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Hiring a Chinese translator? Need to know how and where to find the best candidates? Here is a comprehensive guide to finding the best Chinese translators. Read on!

How to hire a Chinese Translator?

Standard Chinese or Mandarin is the official language or dialect of China and Taiwan. The language is also used in Singapore. Several global companies in the US and UK operate in multiple countries and APAC geography is one of them.

Besides people residing in APAC region often migrate to the US and UK. This necessitates several companies to hire a Chinese language interpreter for better and seamless communication between an English speaking and a Chinese speaking person.

But then the question is, “How to hire a Chinese translator?” In this article, we will focus on the qualities, skills, academic degrees, certifications to be checked, and the interview questions that need to be listed while hiring a Chinese Translator.

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Hiring market for Chinese Translators

World Trade Organization and the US Bureau of Labor Statistics have confirmed that the jobs for translators and interpreters will continue to experience steady growth of almost 24% for the next decade. Among different European and Asian languages, the job demands for Chinese translator English to Chinese occupy a significant place.

The advancements in technology and the electronic transmission medium have allowed Chinese interpreters to work remotely or in a freelance model. The US states of New York, California, and Washington DC have been providing a larger number of job openings for interpreter Chinese compared to the other states.

Though the introduction of online translation tools has enabled fast interpretation and read in Chinese translated have reduced a certain % of job growth, yet the trend has not declined yet. Initially, in 2000, the average median salary of a Chinese translator was approximately USD 32K annually.

But now, the earning has far increased to as high as USD 100K per annum. Many companies and agencies prefer hiring 3 to 5 years experienced professionals to translate English to Chinese simplified language.

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Top 15 recent job titles for Chinese Translators

Companies hire Chinese translators based on their domain of expertise and skillset. Enlisted below are the top recent job titles where you can hire a Chinese translator,

1. Sign Language Translator

Expert in converting sign language or written language into Chinese sign language. They need to proficient in both English and Chinese sign languages for effective communication. Yearly Salary ranges from USD 25K at an entry-level to as high as USD 70K for an experienced professional.

2. Community Translator

Responsible for translating written texts to enable communication between the people and the public services. They are often referred to as public service translators. Annual salary varies between USD 50K to USD 55K.

3. Legal Translator

A Legal Translator possesses the expertise to translate written legal documents or any other documents used for legal purposes into Chinese. The salary varies between USD 30K to as high as USD 80K per year.

4. Medical Translator

Translates written medical documents, drug sheets, medical bulletins, training materials from English to Chinese, specifically for healthcare, clinical, medical devices manufacturing industrial sector. The salary ranges between USD 38K to USD 50K per annum.

5. Technical Translator

Professionals who translate technical documents, user guides or manuals, documents or manuscripts related to any technological area or field, from English to Chinese. The annual salary ranges between USD 38K to USD 64K.

6. Scientific Translator

Scientific translators are similar to technical translators but focus mainly on scientific documents, manuscripts, research papers, and journals. Their main area of jobs is in Biology or Medicine. The average yearly salary is almost USD 45k.

7. Cultural Translator

Schools, colleges, and universities majorly hire a cultural translator to bridge the gap between the foreign students and the teachers. Salary varies between USD 45K to USD 50K in a year.

8. Foreign Broadcast Translator

Expert in translating English to Chinese during debates, conferences, speeches, meetings, administrative tribunals or courts that are broadcasted in media or news channels. Yearly salary varies between USD 55K to USD 65K.

9. Foreign News Translator

Converting written news in English to Chinese, majorly for the newspapers, news magazines, online news websites or even in news channels for the headlines and subtitles. Yearly salary varies between USD 55K to USD 65K.

10. Jurilinguist Translator

Specialized professionals translating English into Chinese focused on the written texts in a judiciary like the courts or any official legal documents. The salary varies between USD 60K to USD 80K per year.

11. Literary Translator

Translating classical literature or contemporary literature is the key responsibility of a literary translator. They need to write the entire composition from the beginning till the end in Chinese after understanding the English version. Salary is approximately USD 51K in a year.

12. Escort Interpreters

They are also referred to as travel interpreters accompanying their clients in various business travels or trips. Attending business meetings, conferences, cultural gatherings, etc. are some of the places they visit along with their customers. The annual salary is almost USD 51K per annum.

13. Localizers

Their task is essentially referred to as localization, wherein they translate any English written text or graphics that are utilized in a company’s product, service or brand, into Chinese. The objective is to ensure the products or services are interpreted as if to belong to the Chinese speaking countries. Annual salary varies between USD 45K to USD 50K.

14. Conference Translator or Interpreter

Entrusted to translate English to Chinese language for sessions in a conference including webinars and presentations. The topic can be varied depending on the subject area or domain in focus in the sessions. The yearly salary is almost USD 45K.

15. Translator Manager

The person entrusted with managing multiple translator teams. The team leaders report to him or her. He manages, coordinates, and monitors the successful execution of multiple translation programs. Salary varies between USD 65K to USD 75K per annum.

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Qualifications to look for in Chinese Translator

While recruiting the best China translator, first and foremost you need to check whether the candidate holds a Bachelor’s Degree. The Bachelor’s Degree must be in linguistics, Chinese, interpretation, or related fields.

A Master’s Degree in interpretation and translation is beneficial for recruitment in higher positions and a thus higher salary. The top colleges and universities offering graduate programs, Master’s or a Doctor’s degree for a Chinese language interpreter are elaborated below,

1. Gallaudet University in Washington D.C. Considered a leader in regular and sign language translation. Offers Master of Arts in Translation and Interpretation programs.
2. Kent State University in Ohio. Provides Master of Arts program in translation and also PhD in translation.
3. Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey in California. Offers Master of Arts program in Translation, Translation and Localization Management, Translation and Interpretation, and Conference Interpretation.
4. State University New York offers graduate certification program in Translation Research and Instruction and PhD in Translation studies.
5. The University of Texas in Dallas. Their Center of Translation Studies focuses on Graduate, Master’s and Doctor’s degree.
6. Cambridge University provides a Graduate, Master’s, and Doctor’s Degree in languages.

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Skills to look for in Chinese Translators

Along with the educational qualifications, it is recommended to verify the skills and qualities of a good Chinese translator. The typical skills that need to be checked while hiring an English to Traditional Chinese Translator are illustrated below for your quick reference,

1. Proficient in both English and Chinese languages with extensive knowledge of vocabulary, writing skills, grammar etc.
2. Familiarity with the cultural know-how of the two languages and the variations between the people and the countries
3. Continual learning abilities on new concepts, words, terms, localizations and to be aware of the latest updates on both the languages
4. Proficient in computers, especially typing both the languages at a fast speed
5. Focus on specific subject domains in translation English to Chinese like medical, legal, technical etc.
6. Must possess efficient planning and organizing skills for timely delivery of work activities
7. Capable to handle the majority of the work independently since most of the professional Chinese interpreters will be working remotely
8. Check whether the interpreter Chinese professional is able to interact comfortably and easily leveraging the audio and video conferencing tools.
9. Capability to use tools or software for translating to Chinese like GoogleTranslate, iTranslate, Trip Lingo, Baidu Translate, etc.

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Certifications to look for in Chinese Translators

If you are seeking the best Chinese translator, it is advisable to verify additional certifications or learning courses undertaken by the candidates. Here are the top prominent certifications you can check,

1. Certification offered by the American Translators Association in 30 language combinations including English and Chinese
2. Certification program offered by the US Translators and Interpreters Guild
3. Certifications provided by the US State courts and municipal courts
4. Certification courses and programs by The National Association of the Deaf and the Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf in the US
5. The US Department of State conducts 3 certifications programs for translators and interpreters – Simple Consecutive or Escort, Simultaneous or Court/Seminar and Conference-level or international conferences interpreting
6. National Virtual Translation Center hosts several English to Latin translation certification programs

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Rate per hour of Chinese Translator

The job opportunities and rate per hour of English to Chinese translators rank seventh in the world. As per the latest data of January 2021, the hourly rate of freelance Chinese translator is USD 24.

Analysis and data collection show the average rate of Chinese interpreters varies between USD 21 and USD 27 per hour in the US. The rates differ based on several factors like years of experience, expertise, job title, certifications attained, and even the locations.

The hourly rate can rise up to USD 30 with an increase in the years of experience and skillset. In the UK, the hourly rate for English to Chinese translation services will vary between USD 24 to USD 28. In other European countries, the hourly rate of a Chinese translator will range within USD 26.

In India and Asian countries, the rate per hour for professional Chinese translation is quite cheaper than that of the US and the UK. The hourly rate of an English to Chinese translator varies between USD 5 and USD 10. The rates may rise for an experience of more than 10 years.

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Top 10 job boards to find the best Chinese Translators

In this section, we will discuss the 10 job boards or websites where recruiting companies can post their job requirements for hiring a Chinese Translator. They can also search for relevant profiles for English to Chinese translating tasks.

1. Upwork – One of the largest job boards to post jobs for hiring Chinese interpreters in the form of contract, full time or part-time mode of employment.

2. unremot.com – Enables you to gain access into a global workforce to hire a Chinese Translator within minutes of search, collaborating through video calls, messaging, and chats.

3. Indeed – The popular job website containing profiles of a huge pool of resources with expertise in translating English Chinese languages.

4. AngelList – Recommended and prominent job board to hire experts in translating English to Chinese. They support a huge talent pool for recruiting companies to sort and search the best profile.

5. Glassdoor – A prominent job website to look for freelance Chinese translator profiles against your preferred roles and job description

6. SimplyHired – A similar popular website to post job opportunities or search through the profiles of Chinese translators

7. Ziprecruiter – The preferred job board to connect to the best translator Chinese professionals for recruitment.

8. Flex Jobs – Flex jobs are one of the popular websites to search for Chinese interpreters available to work full time, part-time, remote, flexible, contract basis, freelance employment modes.

9. PeoplePerHour – You can post multiple job posts on the website with the appropriate job description, salary offered, and the preferred mode of employment.

10. TheBalanceCareers – You can get yourself listed on the website, allowing potential candidates to apply for the translator mandarin job roles in your company

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Top 10 companies hiring Chinese Translators and salaries offered

In this section, we will focus on the top 10 companies offering multiple job opportunities for an English to Chinese translator. The companies enlisted guarantee an entry-level salary of about USD 45K to USD 50K per annum to a Chinese translator.

1. CyracCom, headquartered in Arizona, is a leading translation and interpretation service provider
2. Lionbridge Technologies, situated in Waltham, Massachusetts, enables company brands to increase their market presence through digital marketing, translation etc.
3. A department of the US Department of Commerce – US Census Bureau, that generates and provides data related to the country’s people and economy. It is present in Maryland.
4. Goldman Sachs, the leading global investment research company, based in San Francisco, California.
5. com Services LLC, the leading e-commerce service provider in the world
6. Stratus Video, headquartered in Florida, provides language translation and interpreter services
7. National Security Agency in Fort Meade, Maryland, is the intelligence agency for the US Department of Defense
8. MVM, headquartered in Virginia, is a prominent agency providing security services to the military, judiciary, and the government
9. American Education and Translation Services, headquartered in Florida, offering translation and learning services.
10. Huntington Ingalls Industries Inc, headquartered in McLean, Virginia, is the largest military ship construction company in the US.

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Top 10 interview questions for Chinese Translators

Listing down the key questions to be asked while interviewing a Chinese Translator is a vital part of the recruitment process. To guide you in the activity, enlisted below are the top 10 interview questions and their expected answers for your guidance and reference,

1. Which translation engine or software have you used in translation?

Rationale: To understand the candidate has experience in leveraging the trending tools and technologies in the market for translation

Expected Answer: Ensure the candidate mentions any of the key tools like GoogleTranslate, iTranslate, Trip Lingo, Baidu Translate, etc.

2. What strategy do you adopt if you experience difficulty in translating a particular piece of work?

Rationale: To check the tenacity of the candidate to handle a crisis situation.

Expected Answer: If the candidate mentions summarizing the writing instead of detailed elaboration of the translation, then you can consider the answer as correct.

3. How do you prepare yourself for a translation session?

Rationale: The question will help you to judge the candidate’s seriousness in offering the translation services.

Expected Answer: The candidate must talk about understanding the purpose of the session, the background checks, participants of the session, discussion topics etc.

4. Here is short prose written in English. Can you please translate it into Chinese?

Rationale: This exercise will instantly help you to understand the expertise of the candidate.

Expected Answer: The candidate must fluently translate the prose without any ambiguities.

5. Mention your birthday in Chinese

Rationale: To judge the candidate is aware of the numerals in Chinese.

Expected Answer: Check the candidate’s fluency in the dates and numbers while verifying the credibility.

6. What are the best practices to be followed in translation?

Rationale: To verify the candidate’s efficiency in executing the translation services with accuracy.

Expected Answer: Ensure the candidate focuses on preparedness before the sessions, dedicated attention to the texts without distractions, avoid ambiguities, etc.

7. How can you write a time in Chinese?

Rationale: The question will assist you to check whether the candidate’s skill set is authentic and genuine on translation.

Expected Answer: The candidate must be able to spontaneously mention an example of time in Chinese and even write it down.

8. State your knowledge about the Chinese culture?

Rationale: Helps to judge whether the candidate is capable connect with Chinese culture or tradition.

Expected Answer: The candidate must be able to talk about the way of greetings, welcome, etc. that are followed in the Chinese speaking countries.

9. Are you aware of the statutory and legal compliances and rules followed in the Chinese speaking countries?

Rationale: To check the knowledge level of the candidate on legal formalities that need to be followed while translating contract or legal related documents

Expected Answer: The candidate must focus on Articles and clauses defined in the legal compliance requirements of Chinese speaking countries,

10. Can you briefly describe about yourself in Chinese?

Rationale: The question will help in understanding the expertise of the candidate in the Chinese language

Expected Answer: If the candidate is able to describe him or her appropriately without any ambiguities and without faltering, then you can consider the person for recruitment.