Conference Interpreter
Are you a young interpreter just starting
out, feeling rather alone and not knowing quite how to jump-start your career?
Have you thought about working with a mentor?
Are you a more experienced or retired interpreter
watching beginners in their efforts to break into a complicated market and
wondering what the future of your profession may be? Have you thought about
offering your services as a mentor to help orient them?
The Cambridge English Dictionary defines a
mentor as "a person who gives a younger or less experienced person help
and advice over a period of time, especially at work or school".
The term was derived from ancient Greece
and both its meaning and purpose have remained the same till today. A mentor
may play a formal or informal role, which may change according to the mentee’s
needs.
It is important not to confuse mentoring
and coaching, although the two concepts have some points in common.
Coaching is more project oriented and is
also more focused on technical aspects, somewhat akin to preparing for a
conference — clarifying terminology, gaining a basic understanding of the
subject matter, studying presentations.
Mentoring takes a wider approach, looking
beyond the practical skills. In a nutshell:
•
Practicing
the profession. Things like ethics in professional practice, relationships with
fellow interpreters who may be both colleagues and competitors, relations with
clients.
•
Balancing
personal and professional life.
•
Tricks
of the trade, beyond what the young interpreter learned in school.
•
Dilemmas
typically faced by independent professionals; for example, when to accept an
assignment and when to turn it down.
•
A
conference interpreter is a skilled linguist but is also managing a business,
something not usually included in interpreter training programs.
The mentor’s view
What
does a mentor do?
A mentor can be a role model, coach,
sounding board, voice of reason, emotional support, counselor, and a trusted
resource. A mentor is an experienced person who can help a young interpreter
cope with the doubts and uncertainties we all face when beginning a new
venture.
What
do I need to know?
It is important to understand the new
interpreter’s view of the profession and be aware that things will have changed
since you started, especially if you have been working many years or are
retired. Today there are numerous ways of applying simultaneous interpreting
beyond the traditional conference setting, such as videoconferencing, remote
interpreting, web streaming, combinations of the different modes…
There is more international contact in the
world now, so an interpreter may often work on a team with a wide variety of
languages, many of them not used in your part of the world years ago when the
world was divided into smaller compartments, usually within a limited group of
languages.
The technical skills required by the
conference interpreter today will not be the same as the skills needed by
interpreters when you started working.
It is important for young interpreters to
understand that being an interpreter is more than just interpreting. They also
need to acquire skills for running a business.
Where
do I start if I want to become a mentor?
If you belong to a professional
association, inquire there. The Internet also has plenty of resources,
including discussion groups. Colleagues who have experience in mentoring can
orient you.
AIIC has information on mentoring available
to members and non-members alike. The Vega network is oriented toward young interpreters
but also has valuable resources for prospective mentors.
Useful
links:
An overview of mentoring
A good place to start to find out more
about being a mentor
Similarities between mentoring and coaching
Differences between mentoring and coaching
The mentee’s view
How
can a mentor help me?
When young people complete their studies, their
thoughts turn to finding employment. A first job is more than just a way to
earn a living; it is also a place to learn how to use new skills out in the
“real world” and start building a career. Young people also learn on-the-job
skills from their companions in the workplace.
Conference interpreting is a profession
that has few entry-level jobs to offer new interpreters coming into the
marketplace. International organizations are the most obvious source of
employment, but they require a level of skill and experience that most
beginners don’t have.
In the private market, few businesses feel
the need to hire permanent interpreters. They may only occasionally organize
activities that require linguistic skills beyond what company staff members
have.
Which means that recent graduates find
themselves thrust into the role of independent professional, something they may
not have expected and may not be prepared for.
What
do I want from a mentor?
You need to explain to your prospective
mentor what you want him/her to do. Once you start working you will begin to
see areas where you could use some advice and assistance, such as:
•
Gray
areas like linguistic limitations, technical knowledge gaps, what types of
assignments to accept or not accept
•
Approaching
a prospective client
•
The
business side of your profession: taxes, legal requirements, setting your fees
•
Professional
ethics
•
Relations
with other interpreters
How
do I find a mentor?
•
Older
colleagues, including retirees, living in your town or elsewhere.
•
Ask
other colleagues if they know of someone.
•
AIIC
can offer assistance to its members in finding a mentor through its Vega
network, a world-wide network of professional conference interpreters - all of
them members of AIIC - dedicated to helping junior interpreters in pursuing
their new career.
How
can I be certain of making a good choice?
Like anything in life, there’s no recipe
for success. You do your research and step out. If you are not convinced after
a first interview or if you’re not satisfied after a while, you needn’t feel
obligated to continue.
How
do I stay in contact with my mentor?
Ideally, by meeting in person. This may not
always be possible since interpreting, especially conference interpretation,
requires frequent traveling. However, there are plenty of online communication
solutions that can be as satisfying as a personal meeting.
In sum, mentorship can be a valuable
resource for young interpreters and a satisfying activity for older
interpreters.
Useful
links:
Why do I need a mentor?
AIIC’s Vega network
Advice on finding
a mentor
http://lifehacker.com/how-do-i-ask-someone-to-be-my-mentor-1626463146
