How interpreter-translators are assessed and hired in the market

In South Korea where there is no national accreditation system for translators and interpreters, it is left to the respective employers to devise and administer an assessment instrument for hiring translators and interpreters. While studies calling for reliable and valid testing and assessment in the field of Translation and Interpretation Studies have increased during the past decade, empirical research on how tests and assessments are carried out in the marketplace, especially outside of Europe and North America, remain scarce. This study closely examines how tests and assessments are carried out at hiring by tapping into questions of how tests are developed, by whom, and who rates the tests and on which criteria. Then, the soundness of the overall hiring process is evaluated based on the six qualities of Bachman and Palmer’s Test Usefulness Model; construct validity, reliability, authenticity, interactiveness, impact, and practicality.

The study found that (1) the hiring process involves three stages of assessment: document screening, interpreting and translation tests, and one-on-one interview; (2) the interpreting and translation tests are developed, administered and rated by a combined group of experts: professors of interpreting and translation studies; professional interpreters/translators; subject-matter experts at the institutions; (3) the overall usefulness of the tests based on Bachman and Palmer’s Test Usefulness Model is medium to high; and (4) the employers of interpreter-translators look for qualities beyond interpreting/translation skills upon hiring. The implications of the findings on professional translators and interpreters and educators are discussed, followed by suggestions for future research.