Professional translators work composing translations in all sorts of situations, including the courts, doctor’s facilities, schools, colleges and other organizations. In most situations a translator doesn’t have to prove his or her ability in translation. A reputation can be built up by demonstrating one’s expert competency as a translator which can open ways to professional success and higher remuneration.
The United States has no all inclusive translation accreditation body but there is an association called the American Translators Association (ATA). This body offers opportunities to get a certificate of competency in many different languages and can assess those who specialize in translating from one language to English and others who prefer to specialize in translating from English to another language.
Affirmation is accessible for converting into English from a number of languages including:
Arabic, Croatian, Danish, Dutch, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish and Swedish.
The ATA also covers translation competence from English into a number of languages including:
Finnish, French, German, Hungarian, Italian, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish, Swedish, Ukranian, Chinese, Croatian and Dutch, Japanese, and Polish.
The ATA has strict standards which need to be met, but there are two key criteria which are very important:
- You should be an individual member of the ATA to be able to apply to have your competence tested. However, you can join at the same time that you book a competency test.
- You should have the results of a reading proficiency test in both of the two target and source languages from the ACTFL (American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages).
You are guaranteed to get the qualifications necessary from the ATA if you have a good mix of training and knowledge. You need to have Bachelor’s degree from an endorsed institution in language that is recognized by the ATA Education and Pedagogy Committee. You also need 2 years proof of work experience as translator. If you are seeking accreditation as an interpreter you need to have 5 years of proven experience in this area.
The test lasts three hours three and covers the understanding of the targeted language as well as the ability to write in it. You will be evaluated on your sentence structure and selection of words and additionally the general quality and precision of your translation.
Before sitting the exam you should undertake some training tests which can be viewed on the ATA website. Candidates complete 3 sections. Part A may revolve around a daily paper publication or a novel, Section B is based on a specialism like legal translation and Section C might be a monetary, business or other document. Applicants need to complete A and can either choose pick B or C.
You can use your accredited status to improve your career prospects. As soon as you receive your certified translator status you will also get an ATA-certified translator seal. You will be eligible to have your name listed on the professional services list which is found in the ATA Directory of Translation and Interpreting Services. This gives you the chance to market your skills to employers as professional who matches industry standards as a certified translator.
