Things To Know If You Want To Become A Translator

Becoming a translator is a great idea for people who love working with two or more languages. With so many businesses moving beyond their borders into foreign markets, the demand for professionals who can provide accurate translations is on the rise, making it a great profession to pursue! However, if you want to become a translator, there are a number of things that you must keep in mind. Associations like QSD ensure that companies working in the language services sector maintain high standards and provide guidance in the language services market. If you are looking to become a translator, here are some things that you should know.

1. Your job is not yours

Sounds a bit out of place? Do not confuse “work” with “job”. Here, let us look at a job as the final output of a translation project. Keep in mind that, whether you are a literary translator or a financial translator, neither the text you translate is yours nor will the result be yours as such. Although a translator plays an essential role in the dissemination of content, the translator lives in the background and, in most cases, his work is not recognized. In fact, in the world of translation, it is often said that the best translator is the one who is invisible, since he has respected the original text as much as possible.

2. Not everyone can become a translator

Apart from the academic requirements necessary to become a translator and work for a translation and interpretation agency, this profession requires certain personal characteristics that are essential for an efficient delivery of job responsibilities. For example, translation requires high levels of concentration. If you are a very restless person, unable to concentrate for a long time, sitting at the computer reading and translating for hours every day is probably not your thing. In addition, you have to be thorough and have an eye for detail. Keep in mind that an error in your translation can lead to a misunderstanding in the message in the target language. If you have translated a newsletter for a sports brand, it may not be the end of the world; but if the translation is for a medical article that will be read by thousands of medical professionals across the globe – things change, right?

3. A good translator is always a good researcher

When I began to translate regularly, I came to understand the research and learning qualities that any translator needs. For example, in my work translating a website and various brochures for a prestigious racing circuit, I had to soak up the nomenclature used in the world of racing and Formula 1, a topic that on a personal level does not interest me at all!

You will always come across situations where you may not be familiar with a particular text or details in a given document. Being good at research and having the ability to dig into materials, both in the source as well as target language, is important in order to get a complete picture of a given translation job.

4. Speaking two languages does not make you a translator

Somehow, many people believe that knowing two languages is synonymous with knowing how to translate. But let me ask you the following question: there are many bilingual people, how many work as translators? Well, why aren’t they all translators? Could they be if they wanted to? Obviously not! A translator needs to have many skills that not everyone has and that some people probably could never even develop. Among these skills, we can highlight the mastery of grammar and vocabulary, spelling, style, etc. If most people can’t even master all that in one language, imagine doing that in two or more!

5. Work in an organized manner under pressure 

In translation, the expression “delivery date” is a nightmare for every worker, whether you are a freelancer or work for a translation and interpretation agency. In this guild, every project has a delivery date and this is usually sooner rather than later! Keep in mind that individuals or companies that hire the services of a translator usually have a certain urgency that they do not hesitate to communicate. And on the other hand, the sooner you deliver a translation, the sooner you can move on to the next project.

To conclude, being a translator means being ready to work under pressure, but in an organized way and without forgetting anything, because any mistake can cost you and the client a dislike.

The demand for language and translation service providers is only going to increase from where it stands today and paying attention to the points mentioned above should ensure your success in the language services industry.