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Sep 22 2011
Corinne McKay

The ten essentials of freelance translation

There’s something about the number 10. Not just the connotation of “perfect 10,” but the number has an undeniable appeal. This year’s American Translators Association Translation Company Division conference was focused on the number 10 (10 sessions that each featured 10 tips on a certain topic), and people really seemed to enjoy the manageable scale of the presentations.

In my non-translation life I spend a lot of time in the mountains, so I’ve long abided by the guideline of The Ten Essentials that everyone should take into the backcountry. Outdoor enthusiasts are advised to equip themselves with a map, compass, sun protection, food/water, extra clothes, headlamp, first aid kit, fire starter, matches and a knife. This got me thinking about The Ten Essentials as applied to other areas of life, specifically freelance translation. What 10 must-have items would you recommend that every freelance translator arm herself or himself with? I’ll go with (in no particular order):

    1. Business cards; the kind without a “Get your free business cards at…” imprint on the back
    2. A reliable computer
    3. A computer backup system and potentially a backup computer
    4. A good office chair, yoga ball or treadmill desk
    5. A separate business bank account to keep business and personal finances separate
    6. A membership in at least one association for professional translators
    7. A high-quality computer keyboard; it sounds like a minor thing, but it’s important when you’re tap-tap-tapping away at those keys for 30-50 hours a week!
    8. A few good dictionaries in various flavors; print, online, general, specialized, etc.
    9. A thesaurus; some days I use mine more than my French-English resources. For those times when you just need another way to say it!
    10. At least one trusted colleague. I realize these aren’t available at Office Max, but I do think it’s hard to reach your full freelance potential without a good network of colleagues.

Readers, over to you! What 10 items should go in every freelance translator’s survival kit?

Written by Corinne McKay · Categorized: Freelancing, Productivity, Working from home

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Martha Palacios says

    September 22, 2011 at 4:27 am

    Hi Corinne! Thanks for this top 10 essentials. Very handy. I’d like to add one more to the list – having a web presence. In an era when people make decisions based on what they read and see in Internet, it’s crucial to invest time and money in a website that is easy to read, easy to use, and visually attractive. It may sound overwhelming, but there are many online companies offering templates that are professional-looking and affordable . Once you have your website ready, don’t forget about it! Creating it is the first half, the second half is to keep it updated so people feel motivated to visit you back.

    Reply
  2. Tess Whitty says

    September 22, 2011 at 1:29 pm

    Thanks Corinne! This list is probably going to grow with the comments you get, but I think one very important thing is missing from the list and that is a reliable and good Internet connection. I also agree with Martha, today freelancers need a strong web presence.

    Reply
  3. oliverlawrence says

    September 22, 2011 at 6:11 pm

    An accountant, or at least some book-keeping and tax law training, wouldn’t go amiss too :).

    Reply
  4. Riccardo says

    September 22, 2011 at 9:12 pm

    The best monitor(s) you can afford

    Reply
  5. Carlie Sitzman says

    September 23, 2011 at 7:04 am

    I think I would add an email account and telephone so clients can reach you effortlessly.

    Reply
  6. Angelica says

    September 24, 2011 at 10:53 pm

    Dear Corinne, I agree with your top-ten list for the most part. I would only add… a life-long-learning attitude… always! For any translation assignment is usually a learning opportunity.

    Reply
  7. Nicolas Coyer says

    September 26, 2011 at 4:25 pm

    Hi Corinne, very useful items indeed. Thanks!
    I would add “collocation dictionary” to the thesaurus bullet.

    Reply
  8. Iza Kryjom says

    September 27, 2011 at 3:45 pm

    Thank you, Corinne (if I may address you by your first name)! I couldn’t agree more. From my part, I would only add a good chiropractor (my personal preference) or massage therapist (my friends’ preference) to the list.

    BTW, I am a big fan of your blog. So far I was only reading it, but finally decided to comment.

    Reply
  9. Judy Jenner says

    September 27, 2011 at 5:26 pm

    Excellent stuff, as always. Number #10 is essential. Expanding on that: one needs a good “complaint club” — very trusted colleagues one can complain to when things go wrong. 🙂 There’s nothing like having an inner circle.

    Reply
  10. Justas says

    September 27, 2011 at 10:07 pm

    Well, your mileage may vary.
    During the last 4 years I didn’t have a single client from my own country and didn’t meet any of my clients face to face, only communicating via email and phone, so business cards would be absolute waste for me. Of course, they are indispensable if you are working for direct clients and searching for them in the industry events.

    Reply
  11. GB Translation says

    September 28, 2011 at 11:43 am

    11 – proper invoicing software (I use Express Accounts, hasn’t let me down=
    12 – a personal website or blog to advertise your services
    13 – a CAT tool (probably SDL Studio or MemoQ) to be used on all translations
    14 – voice recognition software (for when even with point (7) ticked, your fingers say “no more”
    15 – a good email client, you’re going to spend most of your time writing emails, sometimes even more time than you need for the translations themselves

    Agree/Disagree?

    Reply
  12. Ekkehard Thumm says

    September 28, 2011 at 12:18 pm

    This might seem really obvious, but the ability to touch-type is essential. If it wasn’t part of one’s original training, any investment in a training course or similar to acquire this skill is money well spent.

    Reply
  13. Polish translator says

    October 1, 2011 at 2:29 pm

    I think it’s very useful article 🙂

    Reply
  14. Karen Tkaczyk says

    October 5, 2011 at 9:16 pm

    I’d change 2 and 3. I’d say that 2 is a reliable internet connection. If you haven’t tried working recently from a place where you only get wifi if you’re facing this way in this room, or you get slow dial-up, or the connection is just slooooow, it’s easy to forget this one. It’s particularly important to plan this if you work when travelling.
    Rather than a back-up computer, I’d say we need a computer fix-it person whom we can call at the drop of a hat. Whether it’s training ourselves to do it and handle problems, calling a family member, or calling the local comupter fix-it shop, I think it’s crucial. A back-up computer only delays the need for the other.
    And I love my thesaurus too. 🙂

    Reply
  15. Andy Watkinson says

    October 11, 2011 at 2:34 am

    I’d add a decent UPS system: all the fancy hardware is no good without electricity and can be rendered useless by a power surge (which occurs at the most inconvenient time, naturally.

    Reply
    • Corinne McKay says

      October 11, 2011 at 2:37 am

      Thanks Andy! Great idea, especially for people who live in areas with spotty power grids!

      Reply
  16. youtube says

    December 7, 2011 at 4:24 pm

    That was a really amazing post!

    Reply
  17. DLee says

    April 15, 2012 at 5:00 pm

    Reblogged this on Just Another Mandarin English Interpreter and commented:
    A good reminder…!!

    Reply
  18. Julie Pelto says

    November 5, 2012 at 5:26 pm

    Thank you all for your comments and recommendations! My students at the translation career in Uruguay picked it out to work on in my class, and after reading it all through, I understand why!

    Reply
    • Corinne McKay says

      November 5, 2012 at 7:30 pm

      Thanks Julie, glad you enjoyed it!

      Reply

Trackbacks

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