It’s never a negative thing to be Certified by any translation association, because surveys show that Certified translators earn more money than those who are not Certified.

It’s also important to remember that, although some students will end up working at places like the United Nations, realistically there are not a huge number of those jobs available; meaning that many people with Degrees in translation will still end up becoming freelance translators. Of course, there are translators out there with Degrees whose choice it is to become a freelancer translator; who are not looking for in-house jobs.

What Does Certification Mean?

First of all, it’s never a negative thing to be Certified by any translation association, because surveys show that Certified translators earn more money than those who are not Certified. We also understand that translation companies awarded Government contracts are under pressure to use only Certified translators whenever possible. It probably stands to reason that any client searching through a directory of translators will choose to contact the Certified translator’s first. So, in our opinion, is probably worth attempting the exam for certification if it’s within your budget. However, many translators make a lot of money without ever becoming certified, so perhaps you can consider becoming certified a plus, but it’s definitely not a necessity.

What about Translation Certification Programs?

The great thing about translation certification programs is that they actually teach you how to translate. You’ll save a lot of time and money by avoiding the many mistakes that other translators make in their careers. The other bonus is that these certification programs are less time-consuming and less expensive than graduate degree programs. Generally, your instructor in a translation certification program will be a practicing translator, which means that you’ll get real-world feedback from your instructor. These courses are generally quite expensive, and even though you may complete the translation certification program, it doesn’t mean that you’ve passed the certification exam.

Subject-Specific Training and Degrees

Knowledge of a specific subject has always been very important, but today it seems to be even more so: it’s cutting edge in terms of credentials when it comes to the translation industry. An example of this is in the area of law. Lawyers who change careers for any number of reasons, often become freelance translators. Perhaps it’s because lawyers have a very low job satisfaction rate, and many professionals end up being very unhappy working in the industry. Whatever the reason, for a lawyer who is already established in their career, taking their credentials to the next level by working in the translation industry is not a bad career choice. There are many courses available to assist those already qualified and working in their professional careers to change career courses and specialize in a specific area of translation. This study can be completed online, or students can roll in a graduate program in their own specialization. Financially, it’s the perfect career move for a professional wanting to escape their own industry.