Freelance strategies in the translation business
If you’ve always wanted to freelance as a translator, but have been unsure of the best way to go about meeting clients and getting paid for your work, then this post is for you.
We’ll share our own personal experiences of freelancing as translators over the past few years and include some tips from other freelance translators who have gone before us. We hope these will give you some insights into the challenges and opportunities that are out there for those willing to try their hand at translation freelancing.
It seems that everyone in recent history has an excellent means of making money on the Internet - blogging, online courses, online tutoring, etc. And if that is not enough, there are also an ever-increasing number of freelance opportunities out there on the Internet.
Translation freelancing is one of these freelance opportunities - especially if you are living in Singapore. But before we go any further, we would like to clarify what translation freelancing is.
When you think about translation freelancing, it is actually referring to working for a client as a translator - being paid by the hour or some other rate by the customer for translation services and fees, in lieu of your own expertise. Easy, right? Looks like nothing more than a side-hustle opportunity for those with creative mindsets and excellent communication skills. But wait!...
The challenge for translators, in general, is that you’re opening yourself up to potential legal liabilities . This means that you won’t just be working for yourself and your own income, but also for your clients in their work. This is not only physically and mentally taxing on one’s ability to focus, but it also requires a lot of trust from your clients when working with them. Remember that this is their money at stake!
But do not fret - the benefits of being a freelance translator are many:
First off, you get to choose who you want to work with. Translation freelancers are often able to work for themselves on a project-by-project basis, meaning you will be able to choose who you want to work with by simply choosing whether or not you want to meet them.
Aside from that, translation freelancers get greater control over their workloads - for instance, on a project-by-project basis. In case of emergency or some unforeseen circumstance, and it turns out that there is no one else available who could translate the content in a timely manner, translation freelancers will still be able to do so. Writing and negotiating rates is not something they have to worry about in the same way that others do.
What is more, translation freelancers often get to write their own conditions of payment. This means that they are in control of how much money they are willing - or not - to pay for the work they do and how much time it will take them to do the translation. Translation freelancers also get more time to complete a project, which often gives them greater flexibility when working with clients.
But if you’re still unsure about whether or not you want to freelance as a translator, there are some good reasons why we still recommend you try it out:
First off, because we love writing! And actually getting paid for our writing is definitely one of the best ways of earning money from our imaginations.
Secondly, because we would like to encourage people to follow their dreams and pursue their careers in any way they can. Translation is something that we know a lot about, but it is not something that we pursue on our own. It is our hope that you may eventually find yourself doing something that you love, right? If you want to translate professionally, why not?
And last of all, because translation is always one of the most important skill sets to have when it comes to business and negotiations. Being able to think on your feet and make decisions quickly are very important in the business world - especially if you are an entrepreneur living in Singapore. (If you are confident in your ability to translate and negotiate, then you may want to consider pursuing a career in translation.)
So exactly how do you go about getting started with translation freelancing? What if we told you that there is no need to do much research? You don’t even have to be a master of the English language to make decent money for your work as a translator. Do not worry - we will tell you exactly how!
First off, there are some simple steps you can take before getting started with freelance translation. Make sure that you have a Google account, as well as an email address that is linked to a mobile phone. Choose one of the services below to get started:
(1) Upwork - formerly known as Elance and oDesk - https://www.upwork.com/
(2) Guru - http://www.guru.com/guru/home
(3) Freelancer - http://www.freelancer.com/
Upwork is one of the first freelance sites on the Internet, which allows for translation freelancing opportunities for newbie freelancers and seasoned veterans alike .
It is one of the most frequented websites to find translation freelancing opportunities, which translates to an easier time for you to get started with translation. Most jobs will be posted on either Guru or Upwork. Therefore, if you are really looking for freelance translation opportunities, these sites are definitely worth your time.
As it stands currently, there are roughly 100 different jobs posted on Guru every day and over 1,000 different jobs that become available on Upwork everyday . These are a good source of work for those interested in freelance translation. It is also crucial to note that Guru and Upwork both allow free membership.
In return for joining either of these websites, you will get access to the jobs section, which allows you to create a profile and view the jobs available on the site. You can also request jobs from other users on the site. You may then be able to take up a project for translation services or other roles in the future. You may use this site as a stepping stone into freelance translation if you would like, as it will help you familiarize yourself with this type of work before making any big decisions about your future pursuits.
We recommend using either of these sites as they both have excellent user interfaces and are also very safe to use. They are both also constantly updating their software systems, making sure they stay secure. At the same time, they also make it easier for you to be able to communicate with people who require your services, which is one of the most important aspects of any translation work that you do.
Guru consistently ranks at number two or three on Google for the search terms related to freelance translation. It generally only ranks behind Upwork in this regard, but Guru is still a good site on which to find freelance translation opportunities .
Conclusion? We think that Upwork is the best website to use when you want to do translation freelancing. It has a good reputation on the Internet, and it is relatively easy for you to get started with an account there. In addition, it allows you to find freelance translation opportunities with relative ease.
We do mean relatively, however - more often than not, Guru and Upwork will require you to bid on jobs before the clients will choose one of their preferred contractors. Another thing to bear in mind is that such jobs usually pay less than they might otherwise.