Table 1Transition record

translatortosign language interpreter

A translator already meets 54% of what the sign language interpreter role asks for. The move turns on 6 required skills not yet in the profile.

From translator

54%

Overlap1

To sign language interpreter

16 Skills carried over

6 Required, not held

45.9 Difficulty2

adjacent 0–30

moderate 30–55

substantial 55–75

career change 75–100

this move, 45.9

This move: 45.9 of 100 · moderate

1 Share of the sign language interpreter role’s weighted skill requirement already met by the translator profile. Required skills count in full, supplementary skills at 0.35. Directional: the figure for the reverse move differs. 2 Combines what is missing with how specialised it is, so a gap of general skills scores easier than the same number of narrow ones.

Table 2

Table 2 · What you already bring

Of the 16 skills that carry over, these are the ones fewest other occupations ask for. A sign language interpreter role needs them, and most people applying for one will not have them already. This is the part of a translator background worth leading with.

Skill the target role also needs Area

already held translate spoken language communication, collaboration and creativity
already held translate texts communication, collaboration and creativity
already held analyse text before translation communication, collaboration and creativity
already held court interpreting arts and humanities
already held preserve original text communication, collaboration and creativity
already held semantics arts and humanities

All 16 carried skills, including the 8 the sign language interpreter role treats as required.

Table 3

Table 3 · What you would need to learn

The 15 missing skills fall into 5 areas of the ESCO skill hierarchy, numbered below in the order worth working in: the areas carrying the most required skills come first, and inside each one the required skills sit above the supplementary ones.

Skill to acquire Tier

01 arts and humanities 2 required, 4 supplementary

required, not held communication related to hearing impairment required
required, not held sign language required

optional, not held fingerspelling optional
optional, not held lipspeaking optional
optional, not held voice interpreting optional
optional, not held body language optional

02 communication, collaboration and creativity 2 required, 4 supplementary

required, not held show intercultural awareness required
required, not held translate spoken language simultaneously required

optional, not held interpret languages in conferences optional
optional, not held communicate using non-verbal language optional
optional, not held interpret spoken language between two parties optional
optional, not held translate spoken language consecutively optional

03 health and welfare 1 required

required, not held hearing disability required

04 information and communication technologies (icts) 1 required

required, not held screen reader required

05 assisting and caring 1 supplementary

optional, not held support people with hearing impairment optional

Table 4

Table 4 · Where to start

The 3 entries a sign language interpreter role is least likely to hire without. The ordering is computed from the skill data, not from what pays.

Each entry opens a course search for that skill. Career Overlap earns nothing from these links.

Appendix

Appendix · The rest of the record

All 16 skills that carry over

Skill Type

already held grammar knowledge
already held linguistics knowledge
already held preserve original text skill
already held semantics knowledge
already held speak different languages skill
already held translate language concepts skill
already held translate spoken language skill
already held translate texts skill
already held analyse text before translation skill
already held conduct scholarly research skill
already held consult information sources skill
already held court interpreting knowledge
already held scientific research methodology knowledge
already held use word processing software skill
already held write research proposals skill
already held write scientific publications skill

9 supplementary skills, helpful but not required

Skill to acquire Tier

optional, not held fingerspelling optional
optional, not held interpret languages in conferences optional
optional, not held lipspeaking optional
optional, not held voice interpreting optional
optional, not held body language optional
optional, not held communicate using non-verbal language optional
optional, not held interpret spoken language between two parties optional
optional, not held support people with hearing impairment optional
optional, not held translate spoken language consecutively optional

44 held skills the sign language interpreter role does not ask for

Skill Type

not needed by the target role adapt text culturally skill
not needed by the target role apply grammar and spelling rules skill
not needed by the target role coach employees skill
not needed by the target role comprehend the material to be translated skill
not needed by the target role create subtitles skill
not needed by the target role decode handwritten texts skill
not needed by the target role develop a translation strategy skill
not needed by the target role develop technical glossaries skill
not needed by the target role develop terminology databases skill
not needed by the target role follow an ethical code of conduct for translation activities skill
not needed by the target role follow translation quality standards skill
not needed by the target role follow work schedule skill
not needed by the target role identify new words skill
not needed by the target role improve translated texts skill
not needed by the target role information confidentiality knowledge
not needed by the target role keep up with language evolution skill
not needed by the target role literature knowledge
not needed by the target role maintain updated professional knowledge skill
not needed by the target role make abstracts skill
not needed by the target role make surtitles skill
not needed by the target role master language rules skill
not needed by the target role observe confidentiality skill
not needed by the target role office software knowledge
not needed by the target role perform project management skill
not needed by the target role perform sworn translations skill
not needed by the target role postediting knowledge
not needed by the target role proofread text skill
not needed by the target role provide written content skill
not needed by the target role review translation works skill
not needed by the target role revise translation works skill
not needed by the target role spelling knowledge
not needed by the target role technical terminology knowledge
not needed by the target role transcreation knowledge
not needed by the target role translate different types of texts skill
not needed by the target role translate tags skill
not needed by the target role type texts from audio sources skill
not needed by the target role types of literature genres knowledge
not needed by the target role unseen translation knowledge
not needed by the target role update language skills skill
not needed by the target role use computer-aided translation skill

4 further entries not listed here

8 gaps that are knowledge rather than practice

Knowledge gaps usually close through study. Practical skill gaps usually need something you can point at.

Skill to acquire Tier

required, not held communication related to hearing impairment required
required, not held hearing disability required
required, not held screen reader required
required, not held sign language required
optional, not held fingerspelling optional
optional, not held lipspeaking optional
optional, not held voice interpreting optional
optional, not held body language optional

Index

Other moves recorded from translator

Full index of moves from translator

Note

How this record was compiled

Both occupations are taken from ESCO, which lists the skills and knowledge each occupation is expected to have and marks every one required or optional. Nothing here is a prediction about hiring, and nothing here knows that a particular employer wants a particular certificate. Treat Table 3 as a starting point for your own research rather than a syllabus. The full method states what these figures can and cannot tell you.