The demands of today's market require that competent professional translators specialize in specific fields of knowledge to render accurate translations. Just as it is not a good idea to hire a technical writer to write a legal contract, one would not use a technical translator to attempt a literary translation. Both activities have to do with translation, but they involve a completely different skill set.
Some of the fields of specializations for translators are:
Health Care Industry
Medical translation services are vital to providing quality care to foreign language speakers. Hospitals, emergency rooms, doctor's offices, public health organizations and nurses' stations utilize Spanish to English translators to help make the check-in process easier, as well as obtain accurate patient information for patient records. Medical translation services assist in the translation of medical records, consent forms, insurance claims and medical histories. Research labs also use language translators to assist in translation of clinical trials and research, as well as patents and licensing. Medical equipment manufacturers often require the use of Spanish translators to write manuals and instructions in the appropriate language for Spanish language users who will be using the equipment. Catalogs that contain descriptions of the equipment also require careful translations so that customers can read and understand.
Law
Law firms rely on accurate translations to help them with every aspect of their work with non-English speaking clients and countries. A good legal translation will take the English-based version of documents such as discovery papers, mergers and acquisitions materials, patents and trademarks, summons, immigration paperwork and wills, and translate them accurately into/from the foreign language. Many other people need certified translations to submit their paperwork for legal or immigration purposes.
Finance
Banks and insurance companies use translators to translate documents routinely for clients as well as to communicate with partners and associates in foreign countries. Financial institutions often require professional translators to work on business reports, research, minutes, agreements, financial statements, contracts, public offerings, policies and claims, proposals, and litigation, translating documents from English to foreign languages.
Business
The business community also needs the services of professional translators. Good translators are sought after by public relations departments for translating marketing documents, advertising and catalogs into foreign-language versions for their customers. Our clients also provide foreign language speaker with the documentation in their own language as investment information. Businesses also use interpreters who work on the telephone, translating customer messages into the appropriate language for the company. Other business applications include the translating of web pages. Because of the global reach of Internet websites, it makes sense to ensure that your web pages can be read by those who speak the target language.
The craft of the language translator is as specialized and demanding as in many fields of knowledge. Be aware that when you need to translate important documentation into/from a foreign language, you seek the services of a professional language translator who will be trained to offer a well written and accurate rendition of your original text. Don't look for just a bilingual colleague; look for professional translators that are native speakers, trained as translators, experiences (more than 2 years) and with a high degree of specialization in their fields of knowledge.