Career / Experience

~ Career Summary ~
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o I am a reliable, goal-driven, adaptive linguist/translator/interpreter with over 18 years experience. I have excellent communication skills in my native Somali language, as well as English language. My guidelines are integrity and personal responsibility. I would like to work in an environment where I can utilize my skills and enhance them.

~ Professional Highlights ~
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o Certified Court Interpreter
Canadian Immigration Board, Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Sept. 88 to Nov. 1993

Interpreting in courts, immigration interviews and preliminary hearings.
o Interpreter/Translator
Freelance Translator/Interpreter, London, Ontario, Canada. Dec.1993 to July 1997.

As a freelance translator/interpreter I have had the opportunity to work with different government and private agencies. As a contract translator I also worked during that time with a company called Across Languages which is a non-profit agency. With them and under their training I acquired a lot of knowledge about cultural interpretation which was their theme.
o Translator
Freelance translator, Austin, Texas, USA. Sept. 1997 to Present

In the US and with the internet effect I had a better opportunity and a bigger market as a freelance translator. I accomplished a lot in a short period in enhancing my skills as a translator. Among others, I became the sole Somali translator for the U.S. bank.
o Interpreter, Linguist, Translator, Tester and Ambassador
Languageline Services (Ex AT&T Language Services), Pflugerville, Texas, USA. January 2004 to Present

In my capacity as an interpreter I gained a lot of experience dealing with a lot of situations all over the world. In a short time I gained the respect of my superiors and I was promoted to the position of tester, testing new interpreters. In my capacity as an ambassador I do presentations to customers and prospects about the services of our company which enhanced my communication skills.

~ Education ~
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o Somali National University, Bachelor, Education, September 1974
o Excelsior College, Bachelor, Social Science, Present

~ Additional Skills ~
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o Languages - Fluent in Somali, English and Arabic, Conversational French
o Computers - Basic computer skills.

~ Licenses ~
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o Certified Court Interpreter - Canadian Immigration Board, 1998
o Certified Court Interpreter - Ontario Attorney general, 1994
o Certified Court Interpreter – US Immigration Hearings
o Member – AATIA (Austin Area Translators and Interpreters), 2005