Could I be a french/english language translator?

February 8, 2010 - 11:57 pm 4 Comments

I’m 15 years old, but come from a native french speaking country, so I can speak fluent french and having lived in England most of my life, fluent English too. Can I get a part-time job as a french/english translator without having a university degree provided I prove I can translate accurately?
I took my french GCSE when I was 12 and got an A* easy

Most translating is done online these days, so it is very hard to "prove" you can translate accurately. Theoretically, clients would rather see a resume with a degree before they would be willing to take a chance on hiring you. Besides, being fluently bilingual is not enough to make you a good translator. There are many research and writing skills involved which you will do best to acquire at the university level. The very least you will need is a certificate of competency obtained by examination. But even then it is hard to break into a very crowded and competitive field without a specialized university degree. If you have a knack for oral interpreting, that might be a better part-time route to follow until you get your degree.

4 Responses to “Could I be a french/english language translator?”

  1. rubbaducky Says:

    yes, but you’d be better off with a degree. if someone doesn’t know anything about you but they see your resume and see that you’ve also got a degree in that language; you’d be better off.
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  2. hznfrst Says:

    I don’t see why not since you have the enviable advantage of having learned both languages at a young age. Get as much practice as you can and when you’re older you could probably work anywhere, even the United Nations.
    References :

  3. RK Says:

    Most translating is done online these days, so it is very hard to "prove" you can translate accurately. Theoretically, clients would rather see a resume with a degree before they would be willing to take a chance on hiring you. Besides, being fluently bilingual is not enough to make you a good translator. There are many research and writing skills involved which you will do best to acquire at the university level. The very least you will need is a certificate of competency obtained by examination. But even then it is hard to break into a very crowded and competitive field without a specialized university degree. If you have a knack for oral interpreting, that might be a better part-time route to follow until you get your degree.
    References :

  4. AppleZzZ Says:

    Of course u can.. i wanna b like u
    References :

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