10 Tips When Hiring An Interpreter

1.

Tell us as much as you can about your upcoming conference/study visit when you contact us for the first time: subject, venue, language combinations, number of participants, etc.

2.

• If you are still undecided on the interpreting mode – please describe the meeting’s structure; the language services company will be able to advise you on the mode that will address your needs in the best possible way:

  • If you have a congress or a conference with many participants or an annual general meeting (AGM) – then you need simultaneous interpreters (in simultaneous interpretation, the interpreter renders the message in the target language as quickly as he or she can formulate it from the source language, while the source language speaker continuously speaks).
  • For a working lunch, an interview, a customer visit it is often wise to use consecutive interpreting (in consecutive interpreting, the interpreter speaks after the source-language speaker pauses speaking).
  • Read more about the interpreting modes here.

3.

Try to book the interpreters well in advance; it will help in selecting the most optimal interpreters for your specific assignment.

4.

Inform the language services provider about other practical circumstances: the size and layout of the venue, whether you need to live-stream the interpreting etc.

5.

If an interactive meeting is interpreted simultaneously and the participants use table microphones when speaking: remember that the interpreter can hear only one speaker at a time. You will quickly notice that simultaneous interpreting in this setting has a positive impact on the meeting’s order and structure.

6.

Supply your language services provider with the meeting’s agenda, list of participants and useful links as early as possible.

7.

Inform the meeting’s speakers and participants that interpretation will be used during the event.

8.

Designate a contact person, with whom the interpreters will be able to communicate before and during the meeting.

9.

Ask the speakers to send their presentations in advance to enable the interpreters to prepare for the assignment. We are also grateful for earlier presentations and links to the previous meetings on similar subjects. It is not the facts we are looking for, but your professional vocabulary. We know that it is not easy to get the presentations in advance, but do not give up! Presentations arriving in the last minutes should be printed out and given to the interpreters.    

10.

Last but not least – some tips for the speakers: speak at your normal pace, try to avoid jokes and colloquialisms as these might be difficult to transform into another language. If you are reading the written text – make sure that the interpreter got a copy thereof before you start your presentation.