It might be surprising to find out that one of the top careers in the United States is a translator/interpreter. While these professionals are rarely seen by the general public, they are absolutely vital. However, there is a small difference between a translator and an interpreter. A translator must be letter perfect in grammar and spelling because they are converting text from one language to another. Since it will be read (instead of heard) by people at a later time, it must be technically correct. Interpreters, however, translate oral languages from one to the other. In many cases, an interpreter must be able to not only speak two or more languages but they must learn to sign in those languages for deaf people.
Getting into a top career like this is surprisingly easy. The key is knowledge of one or more foreign languages. But being a good translator/interpreter requires that you also have a working knowledge of the culture. In my case, I grew up in an ethnic Italian home and learned Calabrasian Italian before I learned English. Our home was in San Diego, less than 10 miles from the Mexican border, and I have spent most of my life in Latin America. While I do not work professionally as a translator or interpreter, the type of language experience is what it takes to become successful in this field. Understanding why people say things in certain ways gives a translator an unique outlook that shows in the translation.
The amount of formal education you will need will depend on where you are working. Many translators/interpreters work on a freelance basis, under contract with foreign businesses and even governments to help their representatives while in the country. Others work in government service but these jobs usually require at least a Bachelor´s degree. When you are applying for a Government job and you have extensive real world experience speaking this language as a native would, you should be sure to make it known on your application and during the interview process.
While having a degree is not required for many jobs, being certified by both the American Translators Association, the State or Federal government and the National Association of the Deaf. The United States State Department even gives certification in unique languages such as Navajo and Haitian Creole. Finally, there are many online Colleges and Universities that offer excellent language programs and PC tutorials such as Rosetta Stone (which is used by the US State Dept.) are great ways to add on a new language very quickly.
