| Important Core Job Duties (in order of importance) For the Top 5 most important - How can you build experience and skill doing these? This will help now, to begin preparing for this type of occupation. |
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| Importance (%) | Description |
| Importance: 98 (%) | Description: Refer to reference materials, such as dictionaries, lexicons, encyclopedias, and computerized terminology banks, as needed to ensure translation accuracy. |
| Importance: 98 (%) | Description: Follow ethical codes that protect the confidentiality of information. |
| Importance: 93 (%) | Description: Identify and resolve conflicts related to the meanings of words, concepts, practices, or behaviors. |
| Importance: 90 (%) | Description: Translate messages simultaneously or consecutively into specified languages, orally or by using hand signs, maintaining message content, context, and style as much as possible. |
| Importance: 90 (%) | Description: Compile terminology and information to be used in translations, including technical terms such as those for legal or medical material. |
| Importance: 86 (%) | Description: Compile information on content and context of information to be translated and on intended audience. |
| Importance: 83 (%) | Description: Listen to speakers' statements to determine meanings and to prepare translations, using electronic listening systems as necessary. |
| Importance: 82 (%) | Description: Check translations of technical terms and terminology to ensure that they are accurate and remain consistent throughout translation revisions. |
Foreign Language Careers and Jobs
Select, Find and Prepare for Foreign Language Careers and Jobs - all on one page
For people who want to pair language fluency with a second career track like teaching, business, or translation. Use the tools below to see which foreign language roles fit your background and goals.
Fluency alone is rarely the job title. Language skill is usually combined with another skill, such as teaching, translation, business, or diplomacy, to become a career. Use the tools below to explore Foreign Language-related job titles sorted by growth rate, salary, or required education. You can start with entry points like Language Tutor, or look ahead to advanced roles such as Certified Translator/Interpreter or Localization Manager. Along the way, you will see specific certifications, such as Certified Translator/Interpreter Credential, that can help you move up the career ladder.
Here is a short Helper Video 
This page will take you through 4 steps to (1) Select from Foreign Language careers/jobs, (2) Find Foreign Language job listings, (3) Prepare for Foreign Language careers, and (4) Provide Foreign Language career-specific resources.
Step 1: Select a Career/Job: This page starts with 4 ways for you to identify and select from listings of Foreign Language careers/jobs:
A) Fastest Growing Foreign Language Careers - 2023 to 2033 (est.)
These listings are based on job growth estimates and helps you to identify the fastest growing and evolving Foreign Language careers. Some careers may not initially seem related to Foreign Language, so relevant Foreign Language jobs are listed alongside each listing. This can also help us to identify which careers (bottom of the listing) may have negative growth - perhaps due to automation or planned obsolescence.
B) Median Annual Salary U.S. Foreign Language Careers
These listings are sorted (descending) by median annual salary in the U.S. This may help us to identify our ideal career. We may not qualify at this time for the desired career, but this listing and the results provided can help us to explore job details, as well as learn how to appropriately prepare for the career.
C) Foreign Language Career Ladders (Educational Requirements)
These listings will help us to identify Foreign Language careers sorted by educational requirements (with the most difficult to obtain listed first). This may help us to identify career ladders (as we scroll down the list), and help us to get jobs that we qualify for now.
D) Select From a Listing of 44 Foreign Language Jobs.
The list may be quite long. There are two ways you might like to use this list:
1) Filter - As you enter a word, you will filter (limit) the list of job titles
2) Browse the list (Don't Filter) - You can simply explore the list of job titles. There may be many that you might never have considered to be of interest.
Once you have identified a job title of interest, simply click on it.
Step 2: Find a Job: After you have selected a career/job title above, you will see a form asking for your location. You will see several radio selection choices to utilize the job search site of your choice.
Step 3: Prepare For a Career: In this section you will gain access to detailed information to help you prepare for the chosen career. Information may include (not every career choice includes all of the elements below - updates occur quarterly):
Core Duties: Lists the primary worker-related tasks performed in this occupation
Supplemental Duties: Lists additional tasks that are performed but are secondary to the core duties
Work Activities: Summarizes the broad types of behaviors and actions related to this career
Specific Work Activities: Provides more granular day-to-day activities tied to the work performed
Essential Skills: Provides foundational skills that are core to performing this specific occupation
Transferable Skills: Provides career-portable skills that can be applied across multiple occupations and industries
Day-in-the-Life Summaries: Provides a snapshot of the key activities performed on a typical workday in this career
Knowledge Required: Provides the requirements regarding the acquisition of facts and principles
Software Skills: Lists software tools commonly used in this occupation, organized by category and priority
Preparation Required: Provides a summary of the required experience and education
Education Required: Detailed breakdown of the education required
Training and Experience Required: Detailed breakdown of the training and Training and Experience Required
Local Salary Information: Provides national and local salary ranges
Certifications: Provides appropriate government and private-sector certifications and/or credentials that may be required
Professional Associations: Provides professional associations that are related to the career selected
Job Listings: Provides links to active current job listings for the selected career, along with multiple similar job titles to explore. All information appears on this page without navigating away.
Related Careers to Consider: Lists up to 20 careers that might be of interest to you (related to your initial choice - what they do, what they know, and what they're called), ranked by best fit.
** If you clicked on a link from section D (as described in Step 1 above), you will see one or more links to an occupation that is usually a bit more general than your initial job selection - the link(s) is directly related to the specific job you identified through your prior selections.
*NOTE: It is possible that there may not be a career path identified for the specific job you selected in Step 1. If this is the case, scroll up the page and click on a different career/job.
Step 4: Career-Specific Resources (detailed and constantly updated): Continue to scroll down the page and you will find tabs that provide detailed (updated) links specific to the career you selected. This information includes:
Videos: Provides a listing of video links related to this career. A great way to get a quick overview of the occupation.
Resumes: Sources for resume materials and techniques. This can help to get you started.
Job Description: Sources that provide job descriptions, which are vital to resume and interview preparation.
Interviews: Provides links that can help you to prepare for and successfully complete the job interview. Can also assist with coffee chats.
Step by Step: Provides links to resources that can help to organize the career search process.
LinkedIn: One of the best professional social media sites that provides links, opportunities, and networking specifically for careers and career development.
Step 1 of 4: Select a Career/Job
12 Foreign Language careers are listed below (sorted by Percentage Change in Total Job Openings - 2023 to 2033 est.). Foreign Language-related jobs specific to each career are also provided. This shows which careers are emerging and growing the fastest. Please Scroll and Select below:
| Occupations | U.S. Job Openings 2023-2033 (% change) | Foreign Language-Related Jobs |
20 Foreign Language careers are listed below (sorted by U.S. National Median Salary). Foreign Language-related jobs specific to each occupation are also provided. Please Scroll and Select below::
| Occupations | National Median Salary | Foreign Language-Related Jobs |
22 Foreign Language careers are listed (sorted by Education/Preparation Requirements - descending) to provide career ladders. Foreign Language-related jobs specific to each career are also provided.
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Education/Preparation Categories: 5 = Usually requires graduate school (e.g., Master's degree, Ph.D., M.D., or J.D.) 4 = Usually requires a four-year Bachelor's degree 3 = Usually requires vocational training, related on-the-job experience, or Associate's degree 2 = Usually requires a high school diploma or GED, but not always Please Scroll and Select below: |
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| Occupations | Education/Preparation | Foreign Language-Related Jobs |
Scroll through the picklist (below). There are 44 specific Foreign Language job titles listed. Select those that may be of interest - you will get active job listing links, along with detailed resources to help you prepare for a career related to that job.
You can use this form two ways:
Filter - As you enter a keyword, you will filter (limit) the list of job titles below
Browse the list (Don't Filter) - You can simply explore the list of job titles. There may be many that you might never have considered to be of interest.
OR - leave blank and scroll through the choices:
Select a Job Title (Scroll and Select) :
Step 2 of 4: Find a Job
Find Job Listings:
Interpreters and Translators.
Step 3 of 4: Prepare For a Career
Interpreters and Translators
Description: Interpret oral or sign language, or translate written text from one language into another.
Please click on a section below to expand and see detailed occupational information related to "Interpreters and Translators":
U.S. Total Employment (2023):
81,400U.S. Total Employment (2033 est.):
100,700
Employment Change (2023-2033 est.):
19,300 (23.7%) Average Annual Job Openings (2023-2033 est.):
10,400
Core Duties
Supplemental Duties
| Important Supplemental Job Duties (in order of importance)
For the Top 5 most important - How can you build experience and skill doing these? This will help now, to begin preparing for this type of occupation. |
|
| Importance (%) | Description |
| Importance: 65 (%) | Description: Check original texts or confer with authors to ensure that translations retain the content, meaning, and feeling of the original material. |
| Importance: 65 (%) | Description: Educate students, parents, staff, and teachers about the roles and functions of educational interpreters. |
| Importance: 64 (%) | Description: Read written materials, such as legal documents, scientific works, or news reports, and rewrite material into specified languages. |
| Importance: 64 (%) | Description: Proofread, edit, and revise translated materials. |
| Importance: 62 (%) | Description: Train and supervise other translators or interpreters. |
| Importance: 53 (%) | Description: Adapt translations to students' cognitive and grade levels, collaborating with educational team members as necessary. |
| Importance: 42 (%) | Description: Adapt software and accompanying technical documents to another language and culture. |
| Importance: 38 (%) | Description: Discuss translation requirements with clients and determine any fees to be charged for services provided. |
| Importance: 26 (%) | Description: Travel with or guide tourists who speak another language. |
Work Activities
| Important General Work Activities (in order of importance)
For the Top 5 most important - How can you build experience and skill doing these? This will help now, to begin preparing for this type of occupation. |
|
| Importance (%) | Description |
| Importance: 94 (%) | Description: Interpreting the Meaning of Information for Others: Translating or explaining what information means and how it can be used. |
| Importance: 85 (%) | Description: Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships: Developing constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time. |
| Importance: 83 (%) | Description: Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates: Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person. |
| Importance: 82 (%) | Description: Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge: Keeping up-to-date technically and applying new knowledge to your job. |
| Importance: 82 (%) | Description: Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events: Identifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events. |
| Importance: 81 (%) | Description: Getting Information: Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources. |
| Importance: 79 (%) | Description: Performing for or Working Directly with the Public: Performing for people or dealing directly with the public. This includes serving customers in restaurants and stores, and receiving clients or guests. |
| Importance: 76 (%) | Description: Documenting/Recording Information: Entering, transcribing, recording, storing, or maintaining information in written or electronic/magnetic form. |
| Importance: 75 (%) | Description: Making Decisions and Solving Problems: Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems. |
| Importance: 74 (%) | Description: Communicating with People Outside the Organization: Communicating with people outside the organization, representing the organization to customers, the public, government, and other external sources. This information can be exchanged in person, in writing, or by telephone or e-mail. |
| Importance: 74 (%) | Description: Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards: Using relevant information and individual judgment to determine whether events or processes comply with laws, regulations, or standards. |
| Importance: 72 (%) | Description: Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings: Monitoring and reviewing information from materials, events, or the environment, to detect or assess problems. |
| Importance: 71 (%) | Description: Thinking Creatively: Developing, designing, or creating new applications, ideas, relationships, systems, or products, including artistic contributions. |
| Importance: 70 (%) | Description: Training and Teaching Others: Identifying the educational needs of others, developing formal educational or training programs or classes, and teaching or instructing others. |
| Importance: 70 (%) | Description: Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work: Developing specific goals and plans to prioritize, organize, and accomplish your work. |
| Importance: 66 (%) | Description: Analyzing Data or Information: Identifying the underlying principles, reasons, or facts of information by breaking down information or data into separate parts. |
| Importance: 65 (%) | Description: Working with Computers: Using computers and computer systems (including hardware and software) to program, write software, set up functions, enter data, or process information. |
| Importance: 65 (%) | Description: Developing and Building Teams: Encouraging and building mutual trust, respect, and cooperation among team members. |
| Importance: 62 (%) | Description: Assisting and Caring for Others: Providing personal assistance, medical attention, emotional support, or other personal care to others such as coworkers, customers, or patients. |
| Importance: 61 (%) | Description: Resolving Conflicts and Negotiating with Others: Handling complaints, settling disputes, and resolving grievances and conflicts, or otherwise negotiating with others. |
Specific Work Activities
| Important Specific Work Activities
How can you begin to build experience and skill doing these? This will help now, to begin preparing for this type of occupation. Specific Work Activities appear below: |
|
| Compile technical information or documentation. | |
| Conduct research to inform art, designs, or other work. | |
| Confer with clients to determine needs. | |
| Edit written materials. | |
| Maintain security. | |
| Monitor work environment to ensure safety or adherence to specifications. | |
| Provide educational information to the public. | |
| Train others on work processes. | |
| Translate information for others. | |
| Verify accuracy of data. | |
Knowledge Required
| Knowledge Required (in order of importance)
For the Top 5 most important - How can you build experience and skill doing these? This will help now, to begin preparing for this type of occupation. |
|
| Importance (%) | Description |
| Importance: 91 (%) | Description: English Language: Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, and rules of composition and grammar. |
| Importance: 81 (%) | Description: Foreign Language: Knowledge of the structure and content of a foreign (non-English) language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition and grammar, and pronunciation. |
| Importance: 76 (%) | Description: Customer and Personal Service: Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction. |
| Importance: 66 (%) | Description: Education and Training: Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects. |
| Importance: 63 (%) | Description: Administrative: Knowledge of administrative and office procedures and systems such as word processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and workplace terminology. |
| Importance: 60 (%) | Description: Public Safety and Security: Knowledge of relevant equipment, policies, procedures, and strategies to promote effective local, state, or national security operations for the protection of people, data, property, and institutions. |
| Importance: 59 (%) | Description: Law and Government: Knowledge of laws, legal codes, court procedures, precedents, government regulations, executive orders, agency rules, and the democratic political process. |
Essential Skills
| Essential Skills (in order of importance)
These are the foundational skills most central to success in this occupation. For the Top 5 most important, how can you begin building experience and confidence using these skills now? |
|
| Importance (%) | Description |
| Importance: 68 (%) | Description: Speaking: Talking to others to convey information effectively. |
| Importance: 66 (%) | Description: Active Listening: Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times. |
| Importance: 64 (%) | Description: Reading Comprehension: Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents. |
| Importance: 62 (%) | Description: Writing: Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience. |
| Importance: 60 (%) | Description: Critical Thinking: Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems. |
| Importance: 60 (%) | Description: Monitoring: Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action. |
| Importance: 52 (%) | Description: Active Learning: Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making. |
Transferable Skills
| Transferable Skills (in order of importance)
These are skills that can transfer across occupations and industries. For the Top 5 most important, how can you strengthen these skills now so they support both this career and future career flexibility? |
|
| Importance (%) | Description |
| Importance: 52 (%) | Description: Social Perceptiveness: Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do. |
| Importance: 52 (%) | Description: Service Orientation: Actively looking for ways to help people. |
| Importance: 52 (%) | Description: Judgment and Decision Making: Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one. |
Day-in-the-Life Summaries
| Day-in-the-Life Summaries These summaries show the main types of activities you are likely to perform on a regular basis in this occupation. How can you imagine your typical workday — using these examples to see if this type of work fits you? |
| Activity: Compile records, documentation, or other data. |
| Activity: Confer with clients to determine needs or order specifications. |
| Activity: Edit written materials or documents. |
| Activity: Evaluate the quality or accuracy of data. |
| Activity: Interpret language, cultural, or religious information for others. |
| Activity: Maintain current knowledge in area of expertise. |
| Activity: Maintain safety or security. |
| Activity: Monitor safety or security of work areas, facilities, or properties. |
| Activity: Provide information or assistance to the public. |
| Activity: Train others on operational or work procedures. |
Software Skills
|
Software Skills These are examples of software tools commonly used in this occupation, organized from most to least important for your career preparation. How can you start learning or practicing the highest-priority tools so that you feel confident using them on the job? |
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| High-Priority Tech Skills | |||||||||||||||
| Office suite software: | |||||||||||||||
| Microsoft Office software | |||||||||||||||
| Presentation software: | |||||||||||||||
| Microsoft PowerPoint | |||||||||||||||
| Spreadsheet software: | |||||||||||||||
| Microsoft Excel | |||||||||||||||
| Widely Used Tech Skills | |||||||||||||||
| Project management software: | |||||||||||||||
| Productivity software | |||||||||||||||
| Emerging Tech Skills | |||||||||||||||
| Data base user interface and query software: | |||||||||||||||
| Microsoft Access | |||||||||||||||
| Electronic mail software: | |||||||||||||||
| Microsoft Outlook | |||||||||||||||
| Web platform development software: | |||||||||||||||
| Hypertext markup language HTML | |||||||||||||||
| Word processing software: | |||||||||||||||
| Microsoft Word | |||||||||||||||
| General Software Tools | |||||||||||||||
| Dictionary software: | |||||||||||||||
| Electronic dictionaries | |||||||||||||||
| Foreign language software (scroll table below): | |||||||||||||||
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| Internet browser software: | |||||||||||||||
| Web browser software | |||||||||||||||
| Internet protocol IP multimedia subsystem software: | |||||||||||||||
| Voice over internet protocol VoIP system software | |||||||||||||||
| Mobile messaging service software: | |||||||||||||||
| Intrado SchoolMessenger | |||||||||||||||
| Web platform development software: | |||||||||||||||
| Extensible hypertext markup language XHTML |
Preparation Required
| Preparation Required - How much preparation is needed to obtain this type of job? |
| Job Zone Four: Considerable Preparation Needed |
| A considerable amount of work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is needed for these occupations. For example, an accountant must complete four years of college and work for several years in accounting to be considered qualified. |
| Most of these occupations require a four-year bachelor's degree, but some do not. |
| Employees in these occupations usually need several years of work-related experience, on-the-job training, and/or vocational training. |
| Many of these occupations involve coordinating, supervising, managing, or training others. Examples include real estate brokers, sales managers, database administrators, graphic designers, conservation scientists, art directors, and cost estimators. |
Education Required
| Education Required - by frequency of educational attainment This shows you details about the level of education most commonly held by workers in this occupation. How can you begin planning the educational pathway that will prepare you best for this type of work? |
|
| Frequency of Attainment (%) | Level of Education |
| Frequency of Attainment: 54.7 (%) | Level of Education: Bachelor's Degree |
| Frequency of Attainment: 27.9 (%) | Level of Education: Master's Degree |
| Frequency of Attainment: 8.0 (%) | Level of Education: High School Diploma - or the equivalent (for example, GED) |
| Frequency of Attainment: 4.4 (%) | Level of Education: Associate's Degree (or other 2-year degree) |
| Frequency of Attainment: 3.7 (%) | Level of Education: Post-Master's Certificate - awarded for completion of an organized program of study; designed for people who have completed a Master's degree but do not meet the requirements of academic degrees at the doctoral level. |
| Frequency of Attainment: 1.3 (%) | Level of Education: Post-Secondary Certificate - awarded for training completed after high school (for example, in agriculture or natural resources, computer services, personal or culinary services, engineering technologies, healthcare, construction trades, mechanic and repair technologies, or precision production) |
Training and Experience Required
| Training and Experience Required - by frequency of training and work experience attainment This section shows you how often different types of training and work experience are required for this occupation. How can you start gaining the kinds of experience and training that are most common for this type of work? |
|
| Frequency of Attainment (%) | Level of Training and Work Experience |
| Frequency of Attainment: 27.0 (%) | Level of Training and Work Experience: Over 2 years, up to and including 4 years |
| Frequency of Attainment: 19.3 (%) | Level of Training and Work Experience: Over 1 year, up to and including 2 years |
| Frequency of Attainment: 10.2 (%) | Level of Training and Work Experience: Over 6 months, up to and including 1 year |
| Frequency of Attainment: 9.8 (%) | Level of Training and Work Experience: Over 1 month, up to and including 3 months |
| Frequency of Attainment: 8.3 (%) | Level of Training and Work Experience: Over 6 years, up to and including 8 years |
| Frequency of Attainment: 8.1 (%) | Level of Training and Work Experience: Over 3 months, up to and including 6 months |
| Frequency of Attainment: 7.4 (%) | Level of Training and Work Experience: None |
| Frequency of Attainment: 5.0 (%) | Level of Training and Work Experience: Over 4 years, up to and including 6 years |
| Frequency of Attainment: 3.7 (%) | Level of Training and Work Experience: Over 10 years |
| Frequency of Attainment: 1.3 (%) | Level of Training and Work Experience: Over 8 years, up to and including 10 years |
Local Salary Information
Select a State (scroll and Select) :
Please select a State to see State and National Salaries
Certifications
| Certifications These are examples of certifications that may be important for this occupation. How can you begin exploring which certifications fit your goals and what steps you would need to take to earn them? |
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ACTFL Oral Proficiency Interview
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Certified Interpreter
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Certified Level Sign Language
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Certified Medical Interpreter - Cantonese
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Certified Medical Interpreter - Mandarin
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Certified Medical Interpreter - Russian
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Certified Medical Interpreter - Spanish
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Certified Translator
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Master Level Sign Language
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Professionally Qualified Interpreter
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Professional Associations
| Professional Associations These associations connect people who work in this occupation or related fields. How can you start using these associations to learn more, build your network, or find mentoring opportunities? |
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American Translators Association (ATA)
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Certification Commission for Healthcare Interpreters (CCHI)
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International Medical Interpreters Association (IMIA)
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National Association for Interpretation (NAI)
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National Association of Judiciary Interpreters and Translators (NAJIT)
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National Association of the Deaf (NAD)
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Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf (RID)
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The Association for Computational Linguistics (ACL)
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Job Listings
| Job Listings and Similar Occupational Titles - scroll and click to identify common requirements, keywords, and skills in current job listings |
Related Careers to Consider
Step 4 of 4: Career-Specific Resources
This section contains detailed external resources appropriate to "Interpreters and Translators". Explore these resources to start learning more. Links are constantly updated, so bookmark this page.
Videos
Here is a listing of videos related to this career. A great way to get a quick overview of the occupation.
Resumes
Here are resources that allow you to see example resumes for this occupation. It may be helpful to see examples from others who have this type of experience.
Job Description
Here are resources that provide job descriptions, which are vital for resume and interview preparation.
Interviews
There are many great resources that can help guide you through the interview process. These links provide help in preparing and performing an effective interview, specific to this occupation.
Step-by-Step
Here are links to help guide you, step-by-step, to become a(n): Interpreters and Translators
LinkedIn®
Here are links to various posts and groups from LinkedIn ® that relate to this occupation. Great way to start building professional contacts in the field that might be most appropriate for you.
Developed by Dr. Ralph Jagodka, Ed.D., Professor Emeritus of Business Management at Mt. San Antonio College and author of the Harvard Business Impact article "What to Do When Students Ask You for Career Advice." - Full bio. © 2026 About This Page
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