| The first step in finding a freelance translation job | | | | Translators Base: |
| is to assess your experience and capabilities; | | | | at is an excellent resource for the art and |
| simply speaking two or more languages fluently is | | | | business of freelance translation |
| not enough. To find a job as a freelance translator | | | | The International Forum: |
| your curriculum vitae should include:at least a | | | | English Spanish Translation Organization: |
| bachelor's degree,qualifications and | | | | Russian Translation Matters: |
| experiencetarget language (mother tongue)source | | | | German/Hungarian/English Translations Services: |
| languages (the ones you translate)a picture of | | | | ATS Group - |
| yourself(not compulsory)contact informationarea | | | | All Languages: Translation Services USA - |
| of specialization, i.e., technical, legal, medical or | | | | For all the sites you need to pay if you want |
| literaturereal life experience in source language | | | | premium membership. Remember, as non-paying |
| country | | | | member, you still can get to know about job |
| The ability to write your own mother tongue | | | | opportunities. You can do some research and find |
| fluently in regards to both style and context in | | | | out the agency or the poster and then send your |
| relationship to the topic of the translation is | | | | CV to them. |
| essential. The real life experience of living or | | | | Not all jobs come from these sites. In my opinion |
| studying in a country where the language that | | | | about 50% of the jobs are available from other |
| you translate is spoken, will give you the realistic | | | | sites. So, always look for clients wherever you |
| nuance of the language. | | | | can. Scan the daily newspaper and search for |
| Preparation and resources are the keys to finding | | | | leads, create a website of your own, promote |
| work as a freelance translator. Preparation for | | | | your site, add url to search engines. These are |
| being in business for yourself means having the | | | | very slow processes but if you do them regularly |
| basic tools to produce your work:an internet | | | | you would start getting jobs. Once you do a job, |
| connectioncomputer and appropriate softwareprint | | | | ask for testimonials and then add this testimonial |
| and online dictionariestranslation software'sand | | | | in your CV. |
| ideally a dictating machine | | | | Freelance translators are not good businessmen. |
| If your budget allows, investing in Trados, the | | | | Like any other business freelance translation is |
| industry standard in Computer-Aided Translation | | | | also a business and one needs to promote that to |
| will be invaluable. Your cover letter should describe | | | | get clients. How you can promote? By website, |
| how your will produced as well as all of your | | | | direct call, email, etc. How often? Every day, |
| channels of communication; email, fax or instant | | | | whenever you find time, whenever you have |
| messenger. | | | | time in between jobs. The mantra should be |
| With these tools you are now ready to start | | | | market, market and market your services. |
| marketing your services. There are sites, which | | | | Another important factor is communication- |
| share tips for translators like There are many | | | | Internet is an anonymous medium so you have |
| freelance translator/ agencies/forums and where | | | | to create trust and credibility. You can do that |
| you can register for work and gain valuable | | | | slowly. The first step is to reply your emails as |
| exposure: | | | | soon as you receive them. Then there are few |
| Aquarius.Net: | | | | other steps which are very important and about |
| Language 123 Translators Marketplace: | | | | the I will discuss in my blog named getdirectclient. |