Those who work in languages – sign language interpretation, foreign language translation, teachers of foreign languages, or foreign language interpreters, for example – must have sharp memories, great concentration ability, and people skills to be successful in their jobs. The most successful will have qualities such as:

• 1. Ability and Willingness to Travel: Interpreting can take one around the world, and one must be willing and able to spend long periods of time away from home on an assignment.
• 2. Excellent Research Skills: Interpreters and translators should have excellent research skills and be able to look up words or concepts they are unfamiliar with to aid in their work.
• 3. Good Editing Skills: A translator must have excellent editing skills when performing written translation, as the finished product should be perfect.
• 4. Good Memory: Translators and interpreters must have excellent memories to be fluent in languages and other cultures. When working repeatedly with specific subjects, as well, it bodes well for one to be able to remember common phrases, facts, and other information.
• 5. Patience: Translation, interpreting, and other jobs involving foreign languages can be stressful and time consuming, and one must have high levels of patience to be successful in the industry.
• 6. Reading and Writing Skills: Those in the language industry must have excellent reading and writing skills, both in their native language as well as others they work with. Translators, especially, should have strong reading and writing skills in both languages.
• 7. Strong Interpersonal Skills: A successful interpreter works well with people and can develop strong rapport with those they are working with.
• 8. Superior Concentration Ability: Simultaneous interpretation requires the interpreter to concentrate intensely so as not to miss a single word. They must be able to both listen to the conversation and repeat it in another language at the same time.
• 9. Thorough Knowledge of Other Languages and Cultures: To work in languages, a successful interpreter or translator has an almost perfect command of at least one language other than their native tongue. They also are very knowledgeable about the culture of the people who speak the language.
• 10. Translation Skills: A successful interpreter or translator has excellent translation skills that go beyond simple word-for-word translation, but also capture the tone, mood, and intended meaning of conversations.