Freelance Translators Top 10 Success Attributes
The language services market is competitive for all participants, including freelance translators. So why do some freelance translators experience more success than others?
As a translation agency we have occasion to work with a number of skilled professional translators, each with their own unique areas of specialization. Over time we’ve observed a number of “success attritributes” associated with the translators we work with most often. Many of these linguists rank among the top in the profession. Is their success random? We doubt it.
The following is our list of some of the most important attributes for success among freelance translators. While virtually no translator can be expected to excel in every area, our experience suggests that proficiency in a number of the areas on our list makes success much more likely:
1) Internet Savviness/Presence
Websites, blogs, and a social media sites are inexpensive to set up. Today there’s really no excuse (at least not a good one) for freelance translators to not have an online presence. So set up your internet presence early in your career (even if not early, it’s better late than never) and build on it over time. It will never be complete but the sooner you start the better off you’ll be.
2) Communication Responsiveness
Often the difference between getting business and not comes down to just being there first. Whether it’s a client, an agency, or some other type of business associate, communication responsiveness helps tremendously. Knowing that a reliable translator resource is just a few minutes away by email, or a telephone call, helps build trust and over time reliance.
3) Investment in Technology
Computers, software, mobile communication devices, none of them are free. Still their place in the modern business environment is firmly established. Investment in modern technologies not only creates productivity advantages, it shows commitment to the translation profession.
4) Affection for Language
Ask a professional translator about a language related issue and then sit back and listen. Seldom if ever will linguists not have an opinion. A passion for language and the willingness to share thoughts and ideas is an indication of a person being well placed in their field as a professional translator.
5) Willingness to Go the Extra Mile
Often there is a choice between doing the minimum to meet the requirements of a particular project and/or client, and doing just a little bit more to be even more helpful. Delivering just a little bit more than is required can be an effective differentiator, and can often can be done fairly easily. Completing a project a little faster, or taking the time to educate a client in the course of answering questions, might seem like small things but cumulatively they can pay off over time in increased customer loyalty.
6) Ability to Take a Long Term View
The value of a continuing translation client over the lifetime of their account can be significant. So an occasional special consideration for a client is often a good investment. So what if a given project is done at break even (of even a loss), if it’s the cost for keeping a client long term and a hundred subsequent projects are performed profitably. If there’s a misunderstanding in the course of providing a project and it’s the client’s fault, let it slide now and then. It may be far better to have and keep a steady, long term client than to be “right.”
7) Positive Attitude
An uplifting attitude is recognized, even felt. Translation clients are human beings with both personal and work related challenges to deal with on a daily basis. Do translastors’ interactions with clients more often bring them up or down? If it’s the former they’re much more likely to continue the association, perhaps without even consciously knowing why.
8) Good Team Player
The supply of translation services to the markets that consume such services often requires a role from multiple participants. Translators, project manager, agencies, and others must often work together to apply their specializations to meet clients’ needs. Successful translator recognize the value and role of each participant.
9) Competitive/Advantaged Pricing
To think that the cost of services doesn’t matter is naive. While there may be methods and principles to observe to maintain pricing at acceptable levels, nearly all clients are price sensitive. No single entity sets translation pricing. Rather prices are set by “the market” which consists of clients, translators, and agencies to names three principal market category participants. One way to keep translation pricing at acceptable levels is to cultivate efficiencies in the translation process, especially those that don’t detract from translation quality. Saving time is effectively increasing prices as it frees up more revenue generating capacity.
10) Process Oriented
Quality certification processes like ISO (International Standards Organization) focus on the processes utilized in delivering a particular service. Translation quality is also very much influenced by the processes applied over the course of a project. Short cuts and deviations from established processes increase the possibility of errors or other unwanted occcurrences appearing in translation deliverables. Successful translators therefore are often process oriented. They experiment in controlled ways and determine what works for them, while leaving open opportunities for improving their processes over time.
