Translation - art & business » Getting established »
Translation company/agency or freelance?
Thread poster: Clare Forder
Clare Forder
Clare Forder
Local time: 14:49
French to English
+ ...
Jul 6, 2004

Hello!

Just wondering what people's views are on this topic - is it better to gain experience in a translation agency/company, or can a new translator brave it in the world of freelancing?
 
Williamson
Williamson  Identity Verified
United Kingdom
Local time: 14:49
Flemish to English
+ ...
Depends how you want to evolve in life. Jul 6, 2004

With what will you create a plus value on your CV?

By managing people, projects and budgets or with translation?
If you want to be a translator, grow in translation and after 10 years have 10 years experience on your CV, by all means choose translation.
If you want a career in normal business life then successfully managing an agency would be a better choice.
Business life only understands results and figures and it need words to reach these figures.
 
Marc P (X)
Marc P (X)  Identity Verified
Local time: 15:49
German to English
+ ...
Translation company/agency or freelance? Jul 6, 2004

forder1 wrote:
is it better to gain experience in a translation agency/company, or can a new translator brave it in the world of freelancing?


If you have the chance, get some experience as an in-house translator before freelancing. What is important is not so much whether the job is with a company (e.g. a manufacturing company), international organization or translation company/agency, but whether the employer has more experienced staff who can pass on their expertise to a novice. Any such job is far better than striking out on your own with no experience. Many people will tell you that they "picked it up as they went along", but that begs the question what sort of standard of work they were delivering at the outset.

Marc
 


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