| Pages in topic: [1 2] > | Small question about CVs when contacting agencies Thread poster: Adam, MA Trans
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Adam, MA Trans
United Kingdom
Local time: 04:42
French to English
+ ...
Hello everybody,
Very quick question: When I start agencies to offer them my services as a translator, is it better practice to attach my CV (which I have written in brochure format) in the email? Or instead, do I inform them of it being available to read on my proz.com profile, hoping that they take the time to follow the link?
I will be supplying the link anyway so that they can browse my translation samples.
Wishing everybody all the best,
Adam
| | | | Lingua 5B 
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Local time: 05:42
Member (2009)
English to Croatian
+ ...
| Unsolicited offers. | Oct 20, 2016 |
I believe it all comes down to whether an agency likes unsolicited offers or not. If they do, you may well do both: attach your CV and provide the link to your profile. If they don't, they will be annoyed by both, and by your message too.
Just my two cents.
| | | | Sheila Wilson
Spain
Local time: 04:42
Member (2007)
English
+ ...
I would suggest you say that there's loads of info on your profile at www.... including your CV, but you're attaching a copy of the CV for their convenience.
| | | | Lingua 5B
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Local time: 05:42
Member (2009)
English to Croatian
+ ...
| Curious, @ Adam. | Oct 20, 2016 |
I believe I saw you posting several similar topics before how you were on the lookout for clients. Can you update us, what was your success so far? Ie. number of clients in two or three months that you managed to find? People on the fora provided many tips to you, let's see if they worked.
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Adam, MA Trans
United Kingdom
Local time: 04:42
French to English
+ ...
TOPIC STARTER
Thank you very much for your answers.
I will do just that, Sheila.
All the best,
Adam
| | | | Adam, MA Trans
United Kingdom
Local time: 04:42
French to English
+ ...
TOPIC STARTER | Long reply... | Oct 20, 2016 |
Hey Lingua,
Funnily, I actually re-wrote this question before posting it. In the original I had written everything I had learnt from previous forum posts, how I'd be approaching agencies and what changes I am making to move ahead, but I figured it was too long to post, and I know I have asked many questions before so I just kept it brief!
To answer your question, so far I have researched the rates I will charge, I've updated my about me page on here, I've created a CV i... See more Hey Lingua,
Funnily, I actually re-wrote this question before posting it. In the original I had written everything I had learnt from previous forum posts, how I'd be approaching agencies and what changes I am making to move ahead, but I figured it was too long to post, and I know I have asked many questions before so I just kept it brief!
To answer your question, so far I have researched the rates I will charge, I've updated my about me page on here, I've created a CV in the form of a brochure, I've been working voluntarily doing sports translations for a charity group, I've uploaded translation samples, I've created an about.me page on another website and linked it to here, and finally I have created a sports blogging website which I'm going to eventually link on here, and I will be posting on there maybe once a week.
Before I contact clients, I want to change my photo, upload some blogs, and finally, become a full member on proz so that I am more visible on the search functions. Fingers crossed, doing all of this will get me a start in sports translation. I know a lot of it is about self-marketing, that's what I am currently trying to improve. ▲ Collapse
| | | | Oda Schwab
United States
Local time: 23:42
Member
Spanish to English
+ ...
Hi!
I always do both: Attach my CV and paste the ProZ.com profile link.
When contacting agencies you cannot see yourself as a mere employee, you are a freelancer selling your service, therefore, selling yourself.
Keep it simple and help them get your info in a convenient way.
All the best
| | | | | possible abuse | Oct 21, 2016 |
Adam-MSCR wrote:
Hello everybody,
Very quick question: When I start agencies to offer them my services as a translator, is it better practice to attach my CV (which I have written in brochure format) in the email? Or instead, do I inform them of it being available to read on my proz.com profile, hoping that they take the time to follow the link?
I will be supplying the link anyway so that they can browse my translation samples.
Wishing everybody all the best,
Adam
I usually follow your approach to prevent abuse of my CV and translation samples. many agencies are not serious with CV by ignoring any feedback.
Soonthon L.
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Nicole König
Germany
Local time: 05:42
German to English
+ ...
| CV is for employees :) | Oct 21, 2016 |
First of all, I would stop calling it your CV.
A CV is what employees on the prowl for a new or better position hand out to companies and businesses.
As a freelancer or better yet an entrepreneur, you have your relevant data summarized on your professional profile.
You are your own man and an agency (or end client!) can be your business partner but never your employer.
Please take this the right way: we are FREE to choose who and what rate we work for and FREE to g... See more First of all, I would stop calling it your CV.
A CV is what employees on the prowl for a new or better position hand out to companies and businesses.
As a freelancer or better yet an entrepreneur, you have your relevant data summarized on your professional profile.
You are your own man and an agency (or end client!) can be your business partner but never your employer.
Please take this the right way: we are FREE to choose who and what rate we work for and FREE to give it our best, fine-tuning our skillset as well as our mindset for our path on the road to success.
Also, your freelancer/entrepreneur profile looks different from an employee's CV. It lists projects, certifications, references, and your mission statement.
Concerning your initial question (ha, you thought I'd forgotten).
If you are talking to agencies about possible joint projects, attach your data for their convenience, stating in the e-mail that all your data is to be treated confidentially. They do the same, by the way, if they're worth their salt.
There are ready-made signatures on the web for that, so you do not have to type such an ND by yourself.
I always list my website (for a first impression on my background and credentials, please visit ...), the online magazine I initiated (for a quick glance at my style and translation skills, here's the link to. ...) and the 1 or two profiles on the net that I find are the best matches for this client. If they want to, they will find your other profiles quickly. Listing all 5 is overkill, in my eyes.
If you do not have a website, get one. Even if you just have the domain and let your professional e-mail run through that as in [email protected], it makes you stand out among those colleagues still using their Gmail address.
I had a look at your ProZ profile; you are a star!
I recently revamped my profile to get it more in sync with the kind of people I want to approach. In the end, every info you put out there, any approach you choose should always be in line with your personal path of doing business.
If you do not yet have a domain and website set up, at least add that to your to-do list. On that list, put everything that you want to do to get a leg up on competition. That way, you progress step by step and always carry a clear picture of what you want.
I hope this helps a little. Let me know if I can be of any assistance.
Happy Friday!
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| | | | Adam, MA Trans
United Kingdom
Local time: 04:42
French to English
+ ...
TOPIC STARTER
Thanks everybody for your replies.
I think a website would be a great idea. For now I am using a free one, but when I start earning money from translation I will invest some of it into paying somebody to create a professional website for me, which I will update with sports blogs, translation samples (if I can obtain the permission first) and testimonials.
Thank you for offering me your help Nicole, I really appreciate that.
Wishing everybody all the best,<... See more Thanks everybody for your replies.
I think a website would be a great idea. For now I am using a free one, but when I start earning money from translation I will invest some of it into paying somebody to create a professional website for me, which I will update with sports blogs, translation samples (if I can obtain the permission first) and testimonials.
Thank you for offering me your help Nicole, I really appreciate that.
Wishing everybody all the best,
Adam ▲ Collapse
| | | |
Adam-MSCR wrote:
Hello everybody,
Very quick question: When I start agencies to offer them my services as a translator, is it better practice to attach my CV (which I have written in brochure format) in the email? Or instead, do I inform them of it being available to read on my proz.com profile, hoping that they take the time to follow the link?
I will be supplying the link anyway so that they can browse my translation samples.
Wishing everybody all the best,
Adam
[Edited at 2016-10-21 21:58 GMT]
| | | | John Fossey
Canada
Local time: 23:42
Member (2008)
French to English
+ ...
| Professionals do have CVs | Oct 22, 2016 |
Nicole König wrote:
First of all, I would stop calling it your CV.
A CV is what employees on the prowl for a new or better position hand out to companies and businesses.
I used to think like this but have changed my mind. It's entirely normal for professionals to have a CV and it's not the same kind of CV as an employee has for a job search.
For example, if you look at many lawyer's websites, they will often have a CV that describes their specialty and sometimes a generic description of major cases they have handled.
The difference is that a CV is used by a professional selling themselves and their personal service. A brochure or flyer is used by a business to sell the business's products and services - the buyer has no idea who is performing the service or making the product.
To answer the OP's question, I find it helps to not only include my CV but also extract a relevant bit of it and paste it into the email, after the signature. That way a busy PM can tell immediately whether they are interested or not, without even having to open the attachment.
[Edited at 2016-10-22 01:20 GMT]
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| Agree with John | Oct 22, 2016 |
Nicole König wrote:
First of all, I would stop calling it your CV.
A CV is what employees on the prowl for a new or better position hand out to companies and businesses.
A CV is not just for employees, but for anyone looking for work, and that includes freelancers. It is true that there are many ways now to show what we can do - website, online portfolios and profiles - but a CV still has its place in the freelancer's "toolbox" - a succinct way of summarising who we are, what we can do, our qualifications and experience, personal details, and any other information we think will be valuable.
One big misconception is that there is only "one way" to write a CV - wrong. There are many types - chronological, functional, to name just two. It's a marketing document that gives you the freedom to compose it as you please, so why not use that freedom? That's the disadvantage of Europass CVs - they presume people are like photocopies, all exactly alike. A cleverly put together CV speaks volumes about the person who created it - we just have to hope it falls into the hands of the right person.
| | | | Sheila Wilson
Spain
Local time: 04:42
Member (2007)
English
+ ...
Fiona Grace Peterson wrote:
A CV is not just for employees, but for anyone looking for work, and that includes freelancers. It is true that there are many ways now to show what we can do - website, online portfolios and profiles - but a CV still has its place in the freelancer's "toolbox" - a succinct way of summarising who we are, what we can do, our qualifications and experience, personal details, and any other information we think will be valuable.
One big misconception is that there is only "one way" to write a CV - wrong. There are many types - chronological, functional, to name just two. It's a marketing document that gives you the freedom to compose it as you please, so why not use that freedom? That's the disadvantage of Europass CVs - they presume people are like photocopies, all exactly alike. A cleverly put together CV speaks volumes about the person who created it - we just have to hope it falls into the hands of the right person.
Never, ever agree to provide a Europass CV as a freelance translator.
| | | | Mario Chavez (X)
Local time: 23:42
English to Spanish
+ ...
| Companies, direct clients, translation agencies still call it a CV | Oct 23, 2016 |
Nicole König wrote:
First of all, I would stop calling it your CV.
A CV is what employees on the prowl for a new or better position hand out to companies and businesses.
As a freelancer or better yet an entrepreneur, you have your relevant data summarized on your professional profile.
You are your own man and an agency (or end client!) can be your business partner but never your employer.
Please take this the right way: we are FREE to choose who and what rate we work for and FREE to give it our best, fine-tuning our skillset as well as our mindset for our path on the road to success.
Also, your freelancer/entrepreneur profile looks different from an employee's CV. It lists projects, certifications, references, and your mission statement.
I disagree. Many translation agencies still request a resumé or CV (and they call it a CV. No, we are not entrepreneurs, we are writers who translate for a living. Let's stop sharing in the plague of buzzwords (i.e. skillset, mindset, fine-tuning, road to success, etc.) and marketing empty talk. In this crowded world of translation, if I use the same buzzwords others use to describe what I am, what I offer, I'm no different from a cheap salesman.
I'm curious, Adam, why you formatted or shaped your CV as a brochure (or do you just fold it like a brochure?). To me, a CV or resumé occupies one or two pages at most, it can be posted as a link on your website (Nicole is right, you may want to have a simple yet effective website for yourself).
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