Job Discussion Forums

[gandalf7]

Right now I'm living in el DF, doing a bit of teaching. I'd like to do some translations as well. I recently became associated with one company on a freelance basis, but of course I'm not getting a torrent of work from them...

Does anyone have any experience with translating? Where would be good places to go to look for openings? There don't seem to be many classifieds for translators that I can find -- either in newspaper classifieds or on job sites.

Thanks!

[MELEE]

I just saw an ad for a job that was teaching and translating at a school that offered classes and translation services---it was in Guadalajara.

There's a poster who we don't see much anymore called MixtecaMike. He used to do translating work for Notimex in Mexico City, you could try contacting them, or PMing him to see if he can give you a contact name.

Otherwise, how about putting up an ad offering your services?

[Guy Courchesne]

I've picked up the odd translating job by networking...a company I taught English at would ring me up with a small job for example.

You could check with the Association of Interpreters and Translators. I didn't know about them until stumbling across their building in Roma.

[MELEE]

You should also have a look at this
http://www.translatorsbase.com/default.aspx

[john_n_carolina]

hi Melee, yes....that www.translatorbase.com is a good one. i actually get too many offers from them. you can set it up so you get alerts to your email.

[gandalf7]

Thank for the advice!

translatorsbase.com looks pretty interesting. I started to register, but got stumped when it came to listing my rate. What would be a reasonable rate? They have a field for currency, and whether it's per word, character, or hour.

[MELEE]

If you are willing to accept translations in ANY field, I would charge by the hour. It is not the same to translate a text about a topic you know well as it is to takel a text you would barely understand no matter what language it's in. Some things will simply take longer, no matter the length.

I do two types of translations, neither for pay. As part of my job I translate abstracts of academic papers for the professors at my university--this is very difficult work and I'd never do it no matter what the if it weren't because it's part of my job. The other is translation and interpreting for non-profit organizations on various permaculture topics (natural building, organic agriculture, alternative engeries, etc.) that I do for free and really really enjoy. I'm very interested in these topics, know quite a bit about them and through translating/interpreting get to learn more for free. While an all day intrepreting session can be exhuasting, I find this kind of work very enjoyable and would never charge for it. So it looks like I'm destined to never earn money translating!

[notamiss]

I was a flop as a teacher, but I'm doing well as a translator. The site that has been the best one for me is http://www.proz.com. I haven't so much got jobs directly from the site, (though there have been a few over the years) as I joined a community of translators and learned what's what.

When I was commissioned my first translation job, I had no idea about rates, so I phoned some agencies I found in the yellow pages and asked them to price a [hypothetical] job. That was a way to start in the right ballpark. In the years since then, I've come into contact with more North American and European translators through translators' mailing lists. For what we consider "good" prices in Mexico, they say "I wouldn't even get out of bed for that rate."

Over the years, I've gradually raised my rates since then, though I haven't quite reached the range of 1st-world rates. In the process, I have had to leave behind some local agencies that I used to work for because they've stayed at low rates, so as not to lose their high-volume, low-paying clients. I've moved up into a new price and quality niche but no regrets, for I have no shortage of clients. Word-of-mouth has been my best advertising by far. The keys are to (1) spread the word, and (2) deliver quality, so that your work will advertise itself.

[MO39]

[notamiss]

[MO39]

notamiss, all I can say is "Wow!"and thanks for the short course in getting started as a translator here. I think I'll print out your tips and post them on my refrigerator. The idea of reworking my resume into one emphasizing my translating work experience is a good one, especially the point about changing my mindset as to who I want to be professionally. (But is it wise to put your prices on a resume?) And I've been meaning to get business cards, too; I suppose I could include "English teacher and translator on the same card."...

I may bother you with a pm or two, it that's ok.

[Phil_K]

Just be careful with how much work you want. I'm in the middle of translating a whole book, 180 small pages, and it's costing me sleep! But as TLWH would say, es una lanota.

[MO39]

I really enjoy translating so much that if I'd have to stay up all night working on a big job, that's fine with me, a perennial night owl.

[jfurgers]

I have some students here in the States who always want me to fix their resumes or other documents for free! Crazy!! I'm guessing some in Mexico need help with resumes if they're moving to the States for example?
I'm getting a lot of helpful info from Daves and I hope to use it when I get to DF. Besides translating what about helping students one on one or in small groups to pass tests like the TOEFL? Any suggestions for how much I should charge a student to fix his/her resume here in the States?

[Guy Courchesne]