Translators and interpreters are generally recruited through tenders. They are then placed on a register from which they are drawn to fill vacancies. The frequency of tenders depends on the needs of individual organisations.
At the UN, candidate translators must be able to translate from at least two of the six official languages (Arabic, Chinese, French, English, Russian and Spanish). Candidate interpreters must also be able to translate simultaneously into at least one language and have a perfect understanding of at least two other languages.