Before becoming a competent interpreter, you must undergo a thorough assessment known as the certified interpreter exam. Different fields in the interpretation industry set their exams according to their preferred standards and format. Passing such an exam qualifies an interpreter to work in a professional environment.
Hence, it’s a great feat akin to becoming a court-certified translator. Therefore, those pursuing careers as interpreters often wonder what the exam entails.
Keep reading to discover the necessary measures for gaining certification!
Table of Contents
How To Become a Certified Interpreter in 5 Steps
Aspirants often wonder how to become a certified interpreter. It’s a long process, but with consistency and determination, you can achieve it. Read on to learn how!
1. Determine Your Source and Target Language
Every interpreter speaks multiple languages. But to achieve this, you need to master all languages involved. Your source language is the one you’ll be translating or interpreting from.
On the other hand, your target language is the one you’ll translate into. However, while transcribing, both are easily interchanged.
For example, an English-to-Spanish interpreter can also be a Spanish-to-English interpreter.
You must be as fluent as a native speaker, understanding proper grammar and cultural nuances. Therefore, you can enroll in courses or pursue degree programs to develop your language-speaking abilities.
2. Pick an Area of Specialty
After learning specific languages to perfection, you must niche down. The interpretation industry is wide and has different sectors based on professions. For example, medical interpreters work in the healthcare sector and know their unique vocabulary and terminologies.
The legal sector also requires interpreters who understand international laws. This knowledge qualifies such interpreters to work in the judiciary. Finding a niche allows you to easily determine which certification you need when the time is right.
3. Gain Experience
Learning certain languages and familiarizing yourself with terms in your preferred profession isn’t sufficient. You must practice to build your skills, gain experience, and become perfect. With sufficient preparation, you’ll be confident when taking your interpreter test.
The simplest way to gain experience is to offer your services for free. You might get jobs, but getting people to trust your abilities will be difficult without a certification.
You can start by volunteering to interpret for non-governmental organizations, individuals, or agencies. You can also apply for internship positions to get opportunities to use your skills.
4. Choose a Relevant Type of Certification
There are different certification examinations for certain fields. For example, there is a Federal Court Interpreter Certification Examination (FCICE) for those in legal environments.
Medical interpreters also have the National Board of Certification for Medical Interpreters (NBCMI). Sign language interpreters can enroll in the Registry of Interpreters for the Dead Examination (RID).
You must determine your preferred area, find the relevant certification exam in that field, and enroll. Generally, applicants must meet the eligibility requirements and fill out and submit application forms alongside proof of identification. You’ll then register online, pay the registration fees, and wait for your exam.
5. Sit for the Certified Interpreter Exam
It’s advisable to practice ahead of the examination. You can test your speech clarity and fluency using study guides. If your exam will be online, ensure you have a stable internet connection.
If it’s a physical interpreter test, arrive early and write the exam confidently. The assessment usually has a written and oral exam. If you pass satisfactorily, you’ll gain certification. But you’ll have to take recertification examinations periodically.
Is an Interpreter License the Same as a Certification?
An interpreter license is not a certification, although they’re both necessary credentials for interpreting. A certification tests language skills and competence, while a license proves obedience to ethical codes.
The first step to getting a license is gaining certification. After becoming certified, you can get licensing from a government judicial authority.
However, before granting individuals licenses, they perform background checks to determine competence. Having a license makes you eligible to practice professional interpreting. However, not all jurisdictions require licensed interpreters.
After gaining licensing as an interpreter in the U.S., you must take classes. These classes help interpreters learn new industry standards and practices to stay at the top of their game. Apart from being a symbol of official recognition, a license proves that an interpreter’s service is excellent.
Court Interpreter Certification
The court interpreter certification is a special credential for proficient legal transcribers. It’s specifically for interpreters who translate legal court orders, judgments, injunctions, edicts, and other pronouncements to foreigners.
Court-certified interpreters can accurately translate parties’ arguments in a courtroom and read judicial rulings in different languages. By certifying court interpreters, the judiciary grants non-English speakers the right to a fair hearing.
In the same way, certified translators provide more accurate renditions of court documents.
However, to get this certification, you must understand legal terminologies and translation methods. A judicial council or court administration can grant it only after you pass certification exams.
Below are some authorities that can issue the court certification for interpreters:
- National Center for State Courts (NCSC).
- National Association of Judiciary Interpreters and Translators (NAJIT).
- American Translators Association (ATA).
- U.S. Federal courts.
However, before these authorities issue certification, the interpreter must fulfill all educational requirements. You must also take a written exam that tests your knowledge of legal terminologies and ethics.
It’s also necessary to undergo an oral test to confirm the accuracy of the interpretation methodology.
There are also education requirements that you must fulfill. After successfully passing through all these, a certified court interpreter can work in hearings, legal proceedings, trials, and arbitrations.
FAQ
Now that we’ve covered the basics of the certified interpreter exam, let’s answer some frequently asked questions!
How can I become a certified interpreter in the USA?
To become a certified interpreter in the U.S., you must take and pass a certification exam. There are different certification examinations arranged by professional organizations in each industry. Therefore, enroll for an exam that suits your niche.
Which interpreter certification is best?
Depending on the profession, there are various top-tier certifications for interpreters, but people rate FCICE highly. The State Court Interpreter Certification Examination (SCICE) is also highly valued in the U.S.
Since there are many, it’d be best to find out which is most prioritized in your field.
What is the pass rate for the FCICE exam?
The pass rate for FCICE ranges between 20% and 30%. Its two phases have a generally low pass rate. However, note that this figure isn’t static and may vary depending on the language pair and other factors.
What are the three basic types of interpreter certification?
The three basic types of interpretation certification are licensing, government, and professional certification. Government certification can come from the state or federal government. However, professional organizations issue certifications in special fields.
Legal Interpreter Certification
Many people wrongly assume that a legal interpreter certification is the same as a court certification. Although both credentials are similar, they’re not the same.
A court certification is a wing of legal certification. However, there are other aspects to legality besides courtroom dealings or procedures. Hence, legal certification includes various components like legal consultation, conferences, dispositions, and wider ethical standards of the law.
A certified transcriber can interpret any legal scenario, including business contracts and quality control acts. Other examples are translation for client-attorney meetings, immigration proceedings like USCIS application interviews, police interrogation, and parole meetings.
An interpreter’s role is to provide language solutions. Therefore, anyone can hire an interpreter to work for them. Interpreters can help you navigate interviews, interrogations, consultations, medical sessions, and business meetings.
You can use them for any dialogue session that involves a foreign language you don’t understand. But to enjoy the best services, hire a professional who has passed the certified interpreter exam.
In some cases, you might need a licensed interpreter. Whatever qualifications you require, you can get reliable, trustworthy, proficient, and fluent interpreters from us at Rapid Translate. We handpick our interpreters and ensure that they conform to industry standards.
Go ahead and place your order to enjoy communication at its peak!
