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the 2-year experience minimum barrage
Thread poster: Anne LE ROMANCER
Lincoln Hui
Lincoln Hui  Identity Verified
Hong Kong
Local time: 02:31
Member
Chinese to English
+ ...
Look like a professional Feb 27, 2019

Anne LE ROMANCER wrote:

What else can I do to support my profile?

Imagine you're looking for a lawyer. Or accountant.

Imagine you visited their website, and the first thing you see on their profile page is "Hi, I'm John Doe, lawyer."

Think that relationship's going to get very far?

Look at other people's profile pages. Look at people whose posts indicate they know what they're talking about, and look at how they present themselves. Right now, your CV looks better than your profile, and you can do less damage by copying and pasting your CV text onto your profile until you figure out what to do with it.

If you really want to go down the "Welcome Message" path, get someone to edit it for grammar and flow. It's an hour's job. I get it, you don't translate into English, but the less not-quite-there English you have on your cover page, the more likely you're going to be taken seriously by an English speaker.

For a beginning translator, saving on ProZ membership costs is the most penny-wise, pound-foolish thing one can possibly do, and this is the second one in two weeks. Don't play Russian Roulette with your career, especially not with a semi-auto.

[Edited at 2019-02-27 16:32 GMT]


Anne LE ROMANCER
Heike Holthaus
Angie Garbarino
Dan Lucas
 
Anne LE ROMANCER
Anne LE ROMANCER  Identity Verified
United Kingdom
Local time: 18:31
English to French
TOPIC STARTER
english Feb 27, 2019

Lincoln Hui wrote:

Anne LE ROMANCER wrote:

What else can I do to support my profile?

Imagine you're looking for a lawyer. Or accountant.

Imagine you visited their website, and the first thing you see on their profile page is "Hi, I'm John Doe, lawyer."

Think that relationship's going to get very far?

Look at other people's profile pages. Look at people whose posts indicate they know what they're talking about, and look at how they present themselves. Right now, your CV looks better than your profile, and you can do less damage by copying and pasting your CV text onto your profile until you figure out what to do with it.

If you really want to go down the "Welcome Message" path, get someone to edit it for grammar and flow. It's an hour's job. I get it, you don't translate into English, but the less not-quite-there English you have on your cover page, the more likely you're going to be taken seriously by an English speaker.

For a beginning translator, saving on ProZ membership costs is the most penny-wise, pound-foolish thing one can possibly do, and this is the second one in two weeks. Don't play Russian Roulette with your career, especially not with a semi-auto.

[Edited at 2019-02-27 16:32 GMT]


I'm sorry I didn't realise my english grammar and flow was "not quite there"! I shall check for errors in the way I presented myself. I will ask my English native colleague to help out. And I will consider Proz membership but I only followed advice of many translators who told me it was pointless so I went with advice previously given to me.


 
Yoana Ivanova
Yoana Ivanova  Identity Verified
Estonia
Local time: 20:31
English to Bulgarian
+ ...
you'll figure it out Feb 27, 2019

Anne LE ROMANCER wrote:

I'm sorry I didn't realise my english grammar and flow was "not quite there"! I shall check for errors in the way I presented myself. I will ask my English native colleague to help out. And I will consider Proz membership but I only followed advice of many translators who told me it was pointless so I went with advice previously given to me.


You do have a few mistakes in the bio, I think I noticed something on your website as well, but I'd have to check once more. Have an English friend proofread it.

If those translators who gave you that advice were already quite experienced, then of course, they don't get all that much from a membership. But for us beginners it's a marketing tool in and of itself.

Do take a look at other people's bios, you'll get some good ideas on what to include.

Just don't give up, when you quote point out only the experience you do have, tell them why you are the right person and why your experience is relevant.

[Edited at 2019-02-27 16:44 GMT]


Anne LE ROMANCER
Angie Garbarino
 
Lincoln Hui
Lincoln Hui  Identity Verified
Hong Kong
Local time: 02:31
Member
Chinese to English
+ ...
Don't listen to everybody you see on the internet Feb 27, 2019

Anne LE ROMANCER wrote:


I'm sorry I didn't realise my english grammar and flow was "not quite there"! I shall check for errors in the way I presented myself. I will ask my English native colleague to help out. And I will consider Proz membership but I only followed advice of many translators who told me it was pointless so I went with advice previously given to me.

Some people on the internet talk out of their behinds. Some people on the ProZ forums talk out of their behinds. Maybe I talk out of my behind. As time goes by you'll figure out who those people are, but you should approach every conversation with a grain of salt. Even if someone actually knows what they're talking about, there is no guarantee that what fits one will necessarily fit another.


Anne LE ROMANCER
Angie Garbarino
Colleen Roach, PhD
Tom in London
 
Sheila Wilson
Sheila Wilson  Identity Verified
Spain
Local time: 18:31
Member (2007)
English
+ ...
Some ideas (from a Kingstonian) Feb 27, 2019

Anne LE ROMANCER wrote:
all the reputable agencies I find seem to only take you on once you've had 2 to 3 years of experience.

Well, we've all been in the situation of having no experience, so it must be survivable . I'm wondering what you mean by "reputable agencies". If it's the big names with hundreds of great reviews, I don't think much of them. The smaller, boutique agencies normally make for far better business partners.

I didn't invest in it [ProZ membership] as from what I hear people say it's really not worth it and my savings are getting lower and lower so I need to make the best investment with what's left. That's why I didn't go for it. If I increased my hours in my other job I could perhaps make it happen...but then I'd have less time to work on the translations....aaaaaargh what a headache!!!

At this very early stage, should you go all out to get some experience - any experience - or should you focus on getting all your ducks in a row first? Well, it sounds as though you have limited availability as it is, with a part-time job and kids to look after, so I doubt the money is going to flood in from translation. Wouldn't it be better to find some more income elsewhere while you spend some time and money investing in your future as a translator? You've already made a good start with the ITI membership. How about SFT too?

I think that paid membership is essential if you're intending to make this your "home". You have to have somewhere that shows you off in the best light possible, and as this site has the biggest number of potential clients - by a long way, I believe - it's really the place to showcase your skills. There are many thousands of EN>FR translators here, so how are you going to stand out from the masses? Here are some ideas (please don't think I'm criticising as I'm not; I'm just trying to help ):
- Get paid membership for instant improved visibility. It also gives you the semblance of professionalism in the eyes of clients, even if there's no real justification for it.
- Go for the PLUS membership option so you'll benefit from all the "perks" such as a free CAT tool licence, membership of various groups, access to training materials, etc
- Define your specialisations clearly and give the same message everywhere. Your profiles, CV, website, etc all say MARKETING loud and clear, which is great. Your ProZ.com bio says education is another specialisation, but it's mentioned nowhere else, not even as a field you work in! Also, I could be wrong, but I think the real estate, economics, and other "specialisations" would be better as working fields. In your pair, the more specialised you are the better if you want to stand out. Another specialisation confusion is the last one on your CV, which doesn't seem to be one at all.
- Spend time answering Kudoz questions, especially EN>FR marketing ones. Good answers will earn you the respect of your peers and potential clients can see your input. Anyway, Kudoz points are essential for visibility - that's how the site works.
- Include some samples as potential clients like to be able to see your work. Ask TWB is you can use what you did for them; ask paying clients too - marketing texts sometimes become very much less sensitive over time. Suggest short chunks that seem to be suitable.
- Spend time browsing the Site Guidance Centre. There's a lot of help there, including a free webinar.
- Look again at your website text: "DO YOU NEED FRENCH MARKETING AND BUSINESS DOCUMENTS TRANSLATED?" implies to me that you want to translate French texts into other languages.

I've ... done some translations for Translators without borders

- Is that mentioned anywhere? A mention of pro bono work is always positive, particularly for an organisation with a recognisable name.

I am qualified and have worked for 6 years in Marketing/International Development before that. But it doesn't count towards years as translator.

- Well, what is counting towards the 19 years your profile mentions? That seems odd. Also, the translation diploma mentioned in your CV is from Germany, implying something other than EN>FR - but maybe not.

I've joined the ITI, bought MemoQ

- Where is MemoQ in your profile?

created a website

- But I don't see it in French. Granted, English is going to be more useful, but sometimes people want things translated because they don't understand them. And so many people speak some French that they may well want to see how you write.

I think you have a very good chance of making it work, Anne. Just stay focused and exude confidence. You write extremely well in English, which is something that many translators who have it as their source language struggle with. I know you've lived there for a long while but I have a French friend who's perfectly bilingual after 40 or more years there but I can still "hear the accent" when I read her letters.


Heike Holthaus
Tanja Oresnik
Dongwoo Lee
 
gayd (X)
gayd (X)
Find some other job Feb 27, 2019

I don't think it's wise to start a career in translation in 2019 (although you're supposed to have started it in 2006). In my opinion, the market is probably going to shrink by 80% in the
near future due to the massive use of NMT and translation rates are going to tumble as well . So in my opinion, you should find some other job while you're still young. As of today, there are more than hundred (PROZ members) applicants for one (rare) single job on PROZ in the EN>FR pair. Statistically, it
... See more
I don't think it's wise to start a career in translation in 2019 (although you're supposed to have started it in 2006). In my opinion, the market is probably going to shrink by 80% in the
near future due to the massive use of NMT and translation rates are going to tumble as well . So in my opinion, you should find some other job while you're still young. As of today, there are more than hundred (PROZ members) applicants for one (rare) single job on PROZ in the EN>FR pair. Statistically, it means that you have less than 1% chance to be chosen. And it's hardly likely to improve in the future.



[Modifié le 2019-02-27 18:12 GMT]

[Modifié le 2019-02-27 18:20 GMT]
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Jorge Payan
Sandra & Kenneth Grossman
 
Vanda Nissen
Vanda Nissen  Identity Verified
Australia
Local time: 04:31
Member (2008)
English to Russian
+ ...
I agree with Sheila Feb 28, 2019

Translation is actually not as flexible as you might think. Perhaps, try to find a part-time job while your children are at school. By the sound of it, they are still young and since you are the one who takes care of them, it might be very stressful for a novice. In the beginning, you will most likely get not-so-convenient jobs such as jobs with tight deadlines, and sorry to say but you are not in a position to say ''no''. It would be really impossible to deliver high quality translations for a ... See more
Translation is actually not as flexible as you might think. Perhaps, try to find a part-time job while your children are at school. By the sound of it, they are still young and since you are the one who takes care of them, it might be very stressful for a novice. In the beginning, you will most likely get not-so-convenient jobs such as jobs with tight deadlines, and sorry to say but you are not in a position to say ''no''. It would be really impossible to deliver high quality translations for a not so experienced translator with children at home.

So, my advice is to find a job and start slowly moving into translation. Add some credibility to your Proz.com profile by answering Kudoz, read forums, perhaps, social media for translators. In a nutshell, get a grasp of the industry.
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Tanja Oresnik
Kay Denney
Jorge Payan
Sandra & Kenneth Grossman
 
Tom in London
Tom in London
United Kingdom
Local time: 18:31
Member (2008)
Italian to English
Muphry's Law Feb 28, 2019

@ Lincoln

Muphry's Law states: " "If you write anything criticising editing or proofreading, there will be a fault of some kind in what you have written."

There are at least 3 or 4 grammatical infelicities in your post.


 
Tom in London
Tom in London
United Kingdom
Local time: 18:31
Member (2008)
Italian to English
OPinion Feb 28, 2019

David GAY wrote:

-----In my opinion, the market is probably going to shrink by 80% in the
near future due to the massive use of NMT and translation rates are going to tumble as well .....


Can you back up your opinion with any facts?


Angie Garbarino
Valérie Ourset
Dan Lucas
Wilsonn Perez Reyes
 
Kay Denney
Kay Denney  Identity Verified
France
Local time: 19:31
French to English
my two cents Feb 28, 2019

I first started translating when my kids were small. I have many memories of typing with one hand and holding my baby with the other - not the best conditions for producing good work and I probably took far longer than I would nowadays.
I ended up getting myself a job because it just wasn't compatible enough with motherhood. I couldn't devote enough time to looking for clients, I didn't have any grandparents to baby sit for free while I networked. And translations never came at a good mom
... See more
I first started translating when my kids were small. I have many memories of typing with one hand and holding my baby with the other - not the best conditions for producing good work and I probably took far longer than I would nowadays.
I ended up getting myself a job because it just wasn't compatible enough with motherhood. I couldn't devote enough time to looking for clients, I didn't have any grandparents to baby sit for free while I networked. And translations never came at a good moment. They were always urgent, weekend or all-nighter jobs that were disruptive to family life.
At the agency, at least my hours were fixed and more or less corresponded with school hours, and since I was getting paid I could afford to pay for a babysitter for the few hours where they didn't overlap.

Then by the time I left the agency, I had a wonderful LinkedIn profile with all my former colleagues as contacts. Many former colleagues were now working for other agencies, and were delighted to send me work. Also, I qualified for unemployment benefit, as a financial back-up, and was entitled to training courses to help me set up my own business. That all made for a smooth, relatively stress-free start.

I did become a member here after a short while, in order to bid on some jobs, and I have managed to get a couple of lovely clients with interesting work here. The investment paid for itself on the very first job.
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Jorge Payan
Vanda Nissen
 
Christopher Schröder
Christopher Schröder
United Kingdom
Member (2011)
Swedish to English
+ ...
OT Feb 28, 2019

Tom in London wrote:
@ Lincoln
Muphry's Law states: " "If you write anything criticising editing or proofreading, there will be a fault of some kind in what you have written."
There are at least 3 or 4 grammatical infelicities in your post.

O'Reilly's law says that all such statements will be challenged.

I didn't see any such infelicities.


 
Tom in London
Tom in London
United Kingdom
Local time: 18:31
Member (2008)
Italian to English
I know Feb 28, 2019

Chris S wrote:

I didn't see any such infelicities.


I know you didn't.


 
Christopher Schröder
Christopher Schröder
United Kingdom
Member (2011)
Swedish to English
+ ...
I would join Feb 28, 2019

Anne LE ROMANCER wrote:
And I will consider Proz membership but I only followed advice of many translators who told me it was pointless so I went with advice previously given to me.

One of those may have been me, as I have been quite vocal on here about how ProZ membership has little to offer an established translator, but as a beginner you have nothing to lose and potentially quite a bit to gain. You should recoup your £100 with your first job, so in your position I would sign up right away.


Kay Denney
Axelle H.
Jorge Payan
Yoana Ivanova
Michele Fauble
 
Giovanni Guarnieri MITI, MIL
Giovanni Guarnieri MITI, MIL  Identity Verified
United Kingdom
Local time: 18:31
Member (2004)
English to Italian
Membership Feb 28, 2019

The full membership has never made any difference in my situation and I've been a member for many years. But it's probably me. I never had to look for work. Fingers crossed...

 
gayd (X)
gayd (X)
read the news Feb 28, 2019

Tom in London wrote:

David GAY wrote:

-----In my opinion, the market is probably going to shrink by 80% in the
near future due to the massive use of NMT and translation rates are going to tumble as well .....


Can you back up your opinion with any facts?


It's not a secret that every major LSP is working on a NMT programme and now offers NMT to their clients.
There have been a lot of mergers recently. The goal of these mergers is to invest heavily in NMT and to leverage
collections of already translated texts to feed their NMT engines.


[Modifié le 2019-02-28 14:14 GMT]

[Modifié le 2019-02-28 14:22 GMT]

[Modifié le 2019-02-28 14:29 GMT]

[Modifié le 2019-02-28 14:47 GMT]


 
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the 2-year experience minimum barrage







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