I hear, with some regularity, from freelance translators–or aspiring freelancers–who worry that they’re “too old for this.” Depending on the individual, “this” might mean:
- Starting a freelance business in general
- Pursuing higher-level clients
- Pursuing a new specialization or niche (i.e. transitioning from translation to interpreting or vice versa)
- Adding something like a new language to their range of services
Of course, “old” is relative. For the record, I’m 46. I started freelancing when I was 30, and I know freelancers who are still going strong in their 70s and even a few in their 80s. One individual in ATA who is mentally sharper than I am is north of 85. But still, this “too old” thing keeps cropping up.
Main question: Does your brain still work? This sounds laughable, but I include it here for perspective. If “too old” is on your radar screen, you probably are too old to be lots of things. An Olympic gymnast. A fighter pilot. An organ transplant surgeon. But a translator’s main asset is mental acuity. Bottom line, if your brain still works, I’m reasonably certain you’ll be OK. You’re not too old for this.
Secondary point: the time will pass anyway, so you may as well use it productively. I thought about this when I took up playing the lute (a pretty bleeping difficult instrument to learn to play, as it turns out!) at 42. When I asked a musician-translator-friend whether she thought I was too old to learn to play lute, she said, “Let’s say you give yourself 20 years to get really good at music. You’ll be 62. But guess what…with any luck, you’ll be 62 someday anyway, so why not put the time to good use.” The same can be said of freelancing. Let’s say you’re currently 60. If you live in a developed country and are in reasonably good health, statistically you have something like an 80% chance of living at least 20 more years. I think that’s long enough for a viable freelance career, definitely.
Tertiary point: working as a freelancer protects you–to a large extent–from real or perceived age discrimination in a salaried job. The “grey ceiling” is a real thing in the salaried world. I found this article from The Balance pretty sobering. Essentially, study after study has found zero relationship between age and job performance. But if you’re over 45 (45! Not 70!), you’re less likely to be hired, more likely to be laid off and more likely to take longer than average to find a new job. If you want or need to work past the usual retirement age, that alone could be a good reason to freelance.
However…
Starting on the bottom rung of any profession requires you to hustle. When I launched my freelance business in 2002, I was determined to make it work. I really wanted to a) work from home while my daughter was little, and b) make a healthy living without moving to a major city. Failure was not an option, so I hustled. I worked nights and weekends. I sent handwritten thank you note after handwritten thank you note. I did informational interviews that led nowhere. I had coffee or lunch with anyone who seemed like a remotely promising contact. I worked for the borderline-lousy clients other people didn’t want. I spent two years in the application process for an FBI Contract Linguist position that required an hour commute each way–not to mention the polygraph test. It worked, but it was tiring. And whether you’re launching your freelance business at 22 or 75, you have to be ready to hustle.
Older freelancers have to be aware of stereotypes. In our profession, you may encounter the stereotype that older freelancers are not good with technology, for example. As an older freelancer, I would advise you to be a geek guru. Be the technology expert; be the person clients and colleagues come to for help when they have problems with translation-related software. Beat that stereotype before it even gets out of the gate. Again, learning how to use technology is just learning a new skill; you can do it.
On the plus side, you can capitalize on positive stereotypes of older freelancers. They’re out there, so exploit them. Many clients think of older freelancers as more stable and dependable, more self-aware, more patient, and less dramatic than their younger counterparts. One client even told me, “My favorite translators were all born before 1980.” Hey–take it. Emphasize to your potential clients how easy it will be to work with you.
Be prepared to be older than a lot of the people you work for. This is one difference I’ve noticed in my mid-forties. For some time, I’ve been older than the average entry-level employee on the client side. In recent years, I’ve moved to another level. Example: I work at a co-working office, and I’ve noticed that when one of the office twentysomethings gives me a recommendation for something–a movie, a restaurant, a place to buy jeans–it’s from their compendium of “stuff old people like.” Even at 46, I’m no longer anything like a peer to them. Realistically, this puts a different spin on your marketing efforts. About a year and a half ago, I lost a major direct client when they hired an in-house translator. For the first time in a long time, I actively looked for work. And I’ll be honest; the age thing was a little weird. Hustling for work from people six or seven years older than my teenage daughter was a new experience–an experience that ultimately worked out and resulted in some excellent new clients, but that took a bit of a mindset shift on my part.
If you’re panicking about the “too old” question, I recommend that you:
- Try not to panic. Seriously, if your brain still works, you’ll be OK.
- Try not to compulsively make a big deal about your age. People who see you or talk to you will have a vague sense of how old you are. That’s fine; you don’t need to belabor it with a steady stream of, “When I was your age…” and “Back in the typewriter era…” remarks.
- Be aware that as you get older, everyone else looks younger. Those people who look like they’re 12 are actually 27, and are in a position to give you work.
- Become a technology expert if you’re not one already. That will go a long way toward defeating any clients’ concerns about working with you.
- Embrace the fact that you are probably more self-aware, more patient, less sensitive, and more reliable than you were when you were 22. I know that I sure am.
- Bonus tip: When clients think you’ve been freelancing for 30 years because you’re over 50, take it. A friend of mine went back to school in her early 50s for a totally different career. She had mostly thought of the downsides–how many working years would she have left once she finished? But in the end, there was an upside: people automatically assumed she was a seasoned expert since she had grey hair. Again: take it, and make the most of it.
Readers, thoughts on the “too old for this” question?
Corinne —
Another excellent exposition of wisdom. Thanks.
To add to all that, studies show that working bilingually helps stave off cerebral degeneration of various types (read, Alzheimers and related disorders), so keeping active in our languages — and growing them will keep that brain young!
Jonathan
Thanks, Jonathan!
Love it, Corinne: you’re so right, especially about technology. I try to embrace new technology (must be my inner geek) after 34+ years in the business and find it odd that so many of my contemporaries resist so hard. Like any new skill, learning new things definitely keeps your brain in gear, even if it can be frustrating at times too. Nothing ventured, nothing gained :-). On a recent overseas assignment, my interpreter colleague was the same age as my elder son (and I was the same age as her mum!), but I’d like to think that we learned from each other and enjoyed each other’s company nonetheless. You’re definitely never too old to do something you enjoy.
Thanks, Claire!
Couldn’t agree with you more, Corinne. I’m 67, and I only started freelancing full-time six years ago. I might add a couple of other pluses:
Life experience in whatever else you’ve done can be invaluable. I’ve been a marine engineer, an accountant, a corporate risk manager and a consumer advocate, and all of this has helped me carve out a niche as a specialist in legal and financial translations, while still being capable of handling technical material (I’m working on a project involving a nuclear plant right now). Younger people who haven’t worked in a variety of environments have to learn this material on their own.
Another plus is that you may be able to view translating as a supplement to investment or pension income rather than a primary source of income. This means that you can be more sanguine about marketing yourself or striving to get face time with clients.
In a side comment, you mention adding a new language to your services. I think there are some purists out there that thing that this is undesirable; personally, I have found it to be a necessity. I used to concentrate on Russian>English, but when the ruble dropped the Russian translation market went with it. I added German to my offerings, and now about 80% of my work is in German. Personally, I’d prefer to do Russian, but what can you do? It was easier to switch than hustling to get a bigger share of a shrinking market.
Very interesting, thanks so much for your comment. Also interesting to hear about your second source language.
In Europe, someone looking for a day job usually puts their date of birth in their CV. Just leave it out of your freelancer’s CV, as it’s information that does not add anything. Sure, a prospective client could track your approximate age by looking at your educational and professional background, but it will require some calculations and the first lines of your CV don’t scream out that you’re OLD (if that’s the case at all).
Thanks, Edith! Yes, that’s a really good point: just leave the dates off if it bothers you, or put an amount of time (“20+ years”) instead of a date range.
A great article and something I’ve been pondering since reaching the wrong side of 55 (I’m 57) and becoming a grandmother (twice over now so bona fide lol).
As I work for the creative industries, I need to have a ‘young voice’ regardless of my actual age. I do this by staying active on social media, especially reading what younger colleagues are writing and interacting with them. I’ve no idea whether my clients know how old I am but I consider it irrelevant so long as they like my work.
On the other hand, age has helped me get my priorities right and focus on what’s important to me. I take on the jobs I want to do and grant myself more free time, which I often spend improving my subject knowledge for my translations. I’m still learning and would never consider myself too old to try something new (although I did draw the line at having a go at windsurfing recently – my brain’s definitely in better shape than my body 🙂
I do have to confess that I’ve probably shelved ideas which I may have carried through if I was 10 years younger. Maybe I should think again? Or maybe it’s because I’m older and wiser and know they are not really where I want to devote my energy? Your comments about learning the lute have stripegot me thinking…
Thanks, Alison! That’s a great point about keeping up your “voice” if you work in creative industries. And in terms of the ideas you’ve shelved, think of it this way: if, statistically, you’re going to live at least 23 more years, think of all that you could do with it 🙂 Lute or otherwise!
Plenty of food for thought here Corinne, especially as I have just turned 60! I have been translating both in-house and as a freelancer for around 35 years. And I plan to keep working as long as possible. I absolutely love the intellectual stimulation of translation and the fact that I am constantly learning new things and being challenged. I do think clients value this experience and the fact that I am comfortable asking questions and making suggestions. I think younger or less experienced colleagues are often reluctant to do this, but as an older translator you have less to prove, assuming that you continually hone your skills and undertake professional development. It can sometimes be quite amusing if a client or PM suddenly realises you are much older than they thought – and then they start worrying about whether they really should have been saying Du to you all this time! One of the benefits of being an older translator is that you can be more picky about the type of work you take on and the kind of clients you work with. In my case they are all small, owner-operated agencies with corporate end clients. I have two clients that send me work just about every day, so it’s been a long time since I actually had to look for jobs. And of course at this stage in life there is not the same financial pressure with no mortgage or school fees to pay.
However, I am one of those older translators who does struggle a bit with technology. I think that this is a personal issue for me rather than anything to do with age. I know plenty of people my age or older who are technological whizz kids. It’s not a huge problem because of the kind of projects I work on and the clients I have. I do use Studio and appreciate the benefits but am out of my depth if there are any major problems with it. I am sure I am not using it efficiently and there are probably lots of functions I haven’t even discovered yet. Fortunately I have two IT experts at home to help and one of my customers is happy to walk me through any issues with the software. I am not convinced that clients are automatically sceptical about an older translator’s ability to use the latest software, so unless you want to offer this skill as part of your added value I don’t think there’s a need to be a software expert as well.
So here’s hoping there are many happy years of translating ahead of me!
Regards
Trish Will
Thanks, Trish! Great comment, thank you! I completely agree about the pluses, and I also agree that sometimes technology is not an “age thing,” it’s just a personal thing.
As an old guy (61), I loved the article! I grew up always being the youngest in my class, and now I am the oldest at my job as an architect. I could be my boss’ father! I see my work as a translator as what will keep me busy and entertained into my 80s.
Thanks, Christian! Too funny–I was just thinking the other day about the “youngest in the class” thing too. At my first *two* jobs out of college, I was the youngest one in the crew. At my co-working office now, I’m not only one of the older people, but the young ‘uns are more like 25 (!) years younger than me. I hope you keep at it into your 80s!
By the way, when I see e.g. education completed in the 70s (my decade of birth) in a CV or on LinkedIn, I do not think: Wow, they’re old! I rather think: Wow, they’re experienced!
Thanks, Edith! Overall, I agree with you, *as long as* the person has kept up their skills and is not stagnating. I do think our profession has its share of older freelancers who are bitter and “over it,” and that’s always draining to be around. But as an example, I attended a presentation at the ATA conference by a speaker who’s been an AIIC member since 1973 (and getting into AIIC takes some doing). I was born in 1971. So to your point, it impressed me that this person is still very much a vibrant part of the profession after that amount of time.
I don’t think the question is about being too old for Freelancing, but that the questions is about a person’s mindset, no matter their current age, for trying new things and taking risks with potentially big rewards. If you are willing to risk failure and having to return to being an employee, then it is right for you, young or old. Youth is hilariously overrated. The only thing younger people know about that older folks do not is the latest, fleeting, irrelevant trends. Seriously. I was young once, and so I do know. Freelance translation is a particularly good place for older entrepreneurs, as it is somewhat anonymous, so ageism is not as big an issue as in the in-person workplace. Additionally, the stress of commutes, horrible bosses, office politics, etc. is removed, and you can work at home in your pajamas, which is great for the health issues that happen to most people as life progresses. I could practically feel myself aging prematurely when I was in the corporate rat-race, but since I started my translation company, people are telling me I look 15 years younger. I certainly feel better.
Thanks, Paige! This made me laugh out loud (really). Great points.
I began my freelance translator career aged 68, having just completed an M.A. in AudioVisual Translation Studies at the University of Leeds. I am now 71 and still translating. I don’t work full-time. If the sun is shining I go to the beach! Last year I invoiced for around 50,000 words and I also translated a few thousand words pro bono for Translators without Borders. My freelance career and my M.A. have completely transformed my retirement. I have contacts, young and not so young, all over the world. I am reasonably adept with social media and CAT tools. I have a full diary and wake up every morning with a sense of purpose, looking forward to the day ahead. I bring to my freelance career not only contacts from my pre-retirement work (first as an English language teacher then an IT manager in Italy, Nepal, Belgium and the US) but also extensive experience of international business – very useful for translations in my chosen field. I charge at least the market rate and donate my translation income to charity. It’s never too late to follow your dreams!
Go Susan!! What a great story!
Many thanks Corinne!
I love this! I’m 10–12 years away from “retirement” and I’ve been mulling over how and when to to make the transition. Donating all or part of your professional income is a fantastic idea! My hat off to you, Susan.
Thanks, Peter! I loved that idea too. When I’m living in my little villa in Italy and translating poetry, I think I’ll take Susan’s suggestion too!
Many thanks to both of you!