Tomedes Blog

Beginners are mostly a jittery lot wherever you go, whether it is the first day at school, work, business or translation job. And it’s ok to feel so, most rational people will. You are just starting out and there’s always so much to learn. I was a beginner a few years back and can now look back objectively at the things that worked and those which didn’t; steps which I should have taken or not taken at all. If you are a beginner in the field of language translation, check out the following tips, I believe they would be quite helpful –

Get yourself certified/ Take classes – You might have done this already, if not you should. Though I know a fair number of brilliant translators who have never taken translation classes nor have been certified, such classes and certifications do help. At least they would help you make a substantial impression. A translation buyer would be able to rely on you more easily.

Ensure exposure – You should make efforts which ensure that your skills get noticed. A great way of achieving this is by writing for translation industry trade publications. It will be read by people in the position to give you worthwhile translation jobs. Articles in trade publication make a great impression and make your resume look much better.

Get all your queries answered – Beginners frequently feel shy of asking too many questions for the fear of appearing a complete novice. But it’s all right to appear a novice at the beginning of a language translation job than to appear incompetent when it’s completed and badly done. So always take detailed briefs from your client(s) on what they expect from you.

Be available – I know you love your weekends as much as I do. But as a beginner, be more flexible about your working hours. Make yourself available when other language translation experts are not. Work during weekends, and holidays and after regular business hours. This is a very effective way of building a loyal client base.

There are many more tips, but for that you will have to wait for the book that I am writing Till then the above would serve you well.