● Language Command: Interpreter needs excellent command of both English and another language. The most frequent languages in the SMSD are (in order of frequency) Spanish, Arabic, Mandarin, Amharic, Russian, Dari, Portuguese, French, Punjabi, Pashto and Swahili.
● Attention Skills: Interpreter needs a high level of concentration allowing them to listen and analyze the meaning of the message completely and accurately.
● Analytical Skills: Interpreter needs to explain the meaning of the message completely and accurately under time constraints.
● Memory Skills: Interpreter needs to retain messages long enough to render it completely and accurately in the target language.
● Cultural Awareness: Interpreters should understand and deliver the message accurately and completely, including its cultural references and concepts.
● Clear and Audible Speech: Interpreter needs a command of language that is heard and understood by all participants with little effort at all times.
● Demeanor Appropriate to Setting: Interpreter maintains a professional demeanor that includes the ability to convey emotional content without mimicking the speaker.
● Adaptability: The interpreter needs the stamina and ability to cope with stress in order to interpret in a variety of settings. The interpreter needs to remain calm and neutral in potentially stressful and sometimes difficult conversations.
