In the wake of the 21st century, the demand for professional business translations has rapidly increased. Additionally, the global pandemic has intensified the need for remote and online work all over the globe. That’s why freelance translators have become the center of attention in the localization world.
Translators are working in almost every part of the globe. With the help of their advanced skills, they facilitate the people of different cadres greatly. There is hardly any field where they are not providing their translation services. Gone are the days when people on one continent were not able to understand the science and innovation of another continent. Now, language service provider platforms, with the help of translators, have broken down the traditions of the past.
Many companies hire freelancers for part-time jobs on short contracts. The important thing to note is that they don’t receive the same leverage as a permanent employee, and their freedom of work is more important for them. However, because of the increasing demand for translation in the business landscape, freelance translation is emerging as a lucrative career.
This article talks about some practical guidelines for freelance translators who are striving to increase their incomes, elevate their skill sets, and work with high-end global clients.
What are the Other Terms Used for Freelancing?
Freelancers are basically self-employed. However, freelancing is not the only word used for people who work on their terms. Some other words used for freelancing are as follows:
Contract Work: It is a short-term or part-time contract. Moreover, it is also referred to as a contract job.
Independent Contractor: It is known as an internal revenue service and it is one of the classifications of a freelancer.
1099: This is a type of freelancing in which freelancers are paid using a tax form called 1099-MISC.
Contract Consultant: This word is used for consultants under a 1099 contract for a specific span.
Contract-to-Hire: Sometimes freelancers want full-time employment. Contract to hire is a probationary period in which freelancers are tested on whether they can be hired full-time or for a specific time.
17 Tips Freelance Translators Should Know
1. Excellent Command of Native Language
The first and foremost skill that a freelance translator should have is language proficiency, with a vast command of grammar and various writing styles. They should have a deep command of their native language. They should also keep in mind that their translated content is going to be read by the general public or professional authorities. Along with having command of their own language, the translator’s job is to translate the text into another language all the time. It can only be possible if they know the native language of the target audience. The ability of linguistics lies in how many languages they have command of. Many linguistic software have been developed so far, but human translators can get the best results because of their cultural understanding.
2. Sound Cultural Knowledge
Apart from being bilingual or multilingual, translators should have a proper understanding of cultural knowledge. It is mandatory to find a freelance translator who must be very familiar with the differences between the two cultures. Without it, you can not satisfy your clients. If your client needs translation services from Chinese to Japanese, your linguist must be familiar with Japanese culture. Japan has a very nuanced honorific system and uses a high level of formality and politeness in their speech compared to China. During the localization process of a video game or app, you should be very careful about the formality levels to make the game or app content seem more familiar to the target audience. On the other hand, many translation blunders have come up with disastrous results by not keeping in contact with the local cultural differences in the past. You better not make the same mistakes previously made by brands like KFC, Pepsi, and Pepsodent in China. These brands didn’t take care of the cultural differences but only did word-for-word translation.
3. Excellent Writing Skills
Professional translators should have excellent writing skills. They can use all the grammatical and sentence conditions easily and swiftly. A translator may have to deal with various kinds of content, like legal documentation, historical descriptions, and medical reports. That is why they must have a fluent writing style and expression. Additionally, their writing should not be so dull that it cannot attract the attention of the audience. So, if you are a freelance translator, then you must refine yourself according to your current translation skills. Only then can professional localization management platforms like MarsCloud and professional translation companies coordinate with translators to bring out the best translation and localization solution.
4. Work with Some Agency
If a language translation service is not provided accurately, the clients will wreak havoc on your freelance profile. So to understand the intricacies of the industry, you must work with a professional translation platform. These agencies consider the business aspects of every translation, like marketing, billing, and project management. Although working with these agencies will often pay you less, on the other hand, they will help you develop professional skills. Moreover, working with a professional agency will also help you make social connections. With the help of these connections and emerging translator platforms, freelance translators can get work done easily in the future.
5. Ability to Respond Quickly
With the rising population, demands have also increased. Translation orders can come at unearthly hours. Project managers might find difficulty responding on time. This delay in response can hurt the image of any translation agency. This problem can be eradicated only by responding to emails continuously and quickly. Freelance translators can work and manage things on their behalf and work together with other translation agencies.
6. Management Skills are Mandatory
A good freelance translator must be a good manager. They should have all the management tactics and skills to handle the whole translation process from beginning to end, including communicating with clients and project managers, setting and meeting deadlines, and using a translation project management system to stay organized and efficient. Any professional translation company can rely on that kind of freelancer.
7. Effective Communication Skills
Along with management skills, communication skills are also essential to being a professional remote translator. Your client base solely depends on your communication. How you attract customers, how you satisfy them, and how you facilitate your clients in a respectable manner. Without great communication skills, your translation talent will never get into the limelight.
8. Specialize in One or More Subject Matter
Language translators need to be specialized in specific subjects. Every subject and field has its own basic jargon and terminology. The medical field uses wording like dissection, the legal field uses words like court de cessation, and the political field has terminology like constitutional democracy, etc. So, you should never underestimate the client’s demands. That is why, to be a good translator, you need to specialize in any field of your interest, along with translation. Because specialization will give you a huge advantage and will reduce your time spent researching particular terms.
9. Meet the Deadline for Translation Projects
The credibility of a freelance translator can be measured by their commitment to project deadlines. Because the final kick of the translation relies on the freelance translator, they have to translate the results or review a project. If they are unable to provide the project by the deadline, they can ask the client to extend the time limitations; otherwise, due to the language barrier, your relationship with the industry could be harmed. They have placed trust in your words and work. So, it is better to meet the timeline in order to pave the way for organizations.
10. Know Translation Limitations
It is true that translation is a technical and complicated task. Only experts are capable of handling it. No freelance translator can deal with every type of genre. If they do, they are unable to generate a productive translation. Translators can increase the barrier between themselves and the agency by making mistakes. Your honesty will help, and it will help the agency ensure the quality of the translation. For instance, if your area of command is business language localization, then your respective company will never assign the medical translation services task to you. Because if given, they may have to face the wrath of customers in the form of complaints.
11. Establish Your Translation Quality Checks
Freelance translators should double-check their work to avoid any errors. Their routine of spacing, spelling, context, and marks will save the time of proofreaders and project managers. The habit of looking within the documents, apart from CAT tools, will enhance their intellectual quality and make them good translators. Also, when you provide qualitative work that is error-free, it increases your chances of being permanently hired by any localization service provider.
12. Freelance translators are Researchers
Your doctor must remain abreast of modern disease, medicine, and treatments. Your pilot has to be constantly in touch with current navigation. The same is the case with translators. Because of modern advancements and daily innovations, it is very important to stay in touch with current happenings. However, professional translators keep doing in-depth research to polish their skills. They are learners who learn by researching their specialized language and region.
13. Look for a Good Mentor
If you find a good mentor, then it will be a great help for you to ace your freelancing career. Whenever you face a difficulty, your mentor will guide you according to his experience. You can find mentors through global translation associations. Moreover, if you have networking in the translation industry, you can also find a good mentor. Some translators can be of great help to you; they may refer you to their clients and outsource their excessive translation work to you.
14. Build a Strong Profile
A vigilant freelance translator’s profile is everything. If any localization management platform like MarsCloud has to hire freelance translators, they must go for their profile first. Their profile reflects the criteria and experience, along with the customer’s review and ratings. The higher the rating, the more they are worth working with.
15. Defining the Payment Criteria
Their payment method and pricing rate should be defined accordingly. It is a sign of professionalism that the pricing rate should have already been defined. Although urgency and different fields of translation can be defined separately; moreover, the payment method must be flexible, so clients from different countries can make payments seamlessly through their preferred mode of payment.
16. Freelance Translators Should be Tech-savvy
Another vital quality that freelancers should know is the usage of advanced computing technology. Along with writing skills, they must know the usage of advanced equipment and software. By being technology-friendly, they can do advanced research. Any freelance translator learns how to use Microsoft Word, Excel, and software like Grammarly, etc. to enhance their translation quality. To provide state-of-the-art translation services with a fast turnaround time, freelance translators should learn how to use computer-aided translation tools and other translation software and systems so they can market themselves online. Moreover, you must know how to operate speech-to-text software because many times you need to edit the content on the go, it will allow you to edit your translations and remove errors quickly. Similarly, using speech-to-text software, you can easily convert your videos into textual form without any need to get professional transcription services. For good computer and keyboard skills, you can enroll yourself in IT courses.
17. Project a Professional Image
No translation company, enterprise, localization management platform, or regular client will go for the unprofessional attitude of translators. They have to build their professional image by ensuring that every email is properly addressed and checked on a daily basis. Furthermore, phone calls must be answered on time, and above all, the translated content should be completed on time without any delays. The freelancers’ work ethics reflect their professional image, and clients or companies will definitely want them.
Wrapping Up!
There is no denying the fact, that without the skills and capabilities, you can’t really progress in this competitive world. However, to be a professional and vigilant freelance translator, the above article has pointed out some of the seventeen best qualities, like having good writing skills, advanced research skills, in-depth cultural knowledge, and language command. Localization management platforms can hire a translator if these qualities are to be found. The best thing about them is that they work freely without time boundaries. Being a freelance translator is the scope and demand in the localization industry. They can enhance their credibility to get the attention of some multinational professional giants.
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