Building a career in interpretation requires more than language skills. Below you will find practical resources, professional guidelines, and study recommendations gathered from years of interpreter training experience.
Getting Started as an Interpreter
If you are considering a career in interpretation, understanding the professional landscape is an important first step. Court interpretation and medical interpretation are the two largest sectors, each with its own certification requirements, ethical standards, and career paths.
Court interpreters work in state and federal courts, facilitating communication between limited-English-proficient individuals and the judicial system. Medical interpreters serve in hospitals, clinics, and healthcare facilities, bridging language barriers in patient care.
Both fields require not just bilingual proficiency but trained skill in specific interpretation modalities: consecutive, simultaneous, and sight translation. Professional training programs, like those offered by Magna Voce, provide the structured practice needed to develop these skills to professional standards.
Certification Pathways
Court interpreter certification varies by state. Most states administer exams through the National Center for State Courts (NCSC) Consortium for Language Access in the Courts. The federal court system maintains its own certification program administered by the Administrative Office of the United States Courts.
Key certification resources include:
- National Center for State Courts (NCSC) - State court interpreter certification information
- Federal Court Interpreter Certification Examination - For interpreters seeking federal certification
- National Board of Certification for Medical Interpreters - CMI credential for healthcare interpreters
- Certification Commission for Healthcare Interpreters (CCHI) - CHI credential
Recommended Study Materials
The following resources are commonly used by interpreters in training and recommended by our instructors:
- Fundamentals of Court Interpretation by Roseann Duenas Gonzalez, Victoria F. Vasquez, and Holly Mikkelson - A comprehensive text covering theory and practice of court interpretation
- The Interpreter's Edge by Holly Mikkelson - Practical exercises for developing consecutive and simultaneous skills
- Introduction to Court Interpreting by Holly Mikkelson - An accessible introduction to the profession
- From English to Spanish by Alicia Agnese - Sight translation practice materials
Professional Organizations
Joining professional organizations helps interpreters stay current with industry developments, access continuing education, and build professional networks:
- National Association of Judiciary Interpreters and Translators (NAJIT)
- American Translators Association (ATA)
- International Medical Interpreters Association (IMIA)
- State and regional interpreter associations
Practice Tips
Consistent practice is the key to interpreter development. Here are strategies recommended by our instructors:
- Practice shadowing daily using news broadcasts or podcasts in your target languages
- Develop and maintain a personal glossary organized by subject area
- Record yourself interpreting and review for accuracy, completeness, and delivery
- Attend court proceedings as an observer to understand courtroom dynamics firsthand
- Read extensively in both languages across different registers and subject areas
- Join or form a study group with other interpreter candidates for regular practice sessions