How To Become A Better Interpreter – Tips To Improve Interpreting Skills

Searching for the best ways to improve interpreting skills/ how to become a better interpreter to have a rewarding career? Here, you’ll find a highly useful guide to resolve this problem, and emerge out as the recognized interpretation expert.

Why become an interpreter, and how? You may have asked this question many times from yourself, if you have a passion for multiple languages, but don’t know much about this field. Interpreters jobs have been constantly coming at the top in the list of leading industries. This is because the significance of these professionals continues to escalate.

As the world is becoming more global day by day, and languages & cultures entwining, getting the support of certified interpretation experts becomes the need of an hour. Legal, insurance, travel, finance, medical, education, construction, and myriads of industries are asking interpreters to overcome the language barriers that keep them away from fruitful business deals, potential opportunities, and maximizing sales.

As this shows the scope of interpreting job in the current and coming years.

Important Facts About Interpreter’s Jobs

• The median salary in 2017 was $22.69 on an hourly basis, and $47,190 per year.

• Usually a bachelor’s degree with detailed knowledge is enough to make an entry as an interpreter.

• Job outlook from 2016-2026 gains a significant growth i.e. about 18%.

• The industry of national and international interpretation is expected to mushroom with a higher percentage in the coming years, at least within the next 10 years. It is estimated to grow by about 29% between 2014-2024.

• As per the reports, more than 350 languages spoken in the US homes other than English. About 25.1 million people are LEP (limited English proficient) citizens.

• In the UK, people speak over 200 different languages.

• According to the statistics report, employment in interpretation in the US will increase rapidly by 2022.

• Interpretation professionals job will become one of the fastest growing occupations.

Learn How To Develop Best Interpreting Skills

While searching for the language interpreter online, the companies or businesses keep several considerable points in their mind, other than language qualifications, and experience. The role of these interpretation professionals is not limited just to convert the words or phrases of foreign speakers in various environments, but ensure that all important aspects of communication are clearly and precisely understood by participants in business meetings, seminars, or other conversation.

Like all other sectors, the industry of interpretation also has some experts better and more capable than others. Hence, the competition is getting tougher day by day. If you’re planning to make a career in interpreting, check out what it takes to become a successful and much-demanding expert.

1.  Note Taking

During the interpreting task, you require to follow the speeches given by a speaker, and interpret them accurately ASAP. Rather than summarizing the communicated words, you have to convey everything in detail without any modifications. All these lead to stress, especially when you’re just a novice, and don’t know how to quickly memorize the speech.

2. Form Own Notation System

Create your own notation system to prevent the mistakes in business interpretation and avoid miscommunication. Keep the precise and brief note of vital details such as numbers, viewpoints, names, figures, modal verbs, and lists, instead of complete sentences. Your main motive should be on providing the exact and complete understanding of the speech.

3. Trust Your Memory Skills

Of course, note taking is good to memorize what you hear, but it is also suggested to rely on your memory and listening skills. Keep your focus on what a speaker is saying while taking notes, and put those words or statements in your mind as well. Deeply understand the meaning of spoken words, and put only those things in a notebook that are hard to remember such as numberings, statistic reports, etc.

4. Build Up Your Vocabulary

During business, seminars, and conference interpretation, it is required to convert the speech into a target language quickly. You will not be provided time to open the dictionary, and go through it to find its meaning, and use the appropriate word. Therefore, it is almost mandatory to create your vocabulary of both source and a target lingo with its correct meaning.

5. Keep Cultural Differences In Mind

Skilled interpreters should have the deep cultural understanding of all languages they interpret. This is because each culture has many varying subcultures and dialects. Good command on the standard local cultural norms and words, idioms, or phrases help to completely deliver the message in a way, that a native speaker wants to get across without dealing with the cross-cultural differences. While recruiting candidates, interpreting agency gives much preference to the cultural knowledge of applicants, so that targeted audience gets original meaning of what is being conveyed.

6. Watch Videos

Watch videos on the topics you have to interpret, and grasp the best qualities of the speakers such as body languages and linguistic skills they approach. After watching the videos, analyze what things you like the most, and how would you execute the task if asked you to interpret. Record your interpreting sessions in short durations, and listen to it carefully to check it for accuracy, and further improvements required.

7. Use Or Develop Symbols & Abbreviations

The best way to reduce speech memorization time, and improve rendition quality is to use symbols and abbreviations instead of complete words. Use ‘X’ in place of the term ‘time’ and connect it with other symbols, e.g. 2X- two times, XtX- time to time, etc. Or you can also eliminate the last letters of words by using only first vowels & double letters.

Here’s a list of some common abbreviations or symbols you can use during interpreting sessions.

No matter which sector you work with, being a professional interpreter you should have a complete set of interpersonal, communication, and linguistic skills. Apply in a company that can bridge your way to a huge success. Tridindia has an extensive network of interpreters specialized in more than 250 diverse language pairs, and subject matter of a pool of industries. The professionals are available to serve global clients, whether they need assistance with on-site, simultaneous, telephonic, escorting, or other types of interpretation. If you want to give the perfect start to your interpreting career, then you’re at the right place. The company has been working with national and global clientele for more than 15 years.

Contact us to get more information about how to start your career as an interpreter. Share your details through a resume or simply call on +91-8527599223