Advice starting out (new to translation)
Thread poster: Yusif Buckheet (X)
Yusif Buckheet (X)
Yusif Buckheet (X)
Iraq
Local time: 23:49
English to Arabic
+ ...
Jul 8, 2020

Hello,

Being totally new for translation world, having no prior experience listed in your CV, it so difficult for agencies to pick you. I am new to translation. However, I've translated some samples into my tongue langue. Also, I have various expertise in fields: Medicine, CS&IT and literature, poems trans-creation. I need this work because of financial issues. So, any advice?

Thanks in advance

[Edited at 2020-07-08 22:16 GMT]


 
Samuel Murray
Samuel Murray  Identity Verified
Netherlands
Local time: 21:49
Member (2006)
English to Afrikaans
+ ...
@Yusif Jul 9, 2020

Yusif Buckheet wrote:
I need this work because of financial issues.


You should not try to start out as a freelance translator if you don't have money to support yourself for 6 months to a year at least, because that's how long it can take to get established and have clients regularly send you work. In the beginning, you're not going to get a lot of work, even if you diligently contact all the agencies on the Blue Board.


Sheila Wilson
Yusif Buckheet (X)
Jorge Payan
Kuochoe Nikoi-Kotei
Beatriz Ramírez de Haro
 
Mariana Pereira
Mariana Pereira  Identity Verified
Portugal
Local time: 20:49
Member (2020)
English to Portuguese
+ ...
@Yusif Jul 9, 2020

As the colleague above said, you can't plan to start as a freelance translator without some savings to support you. To have a general idea of the market, I have 6 years of in-house experience in the field, just sent my CV to more than 500 agencies since the beginning of june and 95% of them haven't responded yet. I work with a very common pair (EN/ES > PT-PT), so it's expectable for the answer rate to be low. I believe your language pairs are more valuable, but since you don't have experience, y... See more
As the colleague above said, you can't plan to start as a freelance translator without some savings to support you. To have a general idea of the market, I have 6 years of in-house experience in the field, just sent my CV to more than 500 agencies since the beginning of june and 95% of them haven't responded yet. I work with a very common pair (EN/ES > PT-PT), so it's expectable for the answer rate to be low. I believe your language pairs are more valuable, but since you don't have experience, you will have to try extra harder in order to market your services and receive positive answers.

You should start out by making a good CV and asking someone to proofread it. Making a database of the agencies you want to contact is also a good idea, in order to track which ones you have or not contacted. Create a LinkedIn profile if you haven't yet, complete every section of your ProZ profile and start bidding on jobs for your language pairs. Good luck!
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Kuochoe Nikoi-Kotei
 
Sheila Wilson
Sheila Wilson  Identity Verified
Spain
Local time: 20:49
Member (2007)
English
+ ...
Few people start earning regular amounts straight away Jul 9, 2020

Those with qualifications often have to get by with just the occasional paid job during the first few months. As you have very little to offer, I think you shouldn't expect a lot. It's normal to start by actually investing in a new career: training, dictionaries, software and hardware, memberships...

Freelance translation is really not a good bet if you want to earn a fast buck or two.


Kuochoe Nikoi-Kotei
 
Yusif Buckheet (X)
Yusif Buckheet (X)
Iraq
Local time: 23:49
English to Arabic
+ ...
TOPIC STARTER
Thanks, I almost agree with you Jul 9, 2020

@Samuel

Great advice! Thank you. I already have my precautions, so I should persuade agenesis now and find out... Also you're right! Been Searching for two weeks, and nothing happens!

@Mariana

It's a hassle! Having no prior market's experience, I can't just polish my CV with that. However, I should go with your database advice: Creating agencies list and keeping track with the ones I've contacted. Also I will take a look on LinkedIn. Thanks!

... See more
@Samuel

Great advice! Thank you. I already have my precautions, so I should persuade agenesis now and find out... Also you're right! Been Searching for two weeks, and nothing happens!

@Mariana

It's a hassle! Having no prior market's experience, I can't just polish my CV with that. However, I should go with your database advice: Creating agencies list and keeping track with the ones I've contacted. Also I will take a look on LinkedIn. Thanks!

@Sheila

Thanks! However, Freelance translation is the best chance for now. Investing in new career is the same risky business.


[Edited at 2020-07-09 09:01 GMT]
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Mariana Pereira
Mariana Pereira  Identity Verified
Portugal
Local time: 20:49
Member (2020)
English to Portuguese
+ ...
@Yusif Jul 9, 2020

Another advice: You should complete your ProZ profile with everything you can (take a look at other profiles and see what you can add). Your ProZ profile will probably be your main marketing tool, so clients and companies have to know as much as possible about your services.

 
Sheila Wilson
Sheila Wilson  Identity Verified
Spain
Local time: 20:49
Member (2007)
English
+ ...
Medicine? Jul 9, 2020

Yusif Buckheet wrote:
Freelance translation is the best chance for now. Investing in new career is the same risky business.

But I thought you were a medical student. That's what it says on your profile. Isn't medicine your new career?

If you want to be a specialist medical translator from the get-go -- which is a valid goal -- I suggest you take some courses in it now. And then market your services 100% as a medical specialist, while accepting "general" texts to put some bread on the table. What will hopefully happen is an agency will contact you for a medical translation, probably an urgent one to be done over the weekend. If you do a really good job, they may well ask if you can take on work in other subjects. Then you can sigh and "do them a favour" .


 
Yusif Buckheet (X)
Yusif Buckheet (X)
Iraq
Local time: 23:49
English to Arabic
+ ...
TOPIC STARTER
@Mariana Jul 9, 2020

Thank you! You were such a kind of help. From now I will take things more seriously, enriching my CV and ProZ profile with content. Hope you also get what you aimed for. Good luck!

 
Yusif Buckheet (X)
Yusif Buckheet (X)
Iraq
Local time: 23:49
English to Arabic
+ ...
TOPIC STARTER
@Sheila Jul 9, 2020

Yes, Medicine is my new career, but first I should complete all the stuff that medical school requires. Until that, freelance translation is the only way to go.

Your tips are great, Thank you! Although finding a course in my language pair specified for medical translation is a tedious thing, and I wouldn't take it anyway. Medical terms are my bread, and I am already capable of doing medical translation if agency contacts me. Probably If I took the course, the only benefit would be,
... See more
Yes, Medicine is my new career, but first I should complete all the stuff that medical school requires. Until that, freelance translation is the only way to go.

Your tips are great, Thank you! Although finding a course in my language pair specified for medical translation is a tedious thing, and I wouldn't take it anyway. Medical terms are my bread, and I am already capable of doing medical translation if agency contacts me. Probably If I took the course, the only benefit would be, their is one more thing to add on my resume. That's all!

For now I should stick with Mariana advice. I've contacted only few number of agencies, so I must update my CV and give number of them a hit.

[Edited at 2020-07-09 10:39 GMT]

[Edited at 2020-07-09 10:40 GMT]
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DZiW (X)
DZiW (X)
Ukraine
English to Russian
+ ...
IMO Jul 9, 2020

Yusif, just my subjective opinion:

A) Unlike middlemen sponging on the naive and needy, the real client just wants to have the job done (1) properly, (2) timely, and (3) as agreed--no extra fuss.
How should a prospect know that you are competent and reliable?

B) Real businesses require (1) a dedicated specialist in a related field [an engineer, a programmer, a doctor, a lawyer...] with (2) biz awareness [you know your absolute bottom and act as an equal bus
... See more
Yusif, just my subjective opinion:

A) Unlike middlemen sponging on the naive and needy, the real client just wants to have the job done (1) properly, (2) timely, and (3) as agreed--no extra fuss.
How should a prospect know that you are competent and reliable?

B) Real businesses require (1) a dedicated specialist in a related field [an engineer, a programmer, a doctor, a lawyer...] with (2) biz awareness [you know your absolute bottom and act as an equal business party--a troubleshooter offering turn-key solutions] and (3) foreign language skills [running the biz in other countries too]--not a 'pure' (theoretical) disposable translator.
Why should a client choose very you, preferring mid-long term cooperation?

C) Zillions of needy/newbies constantly [s]spam their CVs[s] hide behind the e-walls and self-isolation, yet without good contacts [references] at a specific niche or company it's but a waste. Neither talent nor theory and exp would do.

It makes more sense to write a few people via Linkedin or FB something like: "Hello XXXX--It appears we went to the same school and now we live in the same city! Please let me know when you have time for a tea or coffee. See you! YYYYY" Hopefully, you like tea or coffee and know how to smalltalk.
Do you know how to discuss something, proving yourself worthy and minding the manners?

At worst, check the company, their vision, names, and goals, and prepare a short cover letter explaining who and what you are--and that you did read their landing page: Every "Dear Sir or Madam" and "To whom it may concern" usually goes straight to a spambox.

Good luck
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Yusif Buckheet (X)
 
Sheila Wilson
Sheila Wilson  Identity Verified
Spain
Local time: 20:49
Member (2007)
English
+ ...
Translation isn't just about terminology Jul 9, 2020

Yusif Buckheet wrote:
finding a course in my language pair specified for medical translation is a tedious thing, and I wouldn't take it anyway. Medical terms are my bread, and I am already capable of doing medical translation if agency contacts me. Probably If I took the course, the only benefit would be, their is one more thing to add on my resume. That's all!

I have to disagree, actually. There are translation techniques that are highly important and that ordinary bilinguals wouldn't know, however good their terminology is in the two languages. These techniques will of course be covered in a general translation course, but they'll also crop up in a subject-specific course. One or the other would certainly directly benefit you, over and above its effect on your CV (which is not negligible in the early days).


Jorge Payan
Beatriz Ramírez de Haro
 
Yusif Buckheet (X)
Yusif Buckheet (X)
Iraq
Local time: 23:49
English to Arabic
+ ...
TOPIC STARTER
@DZiW Jul 10, 2020

You've made excellent points! Thank you.

Zillions of needy/newbies constantly [s]spam their CVs[s] hide behind the e-walls and self-isolation, yet without good contacts [references] at a specific niche or company it's but a waste. Neither talent nor theory and exp would do.

I must agree with this. Without great references in a specific niche, you're lost. Back then, in era when businesses first start rolling around internet, it was easy for so
... See more
You've made excellent points! Thank you.

Zillions of needy/newbies constantly [s]spam their CVs[s] hide behind the e-walls and self-isolation, yet without good contacts [references] at a specific niche or company it's but a waste. Neither talent nor theory and exp would do.

I must agree with this. Without great references in a specific niche, you're lost. Back then, in era when businesses first start rolling around internet, it was easy for some isolated people to get jobs. But now, and as the market expanded, it's ridiculously tough thing to do.

Translation is a rewarding thing to do if you have a free time. I am thinking to put my trust on and have a faith. Absolutely Patience is needed, so I am not expecting anything right now.


At worst, check the company, their vision, names, and goals, and prepare a short cover letter explaining who and what you are--and that you did read their landing page: Every "Dear Sir or Madam" and "To whom it may concern" usually goes straight to a spambox.


An empty CV (without any prior experience) isn't gonna help me. Thank you, now I am thinking of writing a cover letter,
explaining who and what you are
, and also what can I offer. Also, keeping in mind your last tips.
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