How to hire a Translator

How to hire a translator, step by step

Here's a step-by-step translator hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write a translator job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new translator
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does a Translator do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   The translator hiring process starts by determining what type of worker you actually need. Certain roles might require a full-time employee, whereas part-time workers or contractors can do others.

   Determine Employee vs Contractor Status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

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   Hiring the perfect translator also involves considering the ideal background you'd like them to have. Depending on what industry or field they have experience in, they'll bring different skills to the job. It's also important to consider what levels of seniority and education the job requires and what kind of salary such a candidate would likely demand.

   This list presents translator salaries for various positions.

   Type Of Translator	Description	Hourly Rate
   Translator	Interpreters and translators convert information from one language into another language. Interpreters work in spoken or sign language; translators work in written language.	$12-33
   Bilingual Interpreter	A bilingual interpreter is responsible for translating communications from one language to another without compromising the focus of the context. Bilingual interpreters manage verbal and written interactions between parties, including the translation of complicated terminologies to comprehensive statements with the same meaning... Show More	$12-34
   Cryptologic Linguist	Cryptologic linguists are lingual professionals who are responsible for using signals equipment to identify and analyze foreign communications. These linguists must assist intelligence community analysts in translating open source and sensitive materials as well as producing comprehensive reports about the daily activities of their enemies... Show More	$12-32

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common Skills:

   • Target Language
   • Translation Services
   • Vice Versa
   • Medical Terminology
   • Web Pages
   • English-Language
   • Subtitles
   • HR
   • Hindi
   • Thai
   • Spanish Translation
   • Language
   • Reference Materials
   • Interpretation Services

   Check All Skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Manage proofreading, typesetting, and editing of English/Spanish projects.
   • Lead an international team of HUMINT collectors for the NATO mission in Bosnia where overt and covert collection protocols are observed.
   • Translate scripts for 2D and 3D animations from English into Urdu, Punjabi, and Hindi.
   • Translate patient materials and informational brochures issue by hospitals and medical facilities into another language.
   • Conduct research on Turkish tourism.
   • Translate tourism articles from English to Chinese.

   More Translator duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in the translator job description is a good way to get more applicants. A translator salary can be affected by several factors, such as the location of the job, the level of experience, education, certifications, and the employer's prestige.

   For example, the average salary for a translator in Indiana may be lower than in New York, and an entry-level engineer typically earns less than a senior-level translator. Additionally, a translator with lots of experience in the field may command a higher salary as a result.

   Average translator salary

   $44,278yearly

   $21.29 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level translator salary

   $27,000 yearly salary

   Updated March 26, 2025

   Average translator salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. Salary	Hourly Rate
   1	District of Columbia	$79,490	$38
   2	New York	$61,928	$30
   3	California	$60,642	$29
   4	New Jersey	$57,990	$28
   5	Washington	$57,839	$28
   6	Oregon	$57,071	$27
   7	Connecticut	$55,969	$27
   8	Massachusetts	$52,794	$25
   9	Pennsylvania	$46,718	$22
   10	Utah	$44,884	$22
   11	Texas	$44,449	$21
   12	Florida	$43,881	$21
   13	Arizona	$43,497	$21
   14	Michigan	$42,071	$20
   15	Georgia	$42,070	$20
   16	North Carolina	$41,995	$20
   17	Illinois	$39,060	$19
   18	Iowa	$37,936	$18
   19	Hawaii	$35,052	$17

   Average translator salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average Salary	Hourly Rate	Job Openings
   1	Apple	$121,484	$58.41
   2	Alameda Health System	$119,638	$57.52
   3	Workday	$106,720	$51.31
   4	Highland General Hospital	$104,856	$50.41
   5	AstraZeneca	$104,388	$50.19
   6	Bloomberg	$91,284	$43.89
   7	Birch	$83,565	$40.18
   8	Interactive Brokers	$83,147	$39.97
   9	New York Film Academy	$82,645	$39.73
   10	Daiwa Capital Markets America Holdings Inc.	$80,801	$38.85
   11	Asset Management Company	$76,908	$36.98
   12	ACLU of Illinois	$74,541	$35.84
   13	Rotary International	$73,927	$35.54
   14	UMiami Health System	$73,861	$35.51
   15	Eaton & Van Winkle	$72,383	$34.80
   16	Harris County Attorney's Office	$72,170	$34.70
   17	Dow Jones	$70,002	$33.65
   18	CDC Foundation	$68,772	$33.06
   19	Trion Worlds	$68,324	$32.85
   20	New York State Restaurant Association	$67,099	$32.26

4. Writing a Translator Job Description

   A translator job description should include a summary of the role, required skills, and a list of responsibilities. It's also good to include a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager. To help get you started, here's an example of a translator job description:

   Translator job description example

   Leidos is currently seeking experienced and highly qualified Somali Translator/Linguist. The linguist will perform a full range of activities in processing materials or participating in situations requiring a general professional capability as follows:
   Translation:
   Can accurately translate reports/texts in electronic and hard-copy formats that not only contain facts but also some abstract language showing an ability to capture intended implications and many nuances. Can generally capture geopolitical, regional, ethnic, and cultural elements in text. Word choice and expression generally adhere to target language (TL) norms and means of expression specific to subject field (s) and are strong enough to allow translator to operate successively in that field.
   
   Interpretation:
   Able to interpret accurately. Normally consecutive interpretation is needed, but on rare occasions simultaneous interpretation may be requested Has good understanding of one or more regional dialects.
   
   Transcription:
   Reviews audio or internet materials, transcribes with high degree of accuracy and expression. Must possess excellent English-language written communication skills for preparing reports. Has good understanding of one or more regional dialects.
   
   Gisting/Summarizing:
   Is able to identify and accurately summarize factual points as well as abstract concepts. Can triage documentation to isolate pertinent and nuanced info. Master use of reference materials. Must possess computer skills; including MS Office, to be able to produce written translations and products and sufficient internet skills that will allow basic research on the Web. Must possess excellent English-language verbal communication skills for giving briefings.
   
   Security Clearance Requirements:
   No clearance is required to apply to the job.U.S. CitizenAfter passing the required tests, we will sponsor security clearance and upgrading existing clearances to meet the program requirements.TS/SCI with polygraph is required. Linguists cannot begin work on contract without a fully adjudicated security clearance.
   
   Education Requirements:
   BA/BS and/or equivalent formal military training or 8+ years of related work experience.
   
   Language Testing Requirements:
   All candidates will be required to take and pass a language test administered by LEIDOS/ an accepted commercial testing vendors.
   
   Desired Skills:
   Experience deployed as a linguist supporting contingency operations Knowledge of U.S. Intelligence Community, military, cryptologic, law enforcement experience Ability to communicate effectively orally and in writing in Target and EnglishLinguists who are proficient in multiple languages are strongly desired.
   
   Travel OCONUS is a REQUIREMENT for some of the languages under this program. Candidate must be able to support the contract 24/7 when on travel.
   
   Pay Range:
   Pay Range - -
   
   The Leidos pay range for this job level is a general guideline only and not a guarantee of compensation or salary. Additional factors considered in extending an offer include (but are not limited to) responsibilities of the job, education, experience, knowledge, skills, and abilities, as well as internal equity, alignment with market data, applicable bargaining agreement (if any), or other law.

   Copy This Example

   

5. Post your job

   To find translators for your business, try out a few different recruiting strategies:

   • Consider internal talent. One of the most important talent pools for any company is its current employees.
   • Ask for referrals. Reach out to friends, family members, and your current work to ask if they know any translators they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit entry-level translators with the right educational background.
   • Social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter have more than 3.5 billion users, and they're a great place for company branding and reaching potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your translator job on Zippia to find and recruit translator candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites such as problogger, media bistro, journalismjobs.com, content writing jobs.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   To successfully recruit translators, your first interview needs to engage with candidates to learn about their interest in the role and experience in the field. You can go into more detail about the company, the role, and the responsibilities during follow-up interviews.

   You should also ask about candidates' unique skills and talents to see if they match the ideal candidate profile you developed earlier. Candidates good enough for the next step can complete the technical interview.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new translator

   Once you've decided on a perfect translator candidate, it's time to write an offer letter. In addition to salary, it should include benefits and perks available to the employee. Qualified candidates may be considered for other positions, so make sure your offer is competitive. Candidates may wish to negotiate. Once you've settled on the details, formalize your agreement with a contract.

   You should also follow up with applicants who don't get the job with an email letting them know that you've filled the position.

   To prepare for the new employee's start date, you can create an onboarding schedule and complete any necessary paperwork, such as employee action forms and onboarding documents like I-9 forms, benefits enrollment, and federal and state tax forms. Human Resources should also ensure that a new employee file is created.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

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