19 Apr 7 things Companies are looking for in a freelance translator

7 things Companies are looking for in a freelance translator

A Translator’s job is to transfer knowledge from one language to another and its an amazing feeling knowing you have helped an idea gain traction with a broader group of people. It’s like a jigsaw puzzle where you are unfolding a complex medical text into plain simple English. What’s best about a translator is they play a critical role in making global communication possible.

What do clients such as a direct client or Translation Company look for when searching a translator?

1. Native Speaker

This is obvious that everyone knows. A good translator is one who has comprehensive knowledge about both the source and target language. The translator as a native speaker of the target language would perhaps be a best fit as translation is not merely restricted to linguistics. It also encompasses cultural adaptation, which only a native speaker can provide with more accuracy.

2. Experience

Translators experience is one of the deciding factor for hiring a translator. Your work experience means you have already translated documents of different fields and you have learnt and applied more than a less experienced translator. As a result you are likely to bring more value in your translation that can directly improve customer satisfaction. Tthe type of experience also plays an important role in determining a reasonable rate for the services. Education related to linguistics and experience in translation are preferred. If you have too long experience and have been living away from your country, you may want to put an extra section on your resume, mentioning how you keep yourself updated about your native language.

3. Flexibility

Once the terms of the project are negotiated, it is important that the translator is open – minded and be flexible to pay scale/schedule for special scenarios. Special scenarios could include high volume projects or assignments with special requirements.

4. Attention to Detail

This is one of the key components of quality work. Things, like punctuation, sentence structuring, formatting and numbers are given special attention. Adhering to the project instruction is vital. Translators who make mistakes in these areas stand out as bad and might be excluded from future projects. Translators who can catch inconsistencies or error in source file (incorrect spelling, mismatched data) on the other hand can stand – in a positive way by bringing it to the attention of the project owner.

5. Meeting Deadlines

One of the most important attribute of a good translator is perhaps delivering on time. If the deadline is given and you have agreed to it, you are expected to meet it. With that being said, if a translator needs extra time, it’s better to ask as early as possible

6. Communication

Good translators have got great communication and are easy to work with. Communication about project related or even availability of the translator should be clearly mentioned in a timely manner. If a translator has doubts, they shouldn’t assume and rather ask. This will ensure smooth execution of the project.

7. Response to Feedback

Good translators should be open minded and take feedback positively. At times an internal auditor or reviewer can check through your completed work and provide feedback. If that happens, it is expected that translator review those and implement if necessary in the next project. Once reviewed, the translator can also share their recommendations to improve the quality and work on the final version.

Finally, it’s important to know that it takes much more than just a dictionary to be a good translator and a good translator is not made overnight. It requires sizeable investment expertise and research in the relevant field.