A translator is in general a rather exclusive profession, and there exists tremendous competition amongst translators. Dumping greatly contributes to this competition as some translators agree to relatively low rates for their work. This has a negative impact on the market of the quality translations and forces many qualified professionals in the area to either remain without any work while waiting for well-paid projects, or to accept low-paid jobs. In the latter case, professional translators are often prompted to sacrifice the quality of their performance in order to meet the deadlines determined by inadequate compensation.
As opposed to many other professions, it is almost never necessary to have a higher degree in the area of translations. There are plenty of examples, when professional translators initially have a degree in a completely different area. The paramount factor in being a successful translator in most cases is the experience, and not a specialized diploma.
Initially, such translators often accept small jobs, which do not require the profound knowledge of any professional terminology. These jobs may include general subject texts, as well as relatively short business documents. Often times, the education received by the inspiring translator, determines the future area of his or her specialization. For example, a lawyer may later become an expert in translating legal documentation. At the same time, an economist or a finance major may choose to specialize in translating texts related to those subjects. Of course, one of the necessary conditions of being a good translator is also an excellent knowledge of the rules of the target language.
Some translators work on a freelance basis, and others may become permanent staff members of a company. It really depends on each translator’s personal choice. Many big companies employ translators because the nature of their business requires translating a constant flow of texts. However, it is not always easy for companies to define a work flow for staff translators and separate it from other responsibilities – it calls for a certain in-house planning on the part of the HR department. Therefore, sometimes a translator might be assigned combined duties of a secretary or an administrator.
Working as a freelance translator requires creating a client base and maintaining a constant client flow. There are a lot websites out there designed for those looking for translating opportunities. On those sites, individual clients, as well as companies, publish various translating assignments. Many of those sites are actually not free-of-charge for either the clients or potential job-seekers – the translators. At the same time, as long as translators can produce professional work, they can expand their client base completely independently from such sites. However, this option requires quite a variety of skills on the part of the translator – from delivering high-quality professional content to constantly maintaining working business relationships with the clients. Some of the methods of finding clients include advertising your services on various sites that publish freelance vacancies, sending your CV directly to companies, as well as other marketing techniques.
After several years of professional practice, people working in the field of written translations usually find their unique set of skills. The translation agency Pros and Cons is accepting applications for remote working from translators of a variety of language pairs. If you would like to work with us, please send us your CV, using the contact information provided on our site.
