How to Get Established? Thread poster: Larisa Migachyov
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So, just one more "how-to-get-that-first-job" question. I'm (almost) fully bilingual in Russian and English, with a slight preference for English (i.e. that's my "native" language). I'm also studying Italian - but I don't know it too well yet. I do not have any formal translator qualifications (though I have now joined the ATA), but I have translated a book (from Russian to English) for a friend of my parents. However, since the book is self-published, this is not really going to give me any... See more So, just one more "how-to-get-that-first-job" question. I'm (almost) fully bilingual in Russian and English, with a slight preference for English (i.e. that's my "native" language). I'm also studying Italian - but I don't know it too well yet. I do not have any formal translator qualifications (though I have now joined the ATA), but I have translated a book (from Russian to English) for a friend of my parents. However, since the book is self-published, this is not really going to give me any connections in the publishing world, or in the translation world. Can someone advise me on how I can get that first job that will lead to other jobs, even though I have no qualifications other than an engineering degree and a self-published book? I'm posting bids here, but apparently, no one wants to take a chance on someone with no experience. I can't really blame them.
Any advice is welcome.
Larisa ▲ Collapse
| | | | | Welcome to the fraternity, my fellow engineer | Jun 11, 2003 |
I too am an electrical engineering graduate and I am happy to see your posting. Write to agencies in your area and you will surely be selected for technical literature translations. Try to confine yourself to your field of engineering in the initial stages. Spreading out to the other fields will come with time.
Beware of relatives and friends trying get some free work from you with the excuse of giving you hands on experience. If you are not firm, you will be deluged with free jobs. I kno... See more I too am an electrical engineering graduate and I am happy to see your posting. Write to agencies in your area and you will surely be selected for technical literature translations. Try to confine yourself to your field of engineering in the initial stages. Spreading out to the other fields will come with time.
Beware of relatives and friends trying get some free work from you with the excuse of giving you hands on experience. If you are not firm, you will be deluged with free jobs. I know what I am talking about.
In my case, I worked as an engineer too for 23 years. Translation was side business for me. In that way I never had to compromise with the rates. Further, if you have actual engineering experience too nothing like it to upgrade you as a top notch technical translator.
I will conclude on a lighter note. I have 23 years of engineering experience and I have been a French/German translator for more than 24 years, a cumulative experience of 71 years and I am just 57 years young. One of my prospective client asked me how it was possible and I replied with a straight face: due to some overtime. ▲ Collapse
| | | | | perhaps showcase your stuff on a website | Jun 11, 2003 |
perhaps you could set up a website and include a page that has a side-by-side comparison of your book translation (choice excerpts) and/or other translations (perhaps done on your own in your major area of expertise... "just for show") and that way if you were to send out cold-call letters (actually the way I started), you could refer them to that page....
Just a quick thought of something that worked for me.
| | | | Larisa Migachyov
United States
Local time: 17:16
Russian to English
TOPIC STARTER
I like the idea of a website, and I should start to contact agencies as soon as I've got one set up. I wrote to a couple of agencies already (and in one case, I could tell that they desperately needed a native English speaker - their English website was, umm, not too grammatical?), but alas, no response. Maybe having a website will help.
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Larisa Migachyov
United States
Local time: 17:16
Russian to English
TOPIC STARTER | Just got a translation project | Jun 17, 2003 |
I guess even a website was unnecessary. 3 pages from the author for whom I'd translated a book, and a poem for a friend of his. The 3 pages are a certainty, the poem may or may not happen, but I'm still happy.
But I will put up a website anyway.
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