my future profession is translator essay

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Advice for a career as a translator: a pro shares her story

By Dr Popkins 4 Comments

One of the most popular posts on Howtogetfluent is my overview of a career in interpreting .  I’m delighted that translator pro Karen Rutland has agreed to be interviewed for this new, companion piece offering advice for a career as a translator,   which I think will be just as useful.  This also follows on nicely from last week’s look at translation as a language learning method .  Karen and I got to know each other at language learner meetups a few years ago.  We both have German, Russian and Welsh as our main languages.  We’ve both learned some Hungarian, too (with Karen quite a bit ahead of me).

As we got talking for this interview, Karen shared some of the story of how she got interested in languages and why she sees them as important for work and life.  Then we get down to the meaty advice about translator training options, the importance of networking, in-house versus freelance or agency work, the value of specialisation and the impact of computer aided translations….

GP: What’s your current translation role?

KR: I have been working from home as a freelance translator now for 10 years. About 99% of my work is through agencies, and perhaps two-thirds of them are based in Germany or Austria.   This is mainly because higher rates are more acceptable there, but I’m trying to change the balance slightly now, with Brexit approaching. My main working language is German, although I do occasionally work on small Russian projects. I tend to work on my own, but I have collaborated once or twice with other translators on larger projects (through an agency or agent). I’m currently participating in one of these with one other colleague to translate a German textbook.

With Karen (second from right) and other language enthusiasts at a London meetup

GP: Before you went into translation, what was your language background?

KR: My grandparents were a great inspiration.   My granddad spoke some German and Italian.   My nan spoke French and Spanish. They did some language study as school children.   There’s also a family legend the my grandad’s interest was sparked by some logbooks from a German U-Boot that his father is supposed to have helped capture.   Both grandparents really got to grips with languages in retirement, though.  

They used to travel to Europe each year on holiday. When I was 10, Granddad started teaching me some German. He would bring me back books from the Trödelmärkte (flea markets) that we would read together. In 1990, my grandparents went to explore the former German Democratic Republic (communist East Germany) and stayed in a Pension (B&B) run by a family who had a daughter two years older than me. Sandra and I became penfriends.  We’ve been friends ever since. I was even her Trauzeugin (wedding witness/bridesmaid).

I studied German and French at secondary school (aged 11 to 16).   By aged sixteen I had the language bug and I started teaching myself Russian. Aged 16 to 18 I studied German, Geography and Business Studies for the “A-Level” school leaving exams.   I also did a Russian “GSCE” (less advanced exam), as I’d started teaching myself the language.   There was a former Prisoner of War camp in my village.   I became acquainted with one of the daughters of the former Hungarian PoWs who’d stayed on and she started to teach me Hungarian.

After my A-Levels I had no idea what I wanted to do. All I knew is that I wanted to do was use my languages and learn more. So I went to Warwick University to study German.  As I knew I didn’t want to pull apart literature for several years, I did a combined German and Business degree. I’m very glad I chose this.  The business studies have been a major help in running my own business.

For the second half of my degree “year abroad” in Germany, I did a placement as an assistant in the marketing department of a company in Germany that made medical support devices such as stockings and prosthetic limbs.   The vocabulary that I picked up as a result certainly amused my friends. This period did the most for my German, as I also moved into a WG (shared flat) with four native speakers.

GP: What were your first steps after university?

KR: After university I still had no idea what I wanted to do, apart from use my languages. I tried various graduate schemes, but I’m not really the corporate type. So I went home and found a job at Lansing Linde.   This was former British forklift truck manufacturer that had been taken over by a German company eight years previously. I worked as a Bilingual PA for nearly two years and used my German there occasionally.  

My next job was a customer services administrator for a company that did backup solutions. I would log calls, order parts, arrange for engineers to go to site, etc.  Occasionally I’d have to translate service reports and emails.  Other times I had to help on phone calls as our engineers spoke no foreign languages and sometimes our German/Austrian/Swiss guys weren’t confident in their spoken English.

I travelled to Germany once to help liaise with the customer on a particularly tricky case. Another time I managed to go to Hungary for a week to help out when we moved our repair centre to the country.   Things had gone a bit pear-shaped. My Hungarian wasn’t fluent, but the fact that I knew some and could interact a bit was helpful when all the rest of the team were monolingual Brits and Americans.

I wouldn’t say I was particularly good at languages.  I think the main thing that has made the difference to me was the ability to see what the skill had given my grandparents, what it has given me (including my friend Sandra) and seeing that languages were a real thing and not just something in a textbook.  

I’ve also seen the power of language learning in understanding other cultures and healing rifts.

On the course of their travels, my granddad even made friends with a German who had been firing on him during the Second World War when he was working as an aircraft mechanic somewhere in Italy.  My nan was bombed out in the war and lost a lot of things.  She should have been quite resentful of Germany, but she loved the place and the people.

GP: What attracted you to train as a translator?

KR: A career as a translator was never actually presented to me as an option. However, I always enjoyed translation classes at university.  I enjoyed translating the commodity reports at Linde, and the other translation work in my second company.  

While at Linde, I came across the Chartered Institute of Linguists and started going to many of their events.   They have four divisions: education, translating, interpreting, and business/government/professional.   If you’re not from the UK, be sure to check out equivalent bodies where you are.  In the USA, for example, there’s the American Translators’ Association .  There’s also an international body, the International Federation of Translators .  

I found out about the Chartered Institute of Lingists’ Diploma in Translation (DipTrans) and took a distance learning preparation course for it at London’s City University.  

At this point I had no specific plan to become a translator, but I thought the exam was interesting and would be useful whatever I decided to do.  

Unfortunately it took me the full five years to pass it, possibly because I hadn’t really had enough experience at that point. It is a notoriously tough exam.  

GP: Where did you train?  

KR: I did look into doing a post graduate “master’s” degree (MA), as my networking at CIoL events showed that this was a common option. However, I’d had enough of academia. I did not want to write about translation theory, I wanted to translate! I also thought at the time that the MA was a far more expensive option, although after the various resits of the DipTrans, it probably worked out about the same.

There are various resources available (depending of course on the langauge combination).   These include past papers, examiner reports and a handbook.   You can train for it alone but I found the City Uni distance course very helpful.   On that, you submit ten translations per trimester for review and discussion.

I actually never stop training. I learn new words and concepts every day at work. I’m always reading around my subjects in my source languages and in English, and taking webinars, going on training courses run by the ITI, CIoL, the Bunderverband der Dolmetscher und Übersetzer  (the German equivalent) and courses and events in the industries I translate in.   

Given that I work at home, networking is also important.   Talking to others in the business is the equivalent of those “watercooler” moments in a corporate office, where you get top pick up tips and to let of steam.

Working with other translators is way to learn solutions to tricky language or business problems and can be an eye-opener to new techniques.  

I also do editing jobs for some agency clients.   This involves reviewing translations by other translators.   It’s another way to learn how to improve your own technique.   Rather than paying for training, you’re being paid!  

GP: Did the  qualification you took meet your expectations and what tips would you have for people chosing a course or a qualification?

KR: The Chartered Institute of Lingists’ Diploma in Translation does have a reputation for being difficult.  

In some ways it is unrealistic.   You are not allowed any internet connection at all.  Yet, in real life, I could not do my job without it.  

Still, I am planning on sitting the exam for Russian.  It’ll be a real personal challenge and source of motivation and focus for my private study.

One thing I have heard about MAs – from various sources – is that they often have too much focus on the theory, and not enough on the practical side of working as a freelance translator.    There often still seems to be very little in a typical MA on software, Computer Aided Translation (“CAT”) tools, translation memory, corpora software (text databases) or using machine translation and almost nothing on the practical business skills required.

However,   there are different shades of MA and I hear that these days they are taking these things into consideration more. There are plenty of ways these days to supplement the course to make good anything missing from your MA if you want to.

Definitely get involved in the translation community, as well.  

On proz.com there are various “powwows” (meetups) and translators are always happy to talk for hours about languages and translation (as you can tell!).  

Go to events run by the professional bodies and software companies, and check out groups on Facebook and the discussion forums on proz .

There are also many blogs out there offering tips, trick and insights.

GP: What about the decision to set up your own translation business?  

KR: I finally took the leap after eight years of working in non-translator roles offices. I’d been reading around the subject long enough, and now had enough commercial knowledge thanks to my previous jobs to go it alone with a career as a translator.  

However, like most people, I needed the push rather than taking the leap myself.

After a company takeover, my role changed and I really hated my job. Nothing else appealed, as by this point I was so jaded by the whole corporate thing.  

So I found a temporary contract for six months, editing reports at a marketing company (another useful experience), while I tried to set up and build up my business.

I went to various networking events for small businesses, and while no-one knows what a translator does, it was helpful for the support, encouragement and general business knowledge.

Mission control: Karen’s workspace

GP: Did it take long to get enough clients and do you still have to work hard at the business/marketing aspect?

KR: I had already been ‘on the scene’ for a while and had been networking quietly.   So,   when I mentioned to people what I was planning, I was given two or three referrals.   That gave me a foot in the door at a couple of agencies.

My previous positions were also a help, because I was able to say I’d worked in industries X, Y and Z using both English German.

I registered on proz.com. This has a bad reputation among some in the community as a bottom-feeder environment, and if you participate in the bidding, it can be (the jobs going to the lowest bidder or the first to respond).  

However, proz is a resource that even reputable agencies use to expand their database of translators, and a lot of my work has come from there.

As a full member of Chartered Institute of Linguists and Institute of Translation and Interpreting and I’m listed in their registers and potential clients can find me there.  

I may also be lucky in my combination of languages and specialist subjects (supply chain and logistics, sustainability and renewables, production and operations management, automation technology, building technologies).  There are fewer of us around for some combinations.  

I think French/Italian/Spanish translators can have a harder job…and not many people enjoy translating technical texts or manuals.

When starting out, it is good to be prepared to work over weekends and holiday periods, when more experienced translators are away.   Agencies are always pushed at these periods and it is a chance to make your mark.  

However, don’t get into the trap of offering low rates because you are a beginner.    This has a bad effect on the industry in general, because it pushes everyone’s rates down.  It does you as an individual no good, either. It usually means you are taken on by the penny-pinchers who are not very enjoyable to work with. It is very difficult to up your rates over time (even for inflation sometimes), meaning you have to find new clients prepared to pay higher rates.    When you start out, your rate will work out at less per hour anyway because you inexperience means you spend more time researching and checking everything. There is no need to make this worse.

Don’t forget, though, that from the beginning you should be charging higher rates for urgent work which you have to do urgently in the evening or over the weekend.

GP: Are there any pitfalls you’d want to flag for new translators wanting to go in-house/work freelance/set up a business?  

KR: There are very few in-house translation departments today, so competition is fierce for jobs in them.  

Working as a project manager in an agency would be a beneficial experience, as it would give you an insight into that part fo the chain.   You could gain practical skills, such as software.   Many who leave to go on to work freelance then have a ready-made client right from the beginning. It also looks good on your CV to other translators.

Business sense is essential as is the willingness to spend on training (you have to get away from the mentality that all your earnings from your work are you actual “take home” income, they aren’t).

You need to have a good command not only of your source language(s), but your mother tongue (in the UK the general rule is you only translate out of (and not into) your foreign languages).

You also need and a good grasp of your subject areas.   Specialisation is key. This can be based on previous experience, but also subjects you are interested in.  

There is a Facebook group called the Foodie Translators, for all those who love cooking and include menu and cookbook translations in their repertoire. There is another translator who comes to mind who is a qualified yoga teacher and specialises in health and fitness translations.

Working for direct clients is often promoted as the holy grail for translators. I do not subscribe to this.  

A good translation agency is worth its weight in gold. They’ve often already done the hardest part of marketing (educating the end client how often understands nothing about the translation process), and they deal with the desktop publishing side of things and can help you with technology issues.   They will also sometimes be able to pass the translation to another translator if you are on holiday or away for another reason.

GP: What do you most and least enjoy about your career choice and daily work?

KR: I most enjoy getting to use my languages every day, and the constant learning.  

As an introvert, I quite enjoy working from my home office, although I have recently explored a co-working space should I want more human company and to cover any internet connection issues.

I can find the lack of predictability of projects stressful sometimes, because no matter how hard I try, there will always be something that crops up, or someone who decides they don’t want a translation after all, or who delivers their part late.

GP: Do you think that new technologies threaten the future of the profession?  

CAT, in the shape of Amber, Karen’s assistant

KR: I don’t think it is the technologies that are the problem.   It’s the lack of understanding and the way in which they are applied that causes the issues.  Media hype leads the general public to believe that machine translation is the solution. It’s not, it is a tool.

Machine translation (Google Translate) and so on has its place.  But, despite all the advancements, it is still incapable of replacing a human translator.  Running a text through even the best machine translation software will still produce results that require checking and editing.    In fact, sometimes the best results can be the most deceiving, because the final text is good English (or whatever your target language is) but it might not actually say exactly what the source says!

Computer Assisted Translation tools are something different.  You don’t feed the text in in one language and get a translation out.  It’s more about automatic checking and retrieving examples from your past work as you do the translation.  When CAT tools first arrived, there was a panic about that, but now there are very few translators who don’t use them. The market has changed, but not necessarily for the worse. We need to change and adapt with the market.

GP: Where do you see yourself in five years’ time?

KR: Probably just where I am now but with better Russian and subject knowledge  🙂

I’ve considered developing my business to become an agency, but I enjoy the translation too much to go back into a project management role.

–oo))–)))OOO-OOO(((–((oo–

Many thanks to Karen for sharing her story and for all the practical tips.  If you’re a translator and have things to add, let us know in the comments below.  If you’re thinking of translation as a career, your questions are welcome.

Look out for a second interview with Karen soon, this time about her experience as a Welsh learner who recently passed an advanced Welsh exam.

This was a great article, both informative and inspiring. I can especially endorse Karen’s comments on the following: a) the need to know and love your FIRST language. It really hurts to see translators making spelling and grammar mistakes. b) the common misunderstanding that machine translation is already perfect; it certainly isn’t but it IS a valuable tool, particularly in the first stages where the object is to get the text into some workable form of the target language before then rolling up the sleeves and getting down to the nitty-gritty. I was recently asked for my opinion on the quality of a supposedly professional Arabic to English translation. I was not impressed and soon found out why – it was taken straight from Google Translate with no corrections whatsoever. c) CAT tools are worth the learning curve – I do website translations from German into English for the library I used to work for and CAT functions save so much effort when I need to know how I translated a particular term 2 years ago to make sure the website is consistent. The CAT program delivers that information automatically. d) Completely agree with Karen on the subject of charging. Do choose a rate you’re comfortable with. And dont make it too low!

Many thanks to Karen and yourself, Gareth, for this. Indeed, diolch yn fawr iawn i chi! Hwyl fawr Janet

Thanks for the comments, Janet. I found interviewing Karen for this really helped me to get clearer about the different roles technology can have in tranlation work. Undercharging for the value we deliver seems to be a common problem in language-related professions in general. Maybe because so many of us got into the field in the first place because we love languages.

Very informative article, which offers detailed advice. I would like to know why Karen considers that French translators have a difficult job compared to German translators, ‘I think French/Italian/Spanish translators can have a harder job…and not many people enjoy translating technical texts or manuals.’ As someone who is interested in Translation as a career, I would like to know if she can substantiate this comment.

It would also be helpful if this article was dated, so that interested parties have an idea of how recent this information is.

Hello Alice,

this is purely based on my personal experience and what I’ve picked up on from talking to other translators who work in those language pairs: – French and Spanish are more commonly taught in the British school system, and – along with Italian – are more popular languages to learn than German or Russian. Therefore, there are more translators offering those languages -> greater competition for work and easier to put downard pressure on prices. – It is not uncommon for those offering one Romance language to add others to their skill set over time, thus increasing the supply of translators a little more. – The German market pays a lot better than the British and both tend to pay more than the Spanish/Italian (I’ve no experience of working with French agencies), who also tend to offer longer payment terms (up to 60 or even 90 days, compared to the 30 or occasionally 45 days in Germany and Central/Eastern Europe), You therefore need to do more work to earn the same amount and you also need to have a better buffer to deal with cashflow. These two issues can make it difficult to get a foothold in the market and transition from a “normal” job with a secure income.

I hope that helps, Karen

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Interpreters and Translators

General information, description.

Interpret oral or sign language, or translate written text from one language into another.

Business Breakdown

People in this career work in these sectors.

• Private, for profit 37.61%
• Self-employed 26.58%
• State and local government 18.70%
• Private, not for profit 12.26%
• Federal government 4.40%

Workplace at a Glance

What you can expect to experience while on the job

• Responsibility
• Exposure to job hazards
• Physical activity
• Decision making
• Repetitiveness
• Level of competition
• Time pressure

Industry areas

• Education & Training

Job Outlook

Employment of interpreters and translators is projected to grow 4 percent from 2022 to 2032, about as fast as the average for all occupations. About 7,200 openings for interpreters and translators are projected each year, on average, over the decade. Many of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to different occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire.

Similar Careers

• Speech-Language Pathologists
• Speech-Language Pathology Assistants
• Foreign Language and Literature Teachers, Postsecondary
• Adult Basic Education, Adult Secondary Education, and English as a Second Language Instructors
• English Language and Literature Teachers, Postsecondary

Related Military Careers

Related military careers x.

• Interpreters and translators are responsible for training military personnel in foreign language familiarization and foreign cultural awareness. They perform written translations and they identify, translate, and summarize communications. They utilize foreign language skills, including knowledge of grammar and vocabulary, to collect and analyze intelligence information. Navigate to Military Career Page
• Intelligence officers who specialize in HUMINT manage operations to obtain intelligence information using humans as both intelligence data sources and collectors. Human intelligence officers may also be responsible for planning and overseeing psychological operations, which are designed to control, influence, predict, and understand persons and groups though communication and contact with these individuals. Intelligence officers who specialize in HUMINT have an expert level of knowledge about the history, culture, geography, and current politics and economics of the country or countries to which they are assigned. Navigate to Military Career Page
• Human intelligence specialists identify adversarial elements, strengths, dispositions, tactics, equipment, personnel, and capabilities through collecting information from people. HUMINT specialists screen documents and other materials to identify potential source leads. They conduct and oversee interviews, interrogations, screenings, and debriefings in English, and work with translators when necessary. They also exploit information found in a variety of media. HUMINT specialists may also plan and implement psychological operations to control and influence groups through persuasive communications. Navigate to Military Career Page
• International and civil affairs officers have extensive in-country experience in a designated region. They build effective relationships with governments, militaries, and local citizens and they support a variety of international engagement activities, from humanitarian relief to intelligence collection. They serve as primary advisors to government agencies across service branches on all stages of operations planning because of their regional and cultural expertise. Navigate to Military Career Page
• International and civil affairs specialists perform various duties incident to the planning, coordination, and conduct of civil-military operations. They support the operation of civil affairs planning and coordination centers. They also perform civil-military assessments of their assigned operational area and coordinate with a wide variety of civilian populations, organizations, and agencies.   Navigate to Military Career Page
• Language officers participate in and provide supervision in various language translation and interpretation activities related to military and intelligence operations. As part of their translation and interpretation duties, they use appropriate phrasing in their interpretation to successfully preserve the meaning and intention of the original language. They perform interviews with non-English speakers, prepare reports, and translate written material. Navigate to Military Career Page
• Special forces members implement unconventional operations by air, land, or sea during combat or peacetime as members of elite teams. These activities include offensive raids, demolitions, reconnaissance, search and rescue, and counterterrorism. In addition to their combat training, special forces members often have specialized training in swimming, diving, parachuting, survival, emergency medicine, and foreign languages. Navigate to Military Career Page
• Special forces officers advise Commanders on all aspects of special operations. They are experienced subject matter experts in unconventional warfare and operations, fusing intelligence and planning at all levels across the operational continuum. They must have detailed knowledge of geography, economy, political structure, armed forces, and history. Navigate to Military Career Page
• Intelligence specialists play a key role in ensuring that military operations are planned using the most accurate, current information about enemy forces and capabilities. They oversee efforts to collect, exploit, develop, analyze, and produce intelligence information for dissemination to key military leaders and consumers worldwide. The results of their work are used to develop targets and provide situational awareness to operations personnel and key leadership. Intelligence specialists may focus on one type of intelligence information, such as signals or human intelligence, or may consolidate all sources into usable products. Navigate to Military Career Page

Salary Information

Median Salary This is the median, or the midpoint, of the salary range for this career.

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Education & Interests

Most common education levels.

People in this career achieve this level of education.

• Bachelor's degree 54%
• Master's degree 27%
• High school 8%
• Associate's degree 4%
• Post-master's certificate 3%
• Post-secondary certificate 1%
• Some college 0%
• Doctoral degree 0%
• Post baccalaureate 0%
• Less than high school 0%
• Post-doctoral training 0%
• First professional degree 0%

Related College Majors

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• Foreign Languages and Literatures, General
• German Language and Literature
• Spanish Language and Literature
• French Language and Literature
• Sign Language Interpretation and Translation

PERSONALITY CHARACTERISTICS

You may find this career fulfilling if you consider yourself to be:

• Artistic — You have an interest in creating visual artwork, performances, written works, food or music.
• Social — You have an interest in helping, teaching, advising, assisting or providing service to others.

Not sure what characteristics best describe you? Take the RIASEC Test.

Skills at a Glance

Skills helpful in this career

• Verbal skills
• Critical thinking & problem solving
• Equipment operation & maintenance
• Math & science skills
• Technology design & control
• English Language
• Foreign Language
• Customer and Personal Service
• Administrative
• Education and Training

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The Profession of an Interpreter

Would you like to be an interpreter?

Choosing a profession is a really important step in the life of every grown-up person. The choice will influence every single day of your future life, so you should pay it enough attention and make it right. Some students know what they are going to do for a living after leaving school but for others it’s difficult to give a definite answer about their future profession. We get to know about a wide range of professions from magazines and advertisements and then we make either our own choice or follow our parents’ advice as they are also concerned about our future.

When choosing a career one should take into consideration all the possibilities that it might provide, explore the job market from every angle, evaluate our own abilities and talents.

As for me, since my childhood I’ve known I want to be an interpreter. My choice is closely connected with the importance of foreign languages and cultures which is growing nowadays.  It’s an official language in a vast number of countries. Besides, it’s the language of international aviation, sports, medicine, the language of science and technology, trade, cultural and business relations. Nowadays, knowledge of a foreign language without doubt guarantees higher salary and faster promotion track.  Translator’s occupation has been believed to be one of the most prestigious and needed professions since ancient times.

But, every coin has two sides and translator’s job has its own weak points which, unfortunately, become more important every day. So, let’s take a look at pros and cons of this respectable and rewarding profession. Of course, let’s start with positive aspects.

First and foremost, it broadens prospects. Interpreters can travel around the world almost free of charge. Moreover, they discover a lot of new information for themselves concerning cultural aspects and obtaining a huge communication experience that provides the opportunities for the better understanding of the world. Furthermore, It allows to learn new and interesting things from different spheres of life because an interpreter deals with different science branches such as nuclear physics or molecular biology. In addition, It brings a lot of new acquaintances and provides the opportunities to be well-connected with the whole world.

On the other hand, I’m quite aware that the job of an interpreter isn’t an easy one. It is a great challenge to be an interpreter. You have to be very communicative and responsible, experienced and well-qualified. Moreover, be prepared to work long hours and move around a lot. Unfortunately, sometimes interpreters are treated as service staff. It is connected with the limited mind of some people that are not able to understand that to translate from one language into another is a hard work.

Taking everything into deep consideration, I’d like to point that, regardless the negative sides of the profession of an interpreter, the positive moments outweigh here.  One more important fact is worth mentioning, this profession proves the famous proverb “as many languages you know as many times you are a man”.

The Pros and Cons of Being a Professional Interpreter

A professional interpreter’s job is to act as a translator between two people, which will require not only extensive knowledge concerning the language of both people but also the ability to translate quickly and correctly. Before deciding that this is the job for you, it’s a good idea to compare the pros and cons of the job. The following are the pros and cons of being a professional intepreter.

There are many benefits to becoming a professional interpreter, some of which include the following:

• There’s a big demand for the position  – The world is growing smaller due to globalization, which means more and more companies are conducting business overseas and have a need for good interpreters. This means that there should be a lot of opportunities to get a well-paid job.
• There’s a lot of room for growth  – If a company hires you as a freelancer or for very basic translation services and you do a great job, it won’t go unnoticed. Companies value good interpreters and will promote you quickly.
• The more languages you know, the more potential you’ll have  – At the very least, you have to be fluent in two languages. However, if you are fluent in more than two languages, then you have a big advantage over other translators and interpreters. Many businesses are willing to pay more for an interpreter that is fluent in multiple languages because this way they don’t have to hire multiple interpreters.
• You’ll improve your language skills  – Even if you are fluent, you’ll get even better at the languages you’re translating, whether it’s on the page or in real time between two parties.
• Job flexibility  – Although you can work for a company, you can also choose to work as a freelancer, which will allow you to make your own schedule.

The following are some of the drawbacks related to the job of a professional interpreter:

• There’s no room for error  – You have to be completely fluent – even the smallest mistake can chance the meaning of a sentence from one language to the next. This means that you not only have to have an understanding of grammar and vocabulary but also idioms and cultural connotations. Sometimes, different languages make use of words that simply don’t exist in another language, and you’ll have to find a way around that.
• The field can be competitive  – Because of the job flexibility, the potential for high pay,  the potential for quick career growth and the demand for professional interpreters in general, the interpreter and translation field can be very competitive and will only become more and more competitive in the future.
• It can be a lonely job  – Even when you are translating a conversation between two parties, you won’t have an emotional connection with either one. And if you’re doing translation work, then you’ll be all on your own. This can make being a professional interpreter an isolating job. While this isn’t a problem for some people, others may require a social aspect to their work.

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AI in Translation and the Human Translator’s Role in 2022

• April 21, 2022
• Alex Hubbard
• Tags: human translator , machine vertaling , posedición

The world of artificial intelligence represents the cutting edge of technology today. Scientists are making constant strides that seek to diminish the gap between human intelligence and artificial intelligence, with AI-powered robots yearning to experience the joys of motherhood , AI companions you can download to your phone , and­­­—of course—AI translation software.

It is undeniable that AI translation has come a long way in recent years, and the results can sometimes rival that of human translators. But has AI translation software truly rendered human translators obsolete? Not quite yet.

Contemplating this topic, I am reminded of my French teachers throughout high school and college, who would constantly remind us that they could easily discern whether an essay had truly been written directly in French, or whether it had been written in English first and hastily translated online. Now, comparing current AI software to a college student using Google Translate to finish a French essay an hour before it needs to be turned in is not entirely fair; however, the basis of the point is still valid: language is all about nuance, and it is in this nuance that we find the continued value of translators.

When choosing the right word to use, a writer must consider the denotations and connotations of a word, along with the context and audience of the piece they are writing. A good translator must go through the same process when they translate a piece of writing. They must find a way to convey not only the technical meaning of a word or phrase, but also the many layers of implied meaning that are often present. In this way, translation is as much an art form as writing is .

A translator can understand and think about a piece of writing, then use that understanding to help them convey the true heart of the piece in their translation. They bring with them a lifetime of first-hand experience, and a profound experiential understanding of both the source language and the target language which results in a translated piece that retains the nuance and complexity of the original version.

Software can also be temperamental, and depending on the type of software used, results can vary depending on factors such as the length of the sentences, or the author’s use of figurative language that does not make sense when translated directly .

AI translation software can be a very powerful tool when used in conjunction with a real human translator, but it is not quite capable of doing the entire job on its own. Someday in the future, AI may render all of our jobs obsolete, but for now, the best way to ensure that you are getting a translation that preserves the nuanced meaning of your content in its entirety is to use human translators to do a final revision of your AI translation. One way this is done is through the process of post-editing . Post-editing is the process by which translators use Machine Translation (MT) tools to assist with the bulk of the translation, then apply their own expertise in revising the diction and syntax of the machine-created content to produce top-notch translations more efficiently.

At Trusted Translations , we care about your content, and we know that your audience deserves to experience that content in its truest form. Creating high-quality translations that capture the potential nuance of your written content is not easy, but it is essential. That is why we embrace the future of AI translation capabilities, while continuing to recognize the value of real human translators to provide you with reliable translation services that do justice to the content you create.

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How to Write an Essay About My Future Career

Essay writing is one of the main pillars in a student’s academic life. It does not matter if you are in grade 4 or doing your undergrad degrees; you will come across a scenario where you have to write an essay. Due to the significance associated with it, students often find it challenging to compose a high-quality essay. Consequently, writing a top-notch my future career essay from scratch is no easy feat either.

• What Is An Essay About A Future Career
• Importance Of An Essay About A Future Career

How To Get The Best Essay About My Future Career

Catchy titles for an essay about future career.

• How To Start An Essay About My Future Career

How To Write Body Paragraphs

• How To Write Conclusion For An Essay About My Future Career

Finalizing Essay

Short example of a college essay about my future career, what is an essay about a future career.

A career is one of the most critical aspects of a person’s life. It helps dictate the direction of their life, to a large extent. As a student, you will have to write an essay about which career path you want to pursue. An essay about a future career entails the following attributes;

• What type of career do you want?
• Why are you suited for it?
• Different elements of the career/job.

Importance of an essay about a future career

When you have to write a future career essay, it will get your mind thinking. You will end up asking yourself, “what should my future career be?”. In schools, you are studying for your future, and this one assignment will enable you to determine what kind of future you want. The possibilities are endless, and writing them down in an essay form provides clarity. It may even help you find your passion and pursue it as your future career.

A teacher will analyze your essay from the very start, and that includes the topic or title. A few options for catchy titles you can use for your essay are;

• What will be my future career?
• A career about my two passion: food and technology;
• Becoming the future in journalism;
• I am aiming for the stars (a career in space technology);
• Learning how to save lives (by becoming a doctor);
• Why do I want to be a dentist?
• Who says I cannot be a superhero (Becoming a firefighter);
• Educating our youth as a youth (pursuing a career in education);
• Doctors need help too! (becoming a nurse);
• Doing my part in our legal system (Lawyer).

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How To Start An Essay About My Future Career?

You can write an excellent future career essay; all you need is a few tips and tricks to guide you along the way. After having decided on the title, you need to determine how to start the essay. All professional writers employ two tactics for starting an essay. These are;

Outline writing

Before you begin the writing process, you can create a career essay outline. The purpose of the outline to structure the essay. It enables you to create a smooth flow within your paper and prevent any unnecessary repetition of information. The following career essay outline example will help you when you are making one yourself.

• Title: Customize it to your career.
• Introduction.
• First paragraph.
• Second paragraph.
• Third paragraph.
• The conclusion.

Tips concerning writing future career essay introduction

The introduction is the first part of any essay. A career introduction essay needs to be enthralling and capture the attention of the reader. When writing the introduction;

• Do not summarize the entire essay in this paragraph.
• Only touch upon the starting part of the body and leave it on a cliffhanger to keep the reader interested.
• Provide any background information if relevant to your career.

A What’s my future career essay’s body can be divided into three paragraphs. Each paragraph will focus on a different theme but revolve around your chosen career. The body themes can be customized depending on what you want to write about in the essay; the most common themes used are;

• First paragraph: Why I chose this career and associated goals
• Second paragraph: Why I would be suited for this career
• Third paragraph: How I plan to make a difference in this career

Despite the similarity in themes, each paragraph still focuses on a different theme and allows for easy transitions between the paragraphs. You can use words like consequently, according to, and to create coherence in the paragraphs.

HOW TO WRITE CONCLUSION FOR AN ESSAY ABOUT MY FUTURE CAREER

The conclusion is the last part of your career essay and has to be written at the end. The conclusion’s purpose is to summarize the entire essay into a few sentences. You can reiterate your purpose in conclusion along with one of your primary goals. Always end the career essay with some interesting information for the reader to think about.

Students often think that after writing the conclusion, the essay writing process is complete. They overlook three crucial parts that can set their essay apart from their peers’ papers. These are;

Essay Revision:

Essay proofreading:, make citations:.

You can find career essay examples to get a better understanding of how to write them. An example for a career in the police department is as follows:

My future career essay

“Ever since I was a child, I have been fascinated with superheroes. The idea that with some power, I can fight crime and help the people around me never failed to amaze me. As I grew older, the passion to be a superhero grew more assertive as well. It was not long after that I realized that superheroes did exist, just not in the same way I thought. They could not fly or become invisible but instead worked hard and helped people. They are known as police officers. As a teenager, my superheroes now wore blue uniforms and a badge.

Most of us live our lives without having hardly made an impact in this world. I do not want that to the case with me; I want to help people whenever I can. I have realized that the best route for doing so is to become a law enforcement member. A police officer is a person that puts other safety and well-being above their own. They will rush into a dangerous situation to help the innocent and are the living embodiment of my childhood dreams. From my perspective, it is a noble profession and would allow me to do my part in making this world safer by serving my community.

I have grown up with the ideals of helping my community and becoming a police officer. It allowed me to understand the intricacies of the job as best as I could. I have a strong sense of justice and do not waiver on morals ever. Even when it has gotten me grounded, I have told the truth. I also work at many shelters to understand the issues people face and try to do my part even now. I also try to keep updated with the most common and relevant laws and any changes in them. In addition to this, I have been taking self-defense classes for two years now. These classes have enabled me to be skillful enough to protect myself and others in case of any altercations.

Like any career in the world, being a police officer has its ups and downs too. It is not an easy career but requires a significant amount of time, effort, and sacrifice. I am willing to put in the work so I can help keep my community safe. I plan to climb the career ladder from patrol officer to detective to even the chief of a district or state. Law enforcement is not without its flaws, and I hope to transform these cons into pros one day. I want my influence to better not only the community but also the police department as well.

After I graduate high school, I want to enroll in a police academy to start my training right away. The sooner I join, the sooner I can start making a positive impact. I am eager to wear the blue uniform and be the superhero I looked up to as a child.”

Choosing one’s career is a daunting task, and for some students, the importance of an essay on career adds to the stress of writing it. For all these students, there is a simple solution: same day essay writing service . Two of the most popularly used services are mentioned below.

Buy pre-written essay examples on the topic

Writing services like EssayZoo have a section dedicated to pre-written essay examples. The pre-written papers are categorized by the topic and the length of the assignment. A student can search any topic they need on its website, and every related essay will pop up. You can sift through them to find one that best meets your need and use it as a reference for writing the career essay.

Use Edu Jungles to write your essay from scratch

The most popular US based writing service EduJungles offers is a customized paper. When students are under a significant amount of academic stress, they often wish for someone to write my essay. EduJungles is their fairy godmother and grants that wish. All a student has to do provides the requirements, details for the assignment, and a deadline. Edu Jungles assigns it to one of their highly skilled professional writers.

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Home — Essay Samples — Life — Dream Career — Dreem Career: My Aspiration to Be a Doctor

My Future Career: Why I Choose to Be a Doctor

• Categories: Doctor Dream Career My Aspirations

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Words: 513 |

Published: Jun 10, 2020

Words: 513 | Page: 1 | 3 min read

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Essay on My Future Career

Students are often asked to write an essay on My Future Career in their schools and colleges. And if you’re also looking for the same, we have created 100-word, 250-word, and 500-word essays on the topic.

Let’s take a look…

100 Words Essay on My Future Career

Introduction.

My future career is a topic that I often ponder about. I aspire to become a doctor, a profession that is noble and rewarding.

Why a Doctor?

I want to be a doctor because I want to help people. Doctors can save lives and alleviate suffering, which is a great service to humanity.

Preparation

To achieve this, I need to study hard, especially in science subjects. I also need to develop qualities like patience and compassion.

Becoming a doctor is my dream. I know it’s a challenging path, but I’m ready to face it for the sake of my future career.

250 Words Essay on My Future Career

Everyone aspires to have a flourishing career that not only brings them financial stability but also personal satisfaction. As a college student, the concept of a future career is more than just a distant reality; it’s a goal that shapes my academic and personal choices. My chosen career path is to become a Data Scientist.

Why Data Science?

In the modern era, data is the new gold. The ability to interpret and analyze data is becoming increasingly valuable in various sectors. Data Science is an interdisciplinary field that uses scientific methods, processes, algorithms, and systems to extract knowledge and insights from structured and unstructured data. My interest in Data Science was ignited by the amalgamation of mathematics, programming, and the potential to create meaningful change.

Preparation for the Future

To prepare for my future career, I am majoring in Computer Science, with a focus on data analysis and machine learning. I am also taking additional courses in statistics, probability, and algorithms. Besides academic preparation, I am honing my skills through internships and projects that provide practical exposure to real-world problems.

Long-Term Goals

In the long run, I aspire to work in a leading tech firm where I can apply my skills to solve complex problems and contribute to the growth of the organization. I also aim to continuously learn and adapt to the rapidly evolving field of Data Science.

My future career as a Data Scientist is a journey that I am excitedly embarking upon. It is a path that promises a blend of intellectual challenges, continuous learning, and the potential to make a significant impact in the world of technology.

500 Words Essay on My Future Career

The concept of a future career is not just a mere vision but a manifestation of one’s personal, professional, and academic goals. It’s a blend of one’s passion, talent, and the ability to make a difference in the world. As I contemplate my own career trajectory, I am drawn to a field that is innovative, challenging, and consequential to society: Artificial Intelligence (AI).

Why Artificial Intelligence?

Artificial Intelligence has been a subject of fascination for me, primarily due to its vast potential and influence on modern life. It’s not just about robots or sci-fi fantasies; AI is about creating intelligent systems that can understand, learn, and adapt to new situations. It’s about amplifying human potential, solving complex problems, and creating a future where technology and humanity coexist harmoniously.

Academic Path

To prepare myself for a career in AI, I plan to pursue a Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, followed by a Master’s in AI or Machine Learning. This academic path will equip me with the necessary theoretical knowledge and practical skills to excel in the field. Courses like Data Structures, Algorithms, Machine Learning, and Neural Networks will form the backbone of my education.

Professional Goals

Professionally, I aim to work with a leading tech firm, contributing to their AI research and development efforts. I aspire to be part of projects that push the boundaries of what AI can achieve, whether it’s in healthcare, education, transportation, or any other sector. I am particularly interested in ethical AI and how we can create systems that not only augment human intelligence but also respect our values and rights.

Contributing to Society

A career in AI is not just about personal fulfillment. It’s about contributing to society in a meaningful way. I envision using AI to address pressing societal issues, such as climate change, poverty, and disease. By leveraging the power of AI, we can develop solutions that are efficient, scalable, and impactful.

Challenges and Opportunities

The path to a career in AI is fraught with challenges. The field is highly competitive, and the technology is constantly evolving. However, these challenges also present opportunities for growth and innovation. By staying abreast of the latest research, continuously learning, and embracing a problem-solving mindset, I believe I can navigate these challenges and make a significant contribution to the field.

In conclusion, my future career in Artificial Intelligence is a reflection of my passion for technology, my academic interests, and my desire to make a positive impact on society. It’s a journey that requires dedication, resilience, and continuous learning. But I am ready for the challenge, and I look forward to the opportunities that lie ahead.

That’s it! I hope the essay helped you.

If you’re looking for more, here are essays on other interesting topics:

• Essay on Journalism as a Career
• Essay on Engineering Career
• Essay on Compare and Contrast Two Careers

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