A Step-by-step Guide to Crafting a Translator Cover Letter (& Interpreter Cover Letter)

In an increasingly globalized world, the ability to communicate cross-culturally and across language barriers has never been more important. This has translated (pun intended) into a sharp rise in demand for professional translators and interpreters to grow the reach of business and media.

While translators and interpreters are often conflated with each other, they have several, distinct differences. A translator exclusively deals with the translation of written text, whereas an interpreter translates spoken word in real-time. While the fundamental translation of language is the same, the skill set required to accomplish translation and interpretation is slightly different. 

Having the cultural awareness and knowledge of career-specific terminology is highly challenging. Moreover, understanding the context of what someone is trying to say can be incredibly difficult. A good translator/interpreter should be able to parse through these obstacles and provide a clear, nuanced translation, and these skills should shine in your translator or interpreter cover letter when you are applying for any of these jobs.

That said, with the right skill set and a willingness to learn, you can certainly excel in a career in translation or interpretation! Landing a job in this field will require a strong cover letter when applying for an interpreter/translation job. 

This step-by-step guide to translator/interpreter cover letters is sure to put you on the right track to securing your dream job!

Here are some examples of translator/interpreter cover letters to give you an idea of how you can structure your own!

Cover letter for a translation job

Cover letter for an interpreter job

Cover letter for a translator with no experience

Now that you have seen practical examples of cover letters for translation and interpretation jobs, let’s break it down! This step-by-step guide will explain the key points to writing a cover letter for a translator/interpreter job.

Before jumping into your translator/interpreter cover letter, conduct extensive preliminary research. Understand the obligations of the position you are applying to, the necessary qualifications or certifications that the company may require, as well as the company and its mission. 

If you are a fresh graduate or are writing a translator cover letter with no experience yet, don’t worry! Replace experience with a burning willingness to learn and lean on existing skills (such as language qualifications, any unofficial experience, or other soft and hard skills) to make yourself as competitive as possible. 

You can be the most qualified person in the world to translate between French and English. However, you will never land a job requiring Spanish-Italian translation! Carefully read the requirements of the job before attempting to write your translator cover letter. 

In the same light, pay attention to the type of translation/interpretation you will be tasked with. For example, a translator for a technology company will require a different knowledge base and terminology than a medical or legal translator/interpreter. When crafting your translator cover letter, keep this point in mind and ensure that you are indeed qualified to apply. 

Cover letters follow the standard letterhead format – cover letters for translation jobs are no different. 

You should include your information as well as the information of the company/hiring manager you are addressing your letter to. Include your full name, position (if applicable), address, telephone number and email address, and the date. 

The information for the addressee should contain their name, position, and company address. 

Your translator cover letter, like any other, should present a more personalized introduction of yourself in a way that a CV or resume is unable to. 

In your opening salutation, take the time to personally address the letter to the hiring manager. This will make a good first impression as they read your translator cover letter because it shows your attention to detail. A good way to open your translator cover letter is:

Start your translator cover letter by showing your passion for the position you are applying to and relate it to your motivation for submitting your job application. 

Here is an example paragraph for a cover letter for a freelance translator to illustrate a strong opening:

This is the main content section of your translation cover letter. Keep in mind the following:

• Experience is GOLD when writing your translator cover letter. Include any relevant experience you have with translating/interpreting. Consider creating a portfolio with your past works to show your future employer your experience, but also your style. 
• Call back to your preliminary research before writing this section of your translator cover letter. Consider the field in which you will be working in (medicine, law, social media, etc.), and be sure to include any experience or qualification that will validate your terminological knowledge. If you have a lot of experience, consider listing them. 
• Back up your accomplishments with empirical data. In a freelance translator cover letter, for example, you should include your experience as a translator as well as the number of articles you were involved with and the amount of revenue generated from your articles. 
• When writing your translator cover letter, consider the skills that the company is looking for. Companies tend to include the qualities they are looking for in their job advertisements, so that’s a good place to start. 

Here is an example paragraph of a medical interpreter cover letter that factors in experience to form a powerful statement of qualifications:

Close off your translator cover letter by thanking the hiring manager for taking the time to evaluate your application and be sure to include a call to action (CTA). A call to action is a way to welcome future communication and a suggestion as to how the interview process could proceed. 

In a translator cover letter, for example, you could invite them for a face-to-face meeting to discuss the specific context and content of the work you will be translating. Similarly, in an interpreter cover letter, you could invite them to meet to discuss the obligations of the position and environment/field you will be working in.

End your translator cover letter as strong as you started. Complimentary closes are the best way to sign off on formal letters like cover letters. Here are a few good examples of ways to end your translator cover letter:

• Sincerely,
• Respectfully,
• Yours sincerely,
• Respectfully yours,
• Regards,

A thoughtful and intentional translator/interpreter cover letter is not easy to write, but it is a sure way to elevate your job application above others who did not take the time to write one!

Now that we have covered the sections that make an exceptional translator cover letter stand out, let’s dive into some easy tips that will take your translator cover letter to the next level!

💡 Emphasize your translation skills.

Employ powerful hard and soft skills in your translator cover letter to add credibility to your qualifications and show that your talents lie beyond technical knowledge and extend into a strong addition to the company and its team! Here are some hard and soft skills that you can use to spice up your translator cover letter:

💡 Showcase good language skills through your cover letter writing.

As a person applying to write (and translate) text professionally, you must display your writing skills at the highest level. Hiring managers will certainly pay extra attention to the writing in translator cover letters in particular, so ensure that yours is of the highest quality!

💡 Format your letter properly.

The layout of a translator's cover letter is equally as important as its content. Keep in mind the following layout before starting to write:

• Font: professional and elegant (eg. Times New Roman), 11 or 12 pt. size
• Color: Black
• Margins: 1-inch
• If possible, keep the content of your cover letter within one page 

💡 Link your knowledge to your skills and show a willingness to learn.

For translator’s cover letters without experience and cover letters for entry-level translation positions, direct attention to your linguistic knowledge, hard and soft skills, and show that you are an enthusiastic learner that is willing to learn on the job as quickly as possible. Support your professional knowledge by linking them to your skills.

💡 Focus on your niche.

Many who start a career in translation begin as freelancers. Freelance sourcing websites such as Upwork provide excellent platforms for freelance translators to gain experience and focus on a specific field. 

If you are writing a cover letter for a translator position on a platform like Upwork, find a field you would like to focus on! Niche areas can include: medicine, law, finance, and business, to name a few. Focusing on one or two of these sectors will ensure that you can target a specific client base with the assurance that you understand the associated terminology.

A memorable interpreter cover letter needs to provide the necessary information that will make you stand out against all other applicants. Here are some tips you can consider when writing your interpreter cover letter:

💡 Highlight your interpreting skills.

Interpretation, while similar to translation, requires several skills unique to the profession. Here are some hard and soft skills you can include in your interpreter cover letter:

💡 Place emphasis on relevant education/training qualifications.

No experience? No problem! Everyone starts somewhere. When writing an interpreter cover letter with no experience, detail the specific qualifications that make you a competitive applicant, regardless of your lack of experience. Relevant qualifications you can include in an interpreter cover letter with no experience include degrees, training certification, and informal work experience. 

💡 Build a portfolio.

The credibility of cover letters for freelance interpreters can be supported by a well-structured portfolio. A portfolio is a compilation of your past work and experiences. By attaching your prior work as part of your interpreter cover letter or CV, a hiring manager can see testimonials and other forms of proof of your interpreting experience, which will elevate your cover letter beyond your competitors’.

--- Originally written by Alexander Coye ---