Translation is a growing global industry with ever-increasing job opportunities. Once a translator has built a name for himself and proved himself to be reliable, available and professional, he will be able to decide how much and where he wants to work.
In-house Staff Translators
Staff translators are normally hired to work full-time in a company. They are paid a fixed salary unrelated to the amount of work they have done during the month. In-house translators often have more than one language combination but the type of documents they are asked to translate will more than likely be similar to each other, unless they work as a staff translator for a translation agency. Usually, staff translators will be able to build an impressive experience in-house but it is usually limited to one topic area.
In-house positions are not easy to find and most translators tend to hang on to one when they find it. Staff translators may find work with:
- International organisations, like the United Nations or European Union, who need documents translated into several languages
- Multinational companies specialising in technical or technological products
- Software companies who write and adapt software packages worldwide
- Local companies linked to international trading
- Government agencies or departments like foreign affairs, tourism boards or immigration
- Large translation agencies specialising in translating documents subcontracted to them
Freelance Translators
Most translators work in a freelance capacity. This involves working for several private clients or translation agencies. Smaller agencies who do not have the funds or workload to employ an in-house translator often hire translators on a freelance basis.
Freelance translators are paid for each individual translation project. This system has advantages and disadvantages to it. While it allows translators to gain a varied experience, have flexible schedules and to work from home, it does not offer a lot of job and economic security.
How to Find a Job as a Staff Translator or as a Freelance Translator
Looking for a job as a staff translator differs to looking for a job as a freelance translator, and knowing this can help a translator save a lot of time, money and energy.
In-house staff translation jobs: Government agencies usually follow fixed recruitment procedures with vacancy advertising so there is little point in sending in an unsolicited application. Time should be better spent finding out what the recruitment procedure is, what qualifications and language combinations will be required and the type of test they give to translators when a vacancy needs to be filled. This information can be found on their website or by phoning up and enquiring.
Privately owned companies also usually have fixed recruitment procedures but they may be more flexible meaning that an unsolicited application could get a translator a job. They tend to put less importance on formal qualifications but do normally insist on a test to assess a translator's ability.
Home-based freelance work: Freelancers spend a large portion of their time sending unsolicited applications to companies. Even large companies with permanent translation staff keep a list of freelance translators for when there is an overload of work. Applications should be sent in with a C.V. listing translation experience, qualifications, computer equipment, software packages and niche, if the translator has one. Samples of previous work can also be included, as long as it is not confidential.
Translator directories or lists are a way of advertising a translator's services. Lists are often published by translators' associations, chambers of commerce or government agencies.
Internet is a valuable tool for the freelance translator. There are portals and lists where translators can post their profile and C.V. for potential clients to see. Many are free but some do ask for a fee to sign up with them. There is nothing stopping a freelance translator from making his own internet site or blog and registering it with various search engines to drive traffic to his site.
Some freelancers also advertise but most do not because of the expense. There are, however, some inexpensive options like advertising in the "Yellow Pages" which reaches a wider audience than a lot of people believe.
Translation, as a career, is fulfilling and rewarding but can be demanding too. Starting out as both a staff or freelance translator can be difficult but knowing where and how to apply for work can make the difference between success and failure.
Louanne Piccolo - Louanne Piccolo has been writing professionally for 13 years, focusing on family, health, teaching, education, translation and travel. ...
