Great question! Translation involves texts or the written word while interpreting involves speech and oral communication. In both cases the goal is to communicate a message in one language into another but the uses are quite different.

For example, if you need someone to ‘translate’ a minister giving a speech in French for an English-speaking audience, then you actually need an interpreter. Interpreters work in many different contexts like in big international conferences but also in smaller focus groups, bilingual conversations and online meetings.

By working on performance anxiety, you can start to lessen the stress of public speaking. This can be a long process and it is better to be supported by a professional to help you overcome this barrier to your professional career. Here are some things that you can try straightaway to see if they help:

1. Remind yourself that the audience is rooting for you.
2. Breathe through your nose deeply before starting to speak.
3. Ground yourself by placing both feet firmly on the ground.
4. Release nervous energy beforehand by doing cardio exercise.
5. Mentalise a successful speech.
6. Take pauses during your speech to inhale calmly.

Check out Dr. Patrick Gannon’s work on performance anxiety at https://peakperformance101.com/.

Both yes and no.

No – In a lot of international organisations, conference interpreting is provided in the official languages. If you are lucky enough to be a native speaker of one of the official languages, then you can speak your language. If not, you can also choose to hire an interpreter who will faithfully convey your message in English.

Yes – If you cannot use an interpreter in your context, then you may have to speak English. In some situations, it could be useful to speak English for ‘corridor conversations’ or working lunches where decisions may quietly take shape.

AI interpreting has improved over the years but the spoken word is still very much the realm of the human interpreter.

Where AI struggles most:
Speaker transitions & Q&As — AI loses the thread when the conversation shifts quickly
Accents, emotion & humour — nuance is often lost or mistranslated entirely
Proper nouns – these are often garbled by AI or sometimes even
Confidence without accuracy — AI delivers errors with the same conviction as correct information, making mistakes harder to catch and potentially dangerous for accountability

The hidden cost of “cheaper”: AI solutions are often marketed on price, but the full picture includes technician fees, data privacy risks, environmental impact and — most critically — reputational damage. When those are factored in, the savings rarely hold up.

The bottom line: If your credibility or your organisation’s reputation is on the line, a human interpreter isn’t just the safer choice — it’s the smarter one.

Absolutely — and preparation makes all the difference.

A strong interview isn’t just about what you say, it’s about how naturally you say it. If English isn’t your first language, practising in English beforehand means you show up confident, not caught off guard.

What sets this apart: I’m also fluent in French and Spanish, so we can work across languages to find the exact phrasing that reflects you — your personality, your tone, your professional voice — not just a generic translation.
You’ll walk into that interview sounding like yourself, just in English.