Set up a translation website? Thread poster: lisa lee
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lisa lee
Local time: 10:55
English to Chinese
I have been working as a translator for a couple of years now. I have a few questions:
1. A lot of translation companies promised that they would contact me when they have project for me. But it has been a long time and I still have not got any project from them. Is this common in translation industry?
2. Does it help to get more translation jobs to set up a translation website and promote it on the internet? How to promote it?
3. Apart from contact... See more I have been working as a translator for a couple of years now. I have a few questions:
1. A lot of translation companies promised that they would contact me when they have project for me. But it has been a long time and I still have not got any project from them. Is this common in translation industry?
2. Does it help to get more translation jobs to set up a translation website and promote it on the internet? How to promote it?
3. Apart from contacting the translation companies and biding here, what can I do to get more translation jobs, assuming that I am a qualified freelance?
Thanks for your comment. ▲ Collapse
| | | | Wenjer Leuschel (X) 
Taiwan
Local time: 10:55
English to Chinese
+ ...
Hi Lisa,
1. It is common in this industry that you must wait for a long time until some companies contact you for URGENT jobs and you make it to convince them that you are a quick and good helping hand, so that they keep you busy for ever after. Just be patient. It is common because the companies depend on their clients as well and they are still not running out of their translator pools for URGENT jobs.
2. It does help a bit, but why should a freelance translator inves... See more Hi Lisa,
1. It is common in this industry that you must wait for a long time until some companies contact you for URGENT jobs and you make it to convince them that you are a quick and good helping hand, so that they keep you busy for ever after. Just be patient. It is common because the companies depend on their clients as well and they are still not running out of their translator pools for URGENT jobs.
2. It does help a bit, but why should a freelance translator invest so much for so little in return?
3. My advice: Answer qestions of the right ones in KudoZ and there will be outsourcers asking you for small jobs or big jobs later. My best translators are from KudoZ. They are the ones who are not always right, but just right for the fields I need. I am pretty sure that some outsourcers are fishing out good translators the same way as I do.
Good luck!
- Wenjer
lisa lee wrote:
I have been working as a translator for a couple of years now. I have a few questions:
1. A lot of translation companies promised that they would contact me when they have project for me. But it has been a long time and I still have not got any project from them. Is this common in translation industry?
2. Does it help to get more translation jobs to set up a translation website and promote it on the internet? How to promote it?
3. Apart from contacting the translation companies and biding here, what can I do to get more translation jobs, assuming that I am a qualified freelance?
Thanks for your comment.
▲ Collapse
| | | | lisa lee
Local time: 10:55
English to Chinese
TOPIC STARTER | Thanks Wenjer | Sep 8, 2008 |
Thank you very much for the valuable comments. Actually I did not expect too much that I could get valuable comments here because as translators, we are competitors. I don't mean it is between you and me, but between other translators and me. So your comments are really out of expectation.
I know how much it costs to set up a website. But how much does it cost to promote a website? A lot of money? Wow!
I think there must be some ways to keep successful translator busy ... See more Thank you very much for the valuable comments. Actually I did not expect too much that I could get valuable comments here because as translators, we are competitors. I don't mean it is between you and me, but between other translators and me. So your comments are really out of expectation.
I know how much it costs to set up a website. But how much does it cost to promote a website? A lot of money? Wow!
I think there must be some ways to keep successful translator busy apart from getting the jobs from translation companies and bidding for the projects posted here. To translate a book? Or to do voiceover? Or to do DTP? What you suggested to answer Kudos questions is a way of being fished, which is valuable. I am thinking about fishing out myself.:-) This is important to me because I do not have enough projects to keep me busy as a full time freelance.
Thanks again for the advise. ▲ Collapse
| | | | Wenjer Leuschel (X)
Taiwan
Local time: 10:55
English to Chinese
+ ...
| Chances are for the ones who are prepared. | Sep 10, 2008 |
1. I don't see any harm of competition. Every translator is good for something and everyone finds something for his living sustainment. Please refer to my previous writings on market and strategies.
2. Having a blog costs almost nothing. You may try that way. But to maintain a website like this one, it would cost you a lifetime.
3. A successful translator is not always busy. He enjoys translating and has great fun with his life. No need to be famous or to make big money... See more 1. I don't see any harm of competition. Every translator is good for something and everyone finds something for his living sustainment. Please refer to my previous writings on market and strategies.
2. Having a blog costs almost nothing. You may try that way. But to maintain a website like this one, it would cost you a lifetime.
3. A successful translator is not always busy. He enjoys translating and has great fun with his life. No need to be famous or to make big money. A successful translator knows how to balance his/her work and sparetime. I do have enough projects to keep me busy and enough time to make some fun out of everything I've experienced while living among people.
4. Take it easy and wait - not inactively, but actively learning while waiting. Chances are for the ones who are prepared. I have wrote a lot on similar topics in the past, mostly about how to equip yourself as a freelance translator. A freelancer has to keep his/her spirit up to face rejections, failures and frustrations that everyone encounters everyday. Don't worry, keep learning and be prepared for your chances.
By the way, why not join the Chinese localization team of this website. When the outsourcers notice that you are capable of doing something for the community, they come to you when they need you. Even localizing only one small part of this website would make you a valuable member. When you come to a good position, you become more valuable than others. Just like someone put it in a slogan in this forum: Join and make the world pay! "齐心赚世界人民的钱！"
lisa lee wrote:
Thank you very much for the valuable comments. Actually I did not expect too much that I could get valuable comments here because as translators, we are competitors. I don't mean it is between you and me, but between other translators and me. So your comments are really out of expectation.
I know how much it costs to set up a website. But how much does it cost to promote a website? A lot of money? Wow!
I think there must be some ways to keep successful translator busy apart from getting the jobs from translation companies and bidding for the projects posted here. To translate a book? Or to do voiceover? Or to do DTP? What you suggested to answer Kudos questions is a way of being fished, which is valuable. I am thinking about fishing out myself.:-) This is important to me because I do not have enough projects to keep me busy as a full time freelance.
Thanks again for the advise.
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lisa lee
Local time: 10:55
English to Chinese
TOPIC STARTER | thanks Wenjor | Sep 10, 2008 |
Wenjer,
Have you published any book on pursuing the career as a translator? I would like to buy one.
How does a blog help to bring more translation jobs? My understanding is that the people will use such search engines as Google to find translators.
I am interested in joining the Chinese localisation team for this website. But how? I can't find anything about this on the web.
Appreciate your help. Thanks.
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