The career as a translator has rocketed since 2011 when it was nominated to one of the top 50 professions. Seven years later, people’s interest in doing it rose by 22%. Now that there are more and more competitors in this industry, you need to prepare yourself through the following three golden stages, so that you can stand out!
The Initial Step as a Translator
Becoming a translator is about advanced language skills where you not only understand vocabulary and grammar but overcome cultural problems and terms in certain fields as well. Therefore, you need to show credibility through relevant experience. As a fresh graduate, it does not mean you will lose competitiveness with others if you take the initial steps beforehand.
You can do voluntary work in translation to strengthen your CV. Joining as an apprentice under the supervision of an experienced person is also a way to gain valuable experience. Other than that, trying to develop yourself as an interpreter and project manager will give you “training” before going straight into professional work.
Although you do not have a chance to translate from scratch when you become a project manager, there are other things you can obtain. Call it good organization, and negotiation skills, and the most important thing is that you are used to proofreading and using CAT tools which will later be very useful to support your performance.
The Practical Tips for Novice Translators
After you seek experiences, what steps do you need to take? First of all, create a CV that is as specific as possible with the vacancy you are applying for. Bunch of people present good CVs, but you have to show the relevant skills there to stand out.
Another thing you need to pay attention to is flexibility, considering that the translation industry has quite a tight deadline. You need time management to manage your schedule if translating is not the only thing you do.
You can start your career as a freelance translator and one thing you need to do is research the rate standards for your work. This rate will indirectly affect the client’s trust now that a nominal that is too cheap will indicate the work as it is. The appropriate rates and interesting service, such as speed, is a promising combination, isn’t it?
How to Become a Professional Translator?
Education is one of the indicators that can indicate a professional impression on someone. This also applies if you want to become a competent translator. Have you taken or will you be taking a master’s degree? If so, then you have built your career on the right path.
Being a professional is also about validation from the party who have the capacity. In this case, you can join an agency to measure your abilities. Go to Google and you will find a massive result! If you pass the given test, it means you are ready to work your best.
Since translation is no longer something that is done manually as it will take a long time, you need to increase your knowledge about the technology that can boost your performance. Apart from CAT tools, Translation Memory is a feature to increase your effectiveness. You need to translate the terms first, then store them in the system. In the end, the combination of technology and humans is not only about speed, but one’s skill to organize it as well.
Translation is an adaptive thing as its application is always needed in daily life. In line with the increasingly developing technology, the internet and localization are elements of nowadays translation that need to be pursued. For instance, you should also learn about the website’s working system in a form of a digital text format, such as HTML in order to overcome geographic barriers.
All in all, translating is not just about language skills, there are various things that will affect a person’s performance. To begin with, experience is an essential thing that can indicate the competence of a translator, then convert it into a CV. In line with technological developments, CAT tools, Translation Memory, and other supporting features need to be additional skills of top-notch translators.
