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We live in an increasingly globalized economy. That means we’re also seeing an increasingly globalized job market. So it is not surprising that translators are a commodity that is in great demand. The heat is so high that translation work is expected to increase by 46 percent by the end of 2022.
The most popular languages requiring translation are Arabic, French, Portuguese, Spanish, Korean, Japanese and Chinese. Industries in demand for translators range from government positions to the technology industry.
Translators are in such high demand that many choose to work as freelancers, rather than holding a traditional job. Some freelance translators even make more than $175,000 per year. (Source) While most salaries will be much lower than that, UN Translators earn between $150,000 – $200.00 per year.
Let’s take a look at some of the fastest growing job markets for translators.
Public sector
Working for the government has many advantages. While salaries tend to be slightly lower than in the private sector, the benefits are highly competitive.
The government needs translators or interpreters in almost all divisions. The military, State Department, FBI, CIA, public school districts, and more are all in dire need of bilingual employees. There are even a large number of government contractor jobs available.
Just think, your bilingual skills might put you on the fast track to a dream career working for the CIA.
The US government especially requires translations from the various languages spoken in the Middle East and Africa. The translators of these languages are the highest paid today. However, it should be noted that some of these jobs involve some additional risk of traveling in areas that may be considered unsafe. That might excite some people, while others would be much happier working in a comfortable office.
Technology Industry
Technology companies are, by nature, actively embracing globalization. The technology industry has always had strong ties to Asia, due to the number of high-quality engineers they can recruit from India and China. However, the technology industry is spread all over the world.
Companies like Apple and Amazon are consistently looking for talented translators and interpreters for positions around the world. Your language skills could very well land you a job in one of the most sought-after employers in the world!
Request languages include Portuguese, Spanish, Korean, and Chinese, among others.
Oil and Gas Industry
More than ever we are seeing cooperation between companies in different countries for oil and gas exploration and production. This collaboration offers an opportunity to share technologies and build bridges between different cultures.
One of the biggest problems, besides of course federal regulations on oil extraction, is translating language back and forth. Mainly because leasing land for oil development requires a lot of reading through old documents. Some of these documents are quite difficult for native speakers to understand, because of how dialects have changed over time. They are nearly impossible to understand for someone who doesn’t speak the language fluently.
This has sparked a huge opportunity for translators. The petroleum industry is one of the most proactive industries when it comes to translation services. Even Pemex, Mexico’s state-owned oil company, has created an online library service that provides translated documents for English-speaking oil professionals. (http://pemexenglishlibrary.com/)
Request languages include Spanish, Arabic, Portuguese, Russian and many others. The oil and gas industry tends to pay higher salaries in general, so the percentage of highly paid translators is noticeably higher than in other industries.
Medical Field
Hospitals urgently need bilingual staff. The rapid growth of America’s Spanish-speaking population is weighing on emergency rooms and health clinics across the country.
Nurses and medical technicians are in high demand and have the kind of job security that others dream of. Combine that with translation skills and hospitals will struggle to hire you.
A Quick search for bilingual hospital jobs in Indeed brought back more than 5,500 open jobs. Over 2,900 of these jobs are estimated to earn $50,000+ in salary and 223 of those jobs are estimated to be $110,000+ in salary.
Do You Speak Multiple Languages?
If you are fluent in multiple languages, there’s no better time to put those skills to use. At a minimum, you should include that information in your resume and any cover letters you send to potential employers.
You’d be surprised at how many employers offer bilingual employees a higher salary, compared to employees who speak only one language. Even if you don’t work in any of the industries mentioned above, there’s a good chance you can find ways to put your knowledge to use in your particular industry.
For those who grew up in a bilingual household, you may just find a lucrative career without even trying.
Kyle Stout is a former petroleum professional turned freelance writer based in Dallas, TX.
