from studying translation to a career
Thread poster: mtalm
mtalm
mtalm

Local time: 08:16
Jul 2, 2004

I am starting a masters in translation this year and hoping to move to Spain the following year. I have lived in both Spain and France but am not sure whether I will have difficulty finding work there as I am a US citizen.

Would it be feasible to establish myself as a translator and gain experience in that situation?

What is necessary in order to work? Internet and fax?

Also, what areas of specialization are in demand? On what should I base my choice of s
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I am starting a masters in translation this year and hoping to move to Spain the following year. I have lived in both Spain and France but am not sure whether I will have difficulty finding work there as I am a US citizen.

Would it be feasible to establish myself as a translator and gain experience in that situation?

What is necessary in order to work? Internet and fax?

Also, what areas of specialization are in demand? On what should I base my choice of specialization? Personal preference? Availability of sources?

Thank you in advance for any advice! Best regards!
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Stefanie Sendelbach
Stefanie Sendelbach  Identity Verified
Germany
Local time: 13:16
Member (2003)
English to German
+ ...
Browse the forum Jul 2, 2004

Hi there,

Well, having found Proz.com is a good start

You might want to read through the 'Getting Established' forum on this site. There are loads of threads that will be interesting for you.

Good luck,
Stefanie


 
Kim Metzger
Kim Metzger  Identity Verified
Mexico
Local time: 06:16
German to English
Transition to a career Jul 2, 2004

mtalm wrote:

I am starting a masters in translation this year and hoping to move to Spain the following year. I have lived in both Spain and France but am not sure whether I will have difficulty finding work there as I am a US citizen.

Would it be feasible to establish myself as a translator and gain experience in that situation?

What is necessary in order to work? Internet and fax?

Also, what areas of specialization are in demand? On what should I base my choice of specialization? Personal preference? Availability of sources?



Hola mtalm,
You'll definitely need the Internet. That's where all the action is! And I think you should start finding and doing jobs as soon as possible - before you move to Spain. Once you've established a clientele, you can even move to Timbuku as long as they have telephone lines and work from there too.

Good luck, Kim


 
Mary Lalevee
Mary Lalevee  Identity Verified
United Kingdom
Local time: 12:16
French to English
Check position re jobs Jul 2, 2004

You need to check whether you can have a work permit in those countries. When I lived in France, up to three years ago, it was vitually impossible for Americans to get work permits unless they were highly paid expats. Not sure of the situation if you are self-employed.
Good luck!
Mary


 
Lia Fail (X)
Lia Fail (X)  Identity Verified
Spain
Local time: 13:16
Spanish to English
+ ...
What you ideally need to start up Jul 3, 2004

[quote]mtalm wrote:

Would it be feasible to establish myself as a translator and gain experience in that situation?

quote]

Basically, unless you have plenty of money behind you, you might have to consider combining freelancing with something else.

What you need, ideally, to set up as a freelancer:

>a "room of your own" to work in
>a good computer, even a second back-up computer in case of breakdowns
>a printer (occasional fax and scanning needs can be met by local shops)
>a mobile phone, a phone line and broadband Internet connection - the biggest ongoing expenditure item along with Social Security
>about 250 euros per month up front for the Social Security payments
>translation software (as well to start using it from the beginning)
>a gestor to leave you time free to work and to deal with bureaucracy for you
>money in the bank to cover slow times and slow payers.

I met a US translator trainee recently who confirmed that to set up as a freelancer - i.e. to become an "autonomo" - in Spain is difficult for US citizens.

[Edited at 2004-07-03 09:53]


 
Jørgen Madsen
Jørgen Madsen  Identity Verified
Local time: 13:16
English to Danish
+ ...
My advice: Get inhouse experience Jul 3, 2004

For at least two reasons, experience from working as a translator at a translation agency is a great advantage:

First of all you get to know all the tools of the trade (and there are many), you learn how the business works (translation process and project management), and you learn all the tips and tricks necessary for working on your own. As a freelancer, you're on your own, and you have to solve ALL of your problems yourself. You can get all of this experience "for free", if you w
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For at least two reasons, experience from working as a translator at a translation agency is a great advantage:

First of all you get to know all the tools of the trade (and there are many), you learn how the business works (translation process and project management), and you learn all the tips and tricks necessary for working on your own. As a freelancer, you're on your own, and you have to solve ALL of your problems yourself. You can get all of this experience "for free", if you work as an inhouse translator for a couple of years before going freelance.

Secondly you need contacts in the business, as many as possible.
If you have to start from scratch and find your own clients, this can take many years. It's possible, but it takes time.

Finally, I recommend networking with other freelancers. It's nice to have someone in the same situation as you. You can help each other with the many possible problems that will come up along the way.

Good luck!
Jørgen
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David Jessop
David Jessop  Identity Verified
Laos
Member
Spanish to English
+ ...
Getting a job without a work permit is difficult in Spain Jul 5, 2004

Hi,

I have done a bit of research on the subject of getting a job in Spain as a U.S. citizen. It is one option I have been exploring. My research tells me that it is extremely difficult for a U.S. citizen to get a Spanish work visa. I understand that one´s prospective employer must solicit the Spanish government and demonstrate that it is almost impossible to find the same qualifications from someone within Spain or the EU. I am presently working on getting my British citizenship (
... See more
Hi,

I have done a bit of research on the subject of getting a job in Spain as a U.S. citizen. It is one option I have been exploring. My research tells me that it is extremely difficult for a U.S. citizen to get a Spanish work visa. I understand that one´s prospective employer must solicit the Spanish government and demonstrate that it is almost impossible to find the same qualifications from someone within Spain or the EU. I am presently working on getting my British citizenship (my father was born in the UK) with the hope of working in Spain at some point. I have been told to not even bother attempting to find real work in Spain if I don´t have my working papers. Best wishes to you.

Saludos de La Paz.

David
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John Simpson
John Simpson  Identity Verified
United Kingdom
Local time: 12:16
Member (2004)
French to English
+ ...
Try inhouse Jul 5, 2004

There are inhouse positions which come up quite regularly in Madrid and Barcelona. Keep an eye out of for these by getting El Pais on Sunday and by registering with infojobs.net.
English tuition (at least in Madrid) is another possibility if you need extra money when freelancing.

Enjoy the course!

John


 


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