Career in Translation – How to become a Translator?
In this age of globalization and localization, having sound knowledge of different languages is considered as an extraordinary skill. Not only translation agencies but many national and global organizations also prefer hiring candidates with a basic understanding of diverse languages. The knowledge of different languages is particularly crucial for those who want to pursue a career as a translator. Excluding company scenarios, translators play a pivotal role in many business events, meetings, political assemblies, and discussions. The job profile of translators is also vital for global welfare as it brings various nations together and strengthens the world with security and peace. Thus, this career path can be exceptionally profitable for professionals. This job profile helps professionals gain knowledge of different national and foreign languages and learn translation theory and related studies.
Most translation-related work is done on a computer as the translators receive and submit assignments using internet connectivity. Many companies in India provide part-time remote working opportunities for freelance translators, while candidates must be committed to full-time employment to work in other large organizations. If this job profile interests you, you’re in the right place. Here we will discuss every detail related to the translator job profile. Before getting into detail, let’s know who translators are.
Who Are Translators?
Translators are professionals who convert information from one language into another, using their knowledge of different languages. While translating, translators must ensure that the translated version conveys the basic meaning of the original text. They also translate cultural references and other expressions. The primary job of a translator is to convert spoken or written material from one language to another. To become a successful translator, a professional should maintain the style and structure of the original text as well as the ideas and facts. However, translators must have an excellent knowledge of spoken and written languages to know people well and clearly understand what the other person is saying or writing.
In the process of translation, they often use writing, analyzing, and editing methods. Another critical part of completing a translation assignment is transcreation which is a process that includes localization, translation, and copywriting. This job profile is quite different from others and provides numerous learning and exploring opportunities to individuals. In this modern working scenario, many companies use the process of machine translation. Thus, human translators are more reliable and effective.
Career As Translator – Job Profile And Work Responsibilities
The job profile of translators has become immensely popular as a career option among today’s youth who want to explore a different professional field or have a great passion for knowing various languages. However, one can witness success in this field within 3-4 years if they have the required skills and experience. There are thousands of profitable opportunities for translators across the globe. As a translator, an individual can get part-time or full-time employment in various sectors, from education institutions and market survey firms to multinational companies and publishing houses. Most companies hire translators for business communication, conference, or documentation, while translation service providers prefer employing translators with good knowledge of foreign languages. Thus, this job profile is one of the most profitable career options because of its exceptional opportunities, rising scopes, monetary benefits, and flexible working hours.
Job Responsibilities Of A Translator
The following are some significant work responsibilities of a translator.
- Language translation
The primary job of translators is to translate various documents (educational, legal, technical, research, scientific, or literary) by keeping the ideas and facts the same as the original text. The translation should be accurate enough that people can read it as if it is the original text. Translators must follow a particular translation process that includes listening or reading through the original material, gaining a basic understanding of the meaning of the material, and finally converting it into the desired language without compromising the meaning of the context.
- Using online translation tools and software
Nowadays, several online tools are available on the internet that can significantly help translators accomplish their job accurately. These online tools can provide additional assistance with translation. Translators can use online tools, such as Across, Trados Studio, memoQ, Wordfast, and Transit NXT, to ensure consistency and efficiency in the translated documents. They can also use translation software while translating a movie or book. Such translation software also helps translators complete an assignment within less time.
- Ensuring client satisfaction
After project completion, translators follow up with the clients if they are satisfied with the translated content. Translators also ask for feedback to ensure the understandability of the content.
- Maintaining quality standards
A translator’s job is quite critical as it requires them to maintain industry quality standards established by the Association of Translation Companies. Maintaining quality standards is considered essential to ensure that the translation assignments follow legal and ethical obligations.
Other job responsibilities of a translator include:
- Consulting subject matter experts to clear their doubts and understand specialized content
- Using specialized dictionaries and reference books to find the closest equivalent for terminology
- Research appropriate phraseology to find the correct translation
- Discussions with clients to clear any doubt
- Proofreading and editing the translated content
Skills Required for Translator Job Profile
People of any gender can pursue their careers as translators. However, a person needs to have a few essential skills to be successful as a translator. Let’s know the essential skills required for the translator job profile.
- Self-employed translators must have good business skills to manage their careers well. Good business skill helps translators set prices for their work, keep records, and market their customers.
- Translators must also have sensitivity towards cultural differences and exceptions. It helps translators boost their efficiency and make them completely involved in their professional workplace.
- Translators must be able to build interpersonal relationships with their clients. This skill helps translators in retaining potential clients and attracting new businesses.
- Communication skill is another essential skill for pursuing a career as a translator. Translators must have the ability to listen and understand what the client is saying or writing. Similarly, they should be able to speak all desired languages with clarity.
- Translators must be able to fluently read and write all the languages according to their assignments. Good writing skills and command of grammar are considered an add-on for translators. It helps them to get their desired translation assignments or projects.
Other required skills are:
- Fluency in two or more national and foreign languages
- Ability to understand hand gestures, finger and arm movements
- Subject matter knowledge
- Attention to detail
- Accuracy and efficiency
- Time-management skills
- Ability to meet deadlines
- Ability to take on challenges and work quickly
- Self-motivation
- Proficiency in using translation-oriented computer applications
- Enthusiasm to learn
How Can You Start Your Career As A Translator?
A person requires a few significant qualifications and work experience to work in an organization as a translator. One can pursue a career in this field by using several ways. Apart from the exceptions, most companies look for employees with some specific eligibility and experience for the job profile of a translator. Candidates must meet the following criteria to get a job as a translator.
Eligibility
For the job profile of a translator, most companies prefer employees with a bachelor’s degree with a minimum of 50% marks from any recognized educational institution. One must have fluency in two or more languages to apply for this job profile. However, candidates must complete a PG diploma or additional certification course in their desired languages or translation studies after they graduate from any discipline. They need to join an offline or online translation course to start their career in this field. In simple words, one needs to learn different national and foreign languages and translation studies to get a job in this field. But completing a postgraduate degree in translation is not mandatory for this job profile. Though graduates of any discipline with required skills can apply for a job in this field, the following degrees can increase their chances of getting a translator job.
- Business, law, science with languages
- Translation studies with languages
- Modern European or non-European languages
Experience
If someone wants to gain work experience, they can join paid internships or freelance translation jobs. Work experience is always considered extremely important for working in this field. Before working as a full-time translator, one can work as a freelancer to learn the tips and tricks of translation studies. Many organizations offer internships or part-time job opportunities to candidates.
Types of Roles in Translation Job
In most cases, a translator works remotely according to their preferences. They need to be active on their computers as most translation work is usually done using the internet. There are different types of translators in an organization, depending on the organization’s work type and demands. The job profiles include-
- Career and Technical Education Teachers
- Foreign Language Interpreter
- Adult Literacy and High School Equivalency Diploma Teachers
- Medical Transcriptionists
- Legal or Judicial Translators
- Literary Translators
- Sign Language Translator
- Conference Translator
Translation Courses and Fees
Nowadays, many popular online educational platforms provide translation certification courses to candidates who want to start their careers as translators. Many affiliated private and governmental universities in India also offer full-time bachelor’s degree courses and PG diploma programs. While candidates must pay to join a translation course, a few organizations offer free online courses.
Best Online Translation Courses In India
The following are the top 6 best online translation courses.
P.S- One can join these online courses after completing their 12th or graduation according to their preference.
Sl No. |
Courses Name |
Course Provider |
Duration |
Average Fees |
1. |
Working with Translation: Theory and Practice |
4 weeks |
INR 1919 |
|
2. |
Translation in Practice |
23 hours |
Free |
|
3. |
Get Started in Freelance Translation |
5 hours and 14 minutes |
Registration required |
|
4. |
Work From Home in Translation | Upwork Freelance Translator Course |
1 hour and 50 minutes |
Registration required |
|
5. |
How to Become a Translator without a Degree |
3.5 hours (With full lifetime access) |
INR 2599 |
|
6. |
Find Success in Freelance Translation and Localization |
7 hours (With full lifetime access) |
INR 2299 |
Best Offline Translation Courses In India
Below are the top 5 best offline translation courses available in India
P.S- For joining the bachelor’s courses in content writing, the candidate must complete their 12th with a minimum of 50% marks from a recognized board.
Sl No. |
Course Name |
Institution Name |
Duration |
Average Fees |
1. |
Language, Literature and Cultural Studies |
3 years bachelor’s degree |
Registration required |
|
2. |
B.A Honours Transalation Program in Multiple Languages |
3 years bachelor’s degree |
INR 5260/per year |
|
3. |
Linguistics and Translation Studies |
3 years bachelor’s degree |
INR 1.05 Lakh |
|
4. |
Career-oriented Certification Course in Translation |
1 year |
INR 6000 |
|
5. |
Certification in Modern Indian Language & Literary Studies |
1 year |
Registration required |
Best Translation PG Diploma Courses In India
The following are the top 5 best translation PG diploma courses available in India.
P.S- One needs to complete their graduation from any discipline to join these postgraduate diploma courses.
Sl No. |
Course Name |
Institution Name |
Duration |
Average Fees |
1. |
Diploma in Translation and Interpretation |
10 weeks |
INR 33000 |
|
2. |
Diploma in Translation Studies |
1 year |
INR 34,000 |
|
3. |
PG Diploma in Translation |
1 year (Minimum)
4 years (Maximum) |
INR 3600 |
|
4. |
Career-oriented advanced diploma in Translation |
3 years |
Registration Required |
|
5. |
Postgraduate Diploma in Translation |
1 year |
INR 3100 |
Salary Of A Translator In India
In India, the average salary of an entry-level translator is 15,000/per month. However, an experienced full-time translator can expect a salary between 40,000-70,000/per month, depending on their designation, work experience, skills, and yearly performance. When working as an intern or freelancer, a translator can earn up to 10,000-12,000/per month. However, the pay scale of this job profile can significantly rise with time depending on the translators’ annual performance.
In India, salaries for translators are often calculated according to the page or word count. Many companies also pay translators on their work hours basis, while the self-employed translators usually charge per assignment or full-day rates. A self-employed translator can expect up to 50,000 INR for completing a monthly translation assignment, depending on its language, quality, and importance.
Top Recruiters of Translation Jobs In India
Due to globalization, career opportunities are rapidly increasing for translators in both private and government sectors. In India, there are a variety of job opportunities for translators. Here are the top 10 companies in India that are hiring for translator job profiles.
- Oracle
- Samsung
- LG
- HP
- Hyundai
- Thomson
- Aventis
- UNO
- Reserve Bank of India
- Moulinex
Top Universities For Translation Courses
Most private and governmental colleges and universities across India offer offline undergraduate and PG diploma translation courses for candidates. However, some universities offer bachelor’s degree programs in different languages, including translation theory and studies.
Here are the top 10 universities in India that provide the best learning experience in the translation field.
- Cochin University of Science and Technology, Kochi
- Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU), Delhi
- Aligarh Muslim University, Uttar Pradesh
- Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar
- University of Delhi
- University of Mumbai
- Jawaharlal Nehru University, Delhi
- Central Institute of English and Foreign Languages, Hyderabad
- ICFAI University, Nagaland
- Jadavpur University, Kolkata
Top Online Platforms For Translation Courses
Nowadays, many online platforms offer different translation certification courses for candidates. The courses cover all the aspects of foreign and Indian languages, translation theory, and related studies. The following are the five best online platforms that offer virtual assistantship courses for candidates.
- Udemy
- Coursera
- SkillShare
- FutureLearn
- Alison
Translation Course Duration And Fees (UG/PG Level)
A translation certification course is primarily a short-term course offered by various online educational platforms. There are also a few educational institutions in India that provide offline translation courses for undergraduate and postgraduate students. While some online platforms offer free translation courses, candidates must pay to join other elaborated ones. The duration of an offline undergraduate translation course is three years. However, the offline diploma translation course duration can range from a few weeks to 4 years. The course fee widely varies depending on the course duration and the topics the course covers.
In India, an online certification translation course can cost up to 5000 INR, while an offline undergraduate course can cost up to 1 lakh. Similarly, the average fee of a PG diploma translation course can be 30,000-40,000 INR.