5 Ways Advance Career

Five Ways to Advance
Your Career in the Language

Service Industry
Get the answers to these questions

and more:
• Are attending conferences and

joining associations worth your
time?
• Do I need a degree?
• Is the industry experiencing
growth?
• Should I freelance? Should I
work in-house?
A Publication Of
Writer
Writer
Elisabeth Willner is an Intern with Translation
Excellence. She is a Colorado native who grew up
in Estes Park next to Rocky Mountain National
Park. She became intereseted in languages in high
school and went on to major in French and
Journalism at Colorado State University.
In addition to her work with Translation Excel-

lence, she has interned at the French newspaper
La Provence, volunteered teaching English as a
second language and currently works with the
Alliance Francaise de Denver, a French language
and cultural center.
Reviewers
Reviewer
Nathanael Burt is a Senior Project Manager with Harry Hogue is a Business Development Specialist
Translation Excellence. In this role he oversees with Translation Excellence, where he guides the
translation and interpretation projects for the company’s outreach and marketing efforts.
company.
In addition to his role in business development,
In addition to his role in project management, Harry is a bilingual Spanish<>English translator
Nathanael is a bilingual French<>English who received his Bachelor of Arts degree in
translator with a Bachelor’s in Romance Languages Spanish from Arkansas State University and his
from Colorado College. Master of Arts degree in English from Arkansas
Tech University.
Introduction
Translation Excellence, Inc.

Phone: (720) 325-0459 Toll-free: (877) 409-6737
www.translationexcellence.com info@translationexcellence.com
4
Five Ways to Advance Your Career in the Language Service Industry
If you’re reading this ebook, you’ve likely already started working

either as an interpreter or a translator and you’re looking for ways
to improve professionally. First off — you’ve made a good choice.
The language service industry has been expanding steadily for
the past couple of decades and has enormous potential for more
growth. The United States Bureau of Labor Statistics lists it as a field
with a “bright outlook,” and projects that it will grow by 42 per-
cent by 2024. Globalization has made the work of language experts
more necessary than ever and the Internet has increased demand
for localized translation and interpretation. If you’re hoping to
break into the industry, you’re likely to be rewarded for your efforts
with a stable and successful career.
So how do you get from where you are now to working profession-
ally? Within the industry, you’ll find a wealth of available tools to
help you advance your career and make the most of your experi-
ence. This ebook serves as a guide to five tools available to trans-
lators and interpreters to further their careers: higher education,
employers, associations, certifications, and conferences. Although
aimed at linguists just starting out in the industry, the strategies
provided here will serve you well at any stage in your career, wheth-
er you are trying to expand your business, seeking to maintain an
established place in the industry, or starting from scratch.
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Helpful terms
To get the most out of this ebook,
you should start by considering
the kind of work that interests
you within the language service
industry. Language service work
falls into two main categories:
translation and interpretation.
Both follow the same principle of
taking communication in one language and transferring it into an-
other, but translation involves written communication, while inter-
pretation involves spoken communication. Outside of the industry,
you may have seen translation used as a blanket term to encompass
both kinds of language service work, but even though many lan-
guage service companies offer both, translation and interpretation
are separate skills and sometimes separate careers. This ebook will
use the term “Language Services” to encompass both.
Within translation and interpretation, language service careers
are further distinguished by the way in which people find work.
Some professionals are employed directly by a company or business
that has regular need for translation services. This is called work-
ing in-house with a company. A translator or interpreter may also
work in-house with a small translation company that serves as an
intermediary between the translator and clients. These are called
Language Service Providers (LSPs). Working with an LSP often in-
volves project management in addition to or instead of translation.
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A project manager connects clients with linguists and oversees the

translation process. Depending on the size of the company, project
managers may have a hand in other business operations such as
sales, marketing, or accounting. Alternatively, a language profes-
sional might freelance to find translation work, without an affilia-
tion to a particular company or client.
If you’re not sure what kind of career you want to pursue, this eb-
ook will help guide you. In each chapter you will find an overview
of a different career building technique, including its costs and
benefits. You may refer to the resources at the end of the ebook for
more information. We hope that you will find everything you need
for a successful career.
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Chapter 1:
Higher Education

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One of the first things you might consider when starting out as a
translator or interpreter is whether or not to get a degree. In many
fields, getting at least a bachelor’s degree is a necessary step for be-
ginning a career. For translators and interpreters, this is not always
true. Only about a third of people working in translation and inter-
pretation have a bachelor’s degree either in linguistics or another
field, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Some very skilled
and respected language professionals do not have degrees, but suc-
ceed because they have built their career in other ways. Nonethe-
less, completing a degree can be advantageous or even required for
translators in certain circumstances. Here are some things to con-
sider if you are thinking about pursuing postsecondary education.
Picking the right degree for your goals

Types of degrees
The decision of whether or not
to get a degree depends on your
goals as a linguist. First, consid-
er what level of education you
might need. Different degree
levels lend themselves to differ-
ent paths within the industry.
The United States Department
of Labor conducts a regular
survey of professionals working
as interpreters and translators,
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and results from 2010 give an idea of what level of credentials cur-
rent professionals obtained. Note that the following numbers indi-
cate the level of education, but apply to any kind of degree, whether
the person studied linguistics, translation, interpretation, or anoth-
er field like biology or engineering. Of the respondents, 15 percent
had no degree and 22.8 percent had started a degree but not fin-
ished it.
• Associate’s degree — About 14.1 percent of language pro-
fessionals had an associate’s or two-year degree. The degree
sometimes suffices as qualification for an entry-level job.
(Tweet this stat!)
• Bachelor’s degree — About 30.1 percent of language profes-
sionals held a bachelor’s degree. Many in-house translation
opportunities require a bachelor’s degree, making it a distinct
advantage for in-house positions. (Tweet this stat!)
• Master’s degree — About 13.5 percent of language profession-
als had a master’s degree. The degree may help translators and
interpreters land jobs with prestigious international organiza-
tions, like the United Nations or the European Union. (Tweet
this stat!)
• Doctoral degree — Only 4.5 percent of language professionals
had a doctoral degree. The degree level mostly serves to edu-
cate those interested in working in academia. (Tweet this stat!)
Based on this overview of the industry, a bachelor’s degree may
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be the best choice for most interpreters and translators, because

it is the industry standard. However, by the same logic, it may set
you apart to obtain a master’s or doctoral degree, since not many
professionals have them. Higher degree levels might work well for
those who want to target their careers to a specific purpose, like
academia or diplomacy.
Generalizing vs. Specializing
You will also need to consider whether you want to study transla-
tion generally or get a specialized degree that will allow you to do a
specific kind of language work. Someone working in a technical do-
main will need in-depth knowledge of that industry to allow them
to effectively communicate ideas between languages. In those cases,
professionals with specialized degrees have an advantage in finding
jobs.
Generally speaking, you should consider a specialized degree if you
want to translate or interpret in a technical industry like engineer-
ing, law, or medicine. Alternatively, you might work within those
industries, which you can read more about below. If you don’t yet
have an interest area, you might consider a more general degree. In
some cases, it may be possible to study both translation and a spe-
cialized area within the same degree program. A translator might
also consider getting a combination of degrees, i.e. studying a field
as an undergraduate and translation as a graduate student, or vice
versa.
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Programs overseas
Besides deciding what level of degree to obtain, you will also need
to consider where to study. You might choose to get a degree in
your native country or to go abroad. Going abroad has the advan-
tage of boosting your skills in a second language and allows for cul-
tural learning. For students from the United States, going abroad
often means less expensive tuition: a degree in Europe can cost the
equivalent of $500 to $2,500 per semester for foreign students, a
fraction of the cost of many schools in the United States.
However, even though many countries have lower tuition than the
United States, the cost of living
may be higher. Also, if the stu-
dent knows they want to work
in the United States, getting a
foreign degree may be risky be-
cause clients may not recognize
it. Students should consider all
their options before picking a
program. See the list of resourc-
es for a few top United States
translation and interpretation
schools.
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Deciding whether to get a degree

Costs
Now that you have an idea of the different kinds of degrees avail-
able, you might want to consider the reasons for and against getting
one. Getting a translation degree, like getting any kind of degree,
comes with two obvious costs:
• Expense — In the United States, the average cost of a two-year
degree in Language Interpretation and Translation is about
$34,000, according to the United States Department of Edu-
cation’s 2012-2013 Integrated Postsecondary Education Data
System (IPEDS) Survey. The average cost for a four-year de-
gree is $102,612.
• Time — Getting a degree requires a time commitment, and
you will have to consider the opportunity cost of the time
you put in, as well as the upfront expense. On one hand, time
spent studying will help train you for the language service
industry or your specialty area, but on the other, you could
spend that time earning money if you didn’t go to school. Your
loss of potential income is also a cost.
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Benefits
If you have the time and funds necessary for a degree, there are
many ways you can benefit from getting one. Here are the primary
benefits of higher education for language professionals:
• Learn new techniques — Degree programs in translation and
interpretation often present students with an overview of cur-
rent and past industry techniques. While obtaining a degree,
you will have the opportunity to advance your skills and pick
up new ones. This also applies to specialized degrees.
• Become more competitive — Since some translation compa-
nies require a bachelor’s degree as a prerequisite for employ-
ment, having one increases your potential to find a job.
• Establish credibility — Someone going into translation with
no previous translation experience could benefit greatly from
a degree, since it demonstrates the person’s ability to work in
the field. Through a degree, you may also have the opportunity
to meet people who can recommend you for future work.
Still debating? Think of a degree as an investment. With time and
money, you have the potential for future gain in your career. You
just have to decide if you want to risk your resources.
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Alternative: Work Experience

If you decide you don’t want to or cannot afford to get a degree
right now, you can look for other ways to build your resume. Work
experience might suffice to prove your skills, if you can find a vol-
unteering opportunity or a company to hire you without a degree.
In specialized fields, you could greatly benefit from working in
the industry before working in translation. You might spend some
time as a paralegal, for instance, to gain the necessary knowledge
to translate legal documents. Keep in mind that without a degree,
your skills and experience will be crucial. Make sure that you es-
tablish a network of clients and employers who can vouch for your
translating abilities. Build your resume and references, and think
about joining a translation association or take a certification exam
to prove your skills.
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Chapter 2:
Employers

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Once you’ve built up your skills and credentials, you should con-
sider whether to work as a freelancer or to work in-house with a
company. Your working style might be a good place to start. If
you’re an organized, entrepreneurial, and independent worker, and
you don’t mind budgeting your own finances; you might be very
successful as a freelancer. If you prefer to let someone else handle
budgets and accounts, but still enjoy the nitty-gritty work of trans-
lating or interpreting; you might consider working with a company.
Of course these outlines leave out a lot of possibilities — either per-
sonality listed could be successful as a freelancer or with a compa-
ny. That’s why it’s important to consider all the details of each kind
of work before making your choice.
A look at the playing field

You might be curious to know how many other language profes-
sionals have pursued each type of work. The Bureau of Labor sta-
tistics does not keep a tally of how many language professionals
freelance, but it does record how many are self-employed, meaning
that they function independently in finding clients and receiving
payment. According to the 2012 survey:
• 18.3 percent of translators and interpreters were self-employed
• 81.7 percent earned salaries or wages
The numbers seem to suggest that many more translators and in-
terpreters work in-house with companies than on a freelance basis.
However, in order to be “self-employed” under the BLS definition,
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you must be an owner of “an unincorporated business” that re-

ceives income directly from its profits. Under this definition, many
freelancers are not self-employed, since they may work as contrac-
tors for LSPs, even while they take freelance work. For example, a
freelance Arabic translator who regularly picks up projects from
Translation Excellence (once every few months) would fall under
earning salaries or wages, since they sometimes went through an
intermediary for their profits, rather than receiving them directly
from a client.
What this really means is that very few translators and interpret-
ers function entirely independently of language service providers.
When freelancers who work with LSPs are taken into account, the
freelancing population is much larger than the number given. The
Common Sense Advisory, a group that researches translation and
interpretation, says they are the primary stakeholders in the indus-
try. In fact, many freelancers also find work through companies, so
even though they are not in-house, they are affiliated with a com-
pany, find work with the company when available, and also look for
translation or interpretation assignments on their own. In short:
you have a lot of freedom in determining how much to freelance
and how much to work with companies.
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Working for a translation company

Costs
If you find an opportunity to work with a language service provid-
er, here are some of the costs you might consider:
• Lower earnings — If you’re working with a company, a por-
tion of the client’s payment will go to the company to cover
their costs of service. This sometimes means that you will
make less than you would freelancing. However, this is not al-
ways true. You may make just as much at a company, depend-
ing on how your pay is structured and what your job responsi-
bilities are.
• Narrowed focus — If you work with a company, you may end
up specializing in a certain type of translation and with a focus
on a specific industry or language. For language professionals
that enjoy a variety of work, this could be limiting.
Benefits
If you work with a language service provid-
er, you have the potential to enjoy increased
security in your job as well as these other
benefits:
• Job benefits — As an employee, you may have a retirement
plan, health insurance, bonuses and other sorts of job perks.
As a freelancer, you will not have access to these, unless you
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plan them for yourself.

• Regular work — One potential benefit of working with a com-
pany is that the company, by virtue of its size, may find more
work than you would on your own. The company will assign
you projects, and you will likely have a consistent stream of
translations, rather than dealing with the feast or famine pos-
sible in freelancing.
• Professionalism — The company will often serve as an inter-
mediary between you and the client, insuring professional
business contact and increased credibility for you, since you
benefit from the company’s reputation.
• Specializing — As mentioned above, working with a company
sometimes means specializing. This can be a benefit for lan-
guage professionals that know exactly the kind of work they
want to do.
• Perspective — In a company, you will get to know others
working in the industry. If you work as a project manager, you
will know how to manage a business as well as translate, while
as a freelancer, you will have to figure things out on your own.
The advantage of working with a company is that you will
learn skills that you can apply later as a freelancer, if you de-
cide to switch.
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Working as a freelancer
Costs
If you would rather work for yourself than work for someone else,
here are some costs to consider:
• No safety net — Working with a company allows some secu-
rity: you can depend on the company to look for new clients,
which will benefit you. When you work as a freelancer, if you
can’t find clients, you’re on your own.
• Irregular hours — When you’re freelancing, you never know
when you will find work. Sometimes you will have a lot of
clients at once, but sometimes it will be a long time between
finding assignments. If you’re in a dry spell, you may not have
the luxury of turning down a job offer.
• Responsibility — It can be a good thing to be responsible for
your work, but it can also put more pressure on you. As a free-
lancer, you will need to market your own work, close your
own sales, and perform all the other functions of a business.
Benefits
In spite of the potential costs of freelancing, here are some potential
rewards for taking the risk of working on your own:
• Independence — You manage your own schedule and your
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own working style. You are your own boss, with the final say
in how to market your work, build your business, and format
your translations.
• Flexibility — As a freelancer, you can work from home and
make time for your family. You can decide what assignments
to take on and when you want to take a vacation.
• Work with clients — Some translators and interpreters might
prefer that someone else deal with client relations. Howev-
er, for others, it may be frustrating not to be able to explain
their work directly to the client. It depends on how you like to
work.
• Diversify — Since you will be performing all the functions of a
business and taking on a variety of assignments, you can ac-
quire a lot of skills as a freelancer beyond your translation and
interpretation abilities.
If you’re unsure whether you want to work as a freelancer or with
a company, the good news is that there is always the possibility of
trying one out and then switching to the other. Many companies
hire freelancers, and if you’ve been working with a company, you
can always begin to freelance. So it may be worth trying out both
and seeing where you work best.
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Chapter 3:
Associations

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No matter what stage you’re at in your career or what kind of

training and employment you have, you always have the option of
joining a translation association. Associations are networks of pro-
fessionals that provide resources for members like trainings, con-
ferences, and even materials. The American Translators Association
(ATA) is one of the largest associations in the United States, with
over 11,000 members. There are also specialized associations like
the American Literary Translators Association (ALTA) or regional
ones like the Northern California Translators Association (NCTA).
For a list of a few major associations, please see the resources at the
end of this ebook. For information about what you might gain from
joining one, keep reading.
Deciding whether to join an association

Costs
Much like higher education, translation associations serve as an
extra credential to put on your resume to demonstrate your experi-
ence to clients and employers. In order to acquire the qualification,
however, you will have to invest:
• Membership dues — Translation associations require an an-
nual or monthly membership fee. Often, there are different
levels and types of membership. At the time of publication, a
basic ATA associate membership costs $190.
• Time — To get the most out of an association, you will need
time to use the resources it provides. You will want to be sure
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that you have enough hours to commit to make the most of

your membership.
Benefits
If you decide to join an association, here are the different benefits
you might expect:
• Network — In an association, you have the opportunity to
meet your peers in the translation and interpretation field
through conferences, website discussions, or through mem-
bership directories.
• Find assignments — As a member of an association, you will
often have access to members-only job postings, as well as a
directory of corporate members and affiliated LSPs. Clients
and LSPs may also find you, since you will be listed as a mem-
ber of the association. Even one project may be enough to cov-
er the membership fee.
• Stay current — Associations often send newsletters and pro-
vide other materials to update their members on develop-
ments in the language service industry.
• Establish credibility — The name of an association can go a
long way with a client who is unfamiliar with the translation
industry. It may give you an advantage over competitors who
have not joined an association.
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• Become involved — As a member of an association, you may

have the opportunity to help organize events, produce news-
letter content, create webinars, or otherwise contribute to the
organization. These skills will add to your resume, as well as
help you learn more about your field.
Alternative: LinkedIn
If you want the benefits of joining a translation association, but
cannot currently afford membership dues, a free alternative is the
social media site LinkedIn. LinkedIn is a professional networking
site that allows you to maintain a job profile and connect with oth-
er members of the language service industry. You will stay current
through articles about translation and interpretation, build your
credibility through recommendations, and may even find new
clients. In addition, LinkedIn hosts a variety of industry-specific
groups that you can join to meet others in the field and learn about
career opportunities.
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Chapter 4:
Certification

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Many associations offer certifications in translation or interpret-

ing as part of their services to members, but you do not have to be
a member of an association to be certified. Universities and other
organizations offer certification programs, which can serve as a way
to verify to a third party that you are qualified to provide the ser-
vices needed by the client. Some industries provide their own cer-
tificates for translators and interpreters, such as court interpreting.
This type of certification can be required if you want to work for
employers within the industry. As you consider whether to be certi-
fied, you should consider who your clients might be and whether or
not they will expect you to have a certification.
Deciding whether you should get certified

Costs
As long as you are confident in your translation or interpretation
abilities, you only really have one primary cost on the line when
obtaining a certification: your money. There are several costs in-
volved with certification, namely:
• Fees — As with joining an association, getting certified costs
money. Usually, the exam will cost a couple hundred dollars:
for example, at publication in 2014, the ATA exam cost $300.
• Transportation — Certification exams are only offered in cer-
tain locations, so you will probably need to travel to take one.
You will want to consider the cost of airfare or gas as part of
the exam cost.
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• Renewal — Certifications won’t last your lifetime: you will

need to periodically re-take the exam to keep your certifi-
cation up to date or, in the case of the ATA, meet certain re-
quirements to keep it by continuing to take translation and
interpretation classes and maintaining a membership. Either
way, certification will be a continual expense as long as you
keep it.
• Delay — You won’t get your certification immediately, because
it takes time to go through the grading process. So plan ahead,
because if a job comes up and you don’t have one, you may not
be able to get it in time.
Benefits
Getting a certification can benefit you by allowing you to:
• Demonstrate ability — Once you become certified, you have
evidence that you can perform the services you offer to clients.
Although you may be able to show this in other ways, such as
getting past clients to vouch for you, a certification is probably
one of the most solid proofs of your ability.
• Market yourself — As a marker of your ability, a certification
is a good tool to promote yourself. Include it on your resume
and mention it to potential clients and employers.
• Qualify for jobs — Not all clients and companies require you
to have a certification, but some of them do, and having a cer-
tification will enable you to qualify.
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Alternative: Organization-specific testing

If you want something along the lines of a certification, but you
have a very specific idea of a company where you would like to
work, check whether they offer their own certification exam. Many
international companies or LSPs have tests that you must pass to
qualify for employment. These exams often consist of a sample page
for translators or a simulated assignment for interpreters. If you
pass, you can use the credential to obtain work at the company or
even to build your resume for work elsewhere.
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Chapter 5:
Conferences

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31
If you want a way to build your ca-

reer without a large time commit-
ment, conferences might be a great
option for you. Conferences are
often sponsored by translation and
interpretation associations as a way
for members to get updates about
the field. They are sometimes host-
ed by other groups such as prominent translation companies, and
depending on the conference, they may be open to more people
than just members of an association. At a conference, you will have
the opportunity to find out about new technologies, learn industry
best practices, and attend speeches and panels by people who are
experts in the language service industry.
Deciding whether to attend a conference

Costs
Like most of the career-building strategies in this ebook, the cost
of conferences is that they require time and money. Here are some
factors to consider:
• Attendance fees — Conferences can be expensive to attend,
with many costing between $200 and $400, not including
lodging and transportation. If you are a member of the orga-
nization hosting the conference, you may receive a discounted
rate, but will likely still have to pay to attend.
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• Travel costs — Once you’ve paid fees to attend the conference,

you will also likely need to pay for a plane ticket and a place to
stay. This can be quite costly, if you don’t live in the city where
the conference is taking place.
• Time away from the desk — Time spent at a conference is
time taken away from working. A conference may last any-
where from a day to a couple weeks, with many different
workshops, panels, and speakers over the duration. To make
the best use of your time, you can look for the sessions that
will be the most useful for you on the conference schedule
and attend on those days. You will also need to factor in travel
time.
Benefits
By attending a conference, you will have the opportunity to:
• Network — Conferences make great networking events: peo-
ple that are very involved or interested in the language service
industry attend them, giving you the opportunity to meet oth-
er linguists and even make connections with potential clients.
• Stay current —Companies and associations hold conferences
to facilitate the development of the industry by getting its best
minds together and discussing industry practices. By attend-
ing one, you will have the opportunity to stay up-to-date on
everything new in translation and interpretation.
• Discover new skills and technologies — Since you learn about
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developments in the industry at conferences, you will often dis-

cover new skills and technologies that you can take back to your
business.
Alternative: Webinars
Webinars, or online seminars, fulfill
some of the same purposes as confer-
ences at a much lower cost. Industry
professionals set up a time to connect
online and discuss a topic of interest.
Since the participants are connected in
real time, they have the opportunity to
network, ask questions and obtain new
ideas about the industry, just like at a
conference, without having to pay for
transportation or lodging.
In addition, many conferences can be
attended remotely. For a lower fee, you
can watch and sometimes download
presentations without leaving home.
This may be a good alternative for
those who can’t spare the time or the
money to attend a conference in per-
son.
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Afterword:
A Note on Your
Brand

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35
Now that you’ve read through some of the costs and benefits of
different career building tactics, you hopefully have an idea of
which you might like to try. Whether you get a degree or join an
association, any of the strategies in this book should serve you well
in advancing within the language service industry. You may have
noticed that there are some common threads of important practices
for language professionals. Here are the key points you should re-
member as you establish yourself in the industry:
• Network with industry professionals, clients, and companies
to find new opportunities and establish contacts.
• Build your Skills by staying up to date with industry standards
and constantly learning new technologies and techniques.
• Establish your Credibility by demonstrating skills, seeking
out credentials for your resume, and earning recommenda-
tions from employers and clients.
By ensuring that you follow
these three goals, you are build-
ing a personal brand. Just like
companies depend on the rep-
utation of their brand to gain
customers, your ability to find
clients and work will depend on
your reputation and image with-
in the industry. As you decide
to get a degree, join an associa-
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36
tion, apply for certification, attend a conference, or any other career

building technique, you will begin to demonstrate your skills and
find more work.
The transformation won’t happen by itself, however. As you
build your brand, make sure to promote the work that you do.
Keep your resume up to date and make use of online tools like so-
cial media and translation listings to make your skills public. You
may even want to make a personal website that summarizes your
work and skills. As you share your abilities, you’re likely to find new
opportunities to grow as a professional, which will remain import-
ant no matter how many years you work in translation. After all,
building a career is a life-long endeavor.
Good luck and happy translating!
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Additional Resources

Phone: (720) 325-0459 Toll-free: (877) 409-6737
38
Here are some resources to get you started on your career path.
Please note that this list is not exhaustive.
Higher education
Degree programs in the United States:
• Binghamton University – Master of Arts in Literary Trans-
lation, Graduate Certificate in Translation Studies, Ph.D in
Translation Studies
• Kent State University – Bachelor of Science in Translation,
Master of Arts in Translation and Ph.D. in Translation Studies.
• Monterey Institute – Master of Arts in Translation, Translation
& Interpretation, Conference Interpretation or Translation &
Localization management
• University of Texas, Dallas – Master of Arts or Ph.D (includes
translation studies)
• For further research try the College Board or the American
Translation Association list of approved schools.
Certificate programs in the United States:
• American University
• Boston University
• Florida International University
• Georgia State University
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39
• New York University
Certification programs
Courts:
• Colorado Courts and Interpreter Certification – Certification
for working in courts in the State of Colorado
• Federal Court Interpreters and Certification – Certification
for working in federal courts
Medical:
• National Board of Certification for Medical Interpreters –
Certifying division of the International Medical Interpreters
Association (IMIA)
• Bridging the Gap – A program to help prepare interpreters for
the IMIA exam
Associations
• American Literary Translators Association
• American Translators Association
• California Federation of Interpreters
• Chicago Area Translators and Interpreters Association
• Colorado Association of Professional Interpreters
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40
• Colorado Translators Association

• International Medical Interpreters Association
• Midwest Association of Translators & Interpreters
• National Association of Judiciary Interpreters and Translators
• New England Translator’s Assocation
• New York Circle of Translators
• Northern California Translators Association
Conferences
Upcoming conferences in 2014:
• American Translation & Interpreting Studies Assn. (ATISA)
— April 3-5, New York, NY
• Colorado Translators Association (CTA) — April 26, 27 Boul-
der, CO
• Localization World — Feb. 24-26 Bangkok, China
• MemoQ Fest — Feb. 27- Mar. 1, Manhatten Beach, CA
• National Assn. of Judiciary Interpreters & Translators (NAJIT)
— May 16-18, Las Vegas, NV
To be announced:
• Colorado Association of Professional Interpreters (CAPI)
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Five Ways to Advance

Your Career in the Language

Get the answers to these questions

• Are attending conferences and

In addition to her work with Translation Excel-

Translation Excellence, Inc.

If you’re reading this ebook, you’ve likely already started working

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A project manager connects clients with linguists and oversees the

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Translation Excellence, Inc.

Picking the right degree for your goals

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be the best choice for most interpreters and translators, because

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Deciding whether to get a degree

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Alternative: Work Experience

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Translation Excellence, Inc.

A look at the playing field

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you must be an owner of “an unincorporated business” that re-

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Working for a translation company

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plan them for yourself.

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Translation Excellence, Inc.

No matter what stage you’re at in your career or what kind of

Deciding whether to join an association

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that you have enough hours to commit to make the most of

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• Become involved — As a member of an association, you may

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Translation Excellence, Inc.

Many associations offer certifications in translation or interpret-

Deciding whether you should get certified

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• Renewal — Certifications won’t last your lifetime: you will

Alternative: Organization-specific testing

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Translation Excellence, Inc.

If you want a way to build your ca-

Deciding whether to attend a conference

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• Travel costs — Once you’ve paid fees to attend the conference,

developments in the industry at conferences, you will often dis-

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Translation Excellence, Inc.

tion, apply for certification, attend a conference, or any other career

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Translation Excellence, Inc.

• New York University

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• Colorado Translators Association

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