Poll: At what age did you become a translator (as your only/main source of income)? Thread poster: ProZ.com Staff
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This forum topic is for the discussion of the poll question "At what age did you become a translator (as your only/main source of income)?".
This poll was originally submitted by Wendy Leech. View the poll results »
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Prior to that I had been a staff editor for 13 years and moonlighting as a translator, trying to break into the field.
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Translation has been my only source of income since I was 42. I started out at the age of 35 as a part-time freelance translator. If I could do it all over again I would probably start younger…
| | | | neilmac
Spain
Local time: 04:50
Spanish to English
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I would have gotten into it sooner, but ended up doing other things instead. When I graduated with my degree in Russian and French, almost all the translation work available was for the Ministry of Defence, which didn't appeal to me at the time. After moving to Spain in the 80s, I worked in TEFL quite happily for several years before drifting into translation, which I found much more rewarding and eventually took over from the English classes. Two of my best direct clients nowadays have been wit... See more I would have gotten into it sooner, but ended up doing other things instead. When I graduated with my degree in Russian and French, almost all the translation work available was for the Ministry of Defence, which didn't appeal to me at the time. After moving to Spain in the 80s, I worked in TEFL quite happily for several years before drifting into translation, which I found much more rewarding and eventually took over from the English classes. Two of my best direct clients nowadays have been with me since my teaching days. ▲ Collapse
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Vera Schoen 
Sweden
Local time: 04:50
Member (2008)
German to Swedish
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And I have been translating ever since (almost 11 years ago).
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Some people said it was too late for me to try a new profession but that wasn't the spirit that got me through Dunkirk all those years ago.
| | | | | 24, looking forward to freelancing | Sep 11, 2015 |
I am 24 (ok, I am already about to turn 25!  ) and translation is my main source of income, since I work in a comapny as a translator and interpreter, but I am buiding my career as freelancer at the same time and can't wait to have my independence!
[Edited at 2015-09-11 11:50 GMT]
| | | | Rolf Kern
Switzerland
Local time: 04:50
English to German
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In memoriam
Translation was never my only/main source of income.
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Vera Schoen wrote:
And I have been translating ever since (almost 11 years ago).
47 - Before that I worked in R & D (development of inudstrial chemical formulations) - so quite a different field really
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As a missionary, I translated computer and construction stuff full-time, but for free. I started working in-house at 22 and freelancing at 24. I'm 28 now.
| | | | Mario Freitas
Brazil
Local time: 23:50
Member (2014)
English to Portuguese
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| 46, very regretfully | Sep 12, 2015 |
I became a translator at the age of 22, but I wasted 20 years working as a business manager in-house, because of undue cultural influence. I had translation as an alternative source of income from 26 to 46. Only at 46 did I realize that #1, translation is the only thing I ever worked with that I really love, and #2, working in-house is one of the worst mistakes most of us do when we leave college, because our parents and grandparents also thought that was the right way to develop your carreer. B... See more I became a translator at the age of 22, but I wasted 20 years working as a business manager in-house, because of undue cultural influence. I had translation as an alternative source of income from 26 to 46. Only at 46 did I realize that #1, translation is the only thing I ever worked with that I really love, and #2, working in-house is one of the worst mistakes most of us do when we leave college, because our parents and grandparents also thought that was the right way to develop your carreer. Biggest B.S. in the world, unless your parents or grandparents own a big, promising business!
I wish I had believed in our market and become a full-time translator at 26. I would probably be doing A LOT better by now. But it's never too late, I hope.
[Edited at 2015-09-12 06:10 GMT] ▲ Collapse
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P.L.F. Persio
Netherlands
Local time: 04:50
Member (2010)
English to Italian
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And I thought I knew everything back then...
| | | | Dinny
Greece
Local time: 05:50
Italian to Danish
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Some 10 years ago I decided that I had had it with working as an employee, and since I had been moonlighting in translations for the previous 20 years I thought it was worth going for as my only source of income. But since being a freelance in translations is possible in nearly any part of the world I left rainy Denmark and moved to Crete so that every time the work load is low, I just open my front door and I am "on holidays in Crete". Best decision I ever made! ... See more Some 10 years ago I decided that I had had it with working as an employee, and since I had been moonlighting in translations for the previous 20 years I thought it was worth going for as my only source of income. But since being a freelance in translations is possible in nearly any part of the world I left rainy Denmark and moved to Crete so that every time the work load is low, I just open my front door and I am "on holidays in Crete". Best decision I ever made!
And to Chris S.: My compliments! With your 22 years of experience and starting at 77, you must now be 99 and still kicking! I'm impressed! ▲ Collapse
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I lost steady, nice job at 50 in so-called transition, like thousands of people here, and decided to do nothing until retirement, meaning cca. 10 years; but I was bored. Friends who knew what I knew gave me first translation projects, but I had to buy computer. It was like nightmare; I started from zero. Later on, while surfing, I bumped on Proz. Thanks to former education, knowledge and being open to new technologies, it turned out that I was quite good at doing this.
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