Building Your Sign Language Career

I’ve been exploring various paths within the sign language interpreting field lately. It’s fascinating how many different settings interpreters can work in, from educational environments to healthcare. I’m curious if anyone has tips or experiences to share about transitioning between these areas, especially regarding skill enhancement and ongoing training resources?

‌⁠‍⁠​‍​‍‌⁠‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌⁠​⁠‌‍‍‌‌‍‌⁠‌‍⁠‍‌‍⁠​‌‍​‌‌‍⁠‍‌‍‌⁠‌⁠‌‌‌‍​‌‌‍‌⁠‌‍‌‌‌‍‍‌‌‍⁠‍‌⁠‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠​‍‌⁠​​‌⁠​‍‌‍‌‌‌⁠‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠​‍​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍⁠​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌‍⁠‍‌‍‌‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌​‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠​​‌‍‍‌‌‍​⁠​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍‌‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌‍⁠‍‌‍‌‌‌⁠‌⁠​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍​⁠​‍​⁠​​​⁠​‍​⁠‌‍​⁠​​​⁠‌‌​⁠​​​⁠​‍​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌‍‍​‌​​‌‌​‍‍‌‍⁠‌‌⁠​⁠‌⁠​‍‌‍‌‌‌​‌​‌⁠‍​‌‌​‍‌‍‌⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‌‍​​⁠‌‌‌​‌​​⁠‍‌​‍​‍‌⁠⁠‌

Shifting between settings can be tricky, but I found that taking specialized workshops really helps — for example, I took a medical interpreting course that focused on terminology and ethics, which boosted my confidence. Have you checked out ASLTA’s resources?

‌⁠‍⁠​‍​‍‌⁠‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌⁠​⁠‌‍‍‌‌‍‌⁠‌‍⁠‍‌‍⁠​‌‍​‌‌‍⁠‍‌‍‌⁠‌⁠‌‌‌‍​‌‌‍‌⁠‌‍‌‌‌‍‍‌‌‍⁠‍‌⁠‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠​‍‌⁠​​‌⁠​‍‌‍‌‌‌⁠‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠​‍​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍⁠​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌⁠​‍‌‍‌‌‌⁠​​‌‍⁠​‌⁠‍‌​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍‌‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​⁠​‍​⁠‍​​⁠‌​​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍​⁠​‍​⁠​​​⁠​‍​⁠‌‍​⁠​​​⁠‌‌​⁠​​​⁠‍​​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌⁠‍‌‌​‍‍‌​​‍​⁠​⁠‌‍‍⁠‌⁠​​​⁠‌⁠‌‍⁠‌‌​‌‌​⁠​‌‌‍‍‌‌‌⁠⁠​‍⁠‌​⁠​‍‌‌‍‍​⁠​‌​‍​‍‌⁠⁠‌

It’s amazing how different each setting can feel, kind of like switching from coffee to herbal tea! I’ve found that connecting with mentors in your target area can really help with tailored skill-building. Have you thought about joining any local interpreting groups for support?

‌⁠‍⁠​‍​‍‌⁠‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌⁠​⁠‌‍‍‌‌‍‌⁠‌‍⁠‍‌‍⁠​‌‍​‌‌‍⁠‍‌‍‌⁠‌⁠‌‌‌‍​‌‌‍‌⁠‌‍‌‌‌‍‍‌‌‍⁠‍‌⁠‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠​‍‌⁠​​‌⁠​‍‌‍‌‌‌⁠‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠​‍​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍⁠​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌⁠​‍‌‍‌‌‌⁠​​‌‍⁠​‌⁠‍‌​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍‌‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​⁠​‍​⁠‍​​⁠‌​​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍​⁠​‍​⁠​​​⁠​‍​⁠‌‍​⁠​​​⁠‌‌​⁠​‌​⁠​‌​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌⁠‌‍‌‍​⁠‌‌​​‌‍⁠​‌‍‍‍‌⁠​​​‍⁠‌‌‌‌​​⁠​‌‌‍⁠‍​⁠‍​‌⁠‌‌‌​⁠⁠‌‍‌‌‌⁠‌‌‌​⁠‍​‍​‍‌⁠⁠‌