevant first and/or postgraduate interpreting degree or diploma provides the required academic training, many of the core practical skills needed in interpreting are gained on the job.

To ensure a standard of professionalism, full membership of the main professional bodies requires references (often from existing members), successful completion of tests and specific levels of experience. For example, membership of the Association Internationale des Interprètes de Conférence (AIIC)  requires 150 days' experience and the Institute of Translation and Interpreting (ITI)  requires 200, usually freelance. Gaining this practical experience can be challenging and may take several years.

The Diploma in Public Service Interpreting (DPSI) and the Metropolitan Police Test are qualifying examinations for membership of the National Register of Public Service Interpreters (NRPSI) . Both examinations can be taken through the Chartered Institute of Linguists (CIOL)  and there is information about them on the CIOL website.

The NRPSI was developed for those working in the context of public services, such as court hearings, police interviews, other legal contexts, health and government-related services and is an independent regulatory body. However, in August 2011, the Ministry of Justice awarded the agency Applied Language Solutions  a four-year deal to provide translators and interpreters, with services commencing in October 2011. The new Ministry of Justice (Legal Interpreting & Translation) register is compiled by Applied Language Solutions via their site, Linguist Lounge . The NRPSI still services other parts of the sector, including health and local government.

BSL/English interpreters who satisfy the entry criteria can become Members of the Register of Sign Language Interpreters (MRSLI), overseen by the National Registers of Communication Professionals Working with Deaf and Deafblind People (NRCPD) .

Keeping up to date with developments in your particular area of work is vital, especially in business and politics. The key professional bodies provide training courses and networking opportunities to support continuing professional development (CPD). The ITI interpreters' network, for example, offers support and training on subjects such as note-taking skills, marketing and networking. Intensive courses are available through the CIOL to enable interpreters to build up their professional skills in areas including conference and court interpreting. The Association of Sign Language Interpreters (ASLI)  in England, Wales and Northern Ireland and the Scottish Association for Sign Language Interpreters (SASLI)  provide support and CPD opportunities to BSL interpreters.

Career development

Career development can be quite varied, depending on the sort of work/life balance you would like. Developing a successful career as a freelance interpreter requires a proactive approach to networking. This means keeping in touch with key professional bodies, interpreters' groups and potential employers, both nationally and internationally, as well as attending workshops and seminars to find out more about sources of work and work providers. Another route to gaining experience early on is to undertake voluntary work for a charity or voluntary sector organisation.

Freelancers can apply to become staff interpreters. Staff interpreters in the European Union (EU)  may be promoted to managing a language unit or sometimes into administrative posts, particularly in conference organising.

With a good level of experience, some interpreters move into training or management roles within their particular sector. There is scope for experienced conference interpreters to become consultant interpreters, who recruit teams of interpreters for private employers.

There are limited opportunities for freelance interpreters to work on an ad-hoc basis with other organisations in industry (liaison work), commerce, tourism, and the community (social services departments, local education authorities, police, courts or hospitals). For many freelancers, career development means the ability to select more interesting or better-paid assignments.

Employers and vacancy sources

Typical employers include:

• the European Commission , which operates at the very heart of the European Union (EU)  and recruits through the Directorate General for Interpretation ;
• other EU Institutions, such as the Court of Justice of the European Union  and the European Central Bank ;
• the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) ;
• the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) ;
• the Ministry of Defence (MoD) ;
• the civil service, see Civil Service Jobs ;
• agency Applied Language Solutions  for Ministry of Justice (MoJ) work;
• private sector businesses, such as larger multinational companies, legal firms or media, although most interpreting work here is arranged through agencies;
• academic institutions, for international conferences;
• language agencies;
• public services - police, courts, local education authorities, social services departments;
• international exhibitions.

In all sectors and settings the profession is dominated by freelance interpreters, with few full-time jobs advertised each year. Experienced freelancers have to balance the freedom of deciding when and where they work with the potential scarcity of employment opportunities.

Sources of vacancies

• Search graduate jobs on this site.
• European Personnel Selection Office (EPSO)  
• ITI Bulletin on the Institute of Translation and Interpreting (ITI)  website.
• Chartered Institute of Linguists (CIOL)  and its publication, The Linguist.
• The Times Jobs   
• Guardian Jobs  
• Association of Welsh Translators and Interpreters  

Only a small number of roles are advertised through these sources.

Online directories such as ProZ  and the Aquarius Directory of Translators and Interpreters  may be useful. Clients can post assignments, while translators and interpreters can create professional profiles and bid for the contracts.

Business and public sector organisations are increasingly outsourcing their interpreting requirements to specialist language agencies. Some of these are listed on Languages Work .
 
Many interpreters start their careers by finding work through agencies, gradually developing regular clients through contacts, their own websites, professional online directories and listings for work. These include the CIOL's Find-A-Linguist  register, the ITI’s Directory of Members, the Association of Police and Court Interpreters  list, and the website of the Association Internationale des Interprètes de Conférence (AIIC) .

Get tips on job hunting, CVs and covering letters and interviews.

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AGCAS

Written by Isla Hosking, AGCAS

Date: 

September 2011

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