Educational terps in the public school systems. Pro: steady income and benefits, regular schedule and vacations, develope long-term relationships with students and staff. Con: little Deaf community interaction, too much routine, lower hourly pay scale than private terps, sometimes "collateral" duties (bus driving, admin, other non-terp) required, unclear job descriptions (terp only? terp/tutor?).
State agency work. Pro: steady income and benefits, mileage comp or state car use. Con: irregular schedule, collateral duties, restricted opportunities.
Private interpreter company. Pro: higher hourly wage, more community interaction, variety of assignments and clients, training support, service coordinator takes care of payroll and scheduling (terp just interprets; no admin hassles). Con: hours can be seasonal, schedules are irregular, and minimum benefits.
Private practice (used to be called "freelance"). Pro: make your own schedule, choose your own clients, keep all the fees, community interaction, and variety of assignments. Con: constantly seeking out clients, no team members or subs available, irregular hours and pay, no benefits, no training ops, responsible for all billing, collecting and taxes, and competing for contracts with larger agencies.
VRS terps is another catagory that others have more info about. I am not as familiar with their pros and cons. I do know some people love it (no commuting). Other terps prefer face-to-face interaction. It is just personal preference.
Each state and private agency has different terp requirements (certifications, quality ratings, etc.) Some school districts require terps to have additional educational qualifications. Depends on the area.
While a terp is going thru training, that is the time to start researching career ops. Talk to the terps in your area. Request observation time. I found the observation/mentor system very helpful. I contacted the local schools, state agencies, and private companies. I asked if I could observe their terps at work. No problem. Just expect that they will require you to sign a privacy statement, to keep the assignments confidential.
Most terps are very willing to help you. If they are not, that is a red flag about that particular agency.