How to Find a Translation Job When First Starting Your Freelancing Career
It isn’t easy to quit your job to follow your dream. Freelancing is rough, difficult to start, more difficult to keep up with, but incredibly rewarding once you get to where you want to be going. Here are a few tips for the beginning freelancer that wants to quit everything to land their first translation job.
Becoming a digital nomad is not easy, nor is it a one-step process. Most freelancers take years to transition from their full-time steady income to their work from home jobs, and some never do. The reasons for this vary. Sometimes people find the stress of starting out to be too much, some think they don’t have the skills, and others believe that they don’t have what it takes. The key to freelancing though is flexibility and the ability to adapt. The second you begin to work for yourself you become the manager, the accountant, the organizer, cleaner, and not to mention stay at home parent. In reality, the beginning is harsh, and there is a steep learning curve, but once you’ve found your rhythm, the rewards of an at home job with a flexible income far outweigh the initial struggle.
Getting Started Finding Work-From-Home Jobs
In order to become a freelancer, you do need a skill that suits the lifestyle. That doesn’t mean you know it yet, or that you are an expert, but a janitor can’t have a job without a building, and a freelancer can’t find work if they don’t have a skill that compliments a wifi connection. You have many, you just have to discover them.
Many people start out looking for writing or sales positions and quickly learn that maybe it isn’t for them, but they also discover that there is a much larger world behind a simple “freelancers” profile. People find work writing social media descriptions, book reviews, selling travel insurance, helping people arrange their next vacation, and even writing about the ingredients in country chef salads. The list of possibilities goes on, and as you start one thing, you will most certainly discover another.
Remember that those skills that you already have can’t be overlooked though. You wouldn’t always think it, but almost any natural talents can be converted into a money making online career with flexible income. One such skill that is often widely underutilized is that of those who are bilingual. Millions of people around the world speak other languages, and with business being predominantly in English, it is no wonder that there is no lack of translation work to be found.
The idea may seem overwhelming at first, and you may be asking yourself questions such as, “How can I call myself a professional if I’ve never actually translated?” “But, I don’t have a degree?” “Do I need a certification?” “Where do I even get clients?” In answer, no matter who you are or what background you come from, anyone can translate into their native tongue. Freelancers aren’t born from freelancing school, and most start from scratch with no knowledge of the skills they now have. You learn as you go, and a translation job is no different. There are some key components to the entire scenario though that will help you, or anyone else looking for other forms of work-from-home jobs, such as an online interpreter, find their place in the freelancing world.
Look like a Professional and Land Your First Translation Job by Setting up your Professional Self, Websites and Profiles
One of the number one downfalls I see of those starting out looking for work-from-home jobs is their lack of social proof. You wouldn’t go and buy a random bag of organic meat from some stranger you met while riding the bus to work when you could head to the known-to-be-sanitary grocery store. So, why would you hire a freelance translator or online interpreter without at least some examples that proved they knew the language? Making yourself look like a professional isn’t hard and it doesn’t have to cost a lot either.
Creating Social Proof to Snag Some Flexible Income
Website
A website isn’t essential for a freelancer, but it is highly recommended. While there are free versions of website makers, for those less technologically savvy, you may want to pay a little extra to have someone set it up or to get an ungraded template. If you are running on a budget, look into free places where you can make a portfolio. There are a bunch of sites out there that are bound to suit anyone’s needs.
Profile
The first step is to optimize your profile and let everyone know exactly what it is you do. You’re bilingual, so narrow down your scope and what exactly it is you want to work with. Do you want to be an online interpreter? Do you want to do translation work online? This choice really comes down to your preference and skillset, but knowing what it is you are looking for will make it easier to find your first translation job.
Portfolio
The second part of the equation involves putting up samples. If you had fun making your website, maybe add a second side in the language pair you offer, there is an automatic example of your work right there, be sure to let potential clients know that that is your resume. If that isn’t your thing, take some time to write maybe five short blog type posts (300–500 words) and then translate them. You could also ask a friend if they have a writing sample that you could convert and use on your site as an example. Another favorite is to ask local restaurants if they’d like their menu translated for free. You get a sample for your portfolio, and they get a translated menu, it’s a win-win for both parties.
Social Profiles
The next part is to optimize your social profiles. This is very important, whether you use them or not, it’s recommended, write on every single one the exact services you offer, that you are bilingual, any other skills, what you are looking for, and how to contact you and direct them to your website. Even if you never get a single job out of it, any extra exposure will help you in the long run.
Reach out to Agencies and Potential Clients to Find a Translation Job
Now that you’ve made yourself look like a professional, it is time to design your outreach and job finding a strategy. Work-from-home jobs won’t just fall into your lap unless you’ve grown a name for yourself. Even then, that takes years of hard work and effort. The key is to approach potential clients to see if they are looking for an online interpreter or translator.
Outreach involves a little bit of research. Scan through social media profiles to find potential translation agencies and look for companies, preferably in a niche you like, that have a blog or website in another language, or should. Most of the time, companies that do need translation services may not realize until you point it out. The key here is to be polite and let them know exactly how your services could benefit them. Don’t insult a future customer before you even have them on the hook.
Translation agencies are a great source to reach out to too. They already have a slew of orders coming in and may be looking for a new online interpreter or translator at any point in time. It never hurts to ask, and thankfully, when you do get a reply back, you already have the samples and social proof to send them! The percentage of actual jobs you get from this method is most likely not going to be very high, so don’t get discouraged when you get turned down. Make it a goal to send out a certain number a month until you get a hit.
Job Boards are a Valuable Source in Finding Work-From-Home Jobs
An excellent source for finding bilingual work-from-home jobs is via translation or other job boards. A simple search online will pull up a variety of sites promising everything from guaranteed work to old school message boards. Do your research on these and find the best ones for you. While job boards are known for underpaying freelancers, there are some good ones to be found. If you set your goals from the start, not to work for less than a certain amount for example, then they can be of enormous benefit to your budding freelance career.
A good practice in using job boards to find online work is to set aside a certain amount of time each day or week and use that period to scan for potential listings that you have a high chance of nailing. For boards that list the number of applicants, be sure the number is lower than your previously set amount. Also check the date of a listing, two weeks ago is a lot of time for other freelancers to send in their applications.
At the end of the day or week go through and apply to all potential listings at once. Writing out a preliminary application letter helps make the process faster, and while I would not suggest sending it out to every client without making more personalized revisions, it does help to have a quick template to reference and reword. Add what you do, your rates, link to all social proof, and most importantly, your contact info. From experience, I can guarantee this, staying in touch with your social network and answering your phone calls and emails are going to be your most significant advantage.
Utilizing Social Groups for Means Other Than Learning
I often see freelancers underestimating the power of their social media accounts when it comes to finding work-from-home jobs. It is essential to separate your work and your personal life, but there are many Facebook Groups and other circles that are there specifically for connecting with other digital nomads. You never know when you may meet another online interpreter looking to hand out a translation job they came across because they just got swamped. Stay in touch and reach out to every possible connection. At some point, someone will ask for recommendations or how-tos, and that is where you come in.
Using social groups solely for personal promotions is generally frowned upon, so find ones you are genuinely interested in and can learn from. Interact and ask questions, answer those of others if you can. Each time you see a post looking for suggestions reach out via a message unless otherwise stated, and let them know you are available, but also provide insights into their original query. Keep in touch and follow up as well, chances are that if they have any work-from-home jobs now, they’ll also have more in the future.
Reaching Out and Staying Connected After Your First Translation Job
Once you’ve landed your first couple of gigs, be sure to keep in touch with that client. Write down their info, connect via LinkedIn, and slowly build yourself a list of contacts. In the future when you are running low on work, you can refer back to this list and let them know that you have freed up some time and are available for work if they have any extra.
A good repertoire with a company can be helpful in more ways than one. Future jobs may be automatically referred to you if you do them justice, and old clients will refer to you as their “Go-To Translator or Online Interpreter.”
Benefits of Work-From-Home Jobs and Why You Shouldn’t Give Up
Like I mentioned, working from home as a freelancer isn’t for everyone, but for those that are looking for a flexible income or more time to grow their own business, the career shift is obvious. Know your skills and your worth. Don’t underestimate the fact that you may be great at time management or that you are bilingual. These are both unique skillsets that not everyone has, meaning that someone is going to pay for them; all you have to do is find the opportunity and apply. Increase your chances by creating that social proof, and you will be off to a great start in no time. Each translation job you get is a doorway to ten more.
Most importantly, don’t get caught in an overwhelming burnout. Start small and get some side jobs first. Don’t tell your boss you are quitting tomorrow and run away to become an online interpreter, use some strategy and create a plan. Learn as you go and keep in mind that everyone at home on their computers right now started just the same way as you did.
WRITTEN BY Skinney
This article was originally posted in Medium.com.
