Whether you’re trying to support yourself through college or just looking for some side income while you’re in school, having a freelance translator job can be a great, flexible way to make money.
But it can be difficult to figure out how to get started, especially if you don’t know where to look.
So we have compiled this list of tips for getting your first freelance translator job!
Just remember that there’s no one-size-fits-all approach to finding a job—everyone will have their own set of barriers and advantages based on where they live, what language(s) they speak, what level of education they have, and more. But many of the tips below are applicable across the board.
| Takeaways |
|---|
| 1. Develop strong language skills and cultural knowledge. |
| 2. Specialize in specific industries or subject areas. |
| 3. Build a professional portfolio showcasing your work. |
| 4. Utilize online platforms to find translation gigs. |
| 5. Network with other professionals in the industry. |
| 6. Continuously improve your translation skills. |
| 7. Set competitive rates based on your experience. |
| 8. Provide excellent customer service to clients. |
| 9. Learn to manage your time and meet deadlines. |
| 10. Stay organized with project management tools. |
| 11. Establish clear communication with clients. |
| 12. Adapt to new technologies and translation tools. |
| 13. Seek feedback and learn from constructive criticism. |
| 14. Consider joining translator associations or groups. |
| 15. Stay up to date with industry trends and changes. |
| 16. Cultivate a professional and reliable reputation. |
| 17. Be proactive in marketing yourself as a translator. |
| 18. Understand and comply with legal and ethical guidelines. |
| 19. Develop negotiation and contract management skills. |
| 20. Balance freelance work with your studies effectively. |
| 21. Stay motivated and passionate about translation. |
1. Find Your Niche
One of the most important things that you can do as a student seeking freelance translator jobs is to find your niche.
The more specialized knowledge that you have, the more likely it will be that clients will seek you out for jobs.
For example, if you’re interested in translating legal documents or medical records, then you may want to take courses related to those topics at school.
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2. Improve Your Writing Skills
While you’re looking at these jobs, take note of the writing style they require in order to do well. This will give you an idea of what kind of language should be used when applying for those positions and how much time should be spent researching their background information before applying for them.
3. Practice Active Listening
While it’s important to be able to translate from one language to another, it’s equally important to be able to effectively communicate with your fellow interpreters and clients.
No matter what the job, translators need to listen carefully when others are speaking so that they can pick up on nuances of meaning and context. They have to understand what someone is trying to say so that they can convey this information accurately to the target language.
One way you can practice active listening is by sitting in a coffee shop or other public space and writing down everything you hear the person next to you say. For example, you might write down, “The barista just asked me if I want room for cream in my coffee.”
Then, wait until that person leaves and try summarizing what you heard him/her say in your own words. How close were your summaries? It may take some practice before you can summarize perfectly but doing this exercise will help you hone your listening skills!
4. Develop Your Interpersonal Skills
You need to be able to form solid relationships with those around you—and be sensitive to their needs, feelings, and emotions—to be a great freelance translator.
5. Create A Portfolio Website And Blog
Having your own website will help you stand out from the crowd. Potential clients will be able to visit it when they want to learn more about you, and they can use it to see what kind of work you’ve done in the past.
It can also be used as a place where you display samples of your work and where you write about topics that are relevant to your industry (think client testimonials and blog posts on topics such as “How to Choose the Right Translator”).
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6. Get Some Experience Under Your Belt
Sure, you’re just starting out as a freelancer—but that doesn’t mean you need to wait until you have actual job experience before applying for jobs. If you don’t have any direct experience yet, there are ways to get around like volunteering.
7. You Don’t Need To Be A Native Speaker To Get Freelance Translator Jobs
As confusing as it might sound, you don’t actually have to be a native speaker of your target language (the one you want to translate) in order to work for a translation agency. In fact, native speakers are not always the best option, especially if they lack formal education and/or professional experience. As long as you know what you’re doing, can provide proof of your expertise, and can complete your assignments with absolute accuracy and precision, that’s all that matters!
8. Volunteer
Start out by translating for non-profits and other organizations that need your help but can’t offer to pay you right away. Volunteering to get experience, even if you don’t make money, shows that you’re dependable and have the skills that people will be looking for when they do have the funds to pay you.
9. Be Sure To Understand The Context
Make sure you understand the whole context before you begin translating anything. This is important because the meaning of words and phrases can be different depending on where they’re used or who said them.
For example, if there’s an article about someone who’s been arrested on charges of assault with intent to commit murder then this person could not only be charged with assault but also attempted murder since both crimes involve violence against another person.
The word “assailant” means both an attacker and one who attempts murder so it would not make sense if someone was being accused of one crime while actually committing another.
10. Use Dictionary
Always keep a dictionary handy, whether it’s on your phone or in print form. Translating is all about precision, and sometimes you need to look up obscure words to make sure you’ve got the right translation. If you’ve got access to a dictionary, there’s no excuse for not using it!
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11. Idioms And Culture
Think about how idioms and cultural references may translate differently in each language, and make sure the translation reflects the original meaning—not just the words. Culture is so important in translation, and idioms often get lost in translation because they’re so culturally specific.
12. Ask For Help
One way to give yourself an advantage over other candidates is to make sure your work is as free of errors as possible. One of the most effective ways to do that is by asking a friend or relative who speaks the target language to review your work. This will help assure you that your work has not lost any nuance or meaning in the translation process.
13. Writing Style
One tip is to make sure that you adhere to the appropriate style guide or glossary of terms while translating. This will help ensure consistency across a body of work, which is particularly important when you are working on multilingual content for a single brand.
It also helps maintain quality by eliminating guesswork on your part—for example, if the client prefers to use British English spelling rather than American English spelling, this will be made clear in the style guide or glossary.
14. Don’t Take It Personal
When you’re a freelance translator, it’s always important to remember that the person who commissioned your work isn’t necessarily out to get you.
They want their content translated, and they’re doing their job by making sure you did yours right. So if you turn in a translation and they write back with corrections or suggestions, try not to take it personally. It’s just part of the job—and believe it or not, they’re probably trying to help you!
15. Say No
It’s okay to say no when someone asks you to work outside your field of expertise or offers you a rate that simply isn’t feasible for you at this point in time.
This will allow them to find someone else who might be better suited for their needs, while also leaving your schedule open so that you can focus on clients who understand what services they need from a translator like yourself (and are willing to pay accordingly)
16. Use Social Media To Get New Clients
Build your social media presence strategically and intentionally—not just to promote yourself on each platform, but also to connect with others in the industry and cultivate relationships over time.
17. Get Certified By A Reputable Organization
It might cost you a little money up front, but the Certified Translator credential will help you get better jobs and charge more for your services.
18. Network! It Really Is Who You Know
For example, if you’re bilingual in English and French and you know a lot of people who are looking for translation work done between those languages, that’s going to be hugely helpful as you embark on your freelancing career.
19. Know Your Hourly Worth
It’s not easy to translate, and it requires a skill set that is not to be taken lightly. As a translator, you will be in charge of taking one language and turning it into another. You need to know the languages you are translating and be able to understand the nuances of each language.
With this skill comes some pretty hefty responsibilities. When you are creating a proposal for the client, make sure that you take into account all of the time (including researching) that you will be spending on this project.
Then, add 10% extra because things always take longer than we anticipate them to!
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20. Watch For Scams, Don’t Get Scammed
Scammers are everywhere and they can ruin your day real quick if you let them. Before taking on any freelance gig, make sure you’re working with a verified source and that all the information checks out.
21. Practice, Practice, Practice!
If you want to be able to translate well, you need to work at it! This means that you should look for opportunities to use your translation skills on a daily basis. You should also set aside time on a regular basis to learn new words and phrases.
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Wrapping Up
As you can see, tips for students who seek freelance translator jobs have been provided. A great resource such as this should serve as a launching point in your desire to become a full-time freelancer. Make it your mission to take action and improve upon these tips and you will gain the confidence needed to achieve your goals.
Good luck!
Further Reading
Here are some additional resources to explore for further information on freelance translation:
The Big List of Freelance Translators Tips: Discover a comprehensive list of tips and insights for freelance translators, covering various aspects of the profession, including client management, marketing, and productivity.
How to Get Hired as a Freelance Translator: This Skillshare class provides practical guidance on how to increase your chances of getting hired as a freelance translator, including tips on building a strong portfolio and marketing yourself effectively.
Online Translation Jobs: How to Find and Succeed in Remote Translation Work: This article on Indeed.com offers valuable insights into finding and succeeding in online translation jobs, covering topics such as job search strategies, building your online presence, and managing client relationships.
People Also Ask
I’m Applying For Freelance Translator Jobs, But I’m Not Getting Any Responses! What Am I Doing Wrong?
First of all, don’t panic. This is a common problem. You might just be trying too hard. For example, you could have a typo or two in your cover letter that’s causing employers to toss your application out of hand—even if you’re qualified for the job. So take a minute to proofread it before sending it out again.
How Can I Prepare For Freelance Translator Jobs?
There are a few things you should do before you start applying for freelance translator jobs. First, clean up your online presence. Make sure people can find you online and understand who you are and what kind of work you do.
You’ll also want to set up an account on a freelancing site, like Upwork, where you can apply for jobs and get hired. Finally, build a portfolio showcasing your work so that potential clients can see your best work, even if it’s not in the language they need to be translated.
Where Can I Find Freelance Translator Jobs?
The best place to look for a freelance translation job is online. Many companies and individuals list their available positions on freelancing sites like Upwork and Fiverr. You can also search Google or LinkedIn to see if anyone in your network is hiring or knows someone who is—and think about posting your availability on social media, too!
Can I Use Machine Translation To Complete My Work?
No—it’s important that you translate every document by hand because machine translation algorithms might not capture the nuances of a particular word or sentence as well as a human could. Plus, machine translations aren’t always very accurate in the first place!
How Do I Know If The Job Is Legit?
You should never have to pay someone to be able to apply for a job. If you are asked to pay anything, chances are it’s a scam. If the posting offers a salary range but does not list specific duties, that’s another warning sign. Be suspicious of any post that seems vague or overly generic.
Make sure you’re applying directly through an employer’s website, not through a third-party site such as Indeed or ZipRecruiter. If you have doubts at all, ask someone else who has experience seeking translation jobs if they think it sounds legitimate.
Do You Have To Be Certified To Get Freelance Translator Jobs?
No, but it can help. Many hiring services prefer to hire certified translators, but there are plenty of freelance translator jobs that do not require certification.
How can I get freelance translator jobs without certification?
There are a number of online places you can find work as a translator. We recommend using Upwork, TranslatorsTown, and ProZ for your job search. Alternatively, you can approach companies directly to gauge their interest in hiring a freelancer.
Who Hires Freelance Translators?
Translators can work for translation agencies or for direct clients. Translation agencies are third-party companies that match freelancers with clients who need translation services for a fee.
Direct clients can hire a freelance translator on their own through sites like Upwork or by posting ads in professional organizations.
How Much Do Freelance Translators Make?
The average salary of a freelance translator is $45,000 per year. But this varies based on the location, experience, and education of the individual translator. Some translators make much more than that!
For example, translators who work as interpreters during live events can make substantially more than this average salary.
How Much Money Will I Make?
The rate you charge will depend entirely on the market rate in your area and the rates that your competitors charge.
Be sure to shop around and get a sense of what other translators charge before deciding what to charge yourself. You can also check out our article for more information about how much freelance charge!
Costantine Edward is a digital marketing expert, freelance writer, and entrepreneur who helps people attain financial freedom. I’ve been working in marketing since I was 18 years old and have managed to build a successful career doing what I love.
