The Savvy Newcomer aims to serve newcomers to the translation and interpreting professions by publishing high-quality, peer-reviewed content on a weekly basis. We strive to provide you with the answers to the many questions you face as a new or aspiring translator or interpreter.
What people are looking for in a career is undergoing a massive shift in our culture. Younger professionals tend to prioritize mental health and often want the ability to arrange their schedule to make time for life commitments outside of their professional endeavors鈥攕uch as pursuing other jobs or embracing family responsibilities. In fact, according to Upwork, 鈥淕en Z is abandoning conventional 9-to-5 corporate jobs for more diverse, flexible careers in freelancing.鈥 Similarly, Kate Palmer, 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,…
Read MoreTranslation Certificate vs. Certification
By Helen Eby and Daniela Guanipa 鈥淚 have a certificate, therefore I鈥檓 certified.鈥 Wrong! So, you completed a certificate in translation from institution XYZ, you were given a nice diploma of completion, and surely, you are now a happily 鈥渃ertified鈥 translator, who can go on and certify translations, list yourself as a certified translator in professional databases, and so on,…
Read MoreTips on Getting and Keeping Agency Clients
After a ten-year stretch as director of the interpreting department for a mid-sized language company on the East Coast, I have recently reentered the freelance world. The language industry has changed considerably for independent contractors since I last worked as an interpreter, and while there is more work to be had, there are also more interpreters and more rigorous standards,…
Read MoreFunny mistranslations in hotels
Reblogged from the Translation and l10n for dummies blog听with permission from the author (incl. the image) Every translator, linguist, language lover and grammar nazi has been there.听Wherever we travel, our eyes are checking everything around us for grammar and translation mistakes. The following mistranslations are some of the most 鈥榝amous鈥 ones, they can be found in many webpages online. I…
Read MoreComputer-Assisted Translation Tools: A Digest
I recently asked the community of translators on ATA鈥檚 Business Practices listserv to weigh in on the pros and cons of the Computer-Assisted Translation (CAT) tools they use. The question sparked a well-attended discussion, and brought helpful insight on using CAT tools in translation. I have compiled the conversation鈥檚 highlights here for the benefit of all. Functions Translators first adopted…
Read MoreNAJIT Scholar Program 鈥 May 19-21, 2017
Posted with NAJIT鈥檚 permission Our team at The Savvy Newcomer caught wind of a great opportunity for students and recent graduates – check out the information below to learn more! What is the NAJIT Scholar Program? The Scholars program of the National Association of Judiciary Interpreters and Translators (NAJIT) selects up to five scholars currently enrolled in or who have…
Read MoreHow to get into transcreation
The transcreation <> copywriting exchange Transcreators are often copywriters too. Therefore, if you are a translator hoping to get into transcreation, it鈥檚 a good idea to sharpen your sword in the field of copywriting itself. Copywriting is something that requires practice, a knack for understanding products and/or markets, and good writing skills. A good writer from any field within the…
Read MoreATA Certification Pass Rates 2003-2013, 2004-2014, and Statistical Trends
By Geoffrey S. Koby Reblogged from听The ATA Chronicle with permission from the author (incl. the image) The Certification Committee is happy to report here on certification pass rates for 2003-2013 and 2004-2014. The average certification pass rates for these two sets of data have remained relatively stable, although other factors in ATA鈥檚 Certification Program have changed somewhat in the past…
Read MoreStudy Resources for Translation Certification
Our team leader Helen has been a busy bee compiling a list of resources to help translators interested in taking the ATA certification exam. Even if you are not seeking certification, we felt there are many useful resources here we would like to share with you鈥攆rom exam guidelines & translation tips to English & Spanish language, technology and copyediting resources.…
Read MoreUniversidad de Alcal谩: A Day in the Life
I went into my master鈥檚 program at Spain鈥檚 Universidad de Alcal谩 convinced I wanted to be an interpreter. A year later I was a passionate translator. Sitting on the edge of my seat in a conference booth interpreting for a Finnish researcher; sandwiched next to an African immigrant across from a Spanish social worker; carefully situated between a Spanish therapist…
Read MoreGoldmines for Professional Growth at FIL in Guadalajara
Congreso San Jer贸nimo, Feria Internacional del Libro Dates: November 26 to 29, 2016 Place: Guadalajara, Mexico The Congreso San Jer贸nimo is a translation and interpreting conference organized annually by the translators association in Mexico, the Organizaci贸n Mexicana de Traductores (OMT). The conference is hosted by the Guadalajara International Book Fair, or Feria Internacional del Libro (FIL). The book fair offered…
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