Working in translation

• Standard
• AltaLingua, Curiosidades Traducción, Formación para traductores

After the success of the post about the great question, is it possible to live off translation? We show you some tricks to create a competent profile to work in translation.

Working in a language translation and interpretation agency guarantees you an important saving in time and work, since your only worry is carrying out the translation orders that you are requested. With this you avoid the care, management and monitoring processes of clients.

On the other hand, working with clients directly allows more autonomy when it comes to carrying out work, since you yourself will be responsible for your time and dedication.

In addition, we let you know the basic aspects that you have to keep in mind to create a competent profile both for if you work for an agency as well as if you work for direct clients.

• Differentiate yourself.Build and boost your own personal brand in a way so that you are able to communicate to your surroundings those aspects that make you stand out from the competition.

Creating a personal brand has gone from being an advantage to being an essential requirement to survive in the new Internet era.

• Show yourself.Being active on the Internet will help you communicate with agencies and final clients. Networks such as LinkedIn, Proz, Facebook, Twitter or having your own Blog will help you to position yourself in searches and promote a greater visibility of your professional profile.

When it comes to a niche market related to language, focusing on a single country can close doors. As you have already gotten over the language barrier, it won’t be hard to find clients in other countries so don’t close borders!

• Take tests. Normally, before forming part of a languages translation agency or working directly with a client, they ask you to carry out a series of translation tests to prove your professionalism.

You must take special care with the type of test so that they don´t take advantage of you when they ask you to translate a text that is too long, since it could be the original document that want to translate and you are carrying out free work. Take care!

• Get experience. Normally both agencies as well as end clients ask you to have enough experience to tackle any translation order.

A good way of gaining experience consists of carrying out voluntary translation at different NGOs such as Translators Without Borders.

• Create your own network.Initially your circle of friends, family and contacts created throughout your life are the pillar to advertise your profession and get greater word of mouth spread of your profile.

Additionally, references from other clients provide greater credibility to the good work carried out. This credibility can give you a larger number of orders or more job offers at agencies.

Once you have created your own network, it is fundamental to establish a follow-up strategy based on commercial and marketing work to fall into the forgetfulness of your clients.

• Collaborate. A good way to advertise yourself in the sector is to carry out collaborations with other translators or associates of translators.

On the other hand, social networks make it easier for you to be able to form part of discussion and activities group related to the translation speciality you want to aim for.

Being active in debates related to your profession is a good way to be associated with the complex world of translation and associate your profile to a professional and eloquent activity.

We know that you want to start on the right foot and at AltaLingua we encourage you to follow your dream. Come on!

AltaLingua

AltaLingua is a trusted name in the translation and interpreting sector and provides language solutions in all languages for clients across the world. https://altalingua.co.uk/