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Interpreter/Translator

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AVG. SALARY

$45,410

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EDUCATION

Bachelor's degree

What They Do

Interpreters and Translators Career Video

About This Career

Interprets oral or sign language, or translates written text from one language into another.

This career is part of the Business Management and Administration cluster Professional Support Services pathway.

A person in this career:

  • Follows ethical codes that protect the confidentiality of information.
  • Translates messages simultaneously or consecutively into specified languages, orally or by using hand signs, maintaining message content, context, and style as much as possible.
  • Listens to speakers' statements to determine meanings and to prepare translations, using electronic listening systems as necessary.
  • Compiles terminology and information to be used in translations, including technical terms such as those for legal or medical material.
  • Refers to reference materials, such as dictionaries, lexicons, encyclopedias, and computerized terminology banks, as needed to ensure translation accuracy.
  • Checks translations of technical terms and terminology to ensure that they are accurate and remain consistent throughout translation revisions.
  • Identifies and resolve conflicts related to the meanings of words, concepts, practices, or behaviors.
  • Compiles information on content and context of information to be translated and on intended audience.
  • Adapts translations to students' cognitive and grade levels, collaborating with educational team members as necessary.
  • Checks original texts or confers with authors to ensure that translations retain the content, meaning, and feeling of the original material.

Working Conditions and Physical Demands

People who do this job report that:

  • You would sit most of the time. There's some walking and standing. You may have to lift and carry things like books, papers or tools weighing 10 lbs. or less.
  • Work in this occupation requires being inside most of the time
  • Work in this occupation involves sitting more than one-third of the time

Working in this career involves (physical activities):

  • Picking out a particular sound in the presence of other sounds
  • Seeing clearly up close
  • Speaking clearly enough to be able to be understood by others
  • Identifying and understanding the speech of another person

Work Hours and Travel

  • Irregular hours
  • Overnight travel

Specialty and Similar Careers

Careers that are more detailed or close to this career:

  • Court Interpreter — Provides accurate and clear interpretation services in complex matters between English and the target (foreign) for the courts and probation departments.
  • American Sign Language Interpreter (ASL Interpreter)
  • Educational Interpreter
  • Medical Interpreter
  • Linguist
  • Sign Language Interpreter
  • Spanish Interpreter
  • Spanish Translator