Becoming a certified translator

Because of the increase in the number of translators, more and more translation organizations around the world are focusing on translation certifications. There are various steps you can take in becoming a certified translator, if that is something that you would like to pursue.

Before I talk about some of the things involved with becoming a certified translator, I feel the need to address a question that should be popping up in your mind. That question is whether or not you should go through the steps to be certified. Certification (or accreditation) is a process that requires a significant amount of time, as well as money.

There are two groups of people that weigh in on the debate of whether or not it's important to become certified. One group of translators say that it is an absolute must and that every translator working professionally should go through the certification process for their region. The other group discounts the whole process, saying that it is a way for translator organizations to collect money and provide nothing really in return.

I personally feel that certification could be useful when just starting out because having that on your resume could give you some clout. However, the biggest factor in getting and keeping work is the quality of work you do, the way you treat your clients, and your overall professionalism. Translation accreditation or certification only takes into account your ability to translate between two languages; it doesn't test your ability to run a successful business. Keep that in mind when deciding if it's right for you. You can read more about my thoughts on certified Spanish translation.

As I mentioned previously, different regions around the world have different accrediting agencies for translators. Different countries might have different requirements for freelance translators, so make sure you understand if there are any certification requirements you have to have before you start working. In the United States, for example, there is an agency called the American Translators Association, which accredits translators in various language pairs. However, receiving an accreditation from them is not required by U.S. law in order to become a translator.

If you're wondering whether it's worth to to be certified by ATA, check out a small survey I did on ATA membership.

Another option would be to go back to school and get a translation certificate or diploma. However, if you're able to pick up and go back to school, check out some places where you can get an online translation certificate.

So, now that I've talked about the question of whether or not to go through the process of becoming a certified translator, I will discuss some of the issues involved in actually becoming a certified translator.

The first thing you need to do when wanting to become certified is to figure out which translation organization in your area can grant you certification you desire. There might be specific agencies that can grant you specialized certifications (such as in medical translation, technical translation, etc.) but you might just be interested in a general translation certification.

Doing a quick search on the Internet using "translation accreditation" or "translation certification" will get you some good leads.

The next step is to look at the organization's requirements for becoming a certified translator and for providing a certified translation service. These requirements can vary, but most involve at least three requirements: paying money to the organization, passing a translation test, and continued involvement in the organization or industry (yearly dues).

The American Translation Association, for example, requires that you be a member of their organization before you can take the certification test. You also have to prove that you have the right combination of education and work experience in the translation field. After you take the test and pass, you are then required to fulfill a "continuing education" requirement every year.

Different organizations will have different requirements, but these are the most common ones. If you decide it's something you want, be sure and do practice tests and talk to others who have taken the tests so that you can be prepared. Good luck!

Here are some articles about interpreter certification if you're interested in that.

Let us hear your thoughts on translation certification.

Click below to see contributions from other visitors to this page...

Thanks for the translation help 
Hi! Even though im trying to get certification as a Russian-English interpreter, your site helped a lot. I agree it is a hard thing to do, + most of organizations ...

How to acquire certification 
I have been working for a government agency for the last 4 years and I translate medical, educational, legal and any other thing that is required. I also ...

Question about certification 
Ok, here's the thing. My second language is Spanish. I speak both English and Spanish fluently. I've been translating for claimants who get injured on ...

Becoming certified as a translator 
I am currently working for a call center and have been translating different scripting for them for 3 1/2 years. They would like me to become certified....

Translator certification in Maryland  Not rated yet
I would like to become a certified translator in Spanish. Would you please give me a list of institutions that offer a Spanish translation certification ...

Determining a translator's efficiency  Not rated yet
I had been translating for different law firms in the Bay area, but I'm looking for a different environment of work, and I'm very interested to work in ...

Title as a translator  Not rated yet
Hi! This site has been very helpful to me in my search. I've been a freelance translator for almost 1 year now, however I've encountered problems trying ...

Translation without a degree  Not rated yet
I was in college to be an English-Spanish translator for 4 years but I never got my degree (I must mention I went to college in Chile) for a lot of different ...

Translation Certificates  Not rated yet
I would like to get certified as a translator for Spanish-English. i live in Manila and would like to know how I can get a certification. How important ...

Review on the WLS Certificate in Translation in Ireland  Not rated yet
Where can reviews on the WLS Certification in Translation course out of Ireland be found on the web? There is another posting here asking the same question....

Questions about certification  Not rated yet
First, how long is the certification program? Is is done online or through an educational institution? I'm intersted in Spanish interpetation. Spanish ...

Interpreter Certification for Canada  Not rated yet
I just moved to Canada and I am interested in finding out what type of certification is required to work in Canada as a Court or Medical Interpreter. Is ...

How valuable is translation certification?  Not rated yet
Where is the nearest facility to become a certified Spanish translator, and is it worth it?

translation certification necessary for court  Not rated yet
I am not certified, or any, but i had been translating for friends & family for a long time. Do i need to be certified to do translations at a court house?...

How to get hired by a translation agency  Not rated yet
I'm a Spaniard, educated in Montreal, Canada where English and French were taught in schools. I pursued languages including Spanish in college. Today I ...

Certification in New Jersey  Not rated yet
I would like to open my own translating company and want to know if there is a requirement to be certified in the state of New Jersey.

Immigration certification  Not rated yet
I'm often asked what level of certification it is that immigration requests. One translator said it's simply stating at the bottom of the document that ...

Be a certified translator  Not rated yet
I live in the Cincinnati, OH area and was wondering if you could tell me how to go about becoming a translator (i/e getting jobs as one) and/or a certified ...

I want to become a certified translator  Not rated yet
I am very interested in becoming a certified translator in Morelia, Mexico. What School do you recommend? If there is not, is there any schools in the ...

Certification question  Not rated yet
I have been translating for over 20 years for local businesses as well as for my church. I have never been certified, but one of my sons is trying to get ...

Becoming a Certified Spanish Translator  Not rated yet
How can I achieve ISO certification for English to Spanish translations? Most of the information I find talks about finding jobs and building a client ...