In each job, there are some days you feel completely satisfied with what you do, and tough times you’re fully frustrated. Interpretation is no exception.
What’s there behind the scenes? What are the pros and cons of the profession?
Benefits
Breaking communication barriers between people feels incredibly rewarding. Just a face expression of the grateful people who have finally understood each other with your assistance, is worth the effort you put in mastering the profession.
Languages are changing, technologies are advancing. Interpreters always keep their ear to the ground.
Interpreters travel a lot, even though they often have a busy working schedule with little time to explore.
This profession provides many options on where and how to work – at a conference or a workshop, in a courtroom, full-time, part-time or as a freelancer.
The chances of getting a job as an interpreter are growing with the time, and hourly rates can be impressive.
Challenges
It might be psychologically hard to be constantly looking for a job – the one that’s worth the effort you put into it.
A wide variety of specialized fields needs interpretation. As an interpreter, you would have to constantly deepen your knowledge in technical terminology and awkward jargon.
Nobody really cares about an interpreter’s personal opinion, and they are not allowed to share it due to the code of ethics. They have to accept they are just facilitators, not actual dialog partners.
A change of venues and presentations, unfamiliar vocabulary – an interpreter has to be reactive and stay the course.
Obviously, being an interpreter is never tedious. Step by step, project by project you gain experience and stretch your limits.
For more details, feel free to check out the source article on the topic here.
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