POSITION: SPANISH TRANSLATOR, INDEPENDENT CONTRACTOR FOR TOMSTRANSLATION.COM
DATES: February 2007 to current
JOB DESCRIPTION: Translate immigration documents from English to Spanish and Spanish to English in accordance with the requirements and regulations of the U.S. Citizenship And Immigration Services, the U.S. National VISA center, and the U.S. State Department
- Translate birth certificates from help get apostilles issued by the appropriate consulate or embassy. Apostilles authenticate birth certificates as legal documents in both the U.S. and the clients' home country under the terms of the 1961 Hague Convention.
- Render translations of hand-written notarized affidavits in connection with VISA application.
- Convert legal documents into Spanish or English to help clients requesting U.S. citizenship. Paperwork includes birth certificated, marriage certificates, driver's licenses, child adoption agreements, and police reports.
POSITION: SPANISH TUTOR
DATES: February 2008 to Current
JOB DESCRIPTION: Independent contractor who tutors teen and adult students at multiple levels to meet Spanish language goals in academic, cultural, and business fields. Each one to two hour session is usually weekly at a mutually agreed upon location. Profiles available on WyzAnt.com, Care.com, and LinkedIn.
Success Stories
Boosted grammar and writing skills of a high school honors program student struggling with Spanish III. Following eight sessions, student earned an "A" on a major classroom project and a 3.0 average in the class, overcoming her initial fear of failure.
Augmented home schooled student’s county approved online course in Spanish I with 11 lessons. Patient and innovative one-on-one approaches encouraged student confidence, helped with ADHD challenges, and re-sparked interest in Spanish. Clarified basic grammar and vocabulary rules through a comparison to similar patterns in English. Administered evaluations to measure progress.
Refined retired school teacher’s intermediate Spanish skills and increased Latino cultural awareness. Five sessions clarified advanced grammar concepts through lectures and exercises to practice concepts. Read and translated Latino newspaper articles together to glean current vocabulary and compare/contrast what is grammatically correct with less formal, spoken/media language. Student felt well-prepared to take an immersion class in Spain and then travel to Guatemala.
Sharpened high school Spanish IV student’s comprehension of complex literary concepts and advanced grammar. Several months of lessons demonstrated nuances between translations, gists, and interpretations. Inspired student to travel to Mexico and progress to Spanish V.
Mentored high school student to help her pass a county-issued test to qualify to take Spanish III at a private school. If student had failed this test, she would have had to re-take Spanish II at the private school, even though she already had passed Spanish II in a public school system. Also practiced intermediate grammar to help her get an “A” on the final test in Spanish III.
Role played conversational dialogues that might arise during taxi cab rides, restaurant dining, and shopping excursions, in preparation for student’s trip to Panama. Supplemented basic vocabulary student learned during Air Force Spanish training with five practice sessions.
Strengthened student’s speaking skills and increased cultural awareness prior to a one- week immersion class in Mexico and a trip to Barcelona, Spain. Four meetings enhanced Rosetta Stone lessons student had taken on her own.
Refocused high school student with ADD who was failing his first year of Spanish. Continued informal learning over the summer. Testimonial on my WyzAnt profile indicates, “Mr. Truitt is a good tutor. He’s been professional, upbeat and patient. We recently asked him to change his style in order to accommodate our child’s learning style and he immediately made the changes with good effect. We appreciate his thoroughness and responsiveness.”
Practiced Spanish with an attorney in 2-hour sessions discussing the process of applying for social security benefits for stroke victims. Assessed that the lawyer's Spanish was sufficient to convey and explain legal options and complexities to Latino clients. Student feedback on my Wyzant.com profile states, "Very patient, very knowledgeable. By speaking in Spanish with him for almost the whole lesson, I was able to learn a lot and advance my goal of feeling comfortable with clients when speaking Spanish. I would recommend him for others and wish him the best."
Applied intrinsic learning techniques to improve vocabulary in weekly meetings with an International Events Manager. Each session covered terms and phrases associated with a specific topic of interest. Student used new vocabulary to write a about the subject at home. In the following lesson, the writing assignment was corrected. Also recommended authentic sources of language material from TV, radio, and newspapers, enabling student to practice speaking, listening to, writing, and reading Spanish in real-time situations. Student feedback on my Wyzant.com profile follows: "Together we are developing lessons based on my interests, e.g. cooking, travel, etc. Because we both share a lot of the same interests, we have a lot of material to cover. I wanted lessons that pertained to everyday life so having lessons based on my interests fits perfectly!"
POSITION: ENGLISH AS A SECOND LANGUAGE TUTOR
DATES: March 2008 - Current
JOB DESCRIPTION: Independent contractor who tutors teen and adult students at multiple levels to meet English language goals in academic, cultural, and business fields. Each one to two hour session is usually weekly at a mutually agreed upon location. Profiles available on WyzAnt.com, Care.com, and LinkedIn.
Success Stories
Earned certificate to teach English to Speakers of Other Languages from Oxford Seminars in March of 2008. Two-month comprehensive course at John Hopkins University in Baltimore, Maryland. Presented practicum for the final, and completion certificate is available on request.
Developed and taught a five month course for five Latino restaurant employees to improve work-related conversational skills. Classes offered lectures, exercises, and graded home work in basic grammar, vocabulary, writing, and pronunciation. Although the format stressed using English whenever possible, portions were presented in Spanish to facilitate learning. Students with a stronger command of English often volunteered to assist others when questions arose. The final exam was a field trip to a nearby café where students ordered in English and answered vocabulary questions.
POSITION: SPANISH INTERPRETER
DATES: 11 to 15 March 2009
JOB DESCRIPTION: Independent contractor hired by Quality Services Staff at Kernan Hospital in Woodlawn, Maryland. Hospital's name has been changed to University of Maryland Rehabilitation And Orthopedic Institute.
Success Story
Expedited and facilitated treatment for a Latino spinal injury patient through simultaneous interpretation to help her communicate with English-speaking physical and occupational therapists in two-hour sessions per day.
POSITION: MID-LEVEL SUPERVISOR, SENIOR SPANISH ANALYST FOR DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
DATES: November 1999 through March 2007
JOB DESCRIPTION: Mid-level manager of a diverse and dynamic work force. Included career counseling, performance appraisals, customer relations, personnel issues, and analytical and Spanish linguistic support.
Success Stories
Synchronized an online budget matrix to gage allocation of personnel and dedicate appropriate funding over a four year period
Assessed employee skill levels and distributed work load equitably
Streamlined logistical processes to immediately respond to customer needs
Advised junior translators, reporters, and public speakers on linguistic challenges, writing styles, and methods of presentation to optimize the impact of their final product
Researched and populated language data bases to expeditiously provide current information on languages, situation reports, and military logistics to U.S. policy makers, military commanders, and other members of the U.S. Intelligence Community
Networked to coordinate itineraries for agency visitors. Ensured topics of discussion were clear cut, tipped superiors to potential points of contention, and recommended courses of action boost the mutual value of visits
Interviewed and placed new employees. Recommended training courses and on-the-job training programs to expedite integration into the work force. Evaluated employees semi-annually to shape performance, scope chances of being promoted, and enhance marketable skills for future positions
Recognized outstanding contributions of military, contractor, and civilian employees in award write-ups
Counseled employees on disciplinary issues, carefully documenting all sessions
POSITION: SENIOR INTELLIGENCE ANALYST, GRAPHIC SPANISH LINGUIST FOR DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
DATES: September 1981 through November 1999
JOB DESCRIPTION: Translated foreign language material into English and issued reports to government agencies and military commands worldwide. Also maintained Spanish language data bases and briefed situation updates to coworkers, counterparts, and supervisors on breaking developments that impacted national security.
Success Stories
Gained the trust and respect of colleagues, managers, and clients as a "go-to" person for Spanish language assistance
Demonstrated excellent written and verbal communication skills when briefing visitors, managers, and co-workers on time-sensitive matters
Lead round tables, working groups, and conferences to keep government agencies current on political, economic, technological, and military developments in their areas of interest
EDUCATION
Wicomico High School (September 1973 through June 1977) Date of Graduation: 1 June 1977
Salisbury University (September 1977 through May 1981) Date of Graduation: 23 May 1981
Degree: Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Arts and Spanish
American Instatitute For Spanish Studies in Valencia, Spain, Valencia, Spain, September 1979 - May 1980
Spanish immersion program affiliated with Salisbury University, American Institute For Spanish Studies in Valencia Spain, and Universitat De Valencia. Lived with Spanish family off campus and attended advanced studies courses at Universitat de Valencia for one year.
Oxford Seminars, Baltimore, Maryland, January 2008 - March 2008
Certificate to teach English to Speakers of Other Languages from Oxford Seminars in March of 2008. Two-month course on weekends for nine hours per day at John Hopkins University in Baltimore, Maryland. Completion certificate available on request.
VOLUNTEER
POSITION: Salisbury University's Career Connections Mentor Network
Link: https://www.salisbury.edu/careerservices/alumni/MentorNetwork.html
DATES: January 2015 - Current
DESCRIPTION: Alumni-based interactive resource for students, faculty, and other alumni to share job experiences
Success Story
Served on the March 2015 Bellavance Honors Program Board. Provided academic counseling and guidance to freshman honors students during two 50-minute classes.
ORGANIZATIONS
POSITION: Member
DATES: January 2015
COMPANY: American Translators' Association (ATA)
DESCRIPTION: ATA (http://www.atanet.org) is an organization for the betterment of translators and interpreters via worldwide resources. Focuses on career development, networking, certifications, seminars, and continuing education.
Success Story
Attended ATA 2014 Annual Conference in Chicago from 3 to 8 November. Over 175 interactive seminars, events, and exhibits. Many sessions were in Spanish only.
POSITION: SPANISH TUTOR, INDEPENDENT CONTRACTOR FOR TOMSTRANSLATION.COM
DATES: February 2008 to current
JOB DESCRIPTION: Independent contractor who tutors teen and adult students at multiple levels to meet Spanish language goals in academic, cultural, and business fields. Each one to two hour session is usually weekly at a mutually agreed upon location. Profiles available on tomstranslation.com, WyzAnt.com, Care.com, UniversityTutor.com, and LinkedIn.com
- Re-focused high school student with ADD who was failing his first year of Spanish.
- Role played conversational dialogues that might arise during taxi cab rides, restaurant dining, and shopping excursions, in preparation for student’s trip to Panama. Supplemented basic vocabulary student learned during Air Force Spanish training with five practice sessions.
- Sharpened high school Spanish IV student’s comprehension of complex literary concepts and advanced grammar. Several months of lessons demonstrated nuances between translations, gists, and interpretations. Inspired student to travel to Mexico and progress to Spanish V.
- Augmented home schooled student’s county approved online course in Spanish I with 11 lessons. Patient and innovative one-on-one approaches encouraged student confidence, helped with ADHD challenges, and re-sparked interest in Spanish. Clarified basic grammar and vocabulary rules through a comparison to similar patterns in English. Administered evaluations to measure progress.
- Boosted grammar and writing skills of a high school honors program student struggling with Spanish III. Following eight sessions, student earned an "A" on a major classroom project and a 3.0 average in the class, overcoming her initial fear of failure.
- Refined retired school teacher’s intermediate Spanish skills and increased Latino cultural awareness. Five sessions clarified advanced grammar concepts through lectures and exercises to practice concepts. Read and translated Latino newspaper articles together to glean current vocabulary and compare/contrast what is grammatically correct with less formal, spoken/media language. Student felt well-prepared to take an immersion class in Spain and then travel to Guatemala.
- Mentored high school student to help her pass a county-issued test to qualify to take Spanish III at a private school. If student had failed this test, she would have had to re-take Spanish II at the private school, even though she already had passed Spanish II in a public school system. Also practiced intermediate grammar to help her get an “A” on the final test in Spanish III.
- Strengthened student’s speaking skills and increased cultural awareness prior to a one- week immersion class in Mexico and a trip to Barcelona, Spain. Four meetings enhanced Rosetta Stone lessons student had taken on her own.
- Practiced Spanish with an attorney in 2-hour sessions discussing the process of applying for social security benefits for stroke victims. Assessed that the lawyer's Spanish was sufficient to convey and explain legal options and complexities to Latino clients.
- Applied intrinsic learning techniques to improve vocabulary in weekly meetings with an International Events Manager. Each session covered terms and phrases associated with a specific topic of interest. Recommended authentic language material from TV, radio, and newspapers, enabling student to practice speaking, listening to, writing, and reading Spanish in real-time situations.
POSITION: ENGLISH AS A SECOND LANGUAGE TUTOR, INDEPENDENT CONTRACTOR FOR TOMSTRANSLATION.COM
DATES: March 2008 to current
JOB DESCRIPTION: Independent contractor who tutors teen and adult students at multiple levels to meet English language goals in academic, cultural, and business fields. Each one to two hour session is usually weekly at a mutually agreed upon location. Profiles available on tomstranslation.com, WyzAnt.com, Care.com, University.com, and LinkedIn.com
- Developed and taught a five month course for five Latino restaurant employees to improve work-related conversational skills. Classes offered lectures, exercises, and graded home work in basic grammar, vocabulary, writing, and pronunciation. Although the format stressed using English whenever possible, portions were presented in Spanish to facilitate learning. Students with a stronger command of English often volunteered to assist others when questions arose. The final exam was a field trip to a nearby café where students ordered in English and answered vocabulary questions.
POSITION: SPANISH-ENGLISH INTERPRETER, INDEPENDENT CONTRACTOR FOR TOMSTRANSLATION.COM
DATES: March 2009 to current
JOB DESCRIPTION: Simultaneous and consecutive interpretation from Spanish to English and English to Spanish for Latino clients in Maryland and Delaware.
- Simultaneous interpretation for Latino patients undergoing physical therapy. Assignments allocated by several language support staffing agencies based on their requirements in the Maryland-Delaware area.
- Consecutive interpretation for a Certified Orientation and Mobility Specialist (COMS). The Individualized Education Program team at a local high school meets monthly with a Spanish-speaking mother to provide her progress reports on her son. I accurately conveyed input from the COMS to the mother during one of the meetings.
POSITION: MID-LEVEL SUPERVISOR, SENIOR SPANISH ANALYST FOR DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
DATES: November 1999 to March 2007
JOB DESCRIPTION: Mid-level manager of a diverse and dynamic work force. Included career counseling, performance appraisals, customer relations, personnel issues, and analytical and Spanish linguistic support.
- Synchronized an online budget matrix to gage allocation of personnel and dedicate appropriate funding over a four year period
- Advised junior translators, reporters, and public speakers on linguistic challenges, writing styles, and methods of presentation to optimize the impact of their final product
- Populated language data bases to expeditiously research current information on languages, situation reports, and military logistics for U.S. policy makers, military commanders, and other members of the U.S. Intelligence Community
- Networked to coordinate itineraries for agency visitors. Ensured topics of discussion were clear cut, tipped superiors to potential points of contention, and recommended courses of action boost the mutual value of visits
- Interviewed and placed new employees. Recommended training courses and on-the-job training programs to expedite integration into the work force. Evaluated employees semi-annually to shape performance, scope chances of being promoted, and enhance marketable skills for future positions
- Recognized outstanding contributions of military, contractor, and civilian employees in award write-ups
- Counseled employees on disciplinary issues
POSITION: SENIOR INTELLIGENCE ANALYST, GRAPHIC SPANISH LINGUIST FOR U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
DATES: September 1981 to November 1999
JOB DESCRIPTION: Translated Spanish into English and issued reports to U.S. government agencies and military commands worldwide. Also maintained Spanish language data bases and briefed situation updates to coworkers, counterparts, and supervisors on breaking developments that impacted national security.
- Gained the trust and respect of colleagues, managers, and clients as a "go-to" person for Spanish language assistance
- Demonstrated excellent written and verbal communication skills when briefing visitors, managers, and co-workers on time-sensitive matters
- Lead round tables, working groups, and conferences to keep government agencies current on political, economic, technological, and military developments in their areas of interest
EDUCATION
- Wicomico High School (September 1973 through June 1977) Date of Graduation: 1 June 1977
- Salisbury University (September 1977 through May 1981) Date of Graduation: 23 May 1981. Degree: Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Arts and Spanish
- American Institute For Spanish Studies in Valencia, Spain (September 1979 - May 1980). Spanish immersion program affiliated with Salisbury University, American Institute For Spanish Studies in Valencia Spain, and Universitat de Valencia. Lived off campus with Spanish family and attended advanced studies courses at Universitat de Valencia
- Oxford Seminars, Baltimore, Maryland (January 2008 - March 2008). Three-month course entitled "Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages; English as a Foreign Language" held on weekends for nine hours per day at John Hopkins University in Baltimore, Maryland. Completion certificate for all 60 hours of the seminar available on request.
- Introductory Teacher Training for Substitute Teachers, Salisbury, Maryland (December 2015). Wicomico County Board of Education presented five courses to give new classroom educators a solid foundation. Courses were Substitute Teaching 101, Advanced Classroom Management, Instructional Strategies, Exceptional Student Education, and Working With At-Risk Youth. Certificate verifying training completion available on request.
VOLUNTEER
POSITION: Salisbury University's Career Connections Mentor Network
DATES: January 2015 - Current
DESCRIPTION: Alumni-based interactive resource for students, faculty, and other alumni to share job experiences
- Served on the March 2015 Bellavance Honors Program Board. Provided academic counseling and guidance to freshman honors students during two 50-minute classes.
POSITION: Instructor/Mentor for Junior Achievement Program of the Eastern Shore of Maryland
DATES: February-March 2016
DESCRIPTION: Mentor for Junior Achievement of the Eastern Shore of Maryland
- Taught an after-school class on enterpreneurship to high school students. The two-month course, sponsored by the Wicomico County Board of Education's "Project Success", was divided into seven sessions which guided students to complete a business plan on a product or service they chose to develop.
ORGANIZATIONS
POSITION: Member
DATES: January 2015 to Current
COMPANY: American Translators' Association (ATA)
DESCRIPTION: ATA is an organization for the betterment of translators and interpreters via worldwide resources. Focuses on career development, networking, certifications, seminars, and continuing education.
- Attended ATA 2014 Annual Conference in Chicago from 3 to 8 November. Over 175 interactive seminars, events, and exhibits. Many sessions were in Spanish only.