Professional Registration of Translators

We often ask ourselves if it’s important to be registered as a translator. I think it is. Belonging to an association that brings professionals of the same field together offers different benefits for all of us.

Professional registration is useful in marking a difference. Registered translators, regardless of the quality of their work, will have a significant advantage, since they can perform certifiable translations as long as their fees at the institution are paid in full. This is a very important aspect, since legalizing our translations grants them a sense of legitimacy, in the same realm that public documents give testimony to a specific situation.

In addition to legalizing them, the associations also allow us to share our experiences with colleagues and perhaps (why not?) develop our “political” inclinations. Maybe we are interested in doing something for ourselves and our colleagues, perhaps trying to change some aspect of the profession that many of us are unhappy about. In that case, we can officially approach the organization and have discussions, debates, and meetings centered around that issue. Let us not forget that taking part in a group that works for the benefit of our profession puts us in a good position.

Likewise, we can also benefit from the different opportunities that our association offers us, such as extra references in the library, discounts for courses, seminars and other types of qualification, among other things.

I recommend to all translators to register in an association. Having this opportunity opens many doors in the professional world, since by being part of an institution we are thus included in the database and there is always the chance that someone searching there will find us.