Do I need a translation degree

by Vanessa
(Washington)

Vanessa asked: I was in college for four years to be an English-Spanish translator but for various reasons I never got my degree. What do you think is the best way for me to get a job as a translator or get any kind of certification?



The Spanish Translator: Thanks for the question, Vanessa, as I'm sure many other would-be translators have the same question about whether it's absolutely necessary to have a translation degree in order to become a translator.

The short answer is that no, it's not absolutely necessary that you have a degree in order to become a translator. There are many translators who don't have any formal college-level education but are still exceptional translators. But while they don't have the formal education or translation degree, they have something much more valuable. Practical experience. There is no substitute for real-world practice and experience translating, and that is what you should be working on getting.

However, if you are interested in getting certified as a translator, then there are plenty of online translation certificate programs that could help you accomplish that goal.

If you are just interested in finding a job as a translator, or another type of job where you can use your language skills, then check out the various articles on this site about how to find translator jobs. There are plenty of things you can do that will give you the edge you need to succeed as a translator. It's just a matter of deciding to do these things.

Hope that helps, and good luck!