I) The audiovisual technician in charge of the SI equipment should come by the booth to explain the operation of the interpreter’s console to the interpreters. Be patient, as AV technicians are usually very busy at the beginning of events. Familiarize yourself with the operation of the console. If you do not feel confident about its operation, ask the AV technician to explain it to you again. It is the AV technician’s job to make you comfortable with your interpreting console. Some older consoles require you to press/toggle a button/switch when the language transmitted to the audience (the target language) changes, which happens when the source language has changed. A similar procedure may apply the moment one interpreter transfers the interpretation over to the other interpreter’s microphone.

II) The interpreters can determine their shifts between themselves, but usually, one interpreter hands the interpretation over to the other after a session of about 20-30 minutes. Do not monopolize the microphone. The quality of your interpreting tends to decline after longer periods of continuous work.

III) Audiovisual (AV) technicians should make a sound test before the beginning of your first morning session. If they forget, ask them to do so. Check the sound level of your headphones. If the volume seems too low, ask the technicians to increase the volume level in their sound console (mixer) until you get a perfectly clear sound in your headphones. You also have a volume control in your interpreting console but its level depends on the original level provided by the AV technicians’ console. Remember that if the volume is too low, you will tend to be distracted by the noise around you, whether in the booth or coming from the room. The volume must be loud enough to shut out any extraneous sound.

IV) Ask the AV technician if your SI sessions will be recorded, broadcast, or webcast, procedures subject to copyright fees. Clients sometimes neglect to inform AITnet coordinators regarding sessions that are scheduled to be recorded, broadcast, or webcast.

V) In multilingual events, it is technically possible to change the source language you receive in your headphones, if you feel more comfortable in a language other than the one spoken by your session’s speaker. You may receive your chosen source language relayed from another booth, instead of the language you feel less comfortable with, i.e., the one coming from the speaker’s microphone. If you do have such a preference, ask your on-site coordinator to request this change from the audiovisual technician. Please, be preemptive. Do not make such a request minutes before your session begins.

VI) If you are experiencing any type of sound problem in your headphones while interpreting, FIRST, immediately inform your audience about it (e.g.: “I’m afraid I cannot provide you with translation because I cannot hear the speaker’s voice.”), and SECOND, report these malfunctions to the audiovisual technician. Also, inform your AITnet coordinator as soon as you can.

VII) Inform your audience immediately about the reasons for any breaks in your interpretation, and why interpreting is not being delivered. Inform your AITnet coordinator about this as soon as possible.

VIII) Inform your audience immediately when you are having difficulty in following presenters who are speaking too fast for you. Some inexperienced presenters tend to speak too fast out of nervousness. If the problem persists, do not state the problem again; try to reduce the speaker’s presentation to the essential content or translate significant extracts of the presentation. Inform your AITnet coordinator about this as soon as possible.

IX) Microphones must be available for questions from your event's attendees during question & answer periods. Attendees often forget that they must ask their questions via a microphone or the interpreters in the booth will not hear them. Inform your listeners that you cannot translate the attendee’s question for this reason. Sometimes, when no microphone is available for questions, the speaker on stage will repeat the question just before answering it.

X) Presenters sometimes speak too far from their microphones. The AV technician should either move the microphone closer to the speaker’s mouth or increase the volume level of the pertinent microphone in the sound control console. Professional AV technicians always monitor and adjust the volume levels coming from the room’s microphones. Unprofessional AV technicians leave the room after completing their equipment setups.

XI) Do not allow attendees to obstruct your view of a speaker. Some people may stand up just in front of your booth's windows, blocking your view of a speaker. It is important to be able to see your speakers clearly because their gestures may add meaning to what they are saying. For obvious reasons, do not allow attendees to hide your view of presentations being projected onto screens. Your colleague in the booth can politely ask them to move elsewhere, or if you are alone, you may tap on the window to attract their attention.

XII) Do not speak too close your microphone’s head or it will capture your breathing sounds. Keep your mouth about four inches from its head. Do not place your microphone’s head in a straight line from your mouth, but rather slightly to the side to prevent your breathing from blowing on it.

XIII) Do not make any extraneous noises while your microphone is open. Microphones are sensitive enough to capture sounds of eating, breathing, coughing, etc. There’s a button on your interpreting console to mute your microphone if you need to cough. Do not make any private comments or jokes. Remember, some attendees may not like your jokes or comments; moreover, your session may be broadcast and/or webcast.

XIV) Once you have completed your turn of 20/30 minutes of interpreting, do not forget to switch the active microphone over to your colleague’s microphone position. Turn your colleague’s microphone on if he/she has forgotten to activate his/her microphone before starting his/her interpreting turn.

XV) Conferences are important social events. Please remember to dress accordingly.

XVI) If we had to summarize simultaneous interpreting techniques in only two points, these would be preparation and acting. As you know, you can prepare for your event by thoroughly studying the documentation provided, particularly the agenda or program of the event, and the presentations of your sessions. The second point is defined as acting because effective interpreters apply the same technique actors employ while performing their roles: they impersonate a character, and this technique makes simultaneous interpretation much easier than simply trying to mechanically translate words. This is why interpreters translate a speaker saying “I’m hungry!” by “J’ai faim!” and never by “Il a dit qu’il a faim.” This example illustrates the idea that you should try to behave and think like your speaker and even mimic him/her. For instance, when a speaker points at a presentation projected on a screen, the interpreter can also point there while translating. Try it: by mimicking the emotions, facial expressions, and body movements of your speaker, you’ll see that simultaneous interpretation is actually easier than you had thought at first.

XVII) Share your event documents with your partner before working on them. Contact your working partner and share with him/her the documents provided by the event manager for your sections preparation. Discuss with her/him who will do what. In that manner you save time by preparing only for the interpreting sessions you know beforehand you will actually be doing.

XVIII) Who will start first. Decide with your working partner who will start the first session. This is an important point specially in virtual sessions on which your working partner may well get started on his/her work withouth knowing you are already providing interpreting.

XIX) Install WhatsApp on your mobile phone. On virtual meetings it`s VERY important that you keep direct contact with your working partner to warn him/her you`re starting/closing your interpreting turn. If you`re schedulled for a virtual meeting, you MUST install that app on your mobile phone.

XX) Do NOT provide technical advice to clients. Even though you may well be familiar with Informatics, do NOT provide tecnical information to clients. Remember that your role is to provide interpreting services ONLY.