Translation involves transferring a written message from one language to another. The text to be translated may be a treaty, a law, or a press release; a user manual, bidding specifications, or engineering plans; a novel, a poem, or a play; a handwritten letter, a medical textbook, or a historical document: in short, anything that is written is a potential translation assignment.

The United States, unlike many other countries, does not require any licensing or certification of translators and interpreters. In the absence of licensing and certification, the Monterey Institute degree attests to the high quality of graduates.

As with other professions, computers are an essential tool for translators. Not only does the professional translator rely on the personal computer for word processing, desktop publishing, and glossary databases, but in-house translators work on networks that feature computer aids such as glossary management and translation software. Translators who work with machine translation software must become adept at the pre- and post-editing that such programs require. In addition, many translators become involved in the design and engineering of translation software, performing tasks such as building dictionaries and writing rules for parsing. Another aspect of the software industry that relies heavily on translators is localization, the adaptation of programs and user manuals to other linguistic and cultural environments.

Translators work as full-time employees or as freelancers for international organizations such as the United Nations and the Organization of American States; they are employed by government agencies including the Department of State and the National Security Agency and work for nonprofit organizations like the Red Cross and church organizations; private companies, such as software developers, pharmaceutical manufacturers, international corporations and law firms, as well as translation agencies.