| Pages in topic: < [1 2 3] | "So you're a translator? When are you getting a real job?" Thread poster: Michael Marcoux
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| It's a cultural thing | Jan 28, 2015 |
I mainly live in the UK. When I tell people I am translator, people generally seem to be fairly impressed, although some people tend to think translators are very well paid, which is not really the case...
I have never really experienced any patronising comments.
More and more people are working from home now in the UK (even if they are employees) so the issue of working from home is not really viewed in an negative light either.
I'm sure many other professions suffer with simi... See more I mainly live in the UK. When I tell people I am translator, people generally seem to be fairly impressed, although some people tend to think translators are very well paid, which is not really the case...
I have never really experienced any patronising comments.
More and more people are working from home now in the UK (even if they are employees) so the issue of working from home is not really viewed in an negative light either.
I'm sure many other professions suffer with similar problems. A couple of friends who are degree-qualified engineers are constantly complaining about how people think their job is fixing cars or boilers! ▲ Collapse
| | | | Natalie Soper 
United Kingdom
Local time: 06:49
French to English
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| Must be the same everywhere! | Mar 20, 2015 |
Whenever I say that I'm a translator people usually react with "Oooh, why don't you work for the police?" like it's the most original idea ever, and then I have to explain that they're probably thinking of interpreting, which is different, and a HUGE number of people that I've met are not aware of the difference (maybe it's just where I live?!)
When I was talking about becoming a translator to my old work colleagues, one said "Why don't you just use Google translate?" Another replie... See more Whenever I say that I'm a translator people usually react with "Oooh, why don't you work for the police?" like it's the most original idea ever, and then I have to explain that they're probably thinking of interpreting, which is different, and a HUGE number of people that I've met are not aware of the difference (maybe it's just where I live?!)
When I was talking about becoming a translator to my old work colleagues, one said "Why don't you just use Google translate?" Another replied with "Imagine that your friend said that they were going to open a shop, and you replied with 'why don't you just use Amazon?''" When it's put like that, it's quite rude!
"Real job" or not, most people I've encountered are just really jealous that I get to work from home and be my own boss. So, forget them! ▲ Collapse
| | | | Diana Obermeyer
United Kingdom
Local time: 06:49
Member (2013)
German to English
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| Very different story on a remote island... | Mar 20, 2015 |
We are around 22,000 people on our group of islands.
Most work in the oil, gas or fishing industries.
Other than that, you can work for the council, the NHS, in small-scale retail or the trades.
Most school-leavers head off to the mainland to find more appealing work.
Many return sometime between 30 and 60, once they've found a way to work remotely.
In my village, there are consultants working remotely for London-based firms, software engineers working remotely for... See more We are around 22,000 people on our group of islands.
Most work in the oil, gas or fishing industries.
Other than that, you can work for the council, the NHS, in small-scale retail or the trades.
Most school-leavers head off to the mainland to find more appealing work.
Many return sometime between 30 and 60, once they've found a way to work remotely.
In my village, there are consultants working remotely for London-based firms, software engineers working remotely for US-based firms and a range of artists, writers and early retirees. This village is an extreme example, but only around a third of the adults here have regular on-site work as would be considered the norm - and that includes the farmers.
Of course reactions will differ in a different setting, but I can't say that my choice of occupation has ever been questioned here. ▲ Collapse
| | | | | sounds great | Mar 20, 2015 |
Hi dianaft,
I would love to go to such an island as an early (or late) retiree and join the ranks of those who work remotely. Could you tell me which one of the Shetland Islands it is?
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Andy Watkinson
Spain
Local time: 07:49
Member
Catalan to English
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Most people “think” they know what a host of other job titles actually mean – if only very vaguely. Think the usual: doctor, grocer, estate agent, dog walker, chicken sexer, brain surgeon…
This doesn’t apply to translators simply because when we do our job properly, our reward is invisibility (and a decent cheque, of course)
The fact people don’t know/understand what we do is unintended praise on their part.
Apart from outright ignorance, of course.... See more Most people “think” they know what a host of other job titles actually mean – if only very vaguely. Think the usual: doctor, grocer, estate agent, dog walker, chicken sexer, brain surgeon…
This doesn’t apply to translators simply because when we do our job properly, our reward is invisibility (and a decent cheque, of course)
The fact people don’t know/understand what we do is unintended praise on their part.
Apart from outright ignorance, of course.
On the rare occasions I go to the UK, I get the same blank stares as I did decades earlier.
My brother, on the other hand, who has always been interested in, and has a gift for languages, once got a standing ovation at his office for taking a phone call in Spanish.
He was visible.
Try asking your asker if they could fully understand a text containing (insert your speciality here) an auditors’ report/bill of lading/laser optical machine alignment/possible uses for dichlorophenoxyacetic acid/ one of F. Adriá’s menus, etc…..in their own language with all it involves.
Then tell them you understand one written in Polish, Chinese, Portuguese…etc. ▲ Collapse
| | | | | Post removed: This post was hidden by a moderator or staff member because it was not in line with site rule | Vi Pukite
United States
Local time: 22:49
Latvian to English
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| Not so same everywhere .... | Mar 22, 2015 |
I'm living in the US again now, and have lived in various European countries, but I can't say I've ever really been patronized either. The most common response I've received is "Really? How many languages do you know/speak?".
| | | | Frank Wong
Local time: 13:49
Chinese to English
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I will say: So you have a real job? when you piss off your boss and get fired, what you gonna do?
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