| Pages in topic: < [1 2] | Never translated professionally, really would like to...how? (New twist on old question) Thread poster: Anna F.
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Anna F. 
Local time: 15:06
English to Italian
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TOPIC STARTER | lack of experience.. | May 28, 2003 |
Hi Marc,
sorry it took me long to answer!
[quote]MarcPrior wrote:
>It is normal, in any profession or vocation, first to obtain training (either by study, or in an apprenticeship, or by some other means), then to work as an employee, before perhaps becoming self-employed.
Well, I have a BA and hard work stimulates me. I love to study and to get to know subjects that are new for me. But I lack of work experience and, every single time I went jub hunting in one of the many agencies here in London, I've always been told " we are looking for people with at least 2 years experience"...
How can you start any job if nobody gives you credit because having a BA doesn't mean being capable of doing something?
Well, at least to me...they should try me out first..maybe I'm not good at all in translating...maybe I can do it well..
after all having a BA means that I was capable of doing something at university otherwise I would still be here...
A.
| | | | Marc P (X)
Local time: 16:06
German to English
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| Never translated professionally | May 28, 2003 |
Hi Ancharmed,
Thank you for not being offended by my frank comments.
>>I have a BA and hard work stimulates me. I love to study and to get to know subjects that are new for me.How can you start any job if nobody gives you credit because having a BA doesn't mean being capable of doing something?
| | | | Anna F.
Local time: 15:06
English to Italian
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TOPIC STARTER
Hi Marc:-)
>Thank you for not being offended by my frank comments.
I don't think I should have had any reason for being offended as long as you say what you thing without bad intentions.
I appreciate the fact that you express your opinion because it gives me another (different from mine) perspective
>Those are three good things in your favour. But are they sufficient to qualify you to be a schoolteacher/psychiatrist/actor? Entrants to these profession... See more Hi Marc:-)
>Thank you for not being offended by my frank comments.
I don't think I should have had any reason for being offended as long as you say what you thing without bad intentions.
I appreciate the fact that you express your opinion because it gives me another (different from mine) perspective
>Those are three good things in your favour. But are they sufficient to qualify you to be a schoolteacher/psychiatrist/actor? Entrants to these professions generally require specific training, not just a BA. Some
thing is...at university we were forced to translate. I mean a part of each exam was on translation of different styles. for example journalistic and literary.
I agree that having a BA is different from having experience but one cannot get any experience if they have no chances...
>You need to be clear about this. Are you looking for a job, in which case someone
I am looking for a job as a translator. I would like to have the chance to start and I've been told that starting as a freelancer is easier because agencies prefer to have freelancers.
That's why at the beginning I was talking about that.
Many people here say that it's better to going freelance later...I don't know what's better cos ...I lack of experience..
>If you believe you can translate, why not sit the IoL's DipTrans examination? You would then have a much better chance of getting a staff job.
how can I get that?
is there any place I can find previous exams so that I can understand if I'd be able to do that or not (after what has been said I think I'd better doubt..)
Thanx
A. ▲ Collapse
| | | | Marc P (X)
Local time: 16:06
German to English
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| Never translated professionally | May 29, 2003 |
>>thing is...at university we were forced to translate.>I've been told that starting as a freelancer is easier because agencies prefer to have freelancers.
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| Inhouse experience first, freelancing later | May 29, 2003 |
Hi anchanted
Everything Marc has said is so very true, at least in my own experience and in the one of lots of fellow translators.
Freelancing means, among many other things, that you will have to be able to deploy a number of skills that - I'd bet on it, knowing Italian universities and translators schools - you have never heard of in college (just a few examples: CATs that all agencies seem to require as a must, files and memories management, glossary building and co... See more Hi anchanted
Everything Marc has said is so very true, at least in my own experience and in the one of lots of fellow translators.
Freelancing means, among many other things, that you will have to be able to deploy a number of skills that - I'd bet on it, knowing Italian universities and translators schools - you have never heard of in college (just a few examples: CATs that all agencies seem to require as a must, files and memories management, glossary building and compiling, files troubleshooting).
You mention repeatedly translation agencies: have you tried translation *companies*? That should be your target.
Companies usually have more inhouse staff and often offer temporary student placements, where - of course - no experience is needed. Also, often there are temporary positions that have to covered at very short notice. And tasks performed internally are usually so specific that they have strong training programs (therefore they require less previous experience).
Surf and search the net and take a good e-look around. That's how I got myself an inhouse position in Ireland (because after years in the industry I still don't feel confortable about going freelancer!).
Best luck ▲ Collapse
| | | | Anna F.
Local time: 15:06
English to Italian
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TOPIC STARTER | translation "companies" | May 30, 2003 |
Hi Muja,
thank you for answering:-)
>Freelancing means, among many other things, that you will have to be able to deploy a number of skills that - I'd bet on it, knowing Italian universities and translators schools - you have never heard of in college
I agree with that but my point is..how can I get to know these important points if I don't have chances to try working in the field etc?
>You mention repeatedly translation agencies: have you tried tran... See more Hi Muja,
thank you for answering:-)
>Freelancing means, among many other things, that you will have to be able to deploy a number of skills that - I'd bet on it, knowing Italian universities and translators schools - you have never heard of in college
I agree with that but my point is..how can I get to know these important points if I don't have chances to try working in the field etc?
>You mention repeatedly translation agencies: have you tried translation *companies*? That should be your target.
what do you mean by translation companies?
Thanks
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| | | | JuliaR
English to Spanish
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| specialization!!!! | Jul 3, 2003 |
hi everyone!
my name is Julia and I think I've found in Ancharmed my life partner!!! I mean, it seems as if this person could read my mind or was watching my life live. I've asked those questions to myself hundreds of times and my frineds seem not to understand me...but they are not translators.
The thing is that I've just finished a Master in translation here in Spain, but I've had no specalization at all. We studied several types of translation (economics, journalism, sci... See more hi everyone!
my name is Julia and I think I've found in Ancharmed my life partner!!! I mean, it seems as if this person could read my mind or was watching my life live. I've asked those questions to myself hundreds of times and my frineds seem not to understand me...but they are not translators.
The thing is that I've just finished a Master in translation here in Spain, but I've had no specalization at all. We studied several types of translation (economics, journalism, science, etc...) but just to know how it works. I know perfectly well that my specialization will be in the field of medicine or biology (I love these fields) but I can't find any official trainnig at all available for me at this moment. I want to specialise, so, what shall I do? Shall I take a book on Dermatology or Paediatrics for instance and start translating it on my own just to get some practice???
In fact I don't know what to do and can't "see the light" either, so I'd be really grateful if some expert gave me a clue...
tanks a lot,
Julia
N.B: don't worry Ancharmed, you are not alone and we'll see the light someday. Cheers! ▲ Collapse
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JuliaR wrote:
I know perfectly well that my specialization will be in the field of medicine or biology (I love these fields) but I can't find any official trainnig at all available for me at this moment. I want to specialise, so, what shall I do? Shall I take a book on Dermatology or Paediatrics for instance and start translating it on my own just to get some practice???
Hi, Julia,
someone earlier suggested non-profit organizations which might appreciate non-profit translations. If you are willing to work for nothing for a while and with biology as your target subject of specialization, I think you might ask Greenpeace if they could use your skills. You would not get a training, I guess, but you could get some more experience and would learn and specialize "on the job".
Have a look at http://www.greenpeace.org/espana_es/press/
whether you might find some contact address.
By the way, have you tried to find organisms and companies (or hospitals) in England, USA, Spain or Latin America (the world is big ) who might be willing to give you an insight in their field of work - maybe only for a few weeks or months, maybe only in a secretariat (where sometimes smaller translations might be required as well)? You might get a little job which could be paid and would enable you to get nearer to your field of interest.
Otherwise, some companies also have their own translation services and if they are not willing to pay you anything for working there, they might accept your work for nothing. If they are overcrowded with work and you do a good job, after a while you might be in the position to ask to be paid...
In any case, I think, English>Spanish language services are an immense market at the moment considering that Latin America has still to develop its justified place in the world's economy. (Doing French > German and Spanish > German translations and initially having a much better grasp on French than on Spanish, I keep getting much more offers for Spanish > German translations than for my other language pair.)
Hope this will help you.
Good luck
Diane
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JuliaR
English to Spanish
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| thanks for the advice | Jul 5, 2003 |
Diane, thank you for the advice.
Since I've already offered my skills to some of the most important hospitals where I live, I think I'll try with Greenpeace as you suggested. I've just received today my first job (I hope) for a doctor in one of those hospitals I mentioned before, I just can't believe it yet!!!!!.
Anyway, I've got a doubt: I don't know what you really mean when you say:
"to find organisms and companies (or hospitals) in England, USA, Spain or Latin America (the... See more Diane, thank you for the advice.
Since I've already offered my skills to some of the most important hospitals where I live, I think I'll try with Greenpeace as you suggested. I've just received today my first job (I hope) for a doctor in one of those hospitals I mentioned before, I just can't believe it yet!!!!!.
Anyway, I've got a doubt: I don't know what you really mean when you say:
"to find organisms and companies (or hospitals) in England, USA, Spain or Latin America (the world is big ) who might be willing to give you an insight in their field of work - maybe only for a few weeks or months"...
do you mean that I just could be there and "learn in the shadow"?, and if you do, how should I apply for it?, because I don't want to give the impression that I'm desperate (although it is, to some extent).
thank you again,
Julia ▲ Collapse
| | | | | Personal contacts, business experience, proofs for your expertise | Jul 6, 2003 |
Hi, Julia,
what I wanted to say is that maybe gathering professional experience in your fields of interest even if doing other jobs than translating for a while might help you to get translation jobs later.
For instance working as a secretary or another kind of assistant in a hospital or a company will give you a better insight in the subject and terminology of the field and will give you ideas about how the organism is structured and about the organizational skills an... See more Hi, Julia,
what I wanted to say is that maybe gathering professional experience in your fields of interest even if doing other jobs than translating for a while might help you to get translation jobs later.
For instance working as a secretary or another kind of assistant in a hospital or a company will give you a better insight in the subject and terminology of the field and will give you ideas about how the organism is structured and about the organizational skills anybody needs when setting up a company or a business.
You might also get to know which other fields are related to your fields of interest and which companies, giving things a second thought on the basis of your then extended knowledge, might also be interesting for you. You might get to know people who might be willing to give you translation jobs after having got to know you personally and your way of handling any kind of jobs.
And finally, it would enhance your resume if you could proove some professional experience in your fields of specialization, even if you did only a little translating or even none in that job.
I hope this makes a bit clearer what I wanted to say.
But maybe your first job (congratulations!) is already the proove you did not too bad marketing yourself and your skills and is the first of a long series of jobs from the same client and from others to whom you might be recommended by that client...
However, if you are not overcrowded by work during the next months, you might consider working part-time as an assistant in any company in your area and taking on translation jobs whenever the opportunity arises.
Best wishes
Diane
Ps. By the way, I like your new photo better than the old one
JuliaR wrote:
Diane, thank you for the advice.
Since I've already offered my skills to some of the most important hospitals where I live, I think I'll try with Greenpeace as you suggested. I've just received today my first job (I hope) for a doctor in one of those hospitals I mentioned before, I just can't believe it yet!!!!!.
Anyway, I've got a doubt: I don't know what you really mean when you say:
"to find organisms and companies (or hospitals) in England, USA, Spain or Latin America (the world is big ) who might be willing to give you an insight in their field of work - maybe only for a few weeks or months"...
do you mean that I just could be there and "learn in the shadow"?, and if you do, how should I apply for it?, because I don't want to give the impression that I'm desperate (although it is, to some extent).
thank you again,
Julia
[Edited at 2003-07-06 09:48] ▲ Collapse
| | | | JuliaR
English to Spanish
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| thank you!!!!!!!!!! | Jul 6, 2003 |
thank you for the comment on the picture, some people had already told me that I looked too serious in the other one, so I decided to change it...
As for the advice you gave me, well, I think I'll try to do my best with this client (if I finally get it)and go on looking for a job. In fact I have already sent dozens of CV... but no results so far.
I don't know if I should low my rates a bit for this client without him asking for it. I know it might not give a very good ... See more thank you for the comment on the picture, some people had already told me that I looked too serious in the other one, so I decided to change it...
As for the advice you gave me, well, I think I'll try to do my best with this client (if I finally get it)and go on looking for a job. In fact I have already sent dozens of CV... but no results so far.
I don't know if I should low my rates a bit for this client without him asking for it. I know it might not give a very good impression, but I don't want to lose him...
Maybe as he told me in the future would need some other jobs, I could make him a special offer. Shall I do it or wait and see what he says?
bye!!!!!!
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| | | | | Wait and see... | Jul 6, 2003 |
Hallo, Julia,
I would wait and see how your client reacts to your normal rates. I have found it is not worth lowering one's rates because normally you do not ask for more than what would sustain your living (including holidays, taxes, insurances, illness, soft- and hardware....) and what is fair for the amount of work you have to do. If you want to keep your client, you should rather give him more service than he would expect (in terms of delivery well ahead of time, well researched... See more Hallo, Julia,
I would wait and see how your client reacts to your normal rates. I have found it is not worth lowering one's rates because normally you do not ask for more than what would sustain your living (including holidays, taxes, insurances, illness, soft- and hardware....) and what is fair for the amount of work you have to do. If you want to keep your client, you should rather give him more service than he would expect (in terms of delivery well ahead of time, well researched translation, nice formatting, clear and early questions about things you do not understand or when you need more information in order to be able to give the correct translation, forseeing possible criticisms in regard of your translation decisions and giving your arguments beforehand, at the same time when you deliver the translation).
With all this, your client should be convinced that your work is worth its money.
On the other hand, if your client seems to think you are asking him too high rates you will maybe be better off lowering your rates (as the jobs this client offers will give you some experience and you would even be prepared to do non-profit work in order to be able to get this over-important experience...) But as your "marketing campaign" proceeds you will find that you might earn the same amount by working only part of the time and charging "decent" rates. You will then have to tell your client that you will have to charge him more (and probably loose him) or tell him that you cannot do his jobs anymore because they prevent you from accepting others which are better paid, so maybe you would have to give up a (regular ?) client and I guess this is not what you would like to do. So if there is any chance your client will be happy with your rates, keep them! (One argument might help you justify your rates before you get the order: in medicine, your work has to be 120% accurate because the patient's life and health are at stake!)
By the way, have you checked the average rates for your language pair on ProZ? I do not know if as a non-paying member you have access to those, but if you have you can judge if your rates are too high. (Consider that those average rates are rates for jobs from translation agencies. You can ask higher rates from direct clients).
Good luck, also for your other applications! (dozens of CV's certainly are not enough and if people have not told you they are not interested but only did not show any reaction, they might call you half a year or two years later, offering you a job. Also keep the addresses and send them updates every half a year or so, if you can show up with new experience.)
Do not be too humble but try to know what your work is worth!
Diane
JuliaR wrote: thank you for the comment on the picture, some people had already told me that I looked too serious in the other one, so I decided to change it... As for the advice you gave me, well, I think I'll try to do my best with this client (if I finally get it)and go on looking for a job. In fact I have already sent dozens of CV... but no results so far. I don't know if I should low my rates a bit for this client without him asking for it. I know it might not give a very good impression, but I don't want to lose him... Maybe as he told me in the future would need some other jobs, I could make him a special offer. Shall I do it or wait and see what he says? bye!!!!!! ▲ Collapse
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JuliaR
English to Spanish
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| I hope I can eventually do so | Jul 7, 2003 |
Thank you again, I would have never imagined I could find this forums so useful, and of course people willing to "waste their time" with beginners...
I think i'll wait sometime to see if this client wants me to do the job, and if he does, I'll try to keep it because I think it could be good marketing for me and also experience of course. I'll try to do my best and make the "word of mouth" system the most profitable.
I hope the time will come when I can do what you said... cho... See more Thank you again, I would have never imagined I could find this forums so useful, and of course people willing to "waste their time" with beginners...
I think i'll wait sometime to see if this client wants me to do the job, and if he does, I'll try to keep it because I think it could be good marketing for me and also experience of course. I'll try to do my best and make the "word of mouth" system the most profitable.
I hope the time will come when I can do what you said... choosing which work I can do and which one not...
thak you again Diane
cheers, Julia ▲ Collapse
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