Interpreters are an important piece of the puzzle. When considering hiring a company make sure you consider the purpose. Don’t hire an interpreter to simply check off a diversity box somewhere. Instead, intentionally hire a company that values the experiences, the creativity, and the contributions that Deaf people bring to the table. As an individual who was exposed to Deaf people at an early age, I have always benefited from their involvement in my life. For example, I never took an American Sign Language (ASL) class. I learned from native users, Deaf people. By the way, I am not recommending you learn ASL that way. There is nothing wrong with learning in a structured class setting. Just make sure the teacher is Deaf if you can. Back to my point, ensure that the company truly values and understands the needs of Deaf people. This is important and it can be seen in how they schedule, who they schedule and in how their interpreters do their job. Many companies that are winning bids and staffing ASL interpreting jobs are primarily spoken language companies. Many do not have a clue about the Deaf space. There is nothing wrong with spoken language companies; however, the question I have is do these companies understand the differences between spoken languages and sign language? The following are two basic questions you can ask when considering hiring a company to provide expert ASL interpreting services:
1. Are your interpreters certified by the Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf (RID)? The website is www.RID.org
2. Have your interpreters undergone a skills assessment screening executed by your company regardless of certification or not? In other words, do the owners of these companies even know the skill level of their interpreters?
These two simple questions will allow you to find out if the company you are considering to hire is the right company for you. With question number one, “Are you interpreters certified by the RID?” This is a good question because it opens up the dialogue as to if the company understands that in the ASL interpreting profession there is an organization that evaluates and certifies qualified interpreters. This is the same with Lawyers who have to take and pass the bar, accountants who sit for the CPA exam, and even doctors have ethics board and a certifying body. These professional organizations usually require continuing education units (CEUs) and host annual conferences to share most current, best-practices in the field. RID allows our profession to have oversight and quality assurance. I am not suggesting that every interpreter must be certified. I actually do not agree with that line of thinking. Some professionals believe that. I simply do not agree. Some interpreters may be MORE qualified for certain jobs than a certified interpreter. That leads me to question number two, “Have your interpreters undergone a skills assessment screening executed by your company regardless of certification?” Again, this question allows you to open up a dialogue with the agency you will potentially hire. Here, you are to find out how they value the skills of their interpreters? Are they aware of their interpreters’ abilities? How can you staff a job without knowing if your interpreter is skilled enough to handle a particular job?
Since interpreters are an important thread within the fabric of your organization (even if you hire them on a contractual basis—and not as an employee), it behooves you to do so with the same level of care that you would take when hiring an employee. Do your research. Ask some questions and make sure that company understands the value that Deaf people can bring to an organization if given the chance to participate holistically. I cannot speak for other companies, but MALDON certainly does care and is intentional when scheduling interpreters. In fact, MALDON makes sure that the process is easy and seamless. Click HERE to begin the process of scheduling your QUALIFIED/CERTIFIED interpreter today.
Writer Info:
Shawn Maldon, M.Ed., NIC
As the founder of Maldon Language Interpreters, LLC (MALDON), Shawn is proud to have built a reputable company in the Washington, DC Metropolitan area. MALDON has been in business for over a decade providing quality ASL interpreters for every occasion. Check them out online at www.MaldonInterpreting.com
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