Going institutional is often considered as the next step in a translator’s career, leading to better pay, more interesting translations and greater stability. It might not be easy to get your foot in the door but once it’s done, things are likely to turn out quite well for you. Let’s delve into the wonders of international organizations to discover what they are doing and how you can become a successful applicant.
The Fancy Definition
An international organization is defined as an organization established by an international treaty between sovereign states or national organizations. Their purpose is to coordinate actions on a particular subject imposed by their statutes at the global, continental or regional level.
There is a difference between:
Intergovernmental organizations (IGOs) that are limited in power by their member states within the framework of international treaties.
Non-governmental organizations (NGOs) which bring together private organizations from different countries. Their activities are independent of those of the states.
They carry out two missions:
1. Developing legal standards of international law to be adopted and enforced by each member state.
2. Providing technical assistance by sending experts on-site, making interventions in the event of disputes between states and conducting inspections to enforce compliance.
The most popular organizations are usually located in developed countries, either in Europe or in the United States. Geneva tends to be considered as THE diplomatic hub and is home to more than 200 international organizations, including the European headquarters of the United Nations (UN), the World Health Organization (WHO) and the World Trade Organization (WTO).
How to Come on Board?
There are two ways to work for international organizations as a translator.
First, you can pass their selective qualifying exam and work in-house. Although procedures differ depending on the organization you’re applying for, the exam usually consists in several translation exercises to submit within a time limit, often without using dictionaries or any other resources. These tests are very challenging and the average age of those that make it is generally higher than 35 years old. It may take several years to hone your skills but it definitely is worth your hard work so don’t give up and never forget that practice makes perfect.
As the name suggests, international organizations have tons of documents to translate from one language to another. That’s why they are always looking for (talented) translators. However, they often outsource some of their work to freelancers or translation companies. When tackling a big project, several independent translators can be called to the office to work together for one or several days. Whether you are a direct freelancer to the organizations or working with an agency, you’ll be submitted a remote test to check your translation abilities. In the end, you may not have the same benefits as an employee but you get to translate the same kinds of documents, which is the main reason why you’re interested in institutional translation, right?
Choosing your Path
Speaking of translation, let’s now move on to the different types of documents you will work on.
The texts can be more or less specialized and cover a wide range of topics. You might have to translate a judgment about the alleged violation of a certain treaty for the International Court of Justice (ICC), or a publication about managing climate risks for the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). Again, it all boils down to who you want to work with, even though many different fields of study can be covered in a single organization such as the OECD. In an institutional context, you may also have to translate a lot of parliamentary documentation that refers to the discussions, negotiations and voting during meetings.
There will be style guides, glossaries, conventions and you can access parallel corpora as well as databases just like in a corporate setting.
Translated documents for international organizations have to be flawless, meaning you must demonstrate excellent knowledge in your target language which will always be your mother tongue. The terminology and house style can be learned but you should apply there only if you have considerable proficiency and enough confidence in your writing abilities regarding the language you will be translating into.
The Key Abilities to Develop in a Highly Competitive Environment
Now that you’ve got a better understanding of the way international organizations work, let’s lay the groundwork for practical and personal improvements by discussing the different abilities you should pick up to maximize your chances to get in.
Blend in the environment and think of your translation as a cog in the wheel: Consistency is a key word here. You have to be consistent and reuse previous translations, especially for quotes and references. It might seem bothersome but it will actually make you save time in the long run, once you’ve stopped using the resources that are not time-efficient and got to know how to properly look for information. Also keep in mind that your work belongs to the organization and should be anonymous, free from any hints of personal writing style.
Adapt to every institution: If you’re working in-house, you will only have to adapt to a single institution. Otherwise, consider all the different style guides and comply with the given terminology. The more organizations you work for, the trickier it gets, so be sure to develop great organization skills. This includes adhering to everyone’s house style.
Show a sense of responsibility: Be aware of your obligations as mistranslations can have dramatic consequences which can lead to prosecution in extreme cases. You can be dealing with politically sensitive issues and be asked to submit an impartial, inclusive and respectful translation. If you have any doubts, talk to colleagues, refer to the style guide or ask your client.
Getting used to and enjoying working with modern translation technologies: If this is true when it comes to working in an international organization, it is also relevant for today’s translation environment in general. Since computer-assisted translation tools are ubiquitous and vital to productivity, get ready to master them and spend several hours facing your computer.
In a Nutshell
You now know (almost) everything about this particular aspect of professional translation. So what are you waiting for? The first step could be to find an internship in one of these international organizations. The Directorate-General for Translation at the European Commission, for instance, accepts interns every year and has ties with the TSM master’s degree at the University of Grenoble thanks to the EMT quality label.
Now take a shot and go for it!
Noé Garrigos
M1 TSM (2021-2022)
La Traduction de A à Z 