I’ve been coming to the TT for a while; however, I have just started reading ‘Speaking in Tongues’. This branch is addicting.
Over the past 5 or so years, I’ve had career regrets. I wish I would have tried being a translator/interpreter. The feeling the past few weeks has magnified.
At the moment, I have a good career (I am a L10n Project Mngr) but my weekends have been spent reading websites and learning about my dream profession. (Upon my study, I’ve learned that some translators end up in the career that I am doing at the moment…sigh)
At any rate, I’d like to ask you your advice because it seems that most of your are in or have been a(an) trans(interp).
• What is your opinion of the industry?
• Do you like or did you like being a translator?
• Do you think it is fruitless to go for a career change such as this one at the age of 34? (I am 34 and an intermediate speaker or French and Japanese.)
• What do you think is the most needed language combination?
I appreciate your thoughts and comments.
A few thoughts and comments:
I started a MA in translation (Dutch, Spanish and German) when I was 28 and finished it when I was 32 - I have been a freelance translator since then (4 years now). I didn't have a real career before, I had just jobs. So I was in a different situation.
You don't have to study translation to be translator - knowing your languages is the most important. I found that it also helps not to be very young, "life experiences" and general knowledge (which people usually do not have when they are 18) do help a lot when translating.
I love being a translator. I love being a freelancer. I am usually at home, do not have to deal with office politics and if I want to work at night, i just do it. This also has some disadvantages though: I work on my own. Some people cannot cope with not having the social network that comes with a 'normal' job. I am a loner, I don't mind working on my own without talking to someone for days. But even I sometimes work as an 'on call secretary' for a law firm. Just to see people (and to have a bit of financial security). You also have to be able to deal with stress. The image of a translator sitting at home and getting rich while doing the occasional translation isn't true (unfortunately). Clients always want to have their translation finished by yesterday or preferably last week. I often work from 7 am to 10 pm. Monday to Sunday. Of course there are quieter moments in this 'industry' too, but when you really start to get settled and get your own, regular clients, it is hard to say 'no' (you could lose your client after all).
I love the variety that comes with the job. Yesterday I was translating a technical text about solar energy systems. Today I started a translation of a text on contemporary jewellery.
I cannot comment on the most needed language combination. You should only translate into your mother tongue. I am lucky that I grew up bilingual German/Dutch, and translate into both languages (mainly from French and English). But I do not know which language combinations are needed in the US - though I think that being able to translate from Japanese could be very useful!
If you want to start as a freelance translator, make sure you have enough savings to survive the first months without any income. And it could even take a year before you can make a living. I underestimated this at first. I had just assumed that the translation world was just waiting for me and my skills. It wasn't.
I am in Belgium. Things might be different in other parts of the world. Things are certainly different for interpreters. I took interpreting courses during my masters, but decided that it was not for me.
Thank you, sndr, for your information. It's nice to know that someone is happy at what they are doing.
For me, I'd like to start advancing my French skills. (Though I think French to US ENG market may be saturated--a specialty would be needed I'd suspect)
Does anyone think that is would be more adventageous to advance one's language skills first THEN look into the possibility of taking a degree or certification program? Or the other way around?
I'm not 100% sure on this, but I think you'd probably need more than an intermediate level in a language.
Most translator jobs I've seen advertised, or jobs for "english/ other language" speakers normally demand fluency in the second language, to cope with the subtleties.
If I may chip in, I agree that you need more than intermediate level in the language you are coming from -- you would really miss too much. And you indeed only work into your mother tongue. I agree too that general culture is really invaluable, unless of course you are doing technical translations in a specific field, in which case you need a good knowledge of that field.
And the best way to start getting customers would be to have a less common language, like Japanese or Arabic or something. There are loads of French/Spanish/German/Italian speakers out there, but fewer people able to translate from Japanese.
I have friends who studied languages at university. Most of them end up as teachers, or tourist guides (with uni degree). Sndr is a lucky one in that trade.
As bjd said in #4
<blockquote>Quote
<hr>And the best way to start getting customers would be to have a less common language, like Japanese or Arabic or something.<hr></blockquote>.
One of those friends that I'm mentioning here, who is fluent in English, Spanish (and Polish) got a great job, on the grounds that she spoke intermediate Russian, while English was considered obvious. But again, like in her case, you need other skills and experience, to which a language is a complimentary tool.
I've worked for a short while in an office that acted as an agent between translators and clients. They had a pool of translaters who worked for them. Half of the money charged was for the agent!
They had different pay rates. With common language combinations like Dutch-English (this was in the NL) you could not earn a lot, but they had regular clients who requested those languages. Being able to translate for instance Dutch-Arabic or Dutch-Urdu, the translators could ask for high rates, but those translations are not needed very often.
A month or two in that office did cure me from any wish becoming a translator. You really need to go for it, be pro-active, work hard and work a lot to make it. I am sure it is possible, but if you don't have the motivation you won't make it.
Look into what language combinations are in demand and if those are languages you can/want to learn. Then look into the appropiate education. Even if you do the studies to become a translator and then don't work in the field, you'll be able to speak a language and that's always a big plus on the job market.
Synada,
I work as a freelance translator (French/German into English) and I love it. Many people who want to enter the profession worry about having learned the "right" language, and all I can say is that there is no "right" language, but rather a combination of the following skills that will make or break someone as a translator. Basically, a translator needs the following:
- Top-notch writing skills in and overall facility with one's native language
- A masterful command of one's foreign language(s)
- knowledge of and familiarity with one or more technical fields (legal, business, engineering, advertising, medicine, etc.)
Translators with the above skills will be in demand, no matter what their language, if they can market themselves well (especially in the beginning when they're getting established). It is not that common to find someone with the above combination of expertise; there are tons of so-called "professional" translators out there who lack language skills, technical knowledge, or both.
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