This guidance document is a supplement to the Medical Summary Report Interview Guide and Template. It provides important considerations when working with individuals who are Deaf and hard of hearing. It includes helpful information about hearing loss, Deaf culture, and important accommodations. Finally, it includes sample questions that may be helpful in your interview.
You have an interview coming up for a job as an American Sign Language (ASL) interpreter. Congratulations! Being an interpreter is a very rewarding job that lets the hearing and deaf communities talk to each other and feel like they belong.
Now comes the hard part: getting ready for those tough interview questions that employers love to ask. Do not worry! I will go over the 10 most common ASL interpreter interview questions in this detailed guide. I will also give you sample answers and insider tips to help you ace your next interview.
1. Why do you want to be an ASL interpreter?
This question is meant to find out how passionate and driven you are about this difficult but rewarding career path. When you answer, stress how much you care about ASL, how you are connected to the Deaf community, and how you want to improve communication and equality.
Sample Answer I’ve had a passion for sign language and Deaf culture since I took my first ASL class in college. What started as a fascination grew into a calling as I realized the immense fulfillment I get from bridging the communication gap between the Deaf and hearing worlds. As an interpreter I want to foster inclusion, understanding and equality through access to communication.
2. What makes you a strong candidate for this position?
With this question, interviewers want to understand why you’re qualified and what unique strengths you’ll bring to the role Focus your answer on your ASL skills, interpreting experience, professionalism, and knowledge of Deaf culture.
Sample Answer I believe my native-level fluency in ASL combined with over 5 years of professional interpreting experience make me a strong candidate. Whether it’s medical, legal or educational settings I have the skills and training to interpret complex subject matter accurately. More so I actively participate in the Deaf community, which allows me to stay up-to-date with cultural nuances that influence interpretation. My dedication, empathy and integrity as an ally further equip me for this role.
3. How would you handle a high-pressure interpreting assignment?
ASL interpreters often work in high-stakes environments ranging from emergency rooms to courtrooms. This question tests your ability to think on your feet and maintain composure under pressure. Emphasize preparation, professionalism, and self-care strategies.
Sample Answer: I would approach a high-pressure assignment by ensuring rigorous preparation – researching keywords, anticipating challenges, and partnering with stakeholders. During the assignment, I would lean on my training and prior experience in managing stress effectively while maintaining complete focus. Most importantly, I would collaborate with the deaf consumer to facilitate seamless communication and mutual understanding despite the urgency. Afterwards, I would practice self-care to process the emotions and stress.
4. How do you maintain professionalism and ethical boundaries with consumers?
Interpreting requires an immense amount of trust and responsibility. Interviewers want to know that you understand and uphold the ethical code of confidentiality, impartiality and respect for consumers’ autonomy. Share examples of maintaining boundaries.
Sample Answer: Upholding ethical standards is paramount to me. I maintain trust by never disclosing private details and keeping all assignments strictly confidential. Impartiality and transparency are also crucial – I avoid dual relationships and acknowledge any potential conflicts openly. Above all, respecting the deaf consumers’ independence and privacy is my utmost priority. I ensure they can express themselves freely without any influence from my end.
5. What’s your self-care routine to prevent burnout?
This fast-paced, emotionally and mentally draining profession often leads to interpreter burnout. That’s why interviewers want to know that you actively prioritize self-care. Share the specific self-care strategies you implement – from exercise to counseling sessions – that help you thrive in this demanding field.
Sample Answer: Self-care is vital for me as an interpreter, and I’m very proactive about it. I make sure to take regular breaks during assignments, exercise 3-4 times a week, and maintain a healthy diet. Journaling helps me decompress, while monthly massages alleviate physical strain. Even more important is having a strong support system – fellow interpreters who understand the unique challenges we face. I don’t hesitate to reach out to them or mental health professionals when needed.
6. How do you keep your interpreting skills sharp?
ASL and the interpreting profession is constantly evolving. It’s imperative that you demonstrate a commitment to lifelong learning and skill development. Outline the trainings, workshops, certifications and regular practice that keep your skills current.
Sample Answer: Continuing education is a top priority for me. I maintain my RID certification through regular CEUs and am also currently pursuing a Masters in Interpreting Studies to deepen my knowledge. Beyond formal education, I engage in daily practice, sign language groups, and Deaf events to refine my skills. As ASL evolves, I make it a point to stay updated through regular trainings on new signs, trends and technological advances. I’m also mentoring emerging interpreters to further strengthen my abilities.
7. How would you handle a complaint from a consumer/client?
No matter how skilled an interpreter is, conflicts and complaints may arise. Interviewers want to know that you can maintain composure and resolve issues diplomatically. Share your conflict management approach.
Sample Answer: I would listen carefully to understand the consumer’s concerns without getting defensive. Taking a collaborative problem-solving approach, I would apologize for their dissatisfaction and ask clarifying questions to unpack the issue. If it reveals a shortcoming in my skills, I would take accountability and work diligently to improve moving forward through more training and practice. Any feedback is an opportunity help me become an even more effective interpreter.
8. Where do you see yourself in 5 years?
This question gauges your career ambitions and trajectory in the interpreting profession. Show that you have clear goals and aspirations aligned with advancing in your role and taking on more responsibility.
Sample Answer: In 5 years, I see myself in a leadership position mentoring new interpreters and spearheading trainings. I hope to have my NIC certification by then and be deeply involved with community outreach and ASL advocacy. I plan to continue my education through a PhD program with the goal of conducting research and shaping best practices in the field. My aim is to not only hone my interpreting expertise but also pave the way for the next generation of interpreters.
9. How do you stay up-to-date with terminology/vocabulary in your specialization?
Subject matter expertise is crucial, especially in specialized fields like medicine, law or tech. Demonstrate how you master evolving terminology and jargon in your niche. Share specific examples.
Sample Answer: I invest significant time into understanding the nuances of legal terminology and vocabulary. I regularly review industry journals, publications and blogs to learn new terms and acronyms as laws and policies change. I also partner closely with deaf consumers and legal professionals who support me in brushing up on new concepts and lingo before assignments. Maintaining a broad vocabulary and continuing education is key in technical interpreting.
10. Do you have any questions for us?
This is your chance to demonstrate your engagement and interest in the role. Ask insightful questions that show your understanding of the position, workplace culture and interpreting profession.
Sample Questions:
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How are interpreters supported through mentoring and professional development opportunities here?
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Could you describe the diversity of assignments I would handle in this role?
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What qualities make an interpreter thrive in your organization?
With thoughtful preparation using these sample responses and strategic questions, you’ll be equipped to impress any ASL interpreting interview panel. Remember to back up your answers with specific examples and data points. Highlight your passion, ethics, abilities and growth mindset throughout. You’ve got this!
Preparing for an Interview
If requested by the applicant, use a qualified, licensed interpreter with mental health training/experience. People who are deaf or hard of hearing may not need to use American Sign Language (ASL) or another signed language. Instead, other accommodations like captioning may be sufficient. The applicant will likely know best what is needed. The interviewer shouldn’t be swayed too much by assumptions about the person’s residual hearing ability, how easy it is to get one type of accommodation over another, how convenient it is for scheduling, how much different options cost, etc.
When working with applicants who use sign languages and/or identify as part of Deaf culture, plan on having a few more meetings than you thought. Deaf culture centers around storytelling and information sharing; as such, conversations may take longer. Visual language processing and language facilitation through an interpreter also need more time. This is especially true if there are mental health and/or substance use issues that might make it hard to express oneself clearly.
As you look for historical or background information, keep in mind that hearing loss can cause trauma that starts early in life and lasts into adulthood if the person is victimized over and over again. There may be constant struggles in requesting interpreters, captions, or other forms of equal communication access. Additionally, if someone is the only Deaf person in their family, workplace, religious/community organization, friend group, etc. They miss out on a lot of information that hearing people passively take in through environmental sound capture, which makes the risk of being alone higher. Hearing loss can also occur suddenly due to illness or injury, and/or can also occur later in life. Culture can make it so that people who are part of the Deaf community don’t see their hearing loss as a disability. Other people, on the other hand, may feel differently and see the loss as a traumatic event.
People often mistake hearing loss, deaf speech patterns, signing, and the use of assistive technologies like hearing aids and/or cochlear implants as signs of lower ability. This can lead to lower expectations in school, lower wages, lower employment rates, and a lower quality of life. Hearing loss is often invisible, though, and this can be dangerous because of societal and cultural expectations of sound-based interactions. For example, police officers often give spoken commands that may not be heard or understood, leading to false accusations of not following the rules. A person with hearing loss may have trouble speaking or may not use their voice, which can make interaction trauma worse.
Early childhood lack of communication access/delay in language development may also impact functioning later in life. Deaf and hard of hearing children who don’t hear or see many spoken or signed languages may develop language delays or deprivation, which can affect their ability to speak and understand any language and their brain function throughout their lives. This makes it more likely that you will have physical or mental health problems or be a victim of theft, assault, sexual abuse, or other crimes. Over time, these repeated, long-lasting sources of trauma can make it very hard for the applicant to do their job.
For applicants who do use signed languages like American Sign Language (ASL), it is important to tell the difference between Deaf cultural norms and language expression and possible signs of substance abuse and/or mental health disorders. Some ASL grammar rules, like arched eyebrows, shifting shoulders and bodies, tongue movement, and nose twitching, may seem strange to someone who isn’t familiar with the language. Cultural norms include being late, saying goodbye for a long time, and talking to people in an honest, direct way. However, these behaviors may be mistaken for laziness or rudeness. Eye contact, fancy speech, and animated signing are also cultural norms, but to someone who doesn’t know them, they could be misunderstood as aggressive or scary behavior, agitation, or talking about unrelated things.
If the interviewer doesn’t speak ASL well, they should get help from a qualified, licensed interpreter with training or experience in mental health to help them figure out what is and isn’t appropriate cultural or linguistic expression. For instance, the interpreter might be able to tell the interviewer things like, “This client is missing proper pronoun usage and temporal references, which can be a sign of language dysfluency,” or “This client seems to be stringing random words together in a disorganized way, which is not typical for ASL users.” If you need to, you could also add a Certified Deaf Interpreter (CDI), whose native language skills could help the Hearing interpreter work with the Deaf applicant to make sure they have equal access to communication.
- When and how did you lose your hearing? When and where was your last hearing test? Do you think your hearing loss has changed since the last test?
- If you have residual hearing, describe the situations in which you can do your best (e.g. g. Some people might be able to handle a one-on-one conversation in a car pretty well, but they might have a hard time following a group conversation in a noisy restaurant. What ways of communicating work best for you if you don’t depend on residual hearing? g. , sign language, captions, writing notes, etc. )? .
- Do you use any devices, like hearing aids? (Don’t start with “Why don’t you use…” because it makes the focus on fixing applicants instead of recognizing how they get around systemic barriers that are made by the focus on speaking and listening.) ) Does your assistive technology work well for you? If not, what kinds of problems are you having with it? Do you use a caption phone or a videophone?
- How do you stay in touch with people and/or socialize with others? Hearing loss can make you feel alone if you can’t communicate in a meaningful way, and it can also have an effect on your mental health. ).
Asking for an Interpreter for a Job Interview (in ASL)
FAQ
What do they ask in an interpreter interview?
Why do you want to be an ASL interpreter?
Are You Ready to become a sign language interpreter?
If you are a novice signer or have just begun to take sign language classes, you are not ready to become an interpreter; not yet. Interpreting also involves more than just signing. An interpreter must accurately convey messages between two different languages. It is a skill that takes time to develop.
What questions do interviewers ask about interpreting?
Interviewers may also ask about your work history and the qualifications you have for becoming an interpreter. Some questions they might ask include: What is your experience interpreting for others? Do you have any certifications in interpreting or translating? Do you have experience in any particular style of interpretation or field of business?
What questions do you ask a person in ASL?
We ask for clarification. We might ask, “Did you mean…?” All languages have sentence structures from simple to complex. For example, ASL has Y/N and WH questions, command statements, rhetorical, if/when statements, etc. Use the features of the language that are available to you.
What does it mean to be an interpreter?
An interpreter with experience in handling various dialects demonstrates adaptability, cultural sensitivity, and a deeper understanding of the language. This question helps interviewers assess your ability to facilitate effective communication across various dialects and language variations.
