The demand for translators has become increasingly more popular as publishers rush to get copies of popular books into as many countries as possible. There’s now an enormous demand online for websites to be translated into multiple languages for global access to these sites. Thanks to this boom in online venues, skilled translators will always have work available both online and in print.
Following are the instructions to become a translator:
- You should know two languages fluently. Be able to write well in each language.
- Translate copy into your native language, which is the accepted way to translate text in most cases.
- Get a degree in English, communications, journalism, or writing in your native language with a minor in the language you want to be able to translate. Get a masters or higher for even more cache in the translation world.
- Use immersion techniques to speed your understanding of a language as well as its slang and common idioms. Live in a country that speaks the language, or enroll in an immersion program such as a language camp.
- Have a good, late-model computer with a fast Internet connection. Have Excel, Microsoft Word, Microsoft PowerPoint, and Adobe Acrobat in order to be able to access any online documents that a client may assign you. Have a fax machine that will allow you to send and receive contracts and other documents.
- Keep up-to-date reference books such as dictionaries in your own language and your foreign language handy for quick referencing.
Your standard of education must be very high; with very few exceptions, a degree is essential, though not necessarily in languages – it is a positive advantage to have qualifications or experience in another subject. Postgraduate training in translation is useful. You must be able to write your own mother tongue impeccably in a style and register appropriate to the subject and have a flair for research on technical subjects. It goes without saying, that you should have a thorough grasp of the languages in your language combination; you must also be familiar with the culture and customs of the country. The only way to do this is by surrounding yourself with the language, i.e.: by living/studying in the country where the language is spoken. German is spoken in 5 countries: Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Liechtenstein and Luxembourg. There is no substitute for first-hand experience of living in a foreign culture, and as an Irishman living in Berlin, Germany, I can only recommend this course of action.
A translator translates from a source language into a target language. You should translate only into your mother tongue (target language). Make sure you mention any other degrees you may have or relevant work experience. Never shy away from asking a friend who works in business or in the language world to take a critical look at your CV before sending it out. It is, after all, your career we’re talking about! In fact, if they can help you even more, all the better.
