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Braden
Student
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Question
Updated
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What is the best path towards a career in translation? #25
I am currently a freshman in college and my major will be Asian studies and Translation. What steps do I need to take to live and work in Japan translating books, working at the US Embassy, or at the Air Force base after college?
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2 answers
Albina Temisheva
Career Strategist dtmymonday.com
7
Answers
Florence, Tuscany, Italy
Updated
Albina’s Answer
Hi.
Your major choice is pretty smart - Asian studies and translation really do open doors to Japan. Let's break down how to build a path toward each of your goals.
What to do right now (applies to all directions):
You need to study Japanese outside the classroom. I think university courses alone won't be enough - dive into Japanese news, podcasts, manga. Apply for the Gilman Scholarship to study in Japan - it's a real chance to get funding. Summer intensives through CIEE or IES Abroad are also worth considering.
Start translating something simple right now - even short articles or news pieces. Keep a blog about this process - it'll become your portfolio. Join student organizations focused on international relations, look for Japanese companies in the US for internships.
Book translation: this is the most creative but also most unpredictable path. I think it's worth understanding the financial realities - beginning translators earn about $0.05-0.15 per word. Join online translation communities, attend American Literary Translators Association conferences.
Consider additional specialization - literature, creative writing, or some technical field. Many successful translators have expertise in specific genres or knowledge areas.
Embassy work: FSO (Foreign Service Officer) is the obvious path, but not the only one. I suspect positions like Cultural Affairs Assistant or USAID work might be less competitive, though I don't have exact statistics. It's worth studying international relations, economics, or political science as additional subjects.
Look for internships with international organizations while still in college. Government positions usually require 1-2 years of experience even for "entry-level" roles.
Military bases: There are both government positions through Air Force Civilian Service and work through private contractors. I think it's worth developing skills in intelligence analysis, logistics, or technical writing. The military values candidates who can obtain security clearance - so it's important to maintain a clean record.
Alternatives many people don't think about: JET Programme - a direct ticket to Japan after college for teaching English. International NGOs like Japan Foundation or Asia Society. Japanese corporations with American offices.
Practical steps right now: apply for the Gilman Scholarship, start translating and blogging about it, join student international organizations, look for Japanese companies for internships.
Remember: the translation market is changing because of AI, but I think demand for high-quality cultural and literary translation is only growing. Position yourself in the premium segment through deep cultural understanding and specialized knowledge.
The main thing - don't wait until graduation to start building experience. The translation industry values real experience more than diplomas.
And as a career consultant, I would like to say the following :).
Here's something most career advisors won't tell you: stop thinking about these as three separate paths.
The most successful people I've observed in international careers didn't follow linear trajectories. They created hybrid paths that made them irreplaceable. For example, someone who starts as a freelance translator, builds relationships with embassy cultural officers, then moves into government work with both linguistic skills AND insider knowledge of how cultural exchange actually works.
Your real competitive advantage isn't just knowing Japanese - it's understanding how to bridge two very different ways of thinking. Americans and Japanese don't just speak different languages; they organize information, make decisions, and build relationships completely differently.
Here's what I'd do if I were you:
Spend less time worrying about which door to walk through, and more time becoming the person all three doors want to let in. The embassy needs someone who can explain American policy in a way that makes sense to Japanese minds. Publishers need someone who can make Japanese literature feel natural to American readers. Military operations need someone who can predict how Japanese partners will actually respond, not just what they'll politely say.
Most students collect credentials. Smart students collect stories - experiences that prove they can solve real problems in real situations. Your goal isn't to check boxes on a job application. It's to become someone who understands something important that other people don't.
And honestly? The path that seems most impossible right now might be the one that becomes most valuable. Literary translation sounds romantic but impractical - until you realize that Netflix is spending billions on international content and needs people who can adapt stories across cultures, not just translate words.
Think bigger than job titles. Think about what kind of problem-solver you want to become!
Your major choice is pretty smart - Asian studies and translation really do open doors to Japan. Let's break down how to build a path toward each of your goals.
What to do right now (applies to all directions):
You need to study Japanese outside the classroom. I think university courses alone won't be enough - dive into Japanese news, podcasts, manga. Apply for the Gilman Scholarship to study in Japan - it's a real chance to get funding. Summer intensives through CIEE or IES Abroad are also worth considering.
Start translating something simple right now - even short articles or news pieces. Keep a blog about this process - it'll become your portfolio. Join student organizations focused on international relations, look for Japanese companies in the US for internships.
Book translation: this is the most creative but also most unpredictable path. I think it's worth understanding the financial realities - beginning translators earn about $0.05-0.15 per word. Join online translation communities, attend American Literary Translators Association conferences.
Consider additional specialization - literature, creative writing, or some technical field. Many successful translators have expertise in specific genres or knowledge areas.
Embassy work: FSO (Foreign Service Officer) is the obvious path, but not the only one. I suspect positions like Cultural Affairs Assistant or USAID work might be less competitive, though I don't have exact statistics. It's worth studying international relations, economics, or political science as additional subjects.
Look for internships with international organizations while still in college. Government positions usually require 1-2 years of experience even for "entry-level" roles.
Military bases: There are both government positions through Air Force Civilian Service and work through private contractors. I think it's worth developing skills in intelligence analysis, logistics, or technical writing. The military values candidates who can obtain security clearance - so it's important to maintain a clean record.
Alternatives many people don't think about: JET Programme - a direct ticket to Japan after college for teaching English. International NGOs like Japan Foundation or Asia Society. Japanese corporations with American offices.
Practical steps right now: apply for the Gilman Scholarship, start translating and blogging about it, join student international organizations, look for Japanese companies for internships.
Remember: the translation market is changing because of AI, but I think demand for high-quality cultural and literary translation is only growing. Position yourself in the premium segment through deep cultural understanding and specialized knowledge.
The main thing - don't wait until graduation to start building experience. The translation industry values real experience more than diplomas.
And as a career consultant, I would like to say the following :).
Here's something most career advisors won't tell you: stop thinking about these as three separate paths.
The most successful people I've observed in international careers didn't follow linear trajectories. They created hybrid paths that made them irreplaceable. For example, someone who starts as a freelance translator, builds relationships with embassy cultural officers, then moves into government work with both linguistic skills AND insider knowledge of how cultural exchange actually works.
Your real competitive advantage isn't just knowing Japanese - it's understanding how to bridge two very different ways of thinking. Americans and Japanese don't just speak different languages; they organize information, make decisions, and build relationships completely differently.
Here's what I'd do if I were you:
Spend less time worrying about which door to walk through, and more time becoming the person all three doors want to let in. The embassy needs someone who can explain American policy in a way that makes sense to Japanese minds. Publishers need someone who can make Japanese literature feel natural to American readers. Military operations need someone who can predict how Japanese partners will actually respond, not just what they'll politely say.
Most students collect credentials. Smart students collect stories - experiences that prove they can solve real problems in real situations. Your goal isn't to check boxes on a job application. It's to become someone who understands something important that other people don't.
And honestly? The path that seems most impossible right now might be the one that becomes most valuable. Literary translation sounds romantic but impractical - until you realize that Netflix is spending billions on international content and needs people who can adapt stories across cultures, not just translate words.
Think bigger than job titles. Think about what kind of problem-solver you want to become!
Hassan Al
Product Management Professional
436
Answers
Austin, Texas
Updated
Hassan’s Answer
There are many options to explore but I'd keep in mind that AI will become really good at translating even in real-time but it will lack the human intuition and empathy to understand non-verbal cues. So, I suspect the number of translator jobs will decrease due to technology advances.
However, there will be positions like https://careers.state.gov/career-paths/foreign-service/officer/fso-test-information-and-selection-process/ and https://www.airforce.com/careers/intelligence/cryptologic-language-analyst that build on great language skills. Keep in mind the US government continues to reduce personnel and this will unlikely change for the next ~4 years. So you should hedge your bets and explore private sector alternatives.
However, there will be positions like https://careers.state.gov/career-paths/foreign-service/officer/fso-test-information-and-selection-process/ and https://www.airforce.com/careers/intelligence/cryptologic-language-analyst that build on great language skills. Keep in mind the US government continues to reduce personnel and this will unlikely change for the next ~4 years. So you should hedge your bets and explore private sector alternatives.