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Interpreters and Translators Occupation Detailed Description

Interpreters and Translators career

General Job Description and Education/Training Levels for Interpreters and Translators

The main tasks and work activities of Interpreters and Translators are to translate information for others, edit written materials, verify accuracy of data, conduct research to inform art, designs, or other work. In general, for the Interpreters and Translators, speaking, active Listening, reading Comprehension, writing and other 12 skills are required.
Interpreters and Translators Job Description
EducationMost of these occupations require a four-year bachelor's degree, but some do not.
Related ExperienceA considerable amount of work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is needed for these occupations. For example, an accountant must complete four years of college and work for several years in accounting to be considered qualified.
Job TrainingEmployees in these occupations usually need several years of work-related experience, on-the-job training, and/or vocational training.
ExampleMany of these occupations involve coordinating, supervising, managing, or training others. Examples include real estate brokers, sales managers, database administrators, graphic designers, chemists, art directors, and cost estimators.
The following chart shows the education/training levels for Interpreters and Translators jobs. 1.09% of Interpreters and Translators have High School Diploma (or the equivalent) and 1.09% of Interpreters and Translators have Post-Secondary Certificate.
Less than a High School Diploma
0.00%
High School Diploma (or the equivalent)
1.09%
Post-Secondary Certificate
1.09%
Some College Courses
0.00%
Associate's Degree (or other 2-year degree)
11.35%
Bachelor's Degree and Above
86.47%

Tasks and Work Activities of Interpreters and Translators

  • Follow ethical codes that protect the confidentiality of information.
  • Identify and resolve conflicts related to the meanings of words, concepts, practices, or behaviors.
  • Translate messages simultaneously or consecutively into specified languages, orally or by using hand signs, maintaining message content, context, and style as much as possible.
  • Proofread, edit, and revise translated materials.
  • Check translations of technical terms and terminology to ensure that they are accurate and remain consistent throughout translation revisions.
  • Read written materials, such as legal documents, scientific works, or news reports, and rewrite material into specified languages.
  • Refer to reference materials, such as dictionaries, lexicons, encyclopedias, and computerized terminology banks, as needed to ensure translation accuracy.
  • Compile terminology and information to be used in translations, including technical terms such as those for legal or medical material.
  • Adapt translations to students' cognitive and grade levels, collaborating with educational team members as necessary.
  • Listen to speakers' statements to determine meanings and to prepare translations, using electronic listening systems as necessary.
  • Check original texts or confer with authors to ensure that translations retain the content, meaning, and feeling of the original material.
  • Compile information on content and context of information to be translated and on intended audience.
  • Discuss translation requirements with clients and determine any fees to be charged for services provided.
  • Adapt software and accompanying technical documents to another language and culture.
  • Educate students, parents, staff, and teachers about the roles and functions of educational interpreters.
  • Train and supervise other translators or interpreters.
  • Travel with or guide tourists who speak another language.
  • Interpreting the Meaning of Information for OthersTranslating or explaining what information means and how it can be used.
  • Getting InformationObserving, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
  • Performing for or Working Directly with the PublicPerforming for people or dealing directly with the public. This includes serving customers in restaurants and stores, and receiving clients or guests.
  • Updating and Using Relevant KnowledgeKeeping up-to-date technically and applying new knowledge to your job.
  • Communicating with Persons Outside OrganizationCommunicating with people outside the organization, representing the organization to customers, the public, government, and other external sources. This information can be exchanged in person, in writing, or by telephone or e-mail.
  • Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or SubordinatesProviding information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.
  • Processing InformationCompiling, coding, categorizing, calculating, tabulating, auditing, or verifying information or data.
  • Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal RelationshipsDeveloping constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time.
  • Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing WorkDeveloping specific goals and plans to prioritize, organize, and accomplish your work.
  • Making Decisions and Solving ProblemsAnalyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.
  • Translate information for others.
  • Edit written materials.
  • Verify accuracy of data.
  • Conduct research to inform art, designs, or other work.
  • Compile technical information or documentation.
  • Confer with clients to determine needs.
  • Provide educational information to the public.
  • Train others on work processes.

Skills and Abilities for Interpreters and Translators

  • SpeakingTalking to others to convey information effectively.
  • Active ListeningGiving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
  • Reading ComprehensionUnderstanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
  • WritingCommunicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
  • Critical ThinkingUsing logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
  • MonitoringMonitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
  • Active LearningUnderstanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
  • Learning StrategiesSelecting and using training/instructional methods and procedures appropriate for the situation when learning or teaching new things.
  • Judgment and Decision MakingConsidering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
  • Service OrientationActively looking for ways to help people.
  • InstructingTeaching others how to do something.
  • CoordinationAdjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
  • Social PerceptivenessBeing aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
  • Time ManagementManaging one's own time and the time of others.
  • Complex Problem SolvingIdentifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
  • Oral ExpressionThe ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
  • Oral ComprehensionThe ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
  • Speech RecognitionThe ability to identify and understand the speech of another person.
  • Speech ClarityThe ability to speak clearly so others can understand you.
  • Written ComprehensionThe ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
  • Near VisionThe ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).
  • Written ExpressionThe ability to communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand.
  • Information OrderingThe ability to arrange things or actions in a certain order or pattern according to a specific rule or set of rules (e.g., patterns of numbers, letters, words, pictures, mathematical operations).
  • Problem SensitivityThe ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing there is a problem.
  • Auditory AttentionThe ability to focus on a single source of sound in the presence of other distracting sounds.
  • Hearing SensitivityThe ability to detect or tell the differences between sounds that vary in pitch and loudness.
  • Selective AttentionThe ability to concentrate on a task over a period of time without being distracted.
  • Deductive ReasoningThe ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.
  • Inductive ReasoningThe ability to combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions (includes finding a relationship among seemingly unrelated events).
  • OriginalityThe ability to come up with unusual or clever ideas about a given topic or situation, or to develop creative ways to solve a problem.
  • Time SharingThe ability to shift back and forth between two or more activities or sources of information (such as speech, sounds, touch, or other sources).
  • Perceptual SpeedThe ability to quickly and accurately compare similarities and differences among sets of letters, numbers, objects, pictures, or patterns. The things to be compared may be presented at the same time or one after the other. This ability also includes comparing a presented object with a remembered object.
  • Speed of ClosureThe ability to quickly make sense of, combine, and organize information into meaningful patterns.
  • Category FlexibilityThe ability to generate or use different sets of rules for combining or grouping things in different ways.
  • Binocularse.g. Compact binoculars
  • Desktop computerse.g. Desktop computers
  • Digital voice recorderse.g. Digital audio recorders
  • Radio frequency transmitters or receiverse.g. FM transmission equipment
  • Headphonese.g. Headsets
  • Radio frequency transmitters or receiverse.g. Infrared transmission equipment
  • Audio mixing consolese.g. Interpreter consoles
  • Notebook computerse.g. Laptop computers
  • Personal computerse.g. Personal computers
  • Pocket calculatore.g. Portable calculators
  • Tablet computerse.g. Tablet computers
  • Microphonese.g. Tie clip microphones
  • Foreign LanguageKnowledge of the structure and content of a foreign (non-English) language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition and grammar, and pronunciation.
  • English LanguageKnowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
  • Customer and Personal ServiceKnowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
  • Law and GovernmentKnowledge of laws, legal codes, court procedures, precedents, government regulations, executive orders, agency rules, and the democratic political process.
  • Communications and MediaKnowledge of media production, communication, and dissemination techniques and methods. This includes alternative ways to inform and entertain via written, oral, and visual media.
  • Education and TrainingKnowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.
  • Computers and ElectronicsKnowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.
  • ClericalKnowledge of administrative and clerical procedures and systems such as word processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and other office procedures and terminology.