There’s Always a Market for Bilingual Personnel
If you can speak or write across two or more languages, you are in luck. The more languages you can convert, or the more experience you have, the more job opportunities at hand. From business to entertainment, the job prospects continue to expand, especially for those with certification. The main demand is for Portuguese, French, Italian, German, Spanish, Arabic, and Asian bilingual employees.
Here are some areas of expertise to consider focusing on in translating and interpreting work:
Health care settings ... The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts major growth over the coming decade for bilingual workers as medical interpreters are needed to communicate between doctor and patient. Translation skills are needed to convert English into target languages for brochures and patient guides.
Homeland security ... This is another area that is expected to experience rapid growth. The federal government will need Middle Eastern and North African bilingual employees in particular.
Literary translators ... Workers in this area may translate anything from books to articles. This job can be done from anywhere in the world.
Court interpreters ... Interpreters need to be very precise, because the devil is in the details in jury trials and hearings. By not accurately converting testimony, a case could be overturned later in a higher court.
Travel guides ... Corporations need interpreters on a project-to-project basis to escort foreign businessmen and women to ensure they are able to communicate and function during their stay.
Localization translators ... This work involves translating a website into another language. It can include software translation. Business owners want a flawless conversion, so that it looks like the website is not a translation per se.
Counseling interpreters ... Though ideally a counselor and client will speak the same language, there are times when bilingual licensed counselors are not available and interpreters are necessary. This is a great niche for those who have a knack for being unobtrusive and trustworthy in a highly confidential setting.
The majority of employment opportunities are in the major metropolitan areas, though more and more immigrants are choosing to live in non-urban areas. From the education sector to the airline industry to the freelancing world, there is a perfect spot for your bilingual talent.
By Rita Henry
Get Bilingual Jobs, Contributing Editor
Get Bilingual Jobs, Contributing Editor