Once you become an ASL interpreter, you will find yourself faced with a new challenge— gaining experience and building your portfolio. While this might seem like an easy thing to do, most novice ASL interpreters find themselves lost when it comes to this step. Having worked with credible organizations and people can prove to be highly beneficial for your career trajectory. It can act as a stepping stone for what’s next— more work, more experience, and more credibility added to your name.
This is where the problem arises. Most reputable jobs and agencies will require you to have some prior experience before they even consider hiring you for your interpreting services. Even someone who has just started working as an interpreter might be expected to have worked in some capacity before. This brings us to our original question— How can you gain experience and build a portfolio as an ASL interpreter? Let us take a closer look at how you can start your journey as an interpreter without any prior experience.
Steps to becoming a professional ASL interpreter
- Become well-versed in American Sign Language.
- Ensure that your English language skills are immaculate.
- Check if you meet the minimum requirements for becoming an interpreter- a high school diploma or equivalent is often considered necessary.
- Work on getting a National Interpreter Certification (NIC) from the Registry for the Interpreters of the Deaf (RID).
- See if you want to gain a specialization certificate so you can work in a particular industry. Some specializations that you could look into- Legal interpreting, medical interpreting, educational interpreting, and performing arts interpreting.
- Gain experience.
If you are reading this, we assume that you are already on Step 6 of the above-mentioned process. If not, we recommend going back to the steps and working your way through each of them. However, if you are on Step 6, congratulations! You are officially an ASL interpreter. All that is left to do now to get your career going is to gain some experience. This is a crucial step to building credibility for your work and making a name for yourself. If you find yourself feeling a little lost on what you can do, here is a simple guide for you.
Apprentice
When you first enter the professional world, it is vital to acknowledge and understand the gap between educational knowledge and knowledge that comes from real experience. As a novice ASL interpreter, apprenticeships might be the right step to partake in experiential learning. As an apprentice, you might ideally have the opportunity to work in varied settings. Getting exposure in a wide variety of settings can help you hone your skills quickly. Additionally, it can also help you ascertain what path of interpreting you are interested in pursuing. Such increased exposure prepares you for professional interpreting, as the job normally requires flexibility on the interpreter’s part. Some apprenticeships might also offer workshops, training, and other learning programs that can further enhance your learning and support your career growth. If you are looking for a smooth transition— coupled with support and backed by a systemic approach— into the world of professional interpreting, apprenticeship might be the right choice for you.
Volunteer
One of the great things about working as an ASL interpreter is that, no matter the work, it significantly contributes to the Deaf community. If you were drawn to the profession because of its altruistic nature, volunteering to gain experience can be rewarding to both your portfolio and your compassionate self. You can look out for non-profit organizations or charity-run events, or even school events that may require your volunteering services. When you get more involved in the Deaf community, you will find more such opportunities opening up to you. Through volunteering you can experience what it is like to be a real-world interpreter while fulfilling your desire to make an impact.
ALT Text: A woman in a black top using sign language
Intern
As is the case with most career paths, interpreting also offers the option of interning. This is a great way of easing into the role while getting some real responsibilities. Internships are available in all fields and areas of interpreting. If you already have your mind set on a specific field that you want to pursue, you can look for interning opportunities that can help you gain experience in your area of interest. However, if you are open to working in all areas, you can look up agencies like the Unspoken Language Services that offer interpretation services. Interning with such agencies can help you gain extensive professional experience that can stretch your abilities. Here, you can expect to work in a variety of settings that can challenge you to hone your interpreting skills and adapt to change quickly.
However, getting hands-on interpreting experience can be a little difficult as an intern. Some agencies and clients might prefer to only let the intern be present and observe. This, too, can be a great learning experience. Carefully observing another interpreter doing their job can be extremely educational, which will be fruitful when you get to interpret. Having said this, depending on your proficiency at the internship, you might be offered hands-on experiences. Overall, interning is bound to add to your professional experience.
Conclusion
Gaining experience and building a portfolio is a must, especially in a profession like interpreting- the success of which is purely based on practice. Hence, it is vital to explore your options and not restrict yourself. Be open to all learning opportunities, because they will soon become a stepping stone for you. From apprenticeships, volunteering, and interning to directly starting work as an independent contractor, the opportunities to grow are endless. As an agency owned by ASL interpreters, Unspoken Language Services has the utmost respect for what you bring to the table. Become an Unspoken Interpreter and join a close-knit community of like-minded independent contractors. Get hands-on experience, learn from the job, and learn from your peers! Join us today!
Thumbnail Photo Credit to: Photo by RDNE Stock Project
