Interpreter
Translate oral or written material into another language.
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Job opportunities
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Jobs in Jobstreet right now
Salary
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Typical monthly salary
Job growth
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In the last year
Job satisfaction
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What's it like to be an Interpreter?
Interpreters act as the intermediary between two individuals or groups who are conversing in different languages. These speech professionals are fluent in reading, speaking, and writing in at least two languages. Because of language nuances, Interpreters should learn to relay the translated text or words in their original context, style, and tone. This means also communicating the speaker’s emotions and objectives in a natural manner.
Tasks and duties
- Using headsets and microphones, so they can clearly hear the original speech and speak it in a translated language.
- Quickly picking up on the speaker’s colloquial terms and expressions, and effectively translating them.
- Practising discretion when conveying confidential and technical information.
- Staying true to the original spirit of the text or speech to translate it as accurately as possible.
- Speaking the translated language in a neutral accent.
- Taking notes if necessary.
Interpreters conduct their work in conferences, business presentations, court procedures, television shows and other settings. They may be employed to work as Simultaneous Interpreters, who instantly translate the speaker’s messages as soon as it is said; as Consecutive Interpreters, who are given time to convert the message by the speaker when they pause their speech; as a Sign Language Interpreter who communicate between the deaf or partially deaf and hearing people; and as Sight Translators who translate written material into a speech in foreign language.
How to become an Interpreter
Besides language skills, Interpreters should also have cultural and ethical knowledge. They develop these from a relevant educational background and work experience.
- Candidates who have completed tertiary-level education are typically preferred by employers. To specifically target this role, you may take a bachelor of arts degree or diploma course in translation and interpretation.
- Some companies value language skills over educational level. Aside from Bahasa Malaysia, other in-demand languages include Cantonese, Mandarin, Khmer, Korean, or English.
- Deepen your expertise in a foreign language by constantly practising it in written and oral formats. Language is always evolving, so you should monitor the foreign country’s news, pop culture, and other content to learn new vocabulary and cultural contexts.
- When Junior Interpreters have gained enough experience and qualifications, they can move on to senior levels with more sophisticated tasks.
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Having the right skills and experience can make you an in-demand applicant. Interpreter employers on Jobstreet are looking for job seekers with expertise in the following areas.
Source: Jobstreet job ads and Jobstreet Profile data
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