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