Businesses today are all about getting their products and services out to a global market. As a result, language and translation services have never been in higher demand. If you’re fluent in a second language, being a freelance translator could be a great side job to pursue or perhaps even a whole new primary career. But just because you speak another language, doesn’t mean that being a professional translator will be a cakewalk. Understanding what something means in another language and being able to come up with a fluid translation are two different things. It can be difficult, even for the most capable of linguists, to provide a translation comparable in meaning and character to that of the original. That’s why translation services are often expensive. The key as a freelance translator is to establish firm parameters and requirements with clients seeking your services. You want to make sure that you’re adequately compensated for the work you’re doing and not bogged down in overly difficult translations for which you’re not earning a good rate. Here are some do’s and don’ts that you should consider as a freelance translator.
Do set a fair, but competitive pay rate
Not all translating is the same. More than the length of the translation, the difficulty of the text and the desired quality of the translation tends to determine how long a translation gig will take. Therefore, sorting out a fair pay rate that will also appeal to clients can be difficult. Most freelancers have a rate based on time or length. Charging per word is what many freelance translators do. The problem is that that doesn’t account for difficulty. An hourly rate is ideal, but can often turn potential clients off, as they don’t know what they can expect to be charged. If you feel especially capable of doing translations quickly, you can advertise an hourly rate based around an estimate that you provide the client with.
Don’t expect quick success
When you’re just starting out it can take some time to get yourself established in the translation industry. On your website or online marketplaces where you advertise, it might benefit you to provide examples of your translations—even if you haven’t gotten any gigs yet—or to even produce a whiteboard animation or video on the benefits of translation for your target audience. Also, always make sure to highlight your abilities and background in the language.
Do specify the type of translation work you do
One way to control the length of time and difficulty of the jobs you take, is to specify the type of translation work you excel at. You want to make sure that you are both engaged by the translations you’re doing and able to do them in a reasonable amount of time, so advertise based on your specific aptitude within the language. Are you especially adept at technical language? Idioms and slang? Academic writing? By specifying what kind of translations you do, you appear more professional and can have some control over the work you’re doing.
Don’t appear inexperienced
Even if you’re new to translation work, you don’t want to come across as inexperienced by highlighting that fact. You don’t need to lie and claim you’ve been a translator for years; rather, when presenting your CV and work experience, stress your language abilities, level of fluency and specific translation strengths. This is another reason why it’s good to do some sample translations and have them available to prospective clients when you start. Maybe even do a few voluntary jobs just to get your feet wet.
Do put yourself out there
As a freelancer, you’re going to have to get your name out there. When starting out, pursue small to mid-size businesses that might be in use of your translation abilities. Target industries that fit your niche and credentials. Have some stats to pitch about the benefits of having promotional materials or texts presented in other languages and how it can benefit your prospective clients.
Don’t trust computer translators
It goes without saying that if you are unsure of how to translate a specific part of a text you should not rely on computer translators. You can always ask the advice of other translators on websites like reddit, or you might even be able to develop a correspondence with other freelance translators who do different kinds of translation work, but who could help you out when you’re unsure of how to translate something.
from WordPress https://globaltechnosolution.com/2016/04/30/dos-and-donts-as-a-freelance-translator/
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