Cultural competence has always been at the heart of effective communication. It enables professionals to interpret meaning beyond words, including humor, idioms, tone, and intention within specific cultural frameworks. While AI can process vast amounts of linguistic data, it struggles to grasp subtleties that depend on cultural context. This is where translators and interpreters have an invaluable advantage. Those of us in the older generations also bring valuable experience. However, newcomers benefit from growing up with technology, which can further enhance their work.

For example, when an English speaker says, 鈥渂reak a leg,鈥� AI systems often render it literally in other languages. A culturally competent Haitian Creole translator would instead express the sentiment as 鈥�B貌n chans鈥� (good luck), understanding that the phrase conveys encouragement, not harm. Similarly, a French translator would know that 鈥淚鈥檓 feeling blue鈥� should be adapted to 鈥�J鈥檃i le cafard,鈥� an idiomatic way to express sadness, rather than a literal reference to color. In Spanish, the expression 鈥淚t鈥檚 raining cats and dogs鈥� continues to challenge AI, which tends to translate it literally, while a skilled human translator would naturally render it as 鈥�Est谩 lloviendo a c谩ntaros鈥� to convey the intended meaning. Each of these examples reveals that human translators bring cultural and emotional intelligence that no algorithm can replicate.

Rather than viewing AI as competition, emerging language professionals can embrace it as a collaborator. AI tools can handle repetitive or technical aspects of translation, freeing humans to focus on the higher-level work that requires cultural insight and critical thinking. When used thoughtfully, AI becomes a partner that enhances accuracy and efficiency, while human expertise ensures authenticity, respect, and connection.

Exercises and discussions on cultural competence in the age of AI illustrate exactly how this partnership can thrive. By examining real-world examples of AI-generated translations that miss cultural nuances, practitioners can apply their expertise to refine and humanize the output. These kinds of activities demonstrate an important reality: AI is not replacing translators or interpreters; it is expanding the tools available to them. Simply put, in the age of AI, human translators and interpreters remain essential; not only to navigate the subtle shades of expression, such as 鈥渕aybe鈥� versus 鈥減erhaps,鈥� as highlighted by William Weaver, or the seemingly straightforward choice between 鈥渕ouse鈥� and 鈥渞at,鈥� as noted by Umberto Eco; but also to guide and train AI in recognizing these nuances.

For newcomers to the profession, this era offers unprecedented opportunity. Translators and interpreters who understand both technology and culture will be in high demand. Their role will evolve from language conversion to cultural mediation and AI optimization that will help shape tools that better serve diverse communities. By contributing their expertise to dataset development, cultural annotation, and linguistic validation, translators can directly influence how AI learns and interprets meaning across cultures.

Embracing AI means taking ownership of the field鈥檚 future. By guiding technology with cultural competence, new professionals ensure that translation and interpretation remain deeply human endeavors. The machines may translate the words, but only people can truly convey the meaning behind them. As AI continues to evolve, its success will depend on collaboration with culturally-aware professionals who understand that language is not just data鈥攊t is humanity in motion.

About the Author

Safira Amazan is a seasoned linguist and communication specialist with extensive experience in legal, medical, and marketing translation and interpreting. Fluent in English, French, Haitian Creole, and Spanish, she bridges linguistic and cultural gaps with precision and cultural insight. She is the Founder and Director of Language and Cross-Cultural Programs at Cultures Communicate, where she provides translation, localization, voice-over services, cultural competence training, and human rights education. Safira holds a master鈥檚 degree in legal translation from NYU, she is a certified medical interpreter, and she completed advanced studies in International Law and Cultural Competence.
Contact: safira@culturescommunicate.com

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A 鈥� Agreements

Never begin work without a signed agreement. Contracts clarify deadlines, rates, payment terms, confidentiality, and expectations, and they protect both you and the client.

B 鈥� Boundaries

Set clear boundaries around your work hours, communication channels, and response times. Clients will respect the professionalism you model.

C 鈥� Clients

Aim for a diverse client base of private individuals, companies, and language service providers (LSPs). Relying on a single client can be risky if their needs change. A mix provides stability and more opportunities for growth.

D 鈥� Deadlines

Respect deadlines religiously. Submitting work on time (or even early) builds trust and often leads to repeat business and referrals.

E 鈥� Expenses

Keep track of every business-related expense. Software, business-related travel, internet bills, dictionaries, marketing鈥攖hey all add up and can be tax-deductible.

F 鈥� Freelance Mindset

You are running a business, not just taking on projects. Think strategically about growth, service offerings, and client relationships. Invest in the services and technology you need to support your career.

G 鈥� Goals

Set specific, measurable goals: earning ATA certification in your language pair, learning a new CAT tool, or doubling your income . Goals keep you focused. Make sure to set deadlines to help keep yourself on track!

H 鈥� Home Office

Create a dedicated workspace, no matter how small. An organized, quiet area helps with focus, productivity, and work-life separation.

I 鈥� Invoicing

Send invoices promptly, ideally right after project completion. Include clear payment terms (like 鈥淣et 30 days鈥�) and follow up on overdue payments. Don鈥檛 be afraid to charge new clients a deposit or require full payment up-front while you establish a good working relationship. Utilize a professional platform to streamline the invoicing process and make it easier to track related income and expenses.

J 鈥� Jargon

Specializing in fields like legal, medical, or technical translation requires mastery of their terminology. Invest time in learning your industry鈥檚 jargon and build glossaries and term bases for current and future use.

K 鈥� Knowledge

Languages evolve, industries change, and technology advances. Continuing education isn鈥檛 optional; it鈥檚 part of the job. Stay current in your field by attending refresher courses, webinars, and conferences.

L 鈥� Legalities

Depending on where you live, you might need to register as a business, pay self-employment taxes, or carry liability insurance. Know the laws that apply to you.

M 鈥� Marketing

Even the best translators and interpreters need marketing. Build a professional website, join the ATA to be listed in the Language Services Directory, use LinkedIn effectively, and ask satisfied clients for referrals.

N 鈥� Networking

Professional associations like the ATA, conferences, and online forums offer support, resources, and job opportunities. Build a network that you can learn from, lean on, and contribute back to. It鈥檚 always helpful to have real people you trust to consult with when you encounter a linguistic conundrum.

O 鈥� Organization

Client information, deadlines, reference materials, invoices: Staying organized helps you meet deadlines and avoid costly mistakes. Use an online invoicing platform, maintain a workflow spreadsheet if you鈥檙e handling multiple jobs at once, and keep folders on your browser of useful reference sites for easy future access.

P 鈥� Professionalism

Respond to emails promptly, communicate respectfully, and take feedback graciously. Your reputation is everything.

Q 鈥� Quality

Quality comes before speed. Clients remember excellent work, and they鈥檒l come back for it. Never compromise on quality to meet unrealistic timelines.

R 鈥� Rates

You typically earn less per word on assignments for language companies than for private individuals. Know your worth and set competitive rates. Avoid the temptation to undercut the market as you establish yourself. Undervaluing your services hurts both you and the industry as a whole.

S 鈥� Specialization

You don鈥檛 have to translate everything that comes your way. Specialization increases your expertise, earning potential, and satisfaction. Test the waters in various areas first to see which pool or pools you鈥檇 like to dive into.

T 鈥� Technology

Use the right tools for the job. Whether this is CAT tools, AI, remote interpreting platforms, or noise-canceling headsets, it鈥檚 important to invest wisely in technology that boosts your efficiency.

U 鈥� Upskilling

Learn new skills that complement your work, like project management, copywriting, subtitling, or localization. Diversify your offerings as the market evolves.

V 鈥� Visibility

Maintaining a professional website and online profiles, as well as authoring articles and leading webinars, all boost your visibility and position you as an expert in your field.

W 鈥� Work-Life Balance

Set boundaries to avoid burnout. Take breaks, make time for hobbies, and don’t be afraid to say no to unrealistic demands.

X 鈥� X-Factor

What makes you unique? Maybe it鈥檚 native fluency, a niche specialization, cultural expertise, or super-fast turnaround. Identify it and promote it. Stand out among the crowd!

Y 鈥� Yearly Reviews

Once a year, review your business performance. Look at income, expenses, client satisfaction, and areas for improvement, and make the necessary changes to meet your annual goals and maintain a seamless operation.

Z 鈥� Zeal

Stay passionate about your work. This is not just any job! It鈥檚 a calling. Your love for language, communication, and connection is what led you to this field in the first place and what makes this career so rewarding.

Independent contracting as a translator or interpreter offers freedom, flexibility, and endless learning opportunities, but it also demands professionalism, organization, and perseverance. By understanding the full picture鈥攆rom A to Z鈥攜ou鈥檒l be better equipped to build a thriving career doing what you love best.

About the Author

Born and raised in Boston, Arielle Depaz spent extensive time abroad in Spain and Israel before settling in the Greater Washington, D.C. area. She holds an M.A. in Spanish Translation & Interpretation from the Middlebury Institute of International Studies (Class of 2011) and has been translating and interpreting freelance English, Spanish, Hebrew, and Italian for 15+ years now, ten of which have been spent part-time at the Department of Justice as an in-house translator in the Civil Rights Division. Arielle specializes in pharmaceutical, government, and legal translation and interpretation and holds ATA certification for Spanish < > English translation. She lives in Fairfax, VA with her husband and three young children.

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Similarly, , an employment services director at Peninsula UK, states that 鈥淕eneration Z are known to place more importance on flexibility, work-life balance, and personal well-being, and, therefore, are much more likely to look for an employer that aligns with these values.鈥�

Based on my own connections with young people, this is true in the US as well鈥攁nd many Gen Xers share these values too. The traditional disadvantages of freelancing, such as the lack of a guaranteed, stable income and the lack of benefits through a corporate employer, are often seen as worthwhile trade-offs for more flexibility, a better work-life balance, the opportunity to address mental health issues, and the desire to make a positive impact on the world.

Translating and interpreting are professional pursuits that align well with this new approach to work. They are flexible (you can be your own boss and work remotely or in-person), they can accommodate a healthy work-life balance (you can work part-time or full-time), and they can even promote well-being (it鈥檚 rewarding to be a bridge of communication and know you are helping people).

But what does it actually mean to behave like a professional in 2025? Professional behavior, etiquette, and expectations are oftentimes assumed, rather than overtly discussed. And while these expectations have changed over time, they are not always what young people expect or assume them to be! Professional etiquette can actually help to create a healthier work-life balance by reducing expectations about response time as well as establishing sustainable boundaries that promote better mental health.

So, what are 鈥減rofessional鈥� behaviors and expectations in our digital age?

Email vs. text

We are all very familiar and comfortable with texting, and for many of us, it is our preferred method of communication, especially for personal matters. But emails are still the standard in professional communication. My first contact with clients is almost always via email, and most ongoing correspondence is also conducted via email. This may seem daunting to young professionals who are less comfortable with email, but it can help to establish healthy boundaries between work and personal communication.

Response time

The Millennials and GenZers in my life feel obligated to respond to a text within five minutes or risk offending someone. This can be a cause of stress and anxiety. But in the professional world, responding to an email within 24 hours is considered very prompt, and responding within 48 hours is perfectly acceptable in many cases. And that doesn鈥檛 count weekends! If I receive a professional email on a Friday, I do not feel obligated to respond until Monday (or later) unless it is a client with whom I have a very close working relationship and I know the matter is truly urgent.

Availability boundaries

This is a major consideration in our digital era of constant notifications and demands on our time. Having a separate email account for work and setting those notifications so that you don鈥檛 see them pop up the moment they come in can be important for our mental health and, ultimately, for our capacity to successfully run a small business while also being available for other life commitments. A professional who is running their business full time will be able to check emails multiple times a day, but if you run your business on a part-time schedule, setting aside a time each day (only once a day, not multiple times a day) to check your work email and respond is perfectly fine as a professional. For the most part, you do not need to respond instantly!

Social media boundaries

The line between personal and professional online profiles is more and more blurred. Clients and colleagues want to know that you are a real person with your own unique personality, interests, and priorities. But having no boundary between your personal and professional online profiles can be detrimental to your professional image as well as to your mental health! One way to handle this is to start off with a robust LinkedIn profile that is purely professional. Then take advantage of the online directory profiles you can create within the professional organizations you belong to. This is where clients are most likely to look when they are seeking a professional. And refrain from posting about your freelancing work on your personal Snapchat, TikTok, or other social media accounts. Your clients are probably not the same people as your personal friends and followers. Create new social media accounts for your business and connect with other professionals or potential clients on those platforms, keeping the content related to your business. This will streamline your content for your targeted audience, and also create healthy work-life boundaries!

Professional translating or interpreting can be a great career choice for those who prioritize flexibility and a healthy work-life balance. Understanding professional etiquette and maintaining good boundaries can minimize your stress as you embrace the advantages of a career as a freelance language professional.

About the Author

Marybeth Timmermann is an ATA-certified professional French to English translator specializing in academic writing for scholarly publication, literature, certified documents, and revision/proofreading. She is a longtime contributing translator and editor to , a multi-volume collection of the writings of Simone de Beauvoir in English translation. She also works with direct clients translating philosophy, fiction, academic records, and official documents. You can connect with her by email, on , or on her .

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Volunteering and doing small side jobs are great ways to gain experience and improve your skills as a translator or interpreter. But in order to be a professional鈥攚hether you plan on doing this work part-time or full-time鈥攊t is important to transition to a small-business-owner mentality.

According to Bankrate鈥檚 , 鈥淎s soon as your side hustle starts earning money, you (and the government) can consider it a business, even if it鈥檚 not a full-time business.鈥�

So are you a 鈥渞eal鈥� professional and small business owner if you devote less than 40 hours a week to your business? Of course you are! As a part-time language professional, you are a full-fledged small business owner. It is time for part-time small business owners to reclaim the paradigm that defines professional success in terms of number of hours worked and total annual income earned.

One of the greatest advantages of running a small business and being your own boss is the flexibility of setting your own hours. In fact, many professional translators and interpreters prefer to keep their business as a part-time career for a variety of reasons, such as family commitments, health concerns, or adjacent jobs or careers. The ability to run a truly small business that allows you time for other life pursuits or commitments should not be seen as a drawback or lack of success, but rather as a major benefit of choosing to be a professional translator or interpreter.

How to embrace this mentality?

• Perception is key. Years ago, I started describing myself as a 鈥減rofessional translator鈥� (rather than a 鈥渇reelance translator鈥�) and immediately noticed a huge difference in people鈥檚 perception of my success, even though my actual work had not changed. Unfortunately, the word 鈥渇reelancer鈥� sometimes carries the connotation of a quaint hobby or dabbling interest that is not taken very seriously. This shift in perception created a positive feedback loop and helped to boost my own confidence in what I do and the success I have achieved.
• Keep personal accounts separate from business accounts. This includes social media as well as email and finances. One of the first things I did for my small business was pay for a professional email address, and it has been well worth it. And since the first thing most potential clients will do before hiring a language professional is to Google them to make sure they are legit, it is super important to cultivate an online professional social media presence that is separate from your personal online presence and reflects your small business.
• Be intentional about your legal business structure. Carefully researching your options (sole proprietorship, LLC, etc.) not only encourages you to see your work as a legitimate and legal small business but also impacts how you report your income for tax purposes. There are pros and cons for the different legal business structures, so make sure you choose the right one for you that fits your specific business goals.
• Understand that starting and running a small business鈥攅ven a part-time one鈥攖akes time and a significant investment of unbillable hours. Think of the unbillable hours you spend on your business as an investment into growing or maintaining your business, not as a waste of time. Even if you are just starting out and only have two hours a day to devote to your business, use those two hours wisely鈥攚hether or not you currently have paid work. Marketing your services, researching new tech or new clients, and maintaining your professional online presence are valuable ways of investing in your business.
• Small business owners need to be confident in their skills and the value of their services. Translating and interpreting are highly skilled services, so continue honing your craft and expect to get paid what you鈥檙e worth!
• Practice professionalism with every interaction you have as a business owner, no matter how small. Every email response or social media post represents your business and builds your reputation as a competent professional.

If part-time is a temporary stage in running your translation or interpreting business, there are many resources out there for transitioning your part-time side hustle to a full-time small business. See, for example, 鈥溾�� by Nacondra Moran.

But whether or not you eventually choose to grow your part-time business into a full-time business, if you are getting paid for any amount of work you do as a translator or interpreter, you are already a small business owner. Your goal may be to someday devote 40+ hours a week to your language service business, or your goal may be to continue running your business on a part-time schedule. Either way, embrace that as a success and act like the professional small business owner you already are!

About the Author

Marybeth Timmermann is an ATA-certified professional French to English translator specializing in academic writing for scholarly publication, literature, certified documents, and revision/proofreading. She is a longtime contributing translator and editor to , a multi-volume collection of the writings of Simone de Beauvoir in English translation. She also works with direct clients translating philosophy, fiction, academic records, and official documents. You can connect with her by email, on , or on her .

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In 2022 I facilitated a session of the Language Access Caf茅 at the NCIHC Annual Membership Meeting and was asked to speak about interpreter self-care. Prior to the meeting, I decided to do an informal survey of medical interpreters asking them some questions about their mental health. I wanted to have a little bit of data that would clue me in on some of the issues interpreters were facing. While most of the results I shared during the AMM focused on stressors and supports, I also briefly shared some of the unexpected trends that came out of my analysis of the data.

A finding that perhaps I didn鈥檛 highlight as much as I could have was that medical interpreters, especially remote (over the phone or video remote) interpreters,听don鈥檛 know where to turn when they need support. In keeping with this, more than a few respondents specifically mentioned being lonely in their role. As an in-person interpreter who runs more than a few听, I have to admit I鈥檝e never really felt this way. In the end, these findings really opened my eyes to the loneliness that other interpreters face. It also confirmed just how important it is to do your research before speaking on behalf of a particular group, even if you belong to it!

This wasn鈥檛 the last time I was faced with the truth about the loneliness some interpreters face. I started the听听in August of 2020 as a space for interpreters and translators to talk about the unique issues they face, as well as how their mental health can be affected. While we were originally a small private Facebook group, we now hold live monthly meetings over Zoom, have our own Facebook page, and are nearly 900 members strong. While I can鈥檛 share specifics due to the private nature of our group, I听can听say that loneliness is an issue that in-person interpreters, remote interpreters, and translators all face to varying degrees. While it may not be the #1 issue affecting our mental health, it still needs to be addressed.

It makes sense听that interpreters and translators can sometimes feel lonely. I鈥檇 venture a guess that the majority of us are independent contractors or freelancers, meaning many of us don鈥檛 really have coworkers. Even if we do have coworkers, we may still be working on our own, such as in our own office or in another location where we鈥檙e not interacting with them on any sort of regular basis. In addition, over-the-phone interpreters, video remote interpreters, and translators, often work remotely or from home.

鈥淚鈥檓 Feeling Lonely, What Should I Do?鈥�

Today is National Cheer Up the Lonely day, and loneliness among people who work for themselves, as well as people who work remotely, is actually pretty well-documented. The good news is that there are a lot of articles with tips for how to address feelings of loneliness for freelancers and remote workers. The bad news? There are a lot that give different tips, and some of them offer suggestions that just aren鈥檛 feasible for interpreters and translators. This is why I performed some statistical magic with 8 of the top articles about this topic, determined the most recommended tips, and wrote this article incorporating those top tips, gearing them towards the unique aspects of our roles.

1. Work in a different space for some of your tasks.

The top tip according to my handy dandy, overly-complicated spreadsheet I used, was working outside of your normal space. My immediate thought was: how are those of us who deal with sensitive information (e.g., medical, educational, legal) and/or have very specialized setups supposed to do this?

Let鈥檚 imagine you interpret over the phone and you听have听to take calls from your home office. It鈥檚 the only space you have that鈥檚 HIPAA and/or FERPA-compliant with a wired internet connection, all requirements for taking calls with the company you provide services for. How can you possibly work from somewhere else?

Consider all the tasks you perform in a day as part of your line of work. Do you ever have to check your emails? Are there trainings you have to complete every so often to remain in compliance? Maybe you spend time studying vocabulary or preparing glossaries. Do you ever have to prepare presentations? You may dedicate some time every week to verify your call logs, or even do your own accounting.

While the bulk of your work may not be possible in another space, you may be able to make time for yourself every week to perform these other tasks in a coffee shop, a co-working space, or even on your porch or balcony.

2. Find community, online or off.

If it weren鈥檛 for听, I鈥檇 probably feel lonely too! There are no shortage of communities on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and other social networks for interpreters and translators. Contrary to popular belief, yes you听can听create lasting, meaningful connections with others online. I鈥檓 still close with many of my online friends, many of whom I have also met in person, from as far back as 2005. They may not be interpreters or translators, but they鈥檙e proof that online friendships can be fulfilling and enduring.

When it comes to online communities, I鈥檇 like to address a concern others often bring to my attention. Yes, online communities can be toxic, and I鈥檝e left more than a few of them for that very reason. But not all online communities are created equal, and not everyone you meet online is going to be a massive edgelord. Any online community worth its salt will have leaders who actively cultivate a positive community culture. I run a few of my own groups, and while the work that goes into maintaining them is often underestimated, I am incredibly proud of the positive and uplifting culture they are built upon.

But as much as I preach the gospel of online communities, the fact remains that community doesn鈥檛听have听to be online. You can use online tools to find in-person communities, such as through听, or make a point of going out and participating in local events that sound interesting to you. Open your mind to the possibility that you might be able to make new connections anywhere outside of your home or office.

3. Schedule time to be social.

One article entitled听听brought up a really great point: some of us purposefully choose to work flexible schedules, but don鈥檛 end up using that flexibility to our advantage. Why not schedule a lunch date with someone in the middle of your work day? You have to eat anyways, you likely have down time during your day, why not turn this into an opportunity to socialize or do something fun?

The best way to turn something into a habit is building it straight into your schedule, and if you find yourself feeling lonely, it might be a sign that you need to develop social habits. Even if you don鈥檛 have time during your workday, you can set a goal to schedule plans with a friend after work once a week or every other week. If you find yourself pressed for time, you can turn something you already do into a social experience. Who says you have to go grocery shopping alone? Chances are, someone you know has to go grocery shopping too and would probably love the company.

4. Consider getting a pet.

I won鈥檛 mince words: a pet is a huge responsibility. So long as you see that responsibility for what it is, there鈥檚 no shame in getting yourself a furry (or scaley?) companion if you feel lonely and have the room in your home, heart, and wallet. If you鈥檙e seriously considering a pet for this reason, make sure to get a pet whose temperament and needs would mesh nicely with you and your lifestyle. If you鈥檝e never had a pet before, I highly recommend doing a ton of research to get a better idea of what a potential pet might mean for you in terms of upkeep, expenses, and commitment. Pets can be life-changing and go a long way in easing loneliness, but the last thing you want to do is return the favor by not providing it with what it needs to thrive.

5. Stay on top of your self care game.

Have you ever felt lonely in a crowded room? The fact that we are capable of feeling this way just highlights how the solution to loneliness isn鈥檛 always socializing. If you鈥檙e not taking care of yourself, you may feel unmotivated and find it difficult to branch out and make connections with others. You may experience negative internal dialogue, feel skeptical that others really have any interest in connecting with you, or even feel too overwhelmed to take the first step in overcoming how you feel. Self care is integral to your mental health, and poor mental health can exacerbate feelings of loneliness.

Self care can even open more doors to addressing feelings of loneliness. Taking up a hobby or reviving an old one is excellent self care, but it can lead to you seeking out events or community with other hobbyists. Not taking enough breaks at work? Maybe making an extra trip or two to the water cooler can present an opportunity to interact more with your coworkers. The possibilities are endless if you take a multi-pronged approach.

6. Don鈥檛 just chat or text, do a phone or video call.

So many of us have resigned ourselves to text messages and messenger chats. I know I鈥檓 preaching to the choir when I tell linguists that so much of our communication goes beyond the words we choose. Whatever happened to hearing someone else鈥檚 voice? Seeing their face? These are all vital aspects of human connection.

If you find yourself sending lots of texts, chats, and messages, but still feeling lonely, consider upgrading to a phone or video call every once in a while. Not only does this allow you to feel more connected to the other person or people, it can also transform what may have only otherwise been a micro-conversation into a full-fledged immersive social interaction. You might be surprised at just how far this can go with addressing feelings of loneliness!

7. Break out of your comfort zone (be creative!)

One of the听听suggested going outside of your comfort zone. If you find making new connections with people difficult or intimidating, the article suggests finding environments in which everyone is feeling a similar way鈥� namely, uncomfortable. These can be events in which everyone is trying something new for the first time, like an open mic night or learning a new sport or hobby. You鈥檇 be surprised how quickly strangers can find connection through similar feelings!

The same article also talked about the flip side of the same coin: finding something that you already feel really, really comfortable with, and using that as a starting point to build connections. What are your interests? What鈥檚 something you are incredibly familiar with or have a lot of knowledge about? Think about situations you could place yourself in that harness those things with which you are most comfortable.

But let鈥檚 go back to breaking听out听of our comfort zones, shall we? Some of the other articles I looked at provided some equally interesting suggestions along these lines. One of my favorites was听. The author of the article explains, 鈥淚 like to periodically send emails to people online whose work I鈥檝e found valuable. It鈥檚 led to some great conversations.鈥� He even goes on to mention he鈥檚 run in to some of these people at events later, and that as a result of those e-mails, they already have a connection.

8. Support others by mentoring or volunteering.

Have you ever considered mentoring another interpreter or translator? If you think you have nothing to offer a prospective mentor, think again! What are some of the things you know now that you wish you knew when you first started out? And mentoring isn鈥檛 even limited to interpretation or translation! You can mentor people who are learning your working languages, or even break away from languages altogether. What are the unique skills and abilities you have? The possibilities are endless.

Volunteering is also a fantastic way to connect with other people who care about the same things you do. Again, you can go the interpretation or translation route, put your working languages to good use in some other way, or just volunteer for a cause that you feel strongly about. If you don鈥檛 know where to start, you can think about your interests鈥� in my case, I like animals and video games鈥� and search volunteer opportunities that align with them. I already know I鈥檇 be a good fit for volunteering at an animal shelter just off the top of my head, but just now I looked up 鈥渧olunteer playing video games鈥� and apparently there鈥檚听听in children鈥檚 hospitals!

More Suggestions

Like I mentioned at the beginning of this article, I compiled these suggestions based on a bunch of popular articles about overcoming loneliness for freelancers and remote workers. These were just the top 8 tips based on my handy dandy spreadsheet. For more suggestions, you can always check out the original articles I used as inspiration for this one here:

1. 听on Leapers
2. 听by Ryan Waggoner
3. 听by Tom West on Crunch.
4. 听by Alexis Reale on flexjobs
5. 听by Sophia Barron on Owl Labs
6. 听by Benjamin Rojas on Forbes
7. 听on cocoroco
8. 听by Abigale Lim on Make Use Of

About the Author

Kelly (Grzech) Henriquez is a dual-certified Spanish medical/healthcare interpreter in Richmond, Virginia. She acquired her BA from Virginia Commonwealth University with a concentration in Spanish and completed their SETI (Spanish/English Translation and Interpretation) program. Kelly began her career in language services at a local safety net clinic and has since been interpreting on-site. During the pandemic, she began her YouTube channel for interpreters to provide free and accessible continuing education.听听Shortly thereafter, she became a medical interpreter trainer with Americans Against Language Barriers (AALB) and was recognized as the 2023 AALB Interpreter Educator of the Year.

The post Cultivating Connection: 8 Tips for Interpreters and Translators to Tackle Loneliness appeared first on 情侣自拍 (ATA).

Coming from an ex-student now freelance translator, who鈥檚 facepalming because she didn鈥檛 start this habit while doing university assignments. Are you ready?

Keep Track of Your Translation Time

What exactly do I mean by that?

Make a spreadsheet with the following columns: project name, language pair, word count, difficulty, preparation, translation, proofreading, and total time. Measure the time for each step and fill out the spreadsheet!

Why?

Because when you start freelancing, chances are you鈥檒l have absolutely no idea, how long it takes for you to translate a text of X words from language A to language B. And that鈥檚 what you have to be aware of when discussing deadlines with clients, who obviously want to keep it tight. But if you know it exactly, you just have to add a bit of wiggle room, so you won鈥檛 be stressed out by running out of time, and the client will still be satisfied.

Some extra tips:

• Using your phone is perfectly fine, but TogglTrack is a handy tool for the job. Although there is a subscription plan for extra features, what we need is totally free!
• If you start working and extend the spreadsheet with your rate per word, rate per hour and the total payment for the project, you鈥檒l get a great overview of your performance.

And don鈥檛 forget: even if you鈥檙e a seasoned pro, looking at the exact numbers could still surprise you! Doing this also helps you stay organized and gives you the ability to offer a fine-tuned fee, especially with the extended spreadsheet!

What do you think about this? Are you already tracking your time, or is this new to you? Let me know in the comments!

About the Article

This post was originally published on听. It is reposted with permission.

About the Author

Zsuzsanna Jakab is a Hungarian freelance translator specializing in audiovisual translation, but also enjoying working on more complicated texts, like contracts and CVs. She only graduated from the Master’s program with honors last year, but jumped right into full-time freelancing after a summer break. While she’s not a seasoned professional yet, she’s working passionately to become one, while also documenting her journey on LinkedIn. In her free time, she enjoys video games and TV shows, but also taking care of her plants and going hiking.

The post Keep Track of Your Translation Time appeared first on 情侣自拍 (ATA).

I had just graduated with an MA in translation from Kent State University. My grades were good, and I had some real-world experience under my belt. But my quest to secure my place as a freelance Spanish-to-English translator in the T&I industry was still off to a bumpy start, and I wasn鈥檛 sure why.

It turns out I had made an all-too-common rookie mistake: I hadn鈥檛 wanted to limit myself to one specialization for fear of missing out on work, so I had marketed myself as a general translator willing to tackle any kind of project. It鈥檚 easy to get lost in the crowd if you work in a common language pair and aren鈥檛 actively trying to set yourself apart. When these broad marketing attempts were met with crickets, I realized that I needed to choose a specialization and really commit to it. I had enjoyed learning about diagnostic tests, surgical techniques, and medical conditions for assignments in the MA program, and I loved the idea of conveying clear and precise medical information to help patients receive quality health care. So I began pursuing continuing education in medical concepts and began marketing myself as a medical translator. I only really hit my stride when I made that change.

Here are some tips I wish I had been given (or taken more seriously!) when I was working to break into medical translation:

1. Don鈥檛 be afraid to specialize: chances are it won鈥檛 limit the work you are offered.

Specializing has led to more potential client interest in my business, not less. Clients may be wary of the quality of translators who are too broad in their offerings. Narrowing the scope of the copy on my website and focusing on how I could help my clients in the medical field allowed me to build good client relationships and instilled trust in my abilities.

2. Support and learn from translators in your language pair and field.

Too often translators see colleagues in their language pair and specialization as direct competition who will hurt their business. I鈥檝e found the opposite to be true. My Spanish-to-English translation colleagues, particularly my colleagues at the , have introduced me to good Spanish-English medical translation resources like , helped me dissect tricky medical concepts, given me information about upcoming continuing education opportunities, and more. Speaking with more experienced translators has been a crucial part of the growth of my business and my confidence as a medical translator.

3. Study what people communicate about in the medical field.

It鈥檚 nearly impossible to accurately translate concepts you don鈥檛 understand. Building your knowledge of medical concepts can increase both the accuracy and the speed of your work.

Take translator-oriented training on language services in health care.

In 2020 and 2021, Mich猫le Hansen taught a set of courses for called 鈥淢edical Concepts and Terminology for Translators and Interpreters.鈥� These multi-week interactive courses covered the anatomy of different body systems and highlighted terms with which translators should be particularly careful. The feedback I got from the assignments was invaluable and made me feel more confident that I could succeed in this specialization.

Attending ATA conferences and ATA chapter training events has allowed me to make connections in the industry and learn more about various aspects of medical translation. I try to sign up for webinars on medical conditions that I often see in my work like cancer and diabetes, so I鈥檝e found ATA webinars like Yuliya Speroff鈥檚 鈥�Oncology for Medical Interpreters and Translators鈥� and Tracy Young鈥檚 鈥�Diabetes 101: An Overview for Medical Translators and Interpreters鈥� particularly useful!

Don鈥檛 underestimate monolingual resources on medical concepts.

Several companies like and offer free or low-cost self-paced massive online open courses (MOOCs) in health and medicine. I took courses that seemed relevant to concepts I was likely to see in medical translations such as medical terminology, vital signs, and imaging studies. While these courses were taught in English and were not geared towards translators, I kept a log of important terms and researched their Spanish equivalents. I used this to create a helpful reference for translation projects. This really drove home the meaning behind the words I translate.

4. Study how people communicate in medical contexts and why

It鈥檚 important to understand the writing conventions used in your target language so your work sounds as professional and natural as possible to your target audience.

Read and analyze a variety of parallel texts in the field to understand target audience expectations for different text types.

These can include documents like your own medical records, inserts that come with your medications, journal articles, and patient-oriented articles on specific diseases. As you read, identify the audience of these sources: Is this document written for a doctor, a researcher, or a patient? How does this intended audience affect the word choice, register, and tone of the target text? How would you reflect those aspects of the text in a translation? What is the purpose of this text? What cultural differences would you need to consider if you were to translate the text? This kind of critical analysis can help you navigate how to approach similar real-world projects.

Study medical writing resources in your target language to reinforce good writing practices in the field.

The American Medical Writers Association (AMWA) offers resources for medical writers of all experience levels. One of its most comprehensive resources for beginners is the , which consists of self-study workbooks and exams on grammar and usage, medical terminology, ethics, punctuation, sentence structure, statistics, and tables and graphs. This program refreshed my understanding of target language writing conventions, helped me better understand statistical concepts I encountered in medical journal articles, and improved my ability to catch and avoid grammatical issues. Reviewing the AMA Manual of Style can also help translators handle aspects of texts such as abbreviations and units of measure in ways that English-speaking medical professionals are accustomed to seeing.

The path to specializing in medical translation is not one-size-fits-all, but relying on the translation community and finding ways to constantly learn about the field can make the process much easier!

This blog post was edited by听Victoria Ch谩vez-Kruse听of听The Savvy Newcomer听team.听

About the Author

Hannah Sampson, MA, CT,听is an ATA-certified Spanish-to-English translator and editor based in Ohio. She holds a B.A. in Latin American Studies and Spanish from Ohio Wesleyan University and an M.A. in Spanish Translation from the Institute for Applied Linguistics at Kent State University. Hannah has collaborated with the Black Squirrel Translator Collective since 2019. She specializes in medical translation.

The post Savvy Diversification Series 鈥� Advice I Wish I Had Followed on How to Become a Medical Translator appeared first on 情侣自拍 (ATA).

On that note, because any attempt to tell others the best approach to the current marketplace would, from my perspective, be an exercise in unjustified condescension (and a number of possible approaches have been mentioned, in any case, on both and some ), I won’t be offering that kind of analysis. Instead, I thought it worthwhile to bring up an emotional counterpoint to the near-constant worries and economic dread of many translators new to the market, in addition to many of their older and wiser counterparts who aren’t, by dint of their greater experience, necessarily exempt from the same worries. This idea isn’t some kind of groundbreaking discovery on my part, and still less a reinvention of the wheel; in fact, it is an entirely traditional reiteration of what is not often enough repeated in a world of economic scarcity and the threats posed by modern technology: it is the idea that high-quality translation is the ultimate trump card in the industry, and one of the guarantees of a translation practice that has personal integrity and authentic value in the long term.

While some of these words might sound lofty or heavy-handed, my purpose is to get across my own understanding of a scale of priorities that, for the translator, can have some long-term staying power. And if that translator isn’t pressed by the exigencies of the marketplace or the financial desperation that comes with a given set of circumstances, then the path is cleared for having excellence as the highest value. Ultimately, excellence as a translator shouldn’t be a question of economics and competition in the marketplace, but of high-quality translation.

With this idea of my scale of priorities, and as a translator somewhat new to the industry myself and all too familiar with this heady, nagging, panic-driven feeling that the latest advances in artificial intelligence are going to make me superfluous almost before I’ve even had the chance to become essential, I wanted to provide a counterpoint to the excessive onslaught. As long as machines are incapable of replicating all the spontaneous versatility and complexity of the human brain, excellent translation will be essential to the marketplace. It will never get old, will never go away, and will always be sufficiently in-demand in those fields and industries in which quality is important.

It’s worth noting, of course, that a translator has to take the field into consideration, as well as the specialization, industry, marketing, business savvy, network, intelligence, birthplace, natural disposition, and a thousand other things that contribute to the outcomes of our lives. I don’t have the slightest doubt about that. Having a pair of wealthy and well-connected parents or an astounding luck-of-the-draw with landing a prestigious internship would also be fantastic.

But none of that matters in the least without the golden standard of actually being an excellent translator. In fact, you could argue that excellent translation doesn’t necessarily go hand-in-hand with success as a businessperson, employee, or freelancer; many of the greatest writers, for instance, have been neglected and impoverished (and many of them continue to be posthumously neglected), although it could be argued that because the development of an excellent translator requires a certain amount of feedback, it would be difficult to achieve excellence in this field without some kind of external input.

All the same, it’s worth stating and stating again: at a time when technological upheaval has made the values in the translation marketplace shifting and uncertain, erecting apparent barriers to entry for the newcomer that have often seemed like a merciless blood sport in which everyone is jockeying for a dwindling number of positions, the long-term value of excellent translation shouldn’t be underestimated. On the contrary, excellence that is the result of feedback, hard work, and long years of training is invaluable, irreplaceable, authentic鈥攁nd of course difficult to achieve.

But in our time, submerged as we are in a tumultuous sea of appearances and posturing that encompasses both our professional and personal lives on digital platforms such as Facebook or LinkedIn, where we all appear to be embodying a role to convince others to view us publicly in a certain way for the sake of professional advancement, maybe a bit of hard-earned, authentic, and unquantifiable value鈥攅xcellence worked for and achieved for ourselves alone, without the immediate need for a correspondent compensation鈥攊s something to be cherished.

And who knows, maybe artificial intelligence will one day overtake the human brain and reduce every type of translation to the push of a button. But when that happens, I’m sure, we’ll all have bigger fish to fry.

This article was edited by Emily Moorlach of The Savvy Newcomer team.

William Hepner is a Spanish-to-English translator in the field of marketing and communications and a master’s student in translation with a concentration in Spanish. A member of the ATA and the Northeast Ohio Translators Association, he currently lives in Kent, Ohio. If you’d like to get in touch, you can connect with him by email, on听, or on his website,听

The post A Translator’s Value(s) in a Shifting Market appeared first on 情侣自拍 (ATA).

Find an Exact Phrase

Most people will probably already know about and use this Google search strategy. However, it is one of the most useful, so it is still worthy of a mention. To search for an exact phrase, put听quotes听around the phrase.

Example: 鈥渟tay engaged in鈥�

This will only give you results that include that phrase in that order. Without the quotes, you get some results related to getting engaged. This strategy can be helpful, for example, when researching specific terms or when checking whether a phrase sounds natural. You can also combine multiple exact phrases.

Example: 鈥渆lderly people鈥� 鈥渟tay engaged in鈥�

Occasionally, just using quotes will not be enough to make Google search exactly what you are looking for. This is because Google changes your search to find what it thinks you鈥檙e looking for. This involves dropping certain words, correcting spellings, including synonyms or dropping apostrophes. If you want to ensure that Google only searches exactly what you input, do a听verbatim听search. To do this, go to听Tools,听then click听All Results听and then听Verbatim.

Search results can also be influenced by factors like your location, device and search history. To minimise this influence, go to听Settings听and click听Hide private results听(you can also set this to the default in听Search settings). Better still, use an听anonymous browser, such as Chrome鈥檚 Incognito mode or Edge鈥檚 InPrivate browsing. However, be aware that even when using these methods, Google may still personalise results to some extent due to cookies鈥攖here are ways to get around this if it鈥檚 a problem for you.

Find a Missing Word

To find a missing word or words in a phrase, use an听asterisk听to carry out a听wildcard听search. This is particularly beneficial to translators when you are unsure of common collocations or set phrases.

Example: 鈥渢o * a coup鈥�

This search shows that some common collocations with coup are: to lead a coup, to stage a coup, to attempt a coup.

Define a Word

To get the definition of a word you simply type听define:听followed by the term you want to define. This can help you to ascertain whether you are using a word correctly. You can also use this to find synonyms and related words.

Example: define:tortuous

This shortcut also works in other languages if you enter 鈥渄efine鈥� in that language.

Example in Spanish: definir:pluralidad

Remove Results that Contain a Specified Term

Sometimes you may want to exclude results related to a specific term, use the听minus sign听to do this. This can be of use to translators when you have a term with multiple meanings that you want to look up and you want to exclude results related to one of those meanings.

Example: matrix -film

This will give you results related to the word 鈥渕atrix鈥�, excluding any results that also include the word 鈥渇ilm鈥�.

Search Within a Website

You can use听site:听followed by a website address and then your search term to search for that term within that website. This can be especially helpful for translators if you are not provided with a glossary but the client has a multilingual website. In this way, you can search for the term in the source-language website and then switch to the version in your target language to see how the term is translated.

Example: site:repsol.com/es 鈥渆xploraci贸n y producci贸n鈥�

This search shows us the pages where the phrase 鈥渆xploraci贸n y producci贸n鈥� is found on the Spanish website and its breadcrumb. When we switch to the English version of the website, we are taken back to the homepage, but we can use the breadcrumb to find the same page. We find that the English term used by Repsol for this is 鈥渦pstream鈥�.

View the Cached Version of a Website

When you google something, you sometimes find that when you click on a search result, you cannot actually find your search term on that page. This is often because the page has been updated since Google last cached the page. You can view Google鈥檚 most recent cache of a page by typing听cache:听followed by the website address (there is no need to include http:// or www.). You can usually then find your search term on the cached page. This can also help if a site is down for maintenance.

Example: cache:iti.org.uk

Find Out the Time in Another Time Zone

Translators often work with clients in different time zones, this can sometimes make deadlines confusing. A simple way of checking the time in another time zone is to type the time and time zone followed by听in听or听to听and the time zone you want to convert it to. You can also search听time in听followed by a city or country to show the current time in that place.

Example: 9am EST in GMT
Or: time in New York

Convert Units

Depending on the requirements of the client and style guide, you may need to convert units when translating. You can do this in Google by simply typing in what you want to convert followed by听in听or听to听and the unit you want to convert it to.

Example: 127 GBP to EUR
Or: 26 miles in km

Search a Range of Numbers

If you want to search for a range of numbers, use听two dots. Translators may want to use this when researching events between certain dates. You can also use it when you are unsure of the exact date that something occurred.

Example: canal built Belgium 1800..1825

Search in Websites with a Particular Domain Suffix

You can search in websites that only have a certain domain suffix by using the听site:听function followed by the domain suffix and then your search term. Translators may wish to use this function to check if a certain word or phrase is used in a specific country. It can also be helpful when researching terms that have different meanings in different countries.

Example: site:.co.uk 鈥渟hoot the breeze鈥�

Filter Results by Date

If you want to filter your results by when they were published, you can do this by clicking on听Tools听and then choosing a time frame or setting a custom range. This can be of use to translators who work in fast-moving fields, such as IT, and therefore need the latest information.

You can also set a date range using the before: and after: commands.

Example: film release after:2020-01-01 before:2020-01-09

Compare Usage of Different Words or Phrases

You can use the quotes search strategy explained at the start of this list to compare the results for similar phrases to determine which is more commonly used. For example, if you are unsure whether the more commonly used collocation is 鈥渟tay engaged in鈥� or 鈥渞emain engaged in鈥�, you can search both and compare the number of results given for each one.

Example:

In this case, the number of results is relatively high and similar for both terms, which suggests that both terms are acceptable. You could narrow it down further to see which is used more frequently in a specific context. You could do this by adding further search terms outside the quotes, searching within a specific site, excluding results that contain a certain word or searching within sites with a particular domain suffix.

Another way of comparing usage of a certain word or phrase is by using听, which is a search engine that charts the frequency of words in the Google Books corpora. You can use Google Ngram Viewer to compare the frequency of different terms, compare the frequency of the same term in different corpora, such as the British English corpus and the American English corpus, or see the frequency of terms within a specific time frame. Also, unlike standard Google searches, Google Ngram Viewer is case sensitive, so it can prove useful in situations where you are unsure whether to capitalise a certain word.

Example:

Google Ngram Viewer has many other interesting uses, which you can read more about听.

Ensure Reliability of the Source

One way to ensure the reliability of sources is to use听, which only returns results from credible, scholarly literature. Google Scholar is particularly handy for translators who specialise in more academic fields, such as law or medicine.

Finally, don鈥檛 forget that you can combine the different tips that I have listed above to narrow your results down further.

I hope you find these Google search tips for translators helpful. There are many other search tips and strategies out there, but I selected the ones that I find most beneficial as a translator. Let me know if you have any other search tips that you think other translators may benefit from!

If you鈥檙e looking for more technology tips for translators, have a look at my posts on听听and听.

About the Article

This post was originally published on听. It is reposted with permission.

About the Author

Katie L Ward is a freelance translator and subtitler based in Shropshire, England. With an MA in Translation Studies and over five years of experience, she specialises in creating English subtitles for audiovisual content in French and Spanish. When Katie鈥檚 not at her desk, she likes to travel with her partner, spend time with their two mischievous cats, and pursue creative hobbies.

The post The Best Google Search Tips for Translators appeared first on 情侣自拍 (ATA).

8 Posts from the Savvy Archives

1. ATA59: Making the Most of my First Conference: Jessica Hartstein writes about how she prepared for, attended, and followed up on her first ATA conference.
2. Buddies Welcome Newbies: Starting #ATA63 Off on the Right Foot: Ben Karl offers 10 top tips to make your conference experience a complete success.
3. My ATA Conference Experience: Veronica Sardon reflects on how her first ATA conference experience brought her closer to the professional she wants to be.
4. How to Prepare for the ATA Conference: Lea Rennert answers a list of great questions about conference preparation, including how to decide what sessions to go to and what newbies should even be looking for.
5. How to Get the Most Out of the Buddies Welcome Newbies Program at the ATA Conference: Helen Eby shares information from the Buddies Welcome Newbies program held the day before the conference.
6. Following Up after the ATA Conference鈥擧ow to Ensure Your Efforts and Expenses Don鈥檛 Go to Waste: Jamie Hartz discusses how to follow up and follow through on the ATA conference.
7. Networking at a Conference: Chris Durban on and off Stage: Cynthia Eby & Bianca Dasso provide insight into connecting with the speakers at a conference.
8. How to Market Yourself at the ATA Conference: Kevin Hendzel covers how to attract attention, stand out from the crowd, and win new clients at the ATA conference.

Your Roadmap to Success

We hope the advice shared in these posts can help you navigate ATA64 with confidence. To stay updated on the latest details, don’t forget to visit the ATA64 website. Be sure to check out Buddies Welcome Newbies if you’re a first-time attendee so you can get the most out of your conference experience. We look forward to seeing you in Miami!

The post Conference Countdown: Your Guide to Preparing for Success at ATA64 appeared first on 情侣自拍 (ATA).

When I started this blog in 2012, I was thinking of applying to graduate school, and a friend told me that I should start to develop an online presence to give myself an edge over other applicants. He told me an easy way to do that was through blogging. Easy! Ha.

I鈥檓 not sure if it gave me an edge applying to grad school, but I did learn that it鈥檚 not actually that easy, and if you do it right, a blog can work for you in ways that you hadn鈥檛 thought of. My blog is something I hold very dear. It鈥檚 something I created from nothing, that I can share and use to connect with others. It鈥檚 followed me through lots of ups and downs. Here, I鈥檓 sharing with you the highlights of what I鈥檝e learned in 8 years of blogging.

Your voice is exactly that鈥�yours. And that鈥檚 why it鈥檚 valuable.

Ahem, I鈥檓 looking at you, colleagues who鈥檝e thought a million times about starting a blog, but then talked yourself out of it because it鈥檚 scary to put your ideas and your experience in front of other colleagues. I still have moments when I think, Oh I should really be more serious, or more academic, or more of an expert, or whatever thing I am not. But what I鈥檝e found is that the things that make me different are what makes the writing valuable to others.

It鈥檚 easy to think, Oh once I鈥檝e reached X milestone and checked everything off my professional to-do list, I鈥檒l start blogging because then I鈥檒l really know what I鈥檓 talking about. No! The value is in sharing your experience,听while you鈥檙e in the experience.听Now, I鈥檓 not diminishing the value of blogging by experts, but I personally love reading about other interpreters learning as they go along, and given the comments on my posts and the messages I鈥檝e received from readers over the years, I鈥檓 not the only one.

Do what you need to do with the comments.

It is scary to open yourself and your work up to criticism. Not everyone follows the 鈥減raise in public, correct in private鈥� thinking. I am super sensitive and take everything personally (I鈥檓 working on it), so I feel like if I can do it, anyone can. You could blog and close your posts for comments, but really, what鈥檚 the point of that? (Although my very favorite blog,听, does just that so it鈥檚 not like a hard-and-fast rule or anything). To me blogging has been all about creating a community and sharing and exchanging ideas. I have my comments set so that I have to approve them before they鈥檙e published. And guess what? There are some that will sit in the 鈥渦napproved鈥� bin forever and ever. There are some that I published that didn鈥檛 make me feel warm and fuzzy, and they may get unpublished some day. The point is, it鈥檚 my little corner of the online space, and just like in my actual life, I get to decide who I do and don鈥檛 interact with.

Have some kind of plan, and don鈥檛 publish just for the sake of publishing.

Bear in mind that the way I鈥檝e lived my life has been this: The only plan is, there is no plan. I exist very comfortably in the space where I can make it up as I go along. And that鈥檚 not how everyone does it, so this advice may be limited in terms of its reach. My initial plan was just to publish once a month, and to speak to my colleagues. Ask yourself who your audience is and write to them. It took me a long time to ask myself what I wanted to accomplish with my blog, because its fundamental purpose has always been to simply process are share my experience in a creative way. If your goal with a blog is to establish yourself as an expert, or to get clients, that鈥檚 a different approach and you鈥檒l want to read about that and think about it a bit in advance. You won鈥檛 see me giving any advice here about strategy or SEO.

Keep in mind that blogging takes time. It took me a long time, and lots of weekends reading FAQs and help articles to figure out even the basics, and it eventually got less time consuming. And this might be a personality thing, but it takes me many drafts to publish anything. I was posting once a month until 2015, when I finished my first year of grad school. During that time, I was totally overwhelmed and didn鈥檛 have much energy to put into blogging, though in retrospect I wish that I had written more and documented my experiences publicly while I was in grad school. Sigh. It鈥檚 also an exercise in acceptance.

Publishing once a month is a reasonable goal. If you鈥檙e feeling creative, sit down and write as much as you can and save those posts in your drafts to be lined up to be published. Jot down ideas for topics as they come to you. And don鈥檛 publish every month just because you said you would. This is your work with your name on it, and you want it to be good and useful and thoughtful. It will grow over time into a larger body of work.

It鈥檚 okay for stuff to evolve over time.

Some of my early writing is almost cringe-y to me. Overly sappy sometimes. But I resist the urge to edit or delete stuff and I appreciate the evolution of my writing style. At some point, I switched from writing long narratives to more bullet point-y stuff (like this post). In the last few years, I鈥檝e branched out beyond interpreting and written about some tangential things, like language fluency. Your blog doesn鈥檛 have to be a uniform piece of work, unless that鈥檚 what you want, of course.

Work and grow with your blog over time. Tend to it. Make sure the links are working. Respond as fast as you can to comments (the ones you want to publish, anyway). Thank people for taking the time to read and to share their thoughts.

Start before you are ready.

Your to-do list can seem daunting, and there are so many choices in the beginning. What do I do first? Which platform do I use? Do I need a better headshot? Do I want an email address for my blog? Do I need a logo and a color palette first? What if I鈥檓 unsure of the name? If it makes you feel any better, I started blogging under a totally different name than I ended up with, on a different platform than I am now. After several months of writing, I came up with the name That Interpreter, and changed to WordPress. I didn鈥檛 have a logo made until, I don鈥檛 know, 2015? And the photo on the home page is seriously outdated, but I just haven鈥檛 had time to adjust the size of my current photo. It helps me to remember that nobody is standing over my shoulder waiting for that next post, or an updated headshot. At least I hope not. That would be weird.

My final piece of advice is to see blogging as a process, and we鈥檇 all do well to see our growth interpreters in the same way. It鈥檚 an imperfection practice, which has been important for me.

It鈥檚 been unexpectedly fun. Like really, really fun. I can鈥檛 tell you how many people I鈥檝e met through the blog. It鈥檚 been re-published and shared all over the internet. Nothing is more fun than meeting someone at a conference and hearing them say, 鈥淗ey, you鈥檙e That Interpreter鈥�! In the end, it鈥檚 been an exercise in expressing my thoughts and feelings clearly on sometimes difficult topics, which is a really important exercise for interpreters.

My hope is that you find some of these tips useful. But selfishly, I just want to see more interpreter blogs! Do you have one, or have a favorite? Did you just hit 鈥減ublish鈥� on your first post? Share with everyone in the comments!

About the Author

Liz Essary worked as a Spanish interpreter and interpreter trainer for two decades before pivoting to clinical social work. She currently works as a therapist in Houston.

The post What I鈥檝e Learned in 8 Years of Blogging appeared first on 情侣自拍 (ATA).

In this interview, John Milan, an economist, business consultant, ATA-certified translator, copy editor, and lecturer specialized in economics, finance, banking, contracts, labor disputes, international trade/development, and law, shares the key to choosing specializations that will provide you with financial stability over the long term and what a day at the office looks like for him, as a translator providing more than one service offering.

Q: Are you a freelancer or do you work in-house? If you work as a freelancer, why have you chosen this route over working in-house?

A: I am a freelancer. I became a freelancer, first and foremost, to have control over my work schedule, allowing me to manage my time and seek a healthy work-life balance. Freelancing lets me adapt to projects and clients across time zones and countries. I find that I鈥檓 much more productive working remotely, which I have been doing for more than 20 years now. As a freelancer, I鈥檓 also able to offer an array of services, including consulting, translation, editing, interpreting, and lecturing, which keeps my work dynamic and engaging.

Q: How did you land your first T&I project or assignment?

A: My very first assignment came well before I considered myself a translator. I was an undergraduate studying abroad in Madrid and teaching English part time at a hospital. One of my ESL students was a Spanish doctor at the hospital who was working on an article to submit to a medical journal in the United States. He asked me to work on the English version with him, to prepare it for publication. So, in that case, I was really an assistant translator.

My first truly professional assignment, however, came a few years later, when I was working as an adjunct professor of economics in Brazil. It was a word-of-mouth process that entailed some networking, but eventually I got a call from a company that had a financial document they needed translated into English, and they were looking for a translator with my background. It was a good fit that turned into a decades-long professional relationship.

Q: How did you choose your areas of specialization?

A: I specialized first and got into language services after the fact. As an undergraduate, I majored in Spanish and was introduced to translation/interpreting while simultaneously pursuing a second bachelor鈥檚 degree in international political economy. When I studied abroad in Spain, I not only focused on language skills but also took courses in Spanish that fostered my economic/business background. This pattern continued during graduate school, where I studied Portuguese and took translation courses while earning a master鈥檚 degree in applied microeconomics. My specializations have expanded over time, as I have gained professional experience in other fields, most notably working with numerous law firms and government agencies.

In terms of specialization advice for newcomers, the important thing to bear in mind is that it all starts with demand. You need to identify a field or fields that are in demand and growing, to ensure your own long-term financial stability. Then, you can narrow down the specialization by thinking about what you are willing and interested in learning about and working in, long after you鈥檝e completed your schooling.

Q: Does T&I work make up your entire source of income, or do you teach, write content, provide consulting services, or have other side businesses?

A: From day one of my career, I have worn many hats. Over the years, in addition to working as a translator, interpreter, and editor, I have been an adjunct professor of economics, a lecturer (online and in-person), and a management consultant. The percentage of my income from these pursuits has varied from year to year, depending on the projects that come my way. Early on in my career, translation and interpreting provided a relatively small percentage of my earnings. As my language-service client base grew, I began allocating more time and energy to developing higher-paying direct clients, allowing lower-paying income streams to fade away. I try to focus on projects with the highest return on the time I invest in them. We often spend too much time on things that don鈥檛 pay enough to justify our efforts. A skill that people new to the profession should develop is determining whether a project is worth their time. That can be tough, especially when assignments are few and far between. That is why it is so important to diversify your income, to avoid having to accept every job.

For the past 20 years or so, I鈥檝e worked 40-50 hours a week. Language services have accounted for anywhere from 50% to 95% of that time, with consulting, lecturing, and advising making up the rest. I try to ensure a steady flow of projects by constantly seeking out new clients. Every year, I try to develop at least one new client. I research companies I鈥檇 like to work with and spend time trying to find out how I can assist them. Once I have a proposal in mind, I鈥檒l start the (often long) process of reaching out to people to try to find a decision-maker at the organization who can evaluate whether my services make sense for their organization.

Q: What is your typical day like?

A: The short answer, of course, is: It depends. If I鈥檓 in the midst of a multi-day translation project (my typical week), then it goes something like this: I work from home, so I start my day by taking my laptop into the kitchen and checking/responding to emails while waking up and feeding my dogs. I eventually move into my home office and start invoicing jobs I鈥檝e recently completed and taking care of administrative things on my schedule. After that, I鈥檓 ready to go, and I typically set aside three to four hours for uninterrupted translation and research, taking occasional breaks to stretch, walk around, and refresh my morning beverage.

Around midday/early afternoon, I take a break to exercise and forget about work. When I sit back down in front of my laptop, I鈥檒l answer e-mails again, then spend two to three more hours translating and doing research. When my eyes start to glaze over, I know it’s time to call it a day, so I finish up by checking e-mails, following up on potential leads with new clients, and working on my website/online presence.

When I have consulting assignments, I鈥檓 either in Zoom meetings with clients or at their place of business for a few hours a day, working on their respective projects, and I鈥檓 often able to fit in some translation before or after.

This interview was prepped and conducted by Emily Moorlach of The Savvy Newcomer team.

John Milan is an economist, business consultant, ATA certified translator, copy editor, and lecturer. Since 2005, he has provided services in Portuguese, Spanish, and English to hundreds of clients in a dozen countries from his home office in Chapel Hill, NC. From 1996-2005, he worked as an adjunct professor of economics, consultant, and translator/interpreter in S茫o Paulo, Brazil. He has served on the ATA Board of Directors as Treasurer since 2017 and was on the Board of Directors of the Carolina Association of Translators and Interpreters from 2009-2016, including four years as President. E-mail: john@milanlanguageservices.com

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