How To Get A Job As Translator: 5 Qualities That You Need
Many people today find it difficult to find a job that will provide them with enough money. Some need more than one job to cover all the expenses that they have or to save up for something. Luckily, today we are now in the technological era where we can connect to almost anyone and everywhere around the world. Our way of life has been changed by the technological revolution. This includes the way how people find jobs, earn money, and jumpstart their careers. This article talks about how to get a job as a translator, one of the best online freelance jobs today.
How to get a job as a translator
Just like any other career, you need a bachelor’s degree and certifications to be qualified to get a job as a translator. Of course, being bilingual is where it all starts, but it is not enough. Potential clients must see proof that you have the right degree and training to do the job. Here are things that you should know in order to get a job as a translator:
Be fluent in another language.
Being fluent is the ability to understand, speak, read, and write in another language. It is the first skill that you should possess before getting into translation. You should love and have a deep sense of passion about another language. Understand the language inside and out, its grammar and usage, from formal usage to casual dialogue.
It is also important to study your own native language. Many translators only have an intrinsic understanding of their native language and they can’t explain verbally how it works. Having an extrinsic knowledge of how your native language works will help you understand how foreigners approach it. Hence, it will be easier for you to do translation jobs.
Get the qualifications
Being fluent is not enough. Potential clients look at the translator’s educational background, certifications, and work experiences before they make hiring decisions. In short, they look at the translator’s qualifications. Just like any other career, translation requires a degree in language, linguistics, or other related field.
You can get these qualifications in many ways. You can pursue related courses, get certifications from trustworthy organizations such as the American Translators Association and the International Medical Interpreters Association, and pass language proficiency tests such as the Defense Proficiency Test.
You can also meet the qualifications by joining volunteer opportunities and internship programs especially when you are just starting out. These are excellent venues to practice and gain experience in the translation jobs.
Build your network
Most of the time, translators get hired because they were recommended by a friend, an acquaintance, or a previous client. Even when it comes to online translation jobs, building your network plays a huge role. You can build your network by attending conferences, signing up and being active in online forums, and getting an internship or volunteer opportunities.
Create an online jobs account
There are many websites where the clients post jobs and the freelancers look for jobs. Especially when you are just starting out, you could try online translation jobs. They are great because they don’t require you to leave home and enable you to work anywhere at your own time. The clients are also real people and real companies.
To get started, you need to have a computer with computer aided translation software and a stable internet connection. Since you are required to be connected with your clients, you need to provide a fast internet connection and a good working computer. There are many open source translation software available but if you have the budget to spare for proprietary software, investing in it will make your job easier.
Translation 101
On some websites, there are both fraudulent clients and freelancers who are looking for you to do work for free You should be careful and work only with proven clients. Some websites also require fees before you can get started looking for clients and charge clients to look for you. However, there is Translation 101, a reliable guide that offers invaluable information to translators by providing them with information about how to connect with potential clients through legitimate channels.
With the information within this guid, translators can learn what it takes to find high-paying clients, enabling them to earn up to $100 for translating text documents, translating e-mails, translating movie subtitles, and more. Legitimate payment channels used by clients are convenient and these include PayPal, Western Union, bank transfers, and more.
When you start building your experience in translation, clients will find you and even your old clients will go back to you when you perform your job well – and the guidance of Translation 101 can help you achieve these goals.
