Translator, although a new career but is full of opportunities in the present scenario with the globalisation of the Indian economy, multinationals coming to the Indian subcontinent and more and more companies going for joint ventures abroad. The job scenario for those proficient in foreign languages like French, German, Mexican etc. have opened up.
The ever-increasing amount of scientific, technological and cultural information promises a growing need for those who are able to facilitate international communications. Not only at the international but also at the National level with English taking on the driver’s seat, there is a need of these professionals to translate a lot of text from various state languages to the English language for its use on the National and International level.
The main work of these professionals is to translate texts from one language to the desired language without there being an iota of difference in its interpretation to the reader from the original text. Those translators are considered as successful who are able to impress their readers with simplicity and intact originality of the text they have translated. The translator should be able to convert precisely and quickly the text from the given language to the desired language.
To hone once skill in the profession there are various small-time diploma, certificate course available in various universities/institutions. It requires a lot of hard work and effort but at the same time offers enormous scope for the building of one’s career.
Young people with desire and capacity for hard work can get both money and satisfaction in this profession.
The future growth prospects also vary from language to language. In governmental work, apart from French, German, Spanish, Japanese etc, even smaller languages like Pashpio, Uzbek, Tajiks, Hebrew, and Portuguese etc have a huge demand now.
Translator Eligibility
1. Educational Qualification
10+2 is the minimum requirement to do a diploma or degree in a particular language.
Translator Required Skills
- They should possess fairly good knowledge of the language so that they could themselves correct some of the mistakes if they are at all in the original text. Thus the role of a translator has become very important.
- They also possess very good hold on the language he deals in. He must have good research and communication skill too in that particular language.
- They should be known of Economics, History, the Law, International Politics, and Scientific Concepts and Principles.
- They are also necessary to have public speaking skills, analytical skills, and computer savvy.
How to become a Translator?
One has to follow the below-given steps to become a Translator
Step 1
As a first step towards adopting translator as a profession one has to go for a diploma or degree course in the desired language from various universities /institutions offering these courses. Candidates may have to fulfil certain special conditions or take on the entrance test for taking in the certain reputed institution of foreign languages.
Step 2
After doing the diploma or degree course one can join some job as a junior translator or can go for the higher studies in the respective languages provided by various universities/ institutions. Like For Japanese, there is a language proficiency test conducted by the Mombusho Scholars Association and Alliance Francaise is the centre for conducting various French tests like the TEF (required by the Canadian High Commission), the TCF, DELF /DALF tests and diploma delivered by the French Ministry of Education.
Translator Job Description
The job description of a Translator includes translating texts from one language to the desired language without there being any difference in its interpretation to the reader from the original text.
Enormous employment opportunities are available for Translators in private as well as public sector organisations. Translators can find employment in the corporate sector in software developing companies, and in newspapers and magazines. Translation work can be related to a variety of fields like technical, scientific literary or business. Translators work on books, scripts, articles and translate them into specified languages.
Often, after pursuing courses in foreign languages, people like to work as freelancers. These people get work in translation bureaus, research organisations, international organisations like UN, foreign companies, publishing houses etc. Expertise in foreign language coupled with other additional qualifications in areas like management, tourism, hospitality industry, airlines can be even fruitful and better the chances for employment opportunities.
Translator Salary
The translator can expect to get anything between Rs. 10,000 to Rs. 15,000 as far as a starter is concerned. After gaining some on job experience one can earn as good as Rs. 25,000 per month and more. If one goes for his own business he can get anywhere near Rs. 50,000 per assignment. However, it depends upon the assignment and the importance of it for which it has been taken up.
