How to get more jobs? Thread poster: Helena Diaz del Real
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Hello!
By now I am trying to get more translation work.
Pls. could you tell me ideas -besides contacting old outsourcers- how to get new agencies to work for?
I think, the market is right now plenty of translators, specially in my pairs, so it is for me hard to get more jobs.
Do you have any ideas)
I thank you very much!
Helena1962
| | | | Kirill Semenov 
Ukraine
Local time: 21:57
Member (2004)
English to Russian
+ ...
| A strange question... | Nov 18, 2005 |
Helena1962 wrote:
By now I am trying to get more translation work.
Pls. could you tell me ideas -besides contacting old outsourcers- how to get new agencies to work for?
I think, the market is right now plenty of translators, specially in my pairs, so it is for me hard to get more jobs.
Do you have any ideas)
Hi Helena
I think the question is strange one, because most of the proZ members want to know the answer. First of all, the point is not to get more jobs - the point is to raise your income. I don't think that those who know the real secret would share it - unless you like books like `How to Become a Millionaire in One Year' or `Enlightenment in 10 Days'.
I doubt there are any recipes as how to do this, but ProZ.com hints, FAQs and fora contain a lot of useful hints and tips on how to build your career as a freelancer - like `specialize', `participate in kudoZ', `polish your profile', etc.
Me personally, I think the secret is to find your own way in this competitious world. Others' experience may be somehow useful, but each translator's case is special, so, I'm afraid, you have to invent your own path to success because nobody knows your strong sides better than you. Good luck
| | | | Erika Pavelka (X)
Local time: 14:57
French to English
Hi Helena,
The answer is you need to market yourself to potential clients, whether they are translation agencies or direcct clients.
Make sure you have an up-to-date CV. You could also format it to be more like a brochure, since you are offering your services (as opposed to applying for a job). You have a very good specialization - medicine - which I imagine would be sought after. Just make sure to make it stand out in your CV. You have to decide which language combinat... See more Hi Helena,
The answer is you need to market yourself to potential clients, whether they are translation agencies or direcct clients.
Make sure you have an up-to-date CV. You could also format it to be more like a brochure, since you are offering your services (as opposed to applying for a job). You have a very good specialization - medicine - which I imagine would be sought after. Just make sure to make it stand out in your CV. You have to decide which language combination you want to promote (translation into Spanish, Catalan, German, all three?), then find clients who would need your services.
Translation agencies are a good place to start. What about medical associations or journals, or even hospitals in Germany or Spain? University hospitals might be a good starting point as well.
Always try to talk to the person responsible on the phone, if possible, and then send that person your CV by e-mail if they request it. Establishing phone contact initially makes the contact more personal, and the potential client is more likely to remember you. This has always worked for me.
Good luck! ▲ Collapse
| | | | | Polishing your profile | Nov 18, 2005 |
Bona dit, Helena,
maybe its a good idea to invest some time in your profile.
You can really use it to marketing your services.
First: be very careful with your text, because you want to show that you translate with your best care, verdad?
I have noticed some write errors like diferent instead of different and geting instead of getting.
Some translations agencies would draw the conclusion that you are
just as well careless in your mother tongue.
... See more Bona dit, Helena,
maybe its a good idea to invest some time in your profile.
You can really use it to marketing your services.
First: be very careful with your text, because you want to show that you translate with your best care, verdad?
I have noticed some write errors like diferent instead of different and geting instead of getting.
Some translations agencies would draw the conclusion that you are
just as well careless in your mother tongue.
If you contact translation agencies you can refer to your PROZ profile, naming the last projects.
You can even give samples of translations > Portfolio-tab.
Like Erika and Kirill said: your specialization is the key to succes. Medicine is great, but also vast, maybe you can give more details.
I never understand why people choose: General / Conversation / Greetings / Letter
Someone like you, who can translate medical texts!
LOGICAL that you can do general texts too, verdad?
It's very important that you differ from other translators.
Bona sort!
Steffi ▲ Collapse
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| Speak to your clients in their language | Nov 18, 2005 |
What language(s) do your clients speak? I notice that your profile is in English even though it isn't one of your working languages. I'd suggest that you rewrite your profile in your languages, so that your potential clients can read it in their own language and understand it better.
In direct answer to your question, I second Erika's excellent suggestions.
[Edited at 2005-11-23 02:53]
| | | | Aleksandr Okunev (X)
Local time: 21:57
English to Russian
| Try direct clients | Nov 19, 2005 |
Helena1962 wrote: Pls. could you tell me ideas -besides contacting old outsourcers- how to get new agencies to work for?
Agencies are nice but they have dozens of translators on their list and even if you get in their database they are likely to remember you only when everyone else is busy.
I would suggest you to brush your profile a bit, write a 'field+client specific' CV and contact medical equipment/pharmaceutical companies offering your services. You have an edge over a lot of folks.
Do not spam, every time you send out your CV you MUST be able to explain why you are getting in touch with them and why and how they are going to benefit from cooperation with you. Which means you HAVE to visit their site or do some other research prior to contactin them. Proves a lot more effective than sending out thousands of e-mails.
Direct clients pay more and are generally nicer in terminology assistance, the bad side is that sometimes they give you jobs you cannot handle alone, be prepared for that and have a colleague or two standing by to rescue you.
Best of luck!
Aleksandr
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| | | | | For all of you,... | Nov 21, 2005 |
Aleksandr and Kirill - Bolshoi spasivo!!!!!
Erika - Merci beaucoup!!!!!
Tuliparola - Dank u Well, moltissimes gràcies!!!!!
Goodwords - Muchisimas gracias!!!!!
I think you all have given me very good ideas. Now I will try to realize them all.
For the first, I will change my profile: As my english is really bad, I shouldn't try to write it in english. That's also the reason why I do not work with english...
Further on, I became a platinum-m... See more Aleksandr and Kirill - Bolshoi spasivo!!!!!
Erika - Merci beaucoup!!!!!
Tuliparola - Dank u Well, moltissimes gràcies!!!!!
Goodwords - Muchisimas gracias!!!!!
I think you all have given me very good ideas. Now I will try to realize them all.
For the first, I will change my profile: As my english is really bad, I shouldn't try to write it in english. That's also the reason why I do not work with english...
Further on, I became a platinum-member here and downloaded my picture. I hope nobody get a heart-attack of it!! ;o)))
And I will keep sending more and more CV to possible outsourcers for medicine. And of course I will tell at which area of medicine I translate into.
Well I thank you very much, once more!
Keep your finger crossed for me, please!  )))
Good luck for you all, too!
Helena1962 ▲ Collapse
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Helena1962 wrote:
Hello!
By now I am trying to get more translation work.
Pls. could you tell me ideas -besides contacting old outsourcers- how to get new agencies to work for?
I think, the market is right now plenty of translators, specially in my pairs, so it is for me hard to get more jobs.
Do you have any ideas)
I thank you very much!
Helena1962
Helena1962, my advise is to make a website including information about you, your experience, your clients, your rates, certificates, etc ... , everything that can make people decide to work with you. Make your site with some free online website builder. I can recommend you use sitekreator.com. It's free, with nice templates and has a lot of useful features like forms for feedback and contact, forums, mailing list, etc. Lots of people are now searching for services on the net, not just through paper ads, so you have a very big chance that they find you on the net. You should just list your site in the respective directories of search engines, advertise in free sites, etc. Wish you luck!
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