Translating Career - Getting Started in a Translating Career
When you first consider getting started in a translating career, there are essentially two different paths that you can take. You can get started as a freelance translator, or you can join a company that hires out translators to serve different purposes
in a myriad of different industries. While it can seem like the best course of action to take the freelancing route since you will be able to work your own hours from your own home, this is not the recommended course of action when you are just beginning your translation career.There is no single path to follow when it comes to getting started in a translating career. It is ultimately up to you to decide how you will obtain your education, what courses you will take, what certifications you will pursue and how you will use all of that training and preparation to obtain a career. One thing that you want to keep in mind, though, is that there are benefits to working in a translation office or company when you first get started, as opposed to starting off as a freelancer from day one.
It is recommended by many translators that you first go and work in someone else's office as an in-house translator before you become a freelancer. It is even more preferable that you choose a translation situation where there are other experienced translators around you. The reason is because they will be able to help you move along as you learn what you are doing. After you spend a couple of years working as an in-house translator for a professional company, you will have developed a thorough enough understanding of "the ropes" to strike it out on your own.
Ultimately, it is up to you to make choices about getting started in a translating career. The best possible thing that you can do is to plan out your education and career goals when you first get started so that you have a concrete path to follow along the way. You should not simply make things up as you go along, as this will not provide you with a stable goal or plan during your education or when you first begin looking for a job in the profession. Well-laid plans go far in helping you meet and achieve your translation career goals so that you can obtain the types of translation jobs that you are most interested in.
-By Adriana Tassini
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