Students

In addition to excellent language skills, you also need to learn the art of interpreting, be confident and have a good understanding of how both cultures relate to each other.

Interpreting assignments require you to be able to work under pressure, sometimes having to travel a lot or be called in at the last minute. On the other hand, no two days are ever the same, you meet new people every day and you can help them to feel heard.

Areas of work

As an interpreter, there are roughly three areas of work you can go into.

• Conference interpreting, for example for the EU
• Court interpreting, for the courts, police and immigration authorities. For this, you must be certified.
• Conversation interpreting, often in business settings

Continuing education

In addition to your work, it is important to stay up to date with the latest developments and knowledge. If you are certified, this is a requirement, but even if you’re not certified, we recommend that you regularly attend refresher courses.

Many people are proficient in two or more languages. However, this does not automatically make them good translators. What does it take to become a good translator?

• Obviously, you need a good command of the language
• A thorough knowledge of the cultural region of the source language, often gained through a longer stay in that region
• Excellent writing skills in your native language
• Education in the source language or another field in which you can specialise
• Great accuracy in your work and a broad range of interests

Do I need training?

Strictly speaking, no formal education is required, but simply being fluent in two languages is never enough to work professionally. Clients often require that you have translation training and work experience. Well-trained translators therefore have a better chance of finding work and of becoming a member of the NGTV, which is a mark of quality.