How To Start Working As a Freelance Translator From Scratch

Roadmap To Success As a Freelance Translator

It is often very difficult to kickstart career in a service industry, like translation where the competition is too severe to survive. Since translation demands quality, most of the companies only prefer to hire professional translators specialized in different industries. The points mentioned below highlight everything you need to know about start working a professional freelance translator.

1- Acquire The Right Language Skills

First of all, it is very important to acquire the right language skills. The most important thing for a translator is fluency in source and target languages. To become a professional translator, you need to work on your language skills and make sure you are fluently speaking the target language. Not just this, you must also know how to write in the target language. Translators, who are also good writers in target language are given much preferences than others.

2- Business Sense

Becoming a freelance translator is just like starting a business, where you market yourself. So, you need to make sure that you develop and polish your business skills and knowledge. Companies won’t be able to find or even know about you, if do not promote your services. Try to build a network, use social media to its maximum potential and get huge amount of translation jobs in your kitty.

You will have to put-in lots of efforts and do not lose heart if you lose some of the assignments in the beginning. Since the industry is very competitive, it will take some time for you to understand the right tactics for marketing yourself.

3- Basic Computer Skills

This is very important. As most of the people In the professional world have some basic knowledge of computer skills, this point needs not to be highlighted here. However, it cannot be neglected. So, just in case you are not good at using a computer, make sure you are. You must know how to use different programs, such as MS Office programs, Photoshop, InDesign and desktop publishing.

Knowledge of CAT and HTML is an added advantage.

4- Go Through Proper Translation Education

The points mentioned above highlight the major skills that you surely need to have as a professional freelance translator. You can also go through skill improving lessons for translators that teach you how you can continuously polish and learn new skills. Once you are clear in your head about what skills to achieve, go through proper translation education. Enroll in a college or university to complete graduate or post graduate degree in any language that you wish to learn.

5- Attempt Different Tests

To continuously improve your career and prove you are better than others, you must apply for certification programs and pass language proficiency tests. By clearing a certification program, you’ll become a certified translator, whose demand is incredible in toady’s business world. Similarly, if you pass language proficiency tests, you will have a proof that you hold command over your working languages.

6- Market Yourself

As already mentioned above, knowing how to market yourself is very important to promote your business of freelance translation. So, reach out to organizations and LSPs that may need professional translators for a variety of projects. Writing blogs, creating a website and joining online forums are some very easy ways to build your network. Also, establish your translation rates, depending on different types of projects that you may undertake.

7- Use Freelancing Websites

If you research online, you’ll find a number of freelancing websites that help you connect to several clients, looking for professional translators at different locations. These websites offer all types of projects, like accurate translation in USA, reliable transcription etc. So, you can easily filter the types of projects or work you are looking for. For beginner translators, such websites are a great start.

8- Research The Market For Price Quotes

One of the biggest challenges that most of the freelance translators face is establishing their price quotes. A very high or very low translation quote can be perilous for you. Hence, a thorough market research is recommended before devising the rates. Your experience, industry for which you translate and the language pair you translate – all have a major impact on the quote you establish.

Join Hands With a Professional Company

Often in the career of a freelance translator, a point comes where the translator is unable to find quality work. Even if he or she does, the frequency of work is not consistent. Hence, few months you earn money, while other few months, you are left empty-handed.

Eventually, it disturbs your monthly budget, your lifestyle and everything else that matters the most to you. This is why you must always be associated with a professional translation firm that offers you consistent freelance translation jobs in Canada, UK, France, USA and al other worldwide locations. This small step will make sure that you always have access to a continuous source of income, which keeps you juiced up with the required funds every month.

So, if you are looking for such a company, welcome to TridIndia that offers you plenty of opportunities to shine in the translation industry. We have a huge network of translators from around the world and we are constantly looking for more professional hands who have the zeal to work passionately and earn a lucrative amount.

For more details, do get in touch with us right away, call us at +91-8527599523 or mail us at [email protected]