How to Become a Certified Translator Interpreter in San Diego
In San Diego, there are many opportunities for translators and interpreters. Translators and interpreters can work in law offices, hospitals, non-profits, courts, businesses, and government agencies to name a few. While it is a competitive field, being certified will give you a marked advantage over other applicants, especially in terms of income and career opportunities. Here we will explain how you can become a certified translator or interpreter in San Diego.
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Things You'll Need
- Monolingual dictionaries, glossaries, publications
- Index cards
- Sharpie
- Tape recorder
- Professional attire for association meetings and work
Instructions
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Complete a course of study in translation or interpreting.
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Develop a very large vocabulary. Acquire monolingual dictionaries, glossaries, and research books. If your goal is to become a certified interpreter, use index cards to learn new vocabulary words. When you have learned them, record your index cards using a tape recorder and play the tapes often. Spend time at bookstores that carry foreign language books, such as, Adams Avenue Bookstore, Spanquest Book Group, Inc and the San Diego Mesa College Bookstore. Foreign films like the ones shown at the Landmark Theatres are an excellent way to develop your vocabulary while gaining a better understanding of other cultures.
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Practice languages skills daily. Read your dictionaries, glossaries and books; practice with your index cards when you have some down time; play your recordings while you are driving.
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Network with your peers. Get your classmates' names, telephone numbers and email addresses so that you can get together. If you go to workshops or professional organization seminars, do the same.
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Join a professional organization. The American Translators Association (ATA); American Translators & Interpreters Association of San Diego; and CHIA are great options. The ATA can even certify you as a translator.
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Volunteer. This will be a great opportunity to put into practice everything that you have learned and help sharpen the mental skills needed to be a successful certified interpreter or translator. Check with hospitals, non-profits and legal advocacy organizations to see if they can use your assistance. Volunteering is also a way to gain the experience required to sit for the ATA's certification examination. Some agencies, in San Diego, that actively use volunteer interpreters and translators are: Casa Cornelia Law Center, American Bar Association, San Diego Police Department, and Planned Parenthood.
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Take the exam. Once you feel more confident about your abilities, sign up to take the exam to become a certified translator or interpreter. Translators will be given several texts to translate without a dictionary. The test is graded on a pass or fail basis. Interpreters must take a written exam to assess their language skills in English as well as a second foreign language. Test takers must pass this exam before being allowed to take the oral exam, where they will be tested in sight translation from English to a second foreign language.
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