A new year is upon us. And with a new year comes new possibilities. Many of us put our dreams on hold during the pandemic. But the time to act is NOW. If you have been putting your dreams of becoming a professional interpreter on hold, now is a good time to resurrect your passion. And if you’re looking for some inspiration, we’ll give you 4 great reasons to become an interpreter in 2022!

Before we dive in, and just in case you’re not sure of what the possibilities are, here are some of the different job titles associated with becoming a professional interpreter. You can choose from:

• Legal Interpreting
• Health and Medical Interpreting
• General Interpreting
• Sign Language Interpreting
• Social/ Community Interpreting
• Educational Interpreting
• Conference Interpreting
• Liaison Interpreting
• Localization (interpreting)

Of course, there are so many more types of interpreting jobs depending on your field of interest. This means that you have a whole world of choices just waiting for you.

Now that we’ve covered our bases, let’s get right into some great reasons why 2022 is the year for you to become a professional interpreter.

4 of the Best Reasons to Become an Interpreter  This Year

Your Voice Brings Value 

In the United States alone, over 350 languages are spoken on a daily basis. That said, there are many bilingual households where family members translate and interpret for their monolingual family members on  a daily basis. If you’ve found yourself in this situation and realize that you like doing this, then maybe you can take the next step and actually get paid for doing what you’ve been doing all along.

Additionally, professional interpreters are of high value. Especially since we live in a very fast-paced, globalized world. Because of this skill or gift that you have, you’re able to add value within your community.  More specifically where cultural sensitivity is concerned. You also serve as the voice for someone who cannot communicate well within their environment. You therefore add value both their experience as well as the person with whom they are communicating with.

The Demand is There

The onset of the current global pandemic brought many to the realization of how important interpreters are. Since then, the demand for interpreters has increased significantly. Even more so within the digital space. Coupled with this reality, the compensation for doing this kind of well-needed work has also skyrocketed. Making it a very lucrative field to pursue.

Of course, there’s no doubt that as access to technology continues to grow, so too will the need for interpreters. Therefore, the need for more interpreters for more languages will arise.

It’s a Fulfilling Career

As a professional interpreter, you can work with companies full time or do freelance work. Whichever route you choose to go, as long as you love what you do, you’re sure to be fulfilled. So, you can work as much or as little as you want and continually improve on your skills while you’re at it. There’s always something new to learn because you have to keep up with industry standards as well as trends and slang.

Fun fact. A few years ago a World Report revealed professional interpreting as a top ranking creative and media job. This means that it makes high scores in the areas of salary, future growth, stress and work-life balance as well as doing well overall on the job market.

So if you didn’t know before, then now you know that language is ‘big business’ that’s worth over 56 billion dollars and is set to increase in the very near future.

You Provide Equal Accessibility to Those In Need

There are laws in place in the US and other places right across the world that protect the rights of all individuals where equal access to services is concerned. Because these laws are in place, they give those in need of interpreters access and opportunities as needed. It also gives interpreters the opportunity to play their part in helping those with a disability gain access as needed.

So How Do You Get Started?

Becoming an Interpreter is an excellent choice. Especially if you’re passionate about languages and using your talent to help others. Of course, there are criteria that must be met in order to become a professional Interpreter. Let’s look at a few of these requirements:

• Obtain a Bachelor’s Degree – Along with obtaining your degree, demonstrating that you are proficient in a language other than your native tongue is important. This means that you could major in a foreign language as well as do communication courses.
• Complete job specific training – After earning your Bachelor’s Degree you can get further training depending on your chosen field. If you want to do Medical Interpreting or Court/Legal Interpreting, then getting some training is a good idea.  It’s important to note that as long as you’re part of the medical or court interpreting fields, then continuing education is a must. This helps you to keep up with the different terms and phrases among other things.

• Gain Certification – As a Court/Legal Interpreter, you are expected to pass the required court interpreting exams in order to perform your tasks in this field. Other than this type of certification, there is no universal requirement such as this for being an interpreter in other fields. If you are however working as a Sign Language Interpreter in the United States, then acquiring joint certification from the National Association of the Deaf along with the Registry for Deaf Interpreters is required.

• Experience helps – Of course, the more experience you have interpreting, the better it is for you to land interpreting jobs.

As a professional interpreter, understanding the myriad of expenses that can be optimized to your benefit, such as deductions for freelancers, is crucial. Diving into the depths of allowable tax deductions, from necessary equipment, and home office setup, to even educational resources aimed at enhancing your language and interpreting skills, can substantially lower your taxable income.

Wrapping Up

So, we’ve given you 4 great reasons to become an interpreter in 2022 along with a few steps you need to take to be well on your way.

At Day Translations there are also opportunities for you to become a professional interpreter doing what you love. And, don’t forget to download the Day Interpreting App for your on-the-go interpreting needs.

Kayan Milwood

Kayan is a multi-talented writer based in the beautiful island of Jamaica. Her strong point is ideation and she loves to take on new challenges.