7 Proven Strategies to hire the best remote interpreters

Finding the right remote interpreters for your upcoming event can be quite challenging. 

As the demand for remote interpreting services increases, so does the need to hire and retain high-quality professional interpreters.

The challenge is finding the right interpreters who can produce accurate and reliable interpretation results without compromising quality. 

In particular, if you have no idea how interpreters work or you are not in the language services industry, choosing the right interpreters is a matter of knowing what to look for, where to look and having the right strategies in place. 

In this article, we share 7 effective tips to help you identify the top talents in the remote interpreting industry that we implement at OUispeak.

• More than Language fluency 

  
  

No doubt that everyone wants to hire interpreters who possess the best language skills, but you need to consider more than language skills if you need to find the best ones among the large network of remote interpreting communities. 

How do you do that? 

In the first round of getting to know your interpreter, you need to have a checklist of what you need to verify. 

Start with the basic educational & background check of the interpreter.  

Most Conference interpreters are required to fulfil the following criteria :

• Professional degree in interpretation, interpretation or any related field which is related to the language service industry. 
• Having interpreted professionally for almost 50 conferences in one year. 
• If possible, check the list of the interpreter's previous clients and conferences.
• An interpreter's network and referrals.

• Subject/industry knowledge and relevant terminology

It is common to need interpretation services for a particular industry or company. 

A specialized interpreter with experience in niche industries would be the best bet in this case.

A specific subject/industry monitoring test should be done during the interview process to determine if your candidate is qualified for the position. 

A subject-specific test allows you to monitor inconsistent vocabulary, missing text, specific industry terminology, ability to adapt to the target reader, and overall interpretation quality and style. 

Especially when navigating medical and legal terminology, having an experienced interpreter on-hand will provide peace of mind for the organizers.

With the help of interpretation services from an agency or an interpretation service provider, you can ensure to receive quality expertise. 

• Cultural awareness & research 

  
  

To maximize the effectiveness of multilingual communication, remote interpreters need to have a deep understanding of the cultures of their audience. 

This will help ensure that their interpretation of the given language is well-received and clearly understood with clarity.

Successful cross-cultural communication could be achieved with the combination of verbal and non-verbal cues such as language, context, body language, and the relationship between individuals. 

With the active participation of verbal and nonverbal elements such as language, context, body language, and the relationship between communicators during cultural communication, it is easy to achieve with the assistance of an interpreter who is sensitively aware of the other culture!

• Technical skills 

  
  

Success in developing remote interpretation suggests sourcing interpreters that possess technical skills in videoconferencing and interpreting platforms. 

It will be easier to accomplish this objective if you narrow down the interpreters' experience with working on different platforms and how easily they navigate without any guidance from the organizers or technical team during the live interpretation tests. 

• Ability to work with limited supervision (real-time) 

Finding remote interpreters that can work with less supervision allows for a more efficient and streamlined interpreting procedure, which is one of the key advantages.

When an interpreter can work independently, they can manage common technical issues without constant supervision, and they tend to be more reliable and take initiative in fast-paced or high-stress situations. This help to guarantee that the interpretation is precise and timely, both of which are essential for successful communication.

Furthermore, remote interpreters who can operate with limited supervision have more experience and a better reputation among the interpreting community.

• Research skills

Interpreters are often called upon to interpret complex or specialized content, such as technical or legal documents. 

To accurately convey the meaning of these materials, interpreters must have a strong understanding of the subject matter and be able to research and clarify any unfamiliar terms or concepts.

Research skills can help interpreters to better understand the context and cultural nuances of the message they are interpreting.

This can be especially important when interpreting for clients from different cultural backgrounds, as interpreters must be able to accurately convey the intended meaning of the message while also taking into account cultural differences and sensitivities.

Furthermore, interpreters can stay up-to-date on current events and trends in their language pairs too. 

• Solutions finders 

  
  

Hands down, you need interpreters who are solutions finders.  

Many remote interpreters are also skilled at problem-solving, as they often need to find creative ways to communicate complex or technical concepts between languages. 

If you are looking for a remote interpreter with strong problem-solving skills, you may want to consider hiring someone with experience in the field, relevant education, great emotional intelligence and also possessing the right technical skills. 

• Test the interpreting skills in real-time 

Finally, one of the most sensible ways to assess the interpreter's skills is to test the quality of the interpreter in real-time. 

There are several ways you can test the interpreting skills of a remote interpreter in real-time :

• Conduct an interpretation session: You can set up a simulated interpretation session where the interpreter is given a script or set of materials to interpret. This can be done over the phone, through a video call, or in person.
• Ask the interpreter to interpret a live conversation: You can also test the interpreter's skills by asking them to interpret a live conversation between two people who speak different languages. This could be a conversation between you and someone who speaks a different language, or between two native speakers of different languages.
• Observe the interpreter in action: If the interpreter has already worked on a real-time interpretation assignment, you can observe their performance and ask for feedback from the clients they worked with. This will give you an idea of the interpreter's skills and abilities in a real-time setting.

In summary: 

Hiring the best remote interpreters involves considering a range of factors, including language skills, cultural knowledge, and problem-solving abilities. 

It is important to thoroughly assess the potential interpreters by reviewing their education, experience, and references, and to consider administering tests or observing their performance in a simulated or real-time interpretation setting. 

With the right remote interpreter, you can facilitate smooth and accurate communication between people who speak different languages, helping to build trust and understanding between parties.

It would be our pleasure to help with any remote interpreting needs that you may have. 

Shoot us an email here and we'll get right back to you.