TIPS FOR PASSING INTERPRETING TESTS

Maritza shares her personal experiences and challenges during interpreting tests and provides information on the different formats and requirements that will help you be successful. 

Transcript

[00:00:00]  No matter how many tests you take, it's always the same. Nerves, doubts, fears, and sometimes tears. 

Welcome to Interpreters and Interrupters. I'm your host, Maritza.

Have you taken language assessments and interpreting tests? How did you prepare? How did you calm the nerves? I don't have good tips on calming nerves. I am always tense. I feel like I can't breathe and I get a major case of imposter syndrome that causes me to doubt my skills, and yet I score high in every test.

Since the beginning of the year, I've been taking interpreting tests. I've taken two language assessments, five employment tests, and one national certification test.

Most [00:01:00] certification tests include a written test. Written tests, usually test spelling, reading, comprehension and ethics. Certification tests are developed to include all of the skills used in an interpreting session. 

The tests include different types of speech, a variety of vocabulary, dialogue, units of different lengths, and idioms and phrases, in formal and conversational speech. 

For certification tests, make sure that you read the test instructions. You're going to need to know how much time will be allocated for each section, what you can and can't do during the test, and how many points can be achieved in each section. 

Knowing this information ahead of time will help you determine how well you're doing during the test.

I ran out of time in the certification test, but I knew that I still had one 10-point section to complete, and that if I had scored more than 430 points in the previous [00:02:00] sections, the final 10 points weren't going to matter since 430 points was the minimum passing score. 

The test may or may not be progressive. A progressive test does not start off at a low level of language and become progressively harder. Dialogue units are usually between 35 and 50 words.

When you apply for an interpreting job, you will definitely get tested. 

My experience has been that when I apply for interpreting jobs, it starts off with a call from a recruiter. The recruiter will call me, we'll go over my qualifications, and they might even give me a test. Over the phone tests with a recruiter are usually vocabulary. Ten words in the target language and 10 words in English.

After the phone interview, I'll get invited to an in-person interview. If I have a successful in-person interview, then I'll get scheduled for another [00:03:00] test.

The test will either be over the phone with live evaluators, or it could be a prerecorded test. Prerecorded tests include conversations between an English speaker and a limited English speaker known as an LEP.   

Or I may be tested after an in-person interview for a job. The testers will be interpreters that are currently working at that job. 

Personally, I feel that onsite tests are the most difficult because you just finished an interview and now you're going to be tested at the site with interpreters that may become your coworkers in the future, that just adds onto the stress. 

For most tests, you can take notes on paper during the test, but you are requested to start interpreting as soon as the evaluator stops speaking. While there are a number of words and phrases related to your profession. There are also general idioms and instances of slang that would occur in conversational [00:04:00] dialogue.

You will be expected to be able to adjust your register. That is, to be able to switch from more formal to less formal speech and vice versa. You are also scored in two categories, accuracy and fluidity. 

You're not allowed to use any electronic device like a tablet, computer, or smartphone to take notes or look for words. Usually, you can request two repetitions during the course of the test. To be successful, you must be practicing your interpreting skills or currently working as an interpreter.

When I say practicing, I'm referring to a daily practice of one to two hours of consecutive mode and reading vocabulary. And this has to take place three to six months before the test. Every day. Not one week or two weeks before the test. Not one month before the test. Three to six months of daily practice.[00:05:00] 

You may have excellent oral skills, but without practice, the test is going to be difficult for you and you will get discouraged if you don't pass. If you fail a certification test, I highly encourage you to retake it. I recommend that you take the Bridging the Gap course. If you're going to work as a medical interpreter, the course is 80 hours, it costs between 600 to $700, and at the end, You're tested on your knowledge of working as an interpreter in a medical setting, ethics, health insurance in the United States, cultural brokerage, being a conduit, and all the other things that you need to know as a medical interpreter.

Most candidates don't pass certification tests the first time around. If you don't pass, there's no shame. When you retake the test, you will be more confident because you have an idea of what the test is like. Certification opens doors for employment. It [00:06:00] happened to me. I sent my resume for interpreting jobs at local hospitals in February and again in May, none called.

Once I got the healthcare certification, I resent my resume for the third time, and all of the hospitals called to schedule an interview. I turned down one interview, got two offers, and I start working at one of the hospitals sometime this month. If you have any questions or want to share your testing experience, send me a fan mail. I'd love to hear from you. Don't forget to subscribe or download this episode.

Talk to you next time.

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