There is a high demand for language professionals around the globe. With more companies localizing their brand, the need for professional translation services is also increasing. There will be more career opportunities for language professionals in the future. However, translators have to polish their skills and improve their craft to build a successful career in the translation industry. It will also give you more opportunities to work on a professional translation solution for enterprises.
Professional translators must know the use of the latest tools to achieve higher efficiency in managing their translation projects. In this article, we have shared some important tips and tricks that translators must follow to boost their translation accuracy and effectively handle multiple translation projects simultaneously.
Best Career Tips for Professional Translators
Translation is a full-fledged career that demands diligence and dedication. Knowing your craft and developing good professionalism is essential to build a positive reputation in the industry. Following are some guidelines for translators to effectively carry out their translation careers.
Choose A Niche
The demand for professional translators is high in almost all industries. From the entertainment industry to medical service providers, everyone wants professional translations to expand their reach to wider audiences. However, not one translator can do it all, it’s better to choose one niche and get your expertise on it. For instance, you can get your hands on medical translation, and you’ll find plenty of work in this niche.
Medical service providers need professional medical translators who are well-versed with medical terminologies. It is not just a good understanding of language that makes you a good translator. You must also have fair industrial experience and expertise. So, it is your choice which niche you want to choose, and then just work on mastering that one niche.
Gain Professional Experience
We all know that translators can make more profits through freelancing than by working for an agency. However, you should not jump right into freelancing without gaining any professional experience. You must work with a professional translation agency or language service provider platform to gain in-depth industry experience. It would not just help you understand how to handle large-scale translation projects, but you will also get to know about how things work in the translation industry. Moreover, by working with a language solution provider, you may develop good relations with international clients and build your reputation in the market.
Freelancing is lucrative but it is also full of uncertainties. For instance, your income stream would be unstable. You have to constantly struggle to get new projects. And, in the beginning, you have to work at low rates. So, it’s better to strategically go about your translation career considering all ins and outs.
Use A Professional TMS
Whether you are a self-employed translator or working with translation agencies, you must have a good understanding of translation tools. You should know how to use a cloud-based translation management system, or a CAT tool to efficiently manage a translation solution for enterprises. Translation agencies and language service provider platforms use advanced tools to enhance their productivity and performance in translation project management. You must know about the technicalities of a cloud-based translation management system to cope with the latest industry needs.
Most clients want translators to collaborate with them through a TMS. Or, if you’re looking for a job the recruiters would prefer those who have kept up with advanced technology. Knowing a professional TMS would not just make your professional CV or freelance portfolio attractive, but it’ll help you effectively manage multiple translation projects. There’ll be fewer missed deadlines, and your clients will be satisfied.
Always Ask for Brand Glossaries
No matter how well you know the source or target language, or how many years of experience you have in the industry, if you can’t understand the brand, you will never be able to create relevant translations. To avoid that understanding gap between you and your clients, you must ask for brand glossaries before starting to work on a new project. Brand glossaries contain all essential brand information, such as brand keywords, acronyms, and industry-specific terminology definitions that will remain unchanged throughout translations. It will also give you some idea about the brand tone and style that you must follow to keep the translation consistent globally. Moreover, if you have a team of translators who work for you, you must use glossaries as well to avoid any inconsistency in the translation. It will keep the translation flow agile, and reduce the chances of edits.
Stay Up to Date
Over time, languages evolve and are influenced by culture and people. For instance, words and phrases millennials and gen Z use, previous generations have never even heard of. You must keep yourself updated with new slang and phrases that people have adopted in a language. For this, you can watch the latest shows in that language or follow some influencer on social media speaking that language. Similarly, you must be aware of new translation approaches and the latest methods used by the service provider to manage translation projects. Stay up to date with all the latest trends and innovations in the translation industry. It will help you improve your skills and stay relevant to industrial needs.
Conclusion
It is a good time to be a translator, but you must make an informed decision to build a successful career in the translation industry. If you were previously blank about how to carry on with your translation career, this article is an ultimate guide for you to turn things in your favor.