English US
The Interpreter Journey, KUDO’s official onboarding course for interpreters, is available as of last week, and dozens of professional interpreters have already earned their KUDO Certified status. In the process, they asked very relevant questions about the process, and we decided to address them publicly so more of you can benefit from the answers.
First off, a very brief explanation. The Interpreter Journey is an on-line course to make interpreters acquainted with our platform and to ensure they have the right credentials and meet the necessary requirements to join KUDO. The course is divided into seven chapters, as follows:
- Introduction and Course Overview
- Sign-in and Profile
- The Interpreter Interface
- Tools of the Trade
- The KUDO Studios
- The Fine Print
- Your New Status
Instruction takes the form of a series of videos and documentation that you can review as many times as you want. If you’re on the go, you can also download the audio-only version or the transcripts of some of the videos. The course ends with a 10-question quiz. Please review the Frequently Asked Questions for more details about our onboarding process:
Q1. How do I enroll?
Enrollment is free and accessible through the link https://kudo.thinkific.com. To enroll, be sure to scroll down the page to the button that reads Board Now!
Q2. How long does it take to complete the course?
The full onboarding takes about 90 minutes, but you can take it over multiple sessions or days if needed. You can stop and pick up where you left off.
Q3. Is KUDO recommended for all kinds of interpretation and all kinds of interpreters?
No. KUDO is not meant for all modes of interpreting and it is meant only for true professionals who are experienced in the simultaneous mode of interpretation. By accepting work through KUDO you verify that you have the necessary training and experience as a simultaneous interpreter.
Q4. Will I need to set up a KUDO Studio?
Although interpreters can technically work from home in KUDO, we recommend you locate a KUDO Studio in your area and work from there. In cases where that is not available or not feasible, you can set up your own home studio.
Q5. Why a course? Can’t we just be entered in your platform?
KUDO is breaking new ground and introducing a new delivery platform for interpretation. We want to make sure interpreters know everything they need to know to do it safely and without unnecessary reputation risk. We also wanted to make our colleagues fully aware of the responsibility involved in working remotely. We take our interpreters very seriously, and we expect them to take us seriously.
Q6. I don’t see the Interpreter Profile when I sign in. Am I doing anything wrong?
That is probably because you have signed into KUDO before (to attend one of our demos, for example). But you can access your profile any time. Just hover your mouse over your name, on the upper right-hand-side corner of the screen and click on My Account.
Q7. Do I need to buy the Vxi USB Headset? It is kind of expensive.
The Vxi Passport 21 DC, V is the model installed in most KUDO Studios. It is reliable, sturdy and comfortable to wear for long periods of time. But any professional-grade USB headset will work. A more affordable option that also works great is Logitech H650e. The course provides enough information for you to shop for the right headset.
Q8. Are the terms of your Model Contract negotiable?
Please note that in most cases, you will not be hired by KUDO, but rather directly by our clients or partners. At that point, the contractual arrangements should be freely negotiated between you and them. In drafting the terms of our own model contract we went with what makes sense for most of our interpreters.
Q.9 Will my profile be visible to clients and help me find gigs?
Not for the time being. Your profile will be kept private and will not be visible to nor shared with potential clients. Your enrollment as a KUDO Certified interpreter is done primarily for training purposes, with a view to ensuring you will be fit to work within the platform when the opportunity presents itself.
Q.10 How often can I expect to work as a KUDO Certified Interpreter?
That will greatly depend on your ability to promote your readiness to use the platform. While KUDO will do everything in its power to help you find opportunities through the platform, KUDO Certification is no guarantee of work.