How to hire a certified court interpreter

How to hire a certified court interpreter, step by step

Here's a step-by-step certified court interpreter hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write a certified court interpreter job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new certified court interpreter
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you start hiring a certified court interpreter, identify what type of worker you actually need. Certain positions might call for a full-time employee, while others can be done by a part-time worker or contractor.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   You should also consider the ideal background you'd like them a certified court interpreter to have before you start to hire. For example, what industry or field would you like them to have experience in, what level of seniority or education does the job require, and how much it'll cost to hire a certified court interpreter that fits the bill.

   Here's a comparison of certified court interpreter salaries for various roles:

   Type of Certified Court Interpreter	Description	Hourly rate
   Certified Court Interpreter	Interpreters and translators convert information from one language into another language. Interpreters work in spoken or sign language; translators work in written language.	$12-34
   Arabic Linguist	Arabic linguists are experts who interpret and translate research or business documents that are written in the Arab language or its dialects. These linguists are required to advise peers and superiors about the Arabic language and culture while providing inputs of written reports developed from target materials utilizing the specific Arabic language... Show more	$13-32
   Freelance Translator	A freelance translator is an independent contractor specializing in translating audio or written materials into a particular language. They primarily communicate with clients to identify their needs and preferences, including project specifications such as deadlines and format... Show more	$12-34

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Ethics
   • Legal Terminology
   • Interpretation Services
   • Court Proceedings
   • Foreign Language
   • District Court
   • Medical Procedures
   • Translation Services
   • LEP
   • Sign Language
   • Court System
   • Sight Translation
   • Birth Certificates

   Responsibilities:

   • Coach and teach students to achieve grades at or beyond expect IEP goals.
   • Help to build collaboration with internal and international patients with medical staff, social organizations and insurance companies.
   • Create education and promotional materials relate to Latino health and wellness.

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your certified court interpreter job description is a great way to entice the best and brightest candidates. A certified court interpreter salary can vary based on several factors:

   • Location. For example, certified court interpreters' average salary in nevada is 56% less than in district of columbia.
   • Seniority. Entry-level certified court interpreters earn 64% less than senior-level certified court interpreters.
   • Certifications. A certified court interpreter with a few certifications under their belt will likely demand a higher salary.
   • Company. Working for a prestigious company or an exciting start-up can make a huge difference in a certified court interpreter's salary.

   Average certified court interpreter salary

   $44,244yearly

   $21.27 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level certified court interpreter salary

   $26,000 yearly salary

   Updated January 1, 2026

4. Writing a certified court interpreter job description

   A certified court interpreter job description should include a summary of the role, required skills, and a list of responsibilities. It's also good to include a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager. Below, you can find an example of a certified court interpreter job description:

   Certified court interpreter job description example

   Responsible for the provision of oral simultaneous, consecutive interpretation and sight translation throughout the medical center/designated location.
   Essential Responsibilities:
   
   + Performs on-site and over-the-phone interpretation for patients, families, Kaiser Permanente and non-Kaiser Permanente health care providers who prefer to speak in their primary languages, other than English.
   
   + Provides simple translation, under the supervision of Department Manager and/or Translator. Completes interpretation work requests as per protocol and provides accurate and timely documentation of work done. Participates as a member of the health care delivery team, exercising sensitivity and maintaining confidentiality of employee and patient information at all times.
   
   + Provides expert knowledge regarding the interplay of medical treatment and key aspects of culture. Participates in educational programs from medical center staff, members and prospective members. Performs as mentors for interns of partnering interpreter programs.
   
   + Supervisory Responsibilities: N/A
   
   + Consistently demonstrates the knowledge, skills, abilities, and behaviors necessary to provide superior and culturally sensitive service to each other.
   
   + Competencies: To perform the job successfully, an individual should demonstrate the following competencies:
   
   + Problem Solving - Identifies and resolves problems in a timely manner; gathers and analyzes information skillfully; develops alternative solutions.
   
   + Interpersonal Skills - Maintains confidentiality; treats co-workers, patients and facility visitors with respect.
   
   + Oral Communication - Listens and gets clarification to ensure that instructions and requests are fully understood and ensures that interpretations are accurate and understood.
   
   + Physical Demands: The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an incumbent to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
   
   + While performing the duties of this Job, the incumbent is regularly required to sit; stand; walk; use hands to finger, handle, or feel; reach with hands and arms and talk or hear. The incumbent is occasionally required to climb, balance, stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl. The incumbent may regularly lift and/or move up to 25 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, color vision, depth perception, and ability to adjust focus.
   
   + Work Environment: The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an incumbent encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. While performing the duties of this Job, the incumbent is regularly exposed to moving mechanical parts.Occasional exposure to inpatients and outpatients who may be experiencing a wide range of acute and chronic medical conditions. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.
   
   Grade 281
   
   Basic Qualifications:
   
   Experience
   
   + N/A
   
   Education
   
   + High School Graduate.
   
   + Candidates must have completed a health care interpreter certificate training program that (1) is administered by an accredited educational institution. OR (2) is recognized by the California Healthcare Interpreter Association (CHIA) and exceeds 200 contact hours.
   
   License, Certification, Registration
   
   + Health Care Interpreter Certification required.
   
   Additional Requirements:
   
   + Excellent oral command of English and a second language of service (Cantonese, Spanish, etc.).
   
   + Typing speed: 35 wpm.
   
   + Basic computer skills required, i.e., Microsoft Office.
   
   + Ability to demonstrate professionalism in a demanding, high stress and fast-paced environment.
   
   + Demonstrated understanding of cultural issues related to health care.
   
   + Must be sensitive and knowledgeable of the distinction between neutral interpreting and patient advocacy.
   
   + Must pass an oral and written competency exam.
   
   + Must be flexible and able to prioritize multiple tasks.
   
   + Must be able to work in a Labor/Management Partnership environment.
   
   + QBS Level II Spanish Required.
   
   Preferred Qualifications:
   
   + Previous experience as an Interpreter in a multi-specialty health care environment strongly preferred.
   
   + 2 years of college preferred.
   
   COMPANY: KAISER
   
   TITLE: Certified Healthcare Interpreter (Bilingual Spanish)
   
   LOCATION: Oakland, California
   
   REQNUMBER: 1104814
   
   External hires must pass a background check/drug screen. Qualified applicants with arrest and/or conviction records will be considered for employment in a manner consistent with Federal, state and local laws, including but not limited to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, protected veteran, or disability status.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   To find certified court interpreters for your business, try out a few different recruiting strategies:

   • Consider internal talent. One of the most important talent pools for any company is its current employees.
   • Ask for referrals. Reach out to friends, family members, and your current work to ask if they know any certified court interpreters they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit entry-level certified court interpreters with the right educational background.
   • Social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter have more than 3.5 billion users, and they're a great place for company branding and reaching potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your certified court interpreter job on Zippia to find and recruit certified court interpreter candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites such as problogger, media bistro, journalismjobs.com, content writing jobs.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   Recruiting certified court interpreters requires you to bring your A-game to the interview process. The first interview should introduce the company and the role to the candidate as much as they present their background experience and reasons for applying for the job. During later interviews, you can go into more detail about the technical details of the job and ask behavioral questions to gauge how they'd fit into your current company culture.

   It's also good to ask about candidates' unique skills and talents to see if they match your ideal candidate profile. If you think a candidate is good enough for the next step, you can move on to the technical interview.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new certified court interpreter

   Once you've selected the best certified court interpreter candidate for the job, it's time to write an offer letter. In addition to salary, this letter should include details about the benefits and perks you offer the candidate. Ensuring that your offer is competitive is essential, as qualified candidates may be considering other job opportunities. The candidate may wish to negotiate the terms of the offer, and you should be open to discussion. After you reach an agreement, the final step is formalizing the agreement with a contract.

   It's equally important to follow up with applicants who don't get the job with an email letting them know that the position has been filled.

   To prepare for the new employee's start date, you can create an onboarding schedule and complete any necessary paperwork, such as employee action forms and onboarding documents like I-9 forms, benefits enrollment, and federal and state tax forms. Human Resources should also ensure that a new employee file is created.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

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