I did not need special credentials to start

Does your major matter?

I studied a field unrelated to translation or interpreting and entered this work because I needed an income. An interpreting degree was not required in the entry-level postings I applied to.

A level that felt sufficient for the entrance test: the interpreting-company exams I took felt passable for someone at roughly TOEIC 800 or above.

The level needed to begin may be lower than you imagine. Do not rule yourself out simply because you are not at 900.

From Start Earning: How to Start as a Home Interpreter by Mocha Park

If medical and similar fields are unfamiliar, start with a company that trains you

My first company provided about three weeks of training and paid a base hourly rate during that period. As I remember it, the full program was about 90 hours. Being paid to study, rather than paying tuition, felt remarkable.

But not every company's training was paid.

Check whether a posting specifically says paid training, and ask separately whether orientation or onboarding after hiring is paid.

From Start Earning: How to Start as a Home Interpreter by Mocha Park

Why the order matters

① Training-provided company → paid training + several months of experience ② Move to another company → negotiate your rate at this point ③ Move again → negotiate again

Rather than aiming only for the highest rate from the beginning, I recommend moving through a company where you can learn → a company that recognizes your experience → a company where you can negotiate the terms. This is the route I took, and it gave me leverage.

From Start Earning: How to Start as a Home Interpreter by Mocha Park

What to do from today

• Search Google for [your language] interpreter and collect ten postings. In my case, the search was korean interpreter.
• Check each application for U.S. work-authorization requirements. If authorization is mandatory and you do not have it, exclude the role.
• Classify the remaining roles by whether they provide training.
• Update your LinkedIn profile and check it actively.

Information changes nothing by itself. Start by finding ten postings this week.

From Start Earning: How to Start as a Home Interpreter by Mocha Park