The every-day work
You can hardly find interpreter who didn't work as translator and translator who didn't work as interpreter. Usually the person who specialises in foreign languages works with both oral and written texts.
The translation and interpreting of texts are hard work. But only a few people gain the highest point of the development of their knowledge and abilities. And this highest point is simultaneous translation. Of course other kinds of translation are not less important.
This work demands a lot of tact and tolerance as well as patience and knowledge in other spheres of life. Sometimes interpreters must also translate obscene words and accompany the client at night, in cold weather wearing the jacket. And they can't complain as this work demands sacrifices.
Sometimes interpreters and translators are also guides. They give all necessary information to people. Here is the example.
Once there was a banquet after the conference in China and Chinese cookers prepared the soup made of turtle. And the members of the conference started to wash their hands thinking it was the water for washing hands. Interpreter should explain these things and traditions to people.