How important is a Translation Degree?

How important is a Translation Degree? As an aspiring or a successful translator, you might have always wondered how necessary it is to get a formal degree in translation. As an aspirant a degree might sound awfully vital for you to come forward. If you are already successful at translation you might still think whether you would have been even better with a formal degree. So, how important is a Degree in Translation? First of all you should consider the benefit of having a formal degree. Having had formal education will definitely help you learn more about the language you are studying. You will be more aware of the patterns in language that will surely help you when you are pursuing a career in the field. There are even some jobs that will accept people only if they have a formal degree but such jobs are not in plenty and are mostly restricted to Government work for which opportunities may be limited. There are even some agencies that may not take you in if you do not have a formal degree but again the numbers are limited. If you are a fresher, having a formal degree might work in favor if you are being weighed against others who are also new to the field. So, in such instances having a formal degree may work for you although it is not an absolute must. It is also of a general opinion that rather than having a formal degree it is much better to obtain a specialization in some particular field of your interest such as finance, IT, medical, pharmaceutical, etc that will help you get better at jobs in that particular field and aid in getting more job opportunities. This also helps in better marketing for yourself if you are a fresher looking out for jobs. Having said this, a formal degree is not always a gateway to getting jobs. Although experts feel that there is some added benefit to having a degree, it is experience and your skills that are important. They feel that you need to be able to adapt well and learn to execute your work efficiently. Finally, it is the way that you execute your work that is more important than having a degree.