| A témához tartozó oldalak: < [1 2] | Someone, anyone, please help before I quit! (pulling out hair) Téma indítója: bnchika (X)
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Tom in London wrote: Christine Andersen wrote:
---- try attending powwows....
These may be anything from a handful of colleagues meeting for a couple of hours over drinks to a mini-conference, but I have found them a great way to make contact.
Best of luck! Aren't these just polite sessions where you engage in light conversation with your most threatening competitors? (evil grin)
Certainly not in Denmark and the others I have heard of or attended.
We have a mini-conference in September each year, and this year's programme is a two-day session sponsored by the dictionary ordbogen.com. But we make a point that it is held in Danish/Scandinavian. People come from abroad for the chance to meet colleagues and polish up their Danish.
We regard each other as colleagues with complementary speacialist areas, and refer clients to each other when suitable.
I pass on work that is too technical or financial (or Swedish or German, whatever) to colleagues I have met at powwows, and I have been very grateful to Danes who refer clients to me when they need an English native speaker.
Others take on multilingual projects as groups - and the general exchange of ideas, rates, resources, help with CAT tools etc. and moral support make it well worth attending.
But powwows vary considerably, and some are not so structured.
| | | | bnchika (X)
Egyesült Államok
Local time: 14:48
angol - spanyol
TÉMAINDÍTÓ
Phil Hand wrote: bnchika wrote:
Was your path to success as trying?? Yes. It took five years and a fair amount of time and money invested in formal training before I got to be reasonably settled in the job. There's plenty of demand for Spanish-English, but there's also a lot of competition. You'll have to be quite hard-nosed about it, to make sure you get to some of those jobs before anyone else. Skill, qualifications, a positive (not to say aggressive) business approach, and a bit of luck. Good luck, and enjoy your work.
Thanks so much Phil! Your insight was very helpful!
| | | | bnchika (X)
Egyesült Államok
Local time: 14:48
angol - spanyol
TÉMAINDÍTÓ | What's a CV?? | Apr 29, 2014 |
Okay so everyone everywhere in this industry keeps using the term "CV." What is that?? To my understanding it is a collection or reflection of your translating/ interpreting experience. Is that correct?? If so, how does one start a CV. In my past experience working at a school I have translated several things from letters to parents regarding school functions, to permission slips for field trips, to monthly newsletters including lunch menus. I also have attained experience in interpretation; par... See more Okay so everyone everywhere in this industry keeps using the term "CV." What is that?? To my understanding it is a collection or reflection of your translating/ interpreting experience. Is that correct?? If so, how does one start a CV. In my past experience working at a school I have translated several things from letters to parents regarding school functions, to permission slips for field trips, to monthly newsletters including lunch menus. I also have attained experience in interpretation; parent-teacher conferences and parent meetings. I currently work in a position where I enroll applicants in a new health care program for low income adults and although I could conduct the interview in Spanish (pre-translated, not by me) I choose to "freestyle" to use the more common terms that I have acquired over the years to better communicate to my demographic. Now how do I put that into a CV?? Is a CV something that is attached to a resumé when applying for certain positions?? Also, based on my experience is that sufficient enough to at least enter this industry?? Like I said before I am in the beginning stages of acquiring certification in specific areas (First medical, then legal) which I know should set me apart from some of the masses, but in the meantime how can I get started with some "practice" jobs??
I would love to respond to each of you individually how greatly ALL of your inputs are appreciated but I figured that this would be a lot quicker since I'm actually doing this at work (teehee). Anyway, all of you have lit the fire within me again! None of you know me and yet you all took the time out of your busy lives to make a comment, give advice, and show support and for that I'll be forever grateful!! No seriously! I hope to hear from you all with each post that I make and feel free to speak freely about your experiences working in this industry. I'm like a sponge! Feeling excited and motivated! Thanks again!! ▲ Collapse
| | | | Woodstock (X) 
Németország
Local time: 21:48
német - angol
+ ...
| CV = curriculum vitae = resumé | Apr 30, 2014 |
Hi,
Just reading the "Getting established" forum here at ProZ will give you some excellent ideas on how to get started. While I had been translating within jobs for years already, I formally started translating full-time as a freelancer relatively late in life, too. Just reading here at Proz provided much of the information I needed to become a professional freelancer and learn about the business side of things, and - as you have found out - if there is something you want to know and can't... See more Hi,
Just reading the "Getting established" forum here at ProZ will give you some excellent ideas on how to get started. While I had been translating within jobs for years already, I formally started translating full-time as a freelancer relatively late in life, too. Just reading here at Proz provided much of the information I needed to become a professional freelancer and learn about the business side of things, and - as you have found out - if there is something you want to know and can't find, just ask.
One thing you will find after poking around here a bit is that in professional circles there is the basic understanding that it is really best to translate into your native language, unless you are truly bilingual, i.e. grew up and have actually gone to school and/or university in your second (or third, fourth, etc.) language. The idea is that you may have an excellent, even native command of your source language(s), but will always have the deepest connection and understanding of the language/culture you grew up in, plus the ablility to express yourself more idiomatically and naturally in it. Another good option is to do what I did - move to a country where your source language is spoken (though I did that long before I became a freelance translator - it just turned out to be advantageous to me in this line of business). With Spanish, of course, that would give you a LOT of choices and put you geographically closer to your SP-->EN clients, which may work in your favor. I have found that it does in my case, but is not a requirement, of course.
You have been given lots of good advice here - best of luck to you! ▲ Collapse
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| Remember specialist subjects on your CV/resumé | Apr 30, 2014 |
You can write anything relevant on your CV or resumé.
You don't have to wait for the diploma or certificate in your medical and legal studies - write that you are studying - it shows you are serious. Clients can then send you routine jobs. (Turn down anything you are undertain about and explain why.) But deliver professional work and charge a professional rate.
And don't forget that some people's hobbies are other people's lucrative business!
I collect coo... See more You can write anything relevant on your CV or resumé.
You don't have to wait for the diploma or certificate in your medical and legal studies - write that you are studying - it shows you are serious. Clients can then send you routine jobs. (Turn down anything you are undertain about and explain why.) But deliver professional work and charge a professional rate.
And don't forget that some people's hobbies are other people's lucrative business!
I collect cookery books and herbs and spices - and use some of them of course. But I was quite surprised to be introduced by a project manager at a gathering of translators as 'the one who does our menus and and food articles' I did a lot of other work for that agency too, but it was the routine sort like everyone else.
Sports, music, art - may help you get interesting little jobs that make a welcome change from the heavier specialist areas. Some are not well paid, but others are, and they get you noticed.
__________________________
Structure-wise, anything that looks logical will work on a CV, but think what a client is looking for.
A line or two about where you learned your languages - School, college, working in the country /countries.
And don't forget to mention clearly WHICH!
An amazing number of translator websites seem to have a blind spot there, and you are wasting clients' time (and yours) if they come looking for services you can't offer!
State what qualifications you have - or almost have, clearly and concisely, but don't be too modest either.
Then flesh out the specialist areas and interests -
What medical fields you know about
Which branches of law.
Whatever else you know about ...
Here it looks best if you can show detailed knowledge, even if it is only in a narrow field.
This is where you want to look convincing, so you need to sound confident. It is a balance to show the client you know what you are doing, without promising too much.
Mention any internships etc. and whatever experience you have, in sober, objective terms, and stay away from airy, indefinable things like 'quality' ...
Until the last line, where ideally you add a short, smart tagline as a kind of signature.
You don't have to give your whole life history, though if you are passionate about dogs or children, or know all about a particular condition like diabetes or whatever... Then mention that too. My time at a museum proved very useful for design and marketing texts.
Just by living your life, you have been using language and potentially learning terminology for a translation later on, so check everything and angle it to sound relevant if you have anything to offer. (Or leave it out, if it is just private or you don't want to work in that area.)
As a freelancer, your CV should not be a complete account of everything you have ever done, but a strong, clear outline of what you can offer clients. It is in fact your most important marketing tool. ▲ Collapse
| | | | Sheila Wilson
Spanyolország
Local time: 20:48
Tag (2007 óta)
angol
+ ...
| Lots of info on the site | Apr 30, 2014 |
bnchika wrote:
how does one start a CV.
You'll find a lot of info on this forum but there's also another source of info that often gets overlooked, the translation industry Wikis: http://wiki.proz.com/wiki/index.php/Main_Page. The one on how to construct a freelance translator's CV is within the Marketing section. It only has the bare bones, but it does cover the main points and should help you start.
As Christine has said, anything in your favour can go on the CV, and if you've done a third of a medical qualifications then you're sure to be more qualified for a straightforward medical translation than I am, and acquiring skills all the time.
| | | | | Love the suggestion, but not one of the options | May 4, 2014 |
KateKaminski wrote:
I think you should try and get a job in the language industry. You might not earn as much as running your own business, but you will gain valuable experience and improve your CV vastly. Make sure you network in your new job and maintain contact with people in the industry.
Why not move to Spain, Brazil or another Spanish-speaking country to work for a while so that you have a truly in-depth understanding of the language and culture?
Think about getting a master's degree if you can afford it - either in translation or a specialist subject which will make you stand out from the crowd. Unfortunately you work with the most common language pair so you need to be at the top of the game.
Once you have this additional experience and education under your belt, you can get started on your freelance career.
We, Brazilians, speak Portuguese, not Spanish.
Sorry to bring it up it is just that we really don't like when people assume that we speak Spanish and unfortunately it does happen quite frequently.
| | | | Oliver Walter
Egyesült Királyság
Local time: 20:48
német - angol
+ ...
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Samuel Modesto wrote:
We, Brazilians, speak Portuguese, not Spanish.
Sorry to bring it up it is just that we really don't like when people assume that we speak Spanish and unfortunately it does happen quite frequently.
Sorry, Samuel ... I should know better than that! Silly mistake 
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KateKaminski wrote: Samuel Modesto wrote:
We, Brazilians, speak Portuguese, not Spanish.
Sorry to bring it up it is just that we really don't like when people assume that we speak Spanish and unfortunately it does happen quite frequently. Sorry, Samuel ... I should know better than that! Silly mistake
No problem at all 
[Editada em 2014-05-06 11:19 GMT]
| | | | John Fossey
Kanada
Local time: 15:48
Tag (2008 óta)
francia - angol
+ ...
Questions like "What's a CV?" makes me think you could make better use of the resources on this site. Please take some time to review the articles and reports under the Education tab at the top of the page. There's a wealth of information there, written by other translators from their first hand experience.
| | | | Tom in London
Egyesült Királyság
Local time: 20:48
Tag (2008 óta)
olasz - angol
"What's a CV?"
A CV is a horse. It's French. An abbreviation of "cheval". I hope this helps.
[Edited at 2014-05-06 16:52 GMT]
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Oliver Walter
Egyesült Királyság
Local time: 20:48
német - angol
+ ...
| Cheval vapeur | May 6, 2014 |
Tom in London wrote: "What's a CV?" A CV is a horse. It's French. An abbreviation of "cheval". I hope this helps.
I thought it was "cheval vapeur", equivalent to "horse power" as in, par exemple, the Citroen 2CV.
So the very short CV in my Prozfile is a low-horse-power version.
Oliver
| | | | cclover
Egyesült Államok
német - angol
+ ...
| Bridging the Gap | May 7, 2014 |
If you want to go into medical interpreting, for instance, there is a whole lot of training out there, and Spanish interpreters are generally in demand. However, you won't get hired without training. One basic course, (takes 40 hours) is called "Bridging the Gap" and is held in larger urban centers in the US on a regular basis. It gives you plenty of medical terminology training and finishes with a certification exam. Costs in the US range from $750 - $250, or something like that, depending on w... See more If you want to go into medical interpreting, for instance, there is a whole lot of training out there, and Spanish interpreters are generally in demand. However, you won't get hired without training. One basic course, (takes 40 hours) is called "Bridging the Gap" and is held in larger urban centers in the US on a regular basis. It gives you plenty of medical terminology training and finishes with a certification exam. Costs in the US range from $750 - $250, or something like that, depending on whether you can get into a subsidized course or not. But check it out on the web. Easy it is not, but then, nothing truly professional is. ▲ Collapse
| | | | Andrea Diaz
Mexikó
Local time: 13:48
angol - spanyol
+ ...
| What about relocation? | May 13, 2014 |
This is a bit drastic, but have you considered relocating? Native English speakers are highly prized in Mexico, and they usually earn more than the locals. This is a very drastic solution if you really feel like getting away from everything, but it could help you a great deal with your Spanish. And you could see all the telenovelas we have.
I get frustated a lot when I see attractive job openings available ONLY to native English speakers. Some of the time, those openings offer relo... See more This is a bit drastic, but have you considered relocating? Native English speakers are highly prized in Mexico, and they usually earn more than the locals. This is a very drastic solution if you really feel like getting away from everything, but it could help you a great deal with your Spanish. And you could see all the telenovelas we have.
I get frustated a lot when I see attractive job openings available ONLY to native English speakers. Some of the time, those openings offer relocation packages. They are mostly in the education department, but the salary assures a middle class to upper middle class living. And as a native English speaker, you are guaranteed to be hired by any translation agency in Mexico.
Best of luck, and cheer up. ▲ Collapse
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