Of the 900 alumni in GSTI, about 300 of them (largest group) are freelance contract translators and/or interpreters. They contract directly with product manufacturers, language service companies, government agencies, business service companies, nonprofits, and educational institutions. Starting freelance income after graduation from GSTI runs between $20,000 and $60,000 depending on part-time or full-time status and geographic location. Large metropolitan areas are good because of the density of activity and the ability to be immediately available for freelance interpreting work.
Most US and international language service companies (agencies) use freelance translators for the initial client translation. This work is then farmed out to freelance editors or in-house editors depending on the size of the job or company. After the editing process, it will be sent to proofers to make the final check for continuity and format. In the case of translated software, it will usually be tested by a native target language speaker, who will actually use the software and check for any use problems.
Freelance Translation Example: A recent GSTI alumna received a 10,000 word insurance claim-related contract (Spanish into English) to be done over a three week period. She charged 11 cents per word as the employer was a preferred client. After submitting her bill immediately following the work, she was paid $1,100 within 60 days.
Freelance Interpreting Example: An alumnus from the Class of 1998 French program was asked by the US Department of State, Office of Language Services, Interpreting Division to be an escort interpreter for a group of three African doctors on a tour to meet with their medical counterparts in the USA. The assignment took the group to seven US cities and nine meetings. At the end of the three-week trip, the alumnus had made new friends and earned about $5000 not including paid trip expenses.
In the US, most companies employ full-time in-house translators.
For target languages (non-English languages), As most US products and services are produced in English, US companies want native Chinese, Japanese, German, French, Spanish, etc. speakers. They work for software/hardware manufacturers, automobile manufacturers, pharmaceutical companies, law firms, banks, insurance companies, accounting firms, etc. Native English speakers are hired more to manage the translation interpretation process rather than do translation or interpretation.
US employers are companies like eBay, Microsoft, SUN Microsystems, Honda America, Otsuka America, Citibank, State Farm Insurance, Berlitz GlobalNET, Computer Associates, etc. First-Job-Out annual salaries range from $30,000 to $55,000 in the US business markets. Salaries run along language demand lines and in the last five years Japanese and German T&I positions have paid the most with the highest demand in the US marketplace.
In China, Costa Rica, France, Germany, Japan and other locations outside the United States, native English speakers are working or have worked for companies like a US law office, KPMG, Rank Xerox, SAP, Toyota and Sony. Overseas annual salaries are a little lower than the US on both cost of living reductions and dollar comparison value.
In-House US Business Translation Example # 1: Honda KK hires 3-5 GSTI Japanese program graduates per year to work in Honda America automobile manufacturing plants in Ohio, West Virginia, and South Carolina. These graduates provide mostly plant interpreting between American and Japanese executives and engineers. They also provide some translation work on site. They are paid about $50,000 per year, which is average for our Japanese program alumni.
In-House Business Example # 2: In New York City, a Class of 2000 Chinese program graduate took an internship with Berlitz GlobalNET before being offered a full-time position as Chinese Team Lead. She provides coordination of the Chinese translation projects and edits E>C translations for Berlitz clients worldwide.
The US government uses many language T&I professionals for document translation, training interpreting, and seminar/conference interpreting. In-house hires must be US citizens.
US Department of State examples: GSTI alumni work at the Department of State Interpreting and Translation Division. One Class of 1992 Chinese program graduate works as a staff interpreter and a Class of 1999 German program graduate was hired directly from the Institute to become the first dedicated translation project manager in the history of the Department.
Other US government careers: Other US agencies hiring graduates are the FBI, Foreign Broadcast Information Service for translators, National Security Agency, Department of Justice, and Department of Defense among others. US Government beginning annual salaries for GSTI graduates have ranged from $35,000 to $62,000 in the last five years.
The demand at the United Nations is for translators and interpreters with at least three languages. Usually, English is a key language demand with French and Spanish as a second language favorite. You are also expected to have a third language in another UN language (Arabic, Chinese, and Russian).
United Nations Example: In the June 2001 Competitive Examination for Spanish Language Translators/Precis Writers, Editors, and Verbatim Reporters, the exam was open to qualified external candidates with exceptional language ability, degree from a Spanish speaking university or a degree from a school of translation, and passage on the October 2001 exam. Only successful exam candidates are invited for interviews to access personal qualities. Successful interviewees are put on a roster. When a vacancy comes open, those on the roster are reviewed for specific skills required for the job. This is a five-level process that lets few people into the system. Once hired, you are put on a two-year probationary appointment at the UN P2-level ($41,253 to $53,143 USD for employees with dependents and $38,694 to $49,561 USD for single employees).
GSTI alumni work for the following employers:
European Commission EU Brussels, Belgium
European Parliament and Council of Europe Strasbourg, France
Inter-American Development Bank (IADB) Washington, DC
North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) Brussels, Belgium
Organization of American States (OAS) Washington, DC
UN International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR) Arusha, Tanzania
UN International Criminal Tribunal for Bosnia (ICTB) The Hague
World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) Geneva, Switzerland
International Government Example: In 2001, the World Intellectual Property Organization in Geneva Switzerland is very determined to find more G>E and J>E translators. Currently, four German program alumni and two Japanese program alumni (all 6 native English speakers) work on rotating four-month contracts or as permanent WIPO staff. They live in Geneva or just over the border in France. The WIPO is trying to increase its share of German program and Japanese program alumni at this time.
Examples:
Community services translation and interpretation
Court and legal translation and interpretation
Localization and technical translation
Medical translation and interpretation
Over-the-phone customer service and emergency interpretation
Simultaneous and consecutive conference interpretation
Terminology Database Management
Translation and Interpretation Project Management
Translation and/or Interpretation Teaching
Voice-over dubbing for commercial videos and movies
