Starting up in translation — Page 3

Do Freelancers Do It Better?

If you’re thinking about taking the plunge to freelance, or are currently freelancing and wondering why you ever thought it was a good idea (it happens…), then have a look at this article called 101 Reasons Freelancers Do It Better.

Yes, I know there is no shortage of posts out there along this theme. But I like this one because it scratches just enough below the surface to convince me that it’s not another self-congratulating article written by freelancers for freelancers with the sole purpose of justifying their freelance existence. I also like it because it uses gentle humour to avoid the nah-nah-ne-nah-nah tone adopted by far too many of us who have been foolhardy/brave enough to escape the cubicle. Which is nice 🙂

It looks at the benefits of freelancing under several headings:

Time
Sticking it to the man
Money
Relationships
Mental health
Physical health
Motivation
Working conditions
Flexibility
Fun bits

Worth a read, whichever camp you fall into.

—
It was only on re-reading my post that I detected some not-very-veiled criticism directed towards the freelance community in general, and its attitudes towards our cubicle-dwelling brethren. Am I justified in this? Hmm, something to explore in future posts perhaps.

Blogging is great.

Working Identities

by Sarah Dillon

A couple of months ago I read a great book called Working Identity: Unconventional Strategies For Reinventing Your Career, by Herminia Ibarra. I’ve been meaning to review it for ages, and it took reading an interview with the author recently to make me sit down and pull my notes together. So here’s my take on it.

There are a lot of books out there on career transitions, achieving your dream job and successfully maintaining a work-life balance. Ibarra’s book manages to touch on all of these issues and frankly blows all other contenders out of the water. It is impeccably researched, very well written and grounded in a real-life practical framework. If you read one business or work-related book this year, this should be it. But be prepared to work for it – much like life, there are no one-size fits all solutions here.

Ibarra works on two key assumptions:

Our working identity is not a single hidden concept. It is made up of a range of possibilities, both tangible and intangible.
We are many selves, therefore change is not a straightforward swap. It is a transition, during which we reconfigure our own set of possibilities.

Ibarra is a Professor of Organisational Behaviour at INSEAD, and has interviewed a broad range of professionals from across Europe and the US who have already navigated a career change. In this book, she analyses these interviews to investigate how these career changes coincided with or provoked changes in identity. She also looks at the effect this process has had on the lives of the professionals, both internally and externally. In this way, the strategies she suggests are grounded and concrete, and offer a very real roadmap for anyone interested in reinventing themselves.

But don’t be fooled by the mental images conjured up by the words “career transition”: you don’t have to be a wizened (or at least middle-aged) professional in a crumpled suit looking to break free of your cubicle, surfboard and/or yoga mat under arm. This book is equally valuable for anyone of any age asking themselves what it is they want from their working lives.

I suppose what I found most refreshing about this book was that, unlike most business books, it doesn’t waste time mulling over why we transition, or lamenting the changing workplace we find ourselves in today. Instead, Ibarra jumps straight to the point: how did those who have successfully transitioned go about it, and how can I make this work for me?

Chapter 1 explains the process of questioning and testing working identities
Chapter 2 explains why, instead of asking “What do I want to become?”, we should ask, “Which amoung my various possible selves should I explore now? And how?”
Chapter 3 describes the inevitable chaotic period of transition as we navigate between our various possible selves
Chapter 4 shows how necessary this time is to help configure our identities
Chapter 5 explains how to transform abstract possibilities into tangible projects
Chapter 6 demonstrates how finding new mentors, role models and professional groups can help ease our transition into new communities
Chapter 7 maps out the process of how people rewrite the story of their lives to accommodate their new working identities
Chapter 8 summarises the unconventional, counter-intuitive strategies that have emerged from Ibarra’s studies

Also interesting is her argument that career changes are achieved by doing, and not by reflection or introspection alone. It is only by the process of actually doing that we can meet others, encounter new circumstances and experiences, and actually “try on” and test our provisional identities. These experiences can then form the basis for more decisive steps and are therefore the true catalyst for change. (Controversial advice for for those of us who prefer to consider our options from the safety of our armchairs 🙂 )

Working Identity is one of those books that I’ve decided to keep on my bookshelf as it is so full of valuable insights that I know I’ll refer back to it at various stages of my life. Definitely worth a read.

Shifting gears

by Sarah Dillon

Penelope Truck over at the Brazen Careerist is one of my favourite bloggers ever, and I’m delighted to have an opportunity to shamelessly hat tip in her direction today.

A recent post on 5 ways to be better at self promotion has useful advice for freelance translators at all levels of expertise. But a comment in point number 2 – Stay the most focused when things look the most difficult – especially caught my eye:

… it’s easy to get frustrated when things are not happening fast enough. So it makes sense that we’d try something new, to see if it might work faster.

I did this a lot while I was trying to be a freelance writer. I can write a wide range of stuff, and it took me a while to figure out the intersection of things I like to write and things I could get paid well to write. I knew a ton of opportunities in both of those categories, but I could think of very few things at the cross section of the two categories.

This is real food for thought for me. Like a lot of translators, I think, I see a definite distinction between the kind of translations I like to do but can’t afford to 5 days a week, and the kind of translation work that pays well. I’ve worked hard to move past the stage of needing to take every job that comes my way and I also feel I am well rewarded for the kind of work I do. So now my books are full, I’m keen to move on the the next stage.

I feel a re-shuffle of some sort is in order to mark this transition, but I hadn’t managed to work out just how I was going to do this. So I’ve decided to take a leaf out of Penelope’s very successful book, and work on trying to find the intersection between these two categories. It’s not an answer just yet, but at least it’s a question.

Be a Renaissance Man

by Sarah Dillon

Received wisdom says that if you want to make your living as a freelance translator, then you most definitely need to specialise.

But training or extensive experience in an area other than translation is not the only means of specialisation. It’s a shame that all too often, translators themselves underestimate the value of their skills. We forget that the very fact of being an experienced or highly trained translator can in itself be a form of specialisation. Welcome to the world of the multi-talented freelancer.

It’s not that it’s not worth considering a niche or USP, of course. But it’s even more important not to lose sight of what your Ideal Client is really looking for in a freelancer.

Now, my Ideal Client is looking for someone who can take the job in hand and get it done. What’s more, they’re prepared to pay (at the very least) a fair price for this. (Forget about quality – quality is a given for my Ideal Client). And once you move away from the bargain basement shoppers, this client does exist. For example, just think how many buyers of translation need to hire a translator, web designer, copywriter, proofreader and project manager. If, as a multi-talented translator, you can offer them all these skills then you represent good value for money and are offering a worthwhile service. Why not use this as a form of specialisation in itself, and hey, maybe even charge premium rates too. I’m sure it’s no coincidence that a recent survey of translators’ earnings found that those who generated the highest salaries called themselves “language professionals”, while all other categories of earners called themselves “translators” (I’ll try find the source for this another time).

This is all stuff we know, really, but seem to forget when we plan our own careers. The real question is how can we ensure we keep up our skill levels on all fronts when we decide to add to our skill sets? This blog [ed Feb 2011: blog no longer exists, link removed] offers an excellent solution to this problem by emphasising the importance of concentrating on complementary skills. As Rico puts it:

Skills that aren’t on the opposite ends of the spectrum, but right next to each other. It’s easier to focus your energies this way, because complementary skills share some common expertise.

Pick up more languages that are related to each other. Look at your interests and background and research closely related areas. Of course, you won’t be able to call yourself an expert on everything either, but then you’re not trying to be. You’re a language professional with your own unique set of skills and experience.

What to look for in a translation course

by Sarah Dillon

If you are considering further study or qualifications in translation, then this little article will be right up your street! It’s been around a while, but is still very relevant: in it, Anthony Pym explains a conflict he found himself faced with given the recent explosion in courses offering training in CAT tools :

As a teacher, I want to convey the whole range of skills required by the labour market. And yet, I admit, my critical students have a point: when they sign up for translation, they should expect to translate, on the basic level of an interface between languages, the stuff of linguistics. So is translation competence really the same as it always was (as those students expect)? Or has it radically altered in the age of electronic tools (as the nature of my course would suggest)?

Pym then goes on to discuss four different models of translation competence, and basically concludes that while good CAT skills are undoutedly key to finding a job in the current market, it’s important that translator trainers remember that they are merely tools and don’t in themselves constitute a “translator competence”. Worth bearing in mind when reviewing those translation courses!

My view? Focus on getting your language and translation skills up to scratch, and keep an eye out for some hands-on sessions with different CAT tools too – the technical knowledge will follow. If you don’t remember a time before internet and email, chances are you’ll just wonder what all the fuss was about anyway … 🙂

Are you a Grindhopper?

by Sarah Dillon

Laura Vanderkam’s Grindhopping: Building A Rewarding Vareer Without Paying Your Dues is an interesting read if you’re considering moving into a freelance career to create the role that no one seems prepared to offer you.

Laura defines a grindhopper as someone who uses self-employment as way to bypass the years of slogwork that is often required to climb even a step up the ladder of many careers. She uses real life case studies, anecdotes, and labour statistics to turns the traditional school of thought upside down – the one that says you should put your time in when you’re young and wait until you’re established before striking out on your own. Most of these examples relate to more entrepreneurial style start-ups, but they contain many valuable lessons for anyone considering whether they should start out on their own as a freelance translator regardless of how many years of work experience you have behind you.

I guess what makes this different from any other book on entrepreneurs or self-employment is that it starts with the assumption that you have relatively few years of work experience under your belt. It also assumes that you are prepared to work hard for not very much money, and that like most Millenials, you’re looking for a bit more than a cubicle career and so are not setting out to conquer the world.

But the key distinguishing feature is that grindhoppers do not chose a route of self-employment simply for the sake of it. In fact, many of them re-enter the corporate world once they’ve spent a few years working in postions of their own creation. And as a result of working in a role with plenty of autonomy and real chances to stretch themselves, they usually re-enter at a higher level than if they’d stuck to the grind.

I was pretty relieved to read this as I’ve often wondered whether going freelance too young would spoil me forever, and I’d love to have read a bit more about how these grindhoppers cope with re-entering a workplace of someone else’s creation.

The book also offers some refreshing and genuinely useful advice on things like:

creating alternative revenue streams (i.e. moonlighting with panache)
networking (i.e what to do when you don’t have a mass of established business contacts)
minimising risk (i.e. how not to miss your rent/morgage payments)
keeping up your motivation levels (i.e. how to stay sane)

Most of all, I like the assertion that you need to be prepared to be judged 100% on results and how you deliver them. I subscribe to the idea that by allowing yourself to be distinguished in this way, you’ll never need to worry about being outsourced as you know you can deliver something no-one else can.

Of course, there are bits I don’t agree with too. For example, Vanderkam’s assertion that you should think about what you love so much that you’d do it for free, and then turn that into a career. Hmm. Maybe I’m revealing too much about myself when I say this, but there is nothing, and I mean NOTHING that I love so much I’d do it for free, every day of the week, 365 days of the year. So I’m not sure where that piece of advice leaves people like me.

There are also areas where I think she borders on the naïve. For example, her claims that the internet has abolished “all barriers” to self-employment just seem silly, and there is no discussion of the challenges created by this new, free-for-all style work culture, e.g. more competition, less face to face contact, etc.

But all in all, this is a great book. It makes an exciting and informative read for grindhoppers of all ages, or anyone interested in the motivations behind this new wave of freelancers.

The Great TM Debate

by Sarah Dillon

“Which TM should I use?” It’s a question I often hear translators ask. But we’d be much better served if we asked ourselves what we needed a translation tool to do, and then worked backwards from there. That way, we know we are getting a tool that we’ll actually use and not leave sitting on our virtual shelf gathering cyberdust. Jeffrey Treem over at Inside the Cubicle put it nicely when he says:

… communicators need to be channel/tool agnostic – Stop getting hung up on names and technology and start with business goals and work backwards. Do not paint yourself into a corner where you need to fit the tools you are comfortable with into your work environment.

Hear, hear. (Of course, he was speaking about how companies are using social media as part of their communications strategy, but I reckon it’s relevant to technology adoption in any field.)

Thanks Jeffrey.

A chance to prove yourself

by Sarah Dillon

The soon-to-be-updated National Occupational Standards* in translation look pretty exciting (in a way that only a standard can be) and a great opportunity to prove your worth as a newcomer to the industry.

At a session at the recent ITI Conference, Gill Musk from CILT explained that these standards have been developed by professional translators for professional translators, and are designed to describe two levels of expertise. In this way, they meet the needs of both end users and translators themselves in establishing clarity and transparency on the skills required by a good translator.

This will be helpful in a range of situations and can only serve to increase visibility of the profession. Those considering careers in translation can establish a realistic idea of the skills required before embarking on studies. Employers of translators can appraise staff, write job descriptions, assess candidates and create development plans. Providers of translator training can map their courses to an approved set of criteria. Finally, because they define competence, are a distillation of best practice and are updated on a regular basis, translation professionals can ensure their skills remain sharp.

So how do I plan to use these standards once they’re released? I’ll use them to:

identify my strengths and weaknesses (eek! always scary – but necessary :))
highlight opportunities and priorities for my CPD
reflect and develop skills by assessing my own work
get a clear understanding of current best practice

Bring it on!!

(BTW, Gill also mentioned that there is such a severe shortage of native English speaking Spanish interpreters, that EU bodies are forced to cancel conferences and meetings on a daily basis. Encouraging for anyone considering a career as an interpreter then! 🙂 )

*(Not to be confused with the CEN standards for translation, which focus more on procedures and procurement practices)

Encouraging words from the Language Realm

by Sarah Dillon

The same holds for becoming a translator or interpreter. Your first couple of years of work will be tough, challenging, and frustrating, even if you’ve had some training before you start. It does get easier, or rather you get better. I can’t say it’s always easy for me now (I’ve been at it for 14 years full-time, plus two years of graduate-level training), but it’s much easier than it used to be.

Phew!! I was starting to worry… good to hear it does eventually get easier, if only to a certain degree 🙂 Thanks to Roger Chriss over at his Language Realm blog.

Throw your career plan out the window

by Sarah Dillon

I was offered a set of passes to attend this event way back in March, and writing it up in my CPD booklet the other day reminded me of how inspiring it was. I’d never been to a networking event of this sort before, let alone one for International Women’s Day, and I really wasn’t quite sure what I would make of it. But wow! The speakers were just fantastic and I don’t think there was a single man or woman who didn’t leave feeling excited and energised about their career, regardless of the field they worked in.

I found Susan Hooper, a Managing Director with Royal Caribbean Cruises, especially inspiring. I loved how she advocated the importance of doing what you truly enjoy, even when that leads you off a more traditional or safe career path. She also said that NOT having a career plan was the best thing she’s ever done as it’s left her free to seize new opportunities that she’d otherwise never have considered. That gave me great food for thought as it’s contrary to received wisdom, and gave me confidence in the choices I’ve made.

So what has this got to do with translation? Well, most freelance translators will probably tell you that there is no such thing as a traditional career path into translation. I happen to disagree. Yes, there are plenty of translators in the UK from a range of backgrounds who have turned to freelance translation as a second career. But for every one of these, there is also a translator, either freelance or inhouse, who has slowly and steadily worked their way up the industry ladder (again, I’m referring to the UK here. A native English-speaking translator living in say, Germany, would have a very different set of options available to them). First, an inhouse position as a proofreader, checker or production assistant. Then, a promotion to project manager. Eventually, after several years, they may get some translation work. Finally, the time is right to go freelance.

Of course there is so much to be gained from this path – not only do you take the big leap to freelance with the benefit of several years’ worth of industry experience and contacts behind you, you also probably have a guarantee of work from your former employers. But attractive as it sounded, I just didn’t feel this was right for me.

I spent a lot of time speaking to those already established in the industry and even successfully interviewed for a few really great companies. But I never really felt any of these roles enabled me to make full use of my transferable skills and experience. What’s more, I just couldn’t see a way of creating just such a role inhouse either. I knew I’d be bored and I knew the excitement and buzz of working for myself was just what I needed. But this went against the advice of everyone I spoke to. So, wary of putting my long-suffering hsuband through yet another financially unstable couple of years, I chickened out after graduating from an MA in Specialised and Technical Translation and took a corporate job for a while. The plan was to work hard and gather a tidy little nest egg, before turning my attentions back to freelance translation.

Needless to say, it was a mistake and I very quickly realised it just wasn’t for me. In a way, that forced my hand and with a big gulp and very little savings I struck out on my own. And the rest, as they say, is history. That’s not to say it has been easy, or that I haven’t made mistakes (oh! the mistakes!), but going against the grain and throwing my career path out the window was the best thing I could have ever done.

By the way, the other speakers were Mary McPhail from WAGGGS, Minister Margaret Hodge, John Rendall from HSBC Business Banking and Jo Salter, Britain’s first female fast jet pilot. If you ever get a chance to hear any of them speak, I’d recommend it (er… except for maybe the Minister, who arrived late, rushed her speech then left as soon as she finished… happy International Women’s Day indeed!)