What You'll Do

  • Follow ethical codes that protect the confidentiality of information.
  • Identify and resolve conflicts related to the meanings of words, concepts, practices, or behaviors.
  • Translate messages simultaneously or consecutively into specified languages, orally or by using hand signs, maintaining message content, context, and style as much as possible.
  • Proofread, edit, and revise translated materials.
  • Check translations of technical terms and terminology to ensure that they are accurate and remain consistent throughout translation revisions.
  • Read written materials, such as legal documents, scientific works, or news reports, and rewrite material into specified languages.
  • Refer to reference materials, such as dictionaries, lexicons, encyclopedias, and computerized terminology banks, as needed to ensure translation accuracy.
  • Compile terminology and information to be used in translations, including technical terms such as those for legal or medical material.
  • Adapt translations to students' cognitive and grade levels, collaborating with educational team members as necessary.
  • Listen to speakers' statements to determine meanings and to prepare translations, using electronic listening systems as necessary.

Essential Skills

Speaking 4.12/5
Active Listening 4.0/5
Reading Comprehension 3.88/5
Writing 3.75/5
Critical Thinking 3.62/5
Monitoring 3.62/5
Active Learning 3.12/5
Social Perceptiveness 3.12/5
Service Orientation 3.12/5
Judgment and Decision Making 3.12/5
Learning Strategies 3.0/5
Coordination 3.0/5

Career Fit Overview

Use this summary to understand the kind of profile this role rewards. It helps you judge whether this career looks like a stronger match than your current role, a nearby move worth exploring, or a broader path to compare more seriously.

Top passions

  • Organizer: Bringing order to data and processes satisfies you.
  • Artist: Creating original work and expressing ideas feels natural.
  • Helper: Supporting people and making a difference matters to you.

Common styles

Integrity, Dependability, Attention to Detail, Intellectual Curiosity, Cautiousness

Want a personal read on fit? Take the free assessment and compare this career to your current role, nearby alternatives, and broader stronger-fit options.

Key Abilities

This career demands strong capabilities in the following areas:

Oral Expression 4.25/5
Oral Comprehension 4.12/5
Written Comprehension 4.0/5
Written Expression 4.0/5
Speech Recognition 3.88/5
Speech Clarity 3.88/5
Information Ordering 3.75/5
Problem Sensitivity 3.62/5

Technologies & Tools

AceTools.biz Ace Translator Adapt It AmoK Translator Ashkon Translation Pad Babylon Online Translator DocTranslate Electronic dictionaries ExcelTrans Translator Extensible hypertext markup language XHTML Google Translate Client HunterSoft Business Translator Hypertext markup language HTML Intrado SchoolMessenger jalada GmbH Just Translate Language Engineering Corporation Translate Pro Lingoes Microsoft Access Microsoft Excel Microsoft Office software Microsoft Outlook

Work Environment & Strengths

Common Strengths for This Career

  • Integrity (High importance: 4.84/5)
  • Dependability (High importance: 4.77/5)
  • Attention to Detail (High importance: 4.75/5)
  • Intellectual Curiosity (High importance: 4.34/5)
  • Cautiousness (High importance: 4.33/5)

Want to see how YOUR strengths align with this career?

Take Free 15-Min Assessment →

How to Become One

Most employers require a bachelor's degree in a relevant field. Some positions may also require experience through internships, co-ops, or entry-level work to strengthen your candidacy.

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Also Known As

This career is known by many different job titles across industries. Here are all the variations:

American Sign Language Interpreter (ASL Interpreter) Arabic Translator Bilingual Interpreter Bilingual Secretary Braille Transcriber Braille Translator Community Interpreter Contract Translator Court Interpreter Cryptologic Linguist Deaf Interpreter Diplomatic Interpreter Educational Interpreter English Translator Farsi Linguist Foreign Language Interpreter Freelance Translator Interpreter Language Interpreter Language Translator Linguist Medical Interpreter Paraprofessional Interpreter Russian Linguist School Sign Language Interpreter Sign Language Interpreter Sign Language Translator Spanish Interpreter Spanish Translator Spanish-English Interpreter Technical Translator Translator Vietnamese Interpreter

Career Fit FAQs

Is this career a good fit for me

This page shows the role itself. To see personal fit, use the assessment to compare your interests, motivations, and strengths against this career and against the role you are in now.

Can this help if I want to stay in my field

Yes. Many people use career pages like this to compare nearby roles in the same field and see whether they need a full switch or a better-fit version of the work they already know.

What should I compare first

Start with the daily tasks, the preparation level, and the work-style signals on this page. Then use the assessment to see whether this role looks like a stronger fit than your current role or just a different title.