Could you be an Interpreter? Could You Converse More than One Language?

Interpretation service

A lot of multilingual men and women go through life unaware of their potential. This is because

they live in homes where all members of the family and even the community communicate in two or

more languages. It leads them to believe that they are ordinary when it is actually the contrary. While a

lot of people in this world can speak two or more languages, barely 5% of the population of Great Britain

can, this is according to BBC. This situation introduces a lot of opportunities for international students or

individuals who have lived in the culture of the languages they can communicate in to earn money and

learn more about the degree they are currently pursuing.

Be a Freelance/Part-time Interpreter

Why become a freelance/part-time interpreter? If you are confident of your language skills and

you are the type of person who likes to talk and have a way with words, then becoming an interpreter is

the route for you. Here is a list of more reasons:

• If you are working on getting a degree that involve a lot of technical terms and jargon such as

engineering, medicine and law you have the advantage of interacting with the people who work in your

profession and learning more from them.

• Planning to take freelance interpreting? You should. You can opt what jobs to take on. You also have

the opportunity to travel to a lot of places.

• If you are an international student who happens to be a citizen of a country that is not a European

Union member, you are only allowed to work for a set number of hours. Being a freelance interpreter

would not affect you much as you are frequently paid by the task.

Freelance/Part-time Interpreter-How can you be one?

The way to successful freelance/part-time interpreting is tough and challenging. One does not

get hired immediately after sending in their qualifications and language combination to websites and

interpreter agencies. Future clients and employers have to be certain first that you are capable of what

you claim you could do. Here are some tips on how to get right on track:

• Don’t hand in you resignation yet if you currently have part-time work. You need the money from your

part time work as you try to build your reputation up as an interpreter.

• Invest on becoming an interpreter. Education is among the best investments we can have. Practice,

immerse yourself in both the language and the culture and acquire reliable dictionaries and articles on

both languages you plan to work with to sharpen up your skills.

• Get certified and sign up to local and national interpreter organizations. Clients refer to these

associations from time to time and ask people from there who they would recommend for a particular

task/job.

• Take assessments from interpreter websites and agencies. In this way you are included in their list of

potential interpreters who they can get in touch with in case there is a match with your language

combination and skills.

• Utilize Social Media Networking. Create a profile in LinkedIn and other similar sites. You can also

create a blog where you put a compilation of your qualification and your experiences. By being visible

both offline and online, your clients are more confident to trust you.

We need more people who can act as a bridge across languages and cultures. It is most especially true in

professions where lives and economies hang in the balance like law, business, and medicine. There is

huge need, but only few are able to do it. That is precisely why employers are willing to pay more for

individuals that not only are capable of doing their area of specialisation but can also speak another

language. If you are one of them, it is time you seize that advantage. The returns and rewards are great

for those who do.