Conference Interpreter (AIIC, Gov of Canada Accredited) I Trainer | Organizer | Speaker | English, French, Chinese
When I first graduated from the #Glendon MCI, AIIC membership seemed like a noble but distant aim. Like an amateur figure skater at a local club watching Moir and Virtue win Olympic gold. Now that I crossed to the other side, I realize that the undertaking doesn’t have to be as formidable as I made it out to be. Just like any self-respecting process, there are several steps to becoming a member, and it's manageable once broken down. The most daunting aspect for me (and so I hear, many others) was the sponsorship requirement. We don’t have control over it, it felt awkward to ask, and the process seemed shrouded in mystery. Below are 8 steps I followed to ask sponsors to vouch for me. Not knowing exactly what to do at the time, I relied on what I learned from business school, and basic principles of respect and honesty. Gaining knowledge in myself and the organization grounded me. And it worked. In summary, don't take sponsors for granted, but also don’t put them on a pedestal. Remember to not take anything personal. There could be a multitude of reasons and dynamics behind someone’s decision to sponsor you or not, and not one member represents the organization as a whole. To me, joining AIIC was both a gift and a responsibility. I benefitted from the legitimacy of the brand, but also accepted carrying forward our shared values. I became part of something bigger than myself: a community of like-minded colleagues who volunteer their time and energy to defend our common interests. Hope this helps some of you who are considering applying to AIIC, or really any association or job. If you are a sponsor, please add what I might have missed. This is a thought starter. ***Disclaimer: this is not an official AIIC post. I am sharing my own experience as someone who recently navigated the process and became a member. This post only focuses on the sponsorship aspect, not the entire application process. If there is interest, there can be a part two.***
Thank you for helping others become members Sian!
Great explanation. Thank you for writing this piece.
Thank you, Sian Gu, MCI for your interesting and informative piece of outreach. Having AIIC - The International Association of Conference Interpreters membership broken down into easy-to-follow steps to get sponsors and signatures is an awesome idea! And it is also breat that you chose to be a member of AIIC. Well done!
Very interesting and useful post, thank you
Really great tips and mindset Sian. It isn't as hard as people think it is once you are able to work with other members. I'm so glad you made it, and are making it easier for others to do so!
Great advise! Sian Gu, MCI Thank you for sharing. I attended the AIIC BE Student Outreach event on Saturday and all experiences and suggestions were enlightening. Naturally, the AIIC - The International Association of Conference Interpreters community has always been welcoming and encouraging. Congratulations. 👏🏽
Thank you for sharing the insights of joining AIIC and for contributing to the interpreter community, and congrats again on becoming an AIIC member!
Brilliant! Thank you for sharing publicly your experience on why and how to become an AIIC member.
Congratulations and welcome onboard, dear Sian.
Traductrice, interprète (also for RSI), voix, correctrice FR & EN, coach de rhétorique, prof. de FR, DE, EN
6moWell done Sian Gu! Criteria, expectations and regulations have changed quite a bit since the time when I took the steps to become a member. Hence, that is my only (small) fear, aware - as most of us « over 55 y » - of the huge grey/black market out there. Let us please keep the admission criteria at a « good level », also checking the schools at which applicants got their (translator and interpreter) trainings and diplomas, as well as the quantity of language pairs. Why this? Younger generations frequently work in and out of other languages than those they passed their exams in, a fact often due to the demands of (mostly badly or not informed) clients looking for rapidly available « communication helpers » at little cost, satisfied (but not able to really judge) with what they hear/heard🤷.