Translation experience Thread poster: Georgia Blerot
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Georgia Blerot 
United States
Local time: 11:58
Member (2022)
French to English
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I've been translating on and off for the last 20 years in addition to being employed by various companies. I have recently switched to freelancing full-time as a translator. Do you think it would be unethical or misleading for me to say I have 20-years experience as a translator?
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... as long as it's clear that you haven't been translating full time. In your shoes I would also be focussing on real-world marketing experience because that is what will set you apart from most other translators out there. That, combined with your translation experience should be a great combination.
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There’s no rule. It’s entirely up to you what you include in your CV and how. In my case, I always say that I have been translating for over 30 years full-time + a few years part-time (it happens to be true)...
[Edited at 2022-07-21 11:16 GMT]
| | | | | Judge your own experience | Jul 21, 2022 |
You can probably judge the quality of this experience yourself. Even if you were translating only occasionally but routinely gained valuable knowledge and skills from it, it's an honest experience and you can report it as such. Conversely, someone who has been a full-time certified translator for 20 years but translated only birth certificates, college diplomas and the like - believe me, there are lots of translators who do just that - may not be highly experienced at all. If you look through Ku... See more You can probably judge the quality of this experience yourself. Even if you were translating only occasionally but routinely gained valuable knowledge and skills from it, it's an honest experience and you can report it as such. Conversely, someone who has been a full-time certified translator for 20 years but translated only birth certificates, college diplomas and the like - believe me, there are lots of translators who do just that - may not be highly experienced at all. If you look through KudoZ answers here, you'll easily find some ProZ members providing totally irrelevant and downright wrong answers despite the 15-20 years of experience reported in their CVs.
[Edited at 2022-07-21 11:39 GMT] ▲ Collapse
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| Make an honest assessment of your knowledge, expertise, and skills | Jul 21, 2022 |
Anton Konashenok wrote:
You can probably judge the quality of this experience yourself. Even if you were translating only occasionally but routinely gained valuable knowledge and skills from it, it's an honest experience and you can report it as such. Conversely, someone who has been a full-time certified translator for 20 years but translated only birth certificates, college diplomas and the like - believe me, there are lots of translators wo do just that - may not be highly experienced at all. If you look through KudoZ answers here, you'll easily find some ProZ members providing totally irrelevant and downright wrong answers despite the 15-20 years of experience reported in their CVs.
I know quite a few translators in Russia who state that they're legal translators. In fact, such a translator turns out to be a relative or a friend of a local notary public who translates personal documents, such as birth/marriage/death certificates, passports, driving permits, high school diplomas, university graduation certificates (bachelor's, master's), academic transcripts, etc. Basically, they have templates for these document types, and just add the client's details as required.
Over the years, several of such 'legal translators' did short paid legal translation tests for me, only to fail miserably.
As you may know, many banks and insurance companies use AI-based OCR software tools that can scan standard documents (invoices, insurance policies, medical records, loan applications) and fill in relevant forms automatically. So, I think Google Translate and DeepL Translate will replace them such 'legal translators' soon (and blockchain technology is likely to do the same with notary offices).
[Edited at 2022-07-21 12:14 GMT]
| | | | Kevin Fulton
United States
Local time: 14:58
German to English
| Given recent market conditions ... | Jul 21, 2022 |
many translators have been unwilling part-timers for a while. No need to go into detail.
| | | | Georgia Blerot
United States
Local time: 11:58
Member (2022)
French to English
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TOPIC STARTER
Wow, thank you so much for these very encouraging and thoughtful replies. Now I need to get going and get my website online!
| | | | Joakim Braun
Sweden
Local time: 20:58
German to Swedish
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Georgia Blerot wrote:
I've been translating on and off for the last 20 years in addition to being employed by various companies. I have recently switched to freelancing full-time as a translator. Do you think it would be unethical or misleading for me to say I have 20-years experience as a translator?
No, that's fine. Non-translation experience makes you a better translator.
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Adieu
Ukrainian to English
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| It has been my experience | Jul 21, 2022 |
...that no one seriously believes most claims of experience anyway. Or educational attainment, for that matter.
There is an expectation that the person has SOME degree of familiarity with a field they claim experience or schooling in.
Applicants/bidders who claim relevant experience or education get tested. Applicants/bidders who don't either get low-balled then tested or are just ignored.
Diplomas or work experience typically aren't examined or believed.... See more ...that no one seriously believes most claims of experience anyway. Or educational attainment, for that matter.
There is an expectation that the person has SOME degree of familiarity with a field they claim experience or schooling in.
Applicants/bidders who claim relevant experience or education get tested. Applicants/bidders who don't either get low-balled then tested or are just ignored.
Diplomas or work experience typically aren't examined or believed.
About the only trusted credential or proof of experience outside of a trusted personal recommendation would be to be the named and published translator of a top textbook or other well-known literature in the field. ▲ Collapse
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