Yesterday we flipped the calendar not only into July, but into the second half of 2015. A really short post for today: assess how you’re doing as compared to the goals you set for this year. Most importantly, what has to happen between now and December 31 in order for you to feel successful? If you want a public record of your goal, you can post it in the comments! Mine= publish the third edition of How to Succeed as a Freelance Translator before the 2015 ATA conference.
I would like three direct clients by the end of the year.
More power to you. I’m still working on the goals for the year I set myself three years back! And have a happy 4th of July!
I am now into my fourth month of freelance translating, and to be honest it’s going better than I expected (well, I still have a roof over my head)! Between now and the end of the year I would like to have successfully built a direct client relationship and have a definitive list of trusted agencies to work with. 🙂
In Australia, the end of the financial year is 30 June. Because I have been diligent about my record-keeping this year I already know that this has been my best year ever. Trying to analyze the reasons for this and they include a gradual shift away from the time-consuming, research-heavy highly technical translations that have been my main specialization for many years towards the corporate communications, press releases and magazines that I now prefer. I am finding that these jobs are easier and faster, while the familiarity with the material that comes from working on similar projects for the same regular clients means that I can do more in the same kind of time. I have also stopped working for some lower-paying clients and am charging higher rates to all new clients. So my goal for the next financial year has to be more of the same!