What you need to start making money with translations. Tips for a Beginning Freelance Translator

Translating written texts requires practice, knowledge and patience. This is a rapidly developing area in which you will have the opportunity to constantly learn new things and work with by different people... As a translator, you can help people get the information they need, learn, have fun and communicate with each other.

Steps

Part 1

Where to begin

Learn a foreign language. "Explore" is kind of an understatement. You have to master a foreign language inside and out, from formal dialogue to everyday conversations, including terms from sometimes the most unexpected areas.

It is also a good idea to teach your own tongue. Most people speak their native language, but cannot explain in words how it works. Learn your native language not just as a native speaker, but as a linguist, in order to better understand what rules apply in it and how foreigners learn it.

Get an education in the specialty in the field in which you plan to work. You can go to the Faculty of Foreign Languages \u200b\u200band get a diploma in translator, but many take a different path. Do you see yourself as a translator at a bank? Get an education in finance. Do you see yourself as a medical translator? Study biology or medicine. You need to understand exactly what you will be translating in order to be able to do it well and quickly, and the right knowledge base will help you with this.
- Also work on your writing skills. Many people think that knowing a foreign language is enough to work as a translator. In fact, to become a successful translator, you must become a good writer. You need to not only learn the language and your specialty, but also constantly polish your written speech. If you speak a foreign language, this does not mean that you can professionally translate written text. The ability to clearly express thoughts in writing, a rich vocabulary, fluency in different styles (depending on the field of translation), excellent knowledge of spelling and grammar of your native language - without this you cannot become a good translator.
Sign up for courses in interpretation and translation. Translation requires true skill. A good translator makes tiny changes to the text he or she works with to make the translation as relevant as possible to the audience, culture, and context. If you are a student of another specialty or have already graduated from a university, sign up for translator courses: these can be professional retraining courses, the second higher education or another form, depending on what your level is at the moment and how much effort, time and money you are willing to invest in additional education. Appropriate education will not only give you the necessary knowledge and skills, but will also help you sell your services to future employers.
- While you are studying, look for opportunities to work as an interpreter or translator within the walls of your educational institution... It is very important to start as early as possible in order to gain experience and recommendations. You will need them later.
If possible, go to a country where the language of your choice is spoken. The best way to appreciate a language, truly understand it and see its nuances, and go to a country where this language is the state language. You will hear how people actually speak, recognize local words and typical phrases, and truly experience the language in its natural environment.
- The longer you stay in this country, the better you will learn a second language. Spend more time with locals than other expats!
Part 2
Compliance with professional requirements
1. Volunteer. When you're just starting out, you will most likely have to work for free to fill your resume and make connections. Talk to public organizations, hospitals, international sporting events organizers and see if you can help with translation. Many translators start with this.
  - You might know someone who works in an industry that deals with people speaking different languages. Ask everyone you know if they need your free help. It is unlikely that you will be refused! If volunteering opportunities are difficult to find where you live, search the internet for them: non-profit sites sometimes need volunteer translators.
2. Get your diploma. Although a diploma of higher or additional vocational education is not absolutely necessary, it will make it much easier to get a job. Employers will look at your education and believe you have the skills to get the job done.
  - In other countries, there are professional associations (such as the Association of American Translators in the United States) that independently certify translators. This practice has not yet spread in Russia.
  - If you are looking to become a translator in the forensic or medical fields, look for specialized courses in these areas. Domestic legislation does not require mandatory special certification.
  - Nevertheless, certification centers have already appeared in our country, where you can get a document confirming your qualifications. This can be useful if you speak a rare language in which vocational education programs cannot or are difficult to find.
3. Take the language proficiency test. Take the knowledge test foreign languageto show potential clients that you are truly fluent in it. While the results of this test will not show how well you speak your native language, it will demonstrate to potential employers your level of proficiency in a foreign language.
  - Each language has its own testing system. For English - IELTS, TOEFL, Cambridge exams (CAE, CPE), for French - DELF, DALF, for Spanish - DELE. Find out on the Internet which exam can be taken in your language, where it is taken and how to prepare for it.
Part 3
Job search
1. Register on the job search forum. Sites like ProZ and Translators Cafe (for translators only) and Upwork and Guru (for any freelancer) post freelance jobs that can help you start your career. Some are free, some require a membership fee, or charge a percentage of the reward received - however, if you're serious about it, it usually pays to pay. There are translators who make a successful career working primarily - or only - through freelance exchanges. You can make good money on them by fulfilling orders for foreign clients, but the competition is very high, which means that you will have to constantly prove that you are the best.
  - There are also sites like Verbalizeit and Gengo where you are required to take a test, the results of which are then placed in a database of translators, which clients turn to to find translators. If you are proficient in the language and have a good resume, try these sites for additional income.
2. Take an internship. Paid or unpaid internships are a very common way of gaining experience for interpreters and translators (as well as for many other professions). At the end of the internship, you may be accepted on a permanent basis.
  - Working as an accompanying translator is a good opportunity for future interpreters to work alongside a more experienced colleague. If you are an interpreter, ask your potential employer if they need interpreters to accompany you.
3. Take your niche. Concentrate on one or two areas in which you know the language and the item itself. For example, if you know medical terminology, it will be much easier for you to deal with medical translation. You will also be able to identify errors or inaccuracies in the original text.
  - It is often easier for translators to find work in areas with a particularly high demand for language services. For example, business and legal translation... It's good if your niche is in one of those areas.
4. You can write to employers directly. Translation bureaus are always looking for good translators... Enter brief information about yourself - name, contact details, language - and ask to send you a text for a test translation. The longer your letter, the less likely it will be read. Keep in mind that translation agencies usually have their own fixed rates, and they are usually quite low, but you do not have to search for clients yourself.
Part 4
Career success
1. Install the required software. Computer-aided translation (CAT) tools are essential for translators, especially in the business or scientific field, where there is a lot of repetitive terminology and wording. In the field of, say, literary translation, they are completely optional. And no, Google Translate doesn't count - CAT tools imply that the text is translated by a person, not a machine; the program only helps to facilitate and speed up the process.It's about automated A good idea would be to establish, for example, free program OmegaT and the free Open Office suite for whatever projects you plan to work on, or use the online Smartcat tool.
  - Unfortunately, many customers (especially translation agencies) may require that you work with Trados translation memory. When you can afford it, consider updating your software.
2. Translate only on the your native language. You will soon find that translating from a foreign language into your native language is much easier than vice versa. This is due to the fact that for each project you will need to know certain vocabulary that you may not know in a foreign language and for mastering which you will need to do some research - and this is much easier to do for your native language. In addition, no matter how well you know a foreign language, if the text is complex enough, then certain nuances will immediately tell an experienced reader that it was not translated by a native speaker. This is especially true of literary or journalistic translation with a variety of idioms, slang, puns and the like.
  - As you can see, you need to be fluent in Russian. A successful translation will happen when you translate on the native language texts on a topic that you know like the back of your hand. However, in the course of working with domestic clients or employers, you will often come across the fact that you will be required to translate on the foreign language. Whether to agree to such projects is up to you.

You will learn how and where to find a job as a translator over the Internet, how to apply correctly to vacancies and how much you can earn by translating texts at home.

“Knowledge of languages \u200b\u200bis the path to wisdom,” said Roger Bacon. Now knowledge of foreign languages \u200b\u200bhelps to receive both additional and basic income.

In an era of open borders and information technologies everyone can freely travel around the world, and the Internet leads to a constant exchange of information. In this regard, the demand for translations of texts of a different nature is growing, and knowledge of foreign languages \u200b\u200bopens up a lot of prospects for remote earnings.

Working as a translator at home - when knowledge brings profit

To make money on text processing, you need to know foreign languages, but this alone will not be enough for a successful career as a translator.

A professional must have the following qualities:

feel and understand the original information;
be able to think and describe their thoughts in specialized languages;
correctly transfer information from one language to another.

A qualified specialist needs to know many topics, understand lexical features and subtleties. This will allow you to translate literary or technical information in a quality manner. To make an interesting and understandable text for the reader is what the customer will require.

Literacy level and style of writing the article - these requirements for the interpreter are extremely important. It will be necessary to translate primary sources of a different nature, from informational to specialized, in all areas of human activity.

To get started, you need to decide on the type of services provided:

Oral processing is not a very popular but relatively easy way to make money.
Specific translations require excellent knowledge in a specific area and are well paid. As an example, we can consider the field of information technology and medicine.
Processing of legal sources. Interpreters in this area can work remotely for large companies.
Working as a remote editor - correcting text.

Before starting to work remotely, it is necessary to determine the field of activity and typing of texts, and only then get down to business.

What are the types of transfers

Finding an article processing job is not difficult if you have the necessary knowledge. It does not require investment and is available even to students and schoolchildren. There are many companies that process text information of different nature and recruit both full-time and remote employees.

Or try yourself in the field of freelancing, which will allow you to independently select clients and determine the type of source. You can find an application for broadcasting or editing on copywriting exchanges.

An article exchange, or as it is also called, a copywriting exchange, is an online resource that posts tasks in an area of \u200b\u200binterest to you with a specific specification, requirements and fixed wages. All that a freelancer needs to get an order is knowledge of languages, literacy and a certain amount of free time.

There are several types of translations:

technical;
art;
notarial (legal);
adjustment.

Technical

This interpretation is understood as the processing of specialized information serving as a way of mutual exchange of knowledge. The most popular type of technical subject is translation to and from English. This is due to the international importance of English.

Technical sources have a number of features:

Information is presented in a formal logical style.
The impersonal forms of the verbs are used.
The accuracy of the information presented.
The text is presented in free form, without using emotional connotations.

Processing technical texts is considered one of the most difficult. It requires a good knowledge of the language and knowledge of technical research. That is why this type of broadcast is the highest paid.

Art

It is relatively comfortable to deal with primary sources in an artistic style. Articles of this type have a large number of epithets, comparisons, metaphors, author's expressions, and so on. Interaction with any source will require a deep, thorough knowledge of the language, but several transposition options are allowed.

Freelancers rarely have to work with such texts.

Notarial

As more and more people travel to different countries of the world, sources with notarized information are becoming more and more popular. People who travel to another country, especially on a business trip or for permanent residence, are interested in articles and sources that carry legal information. These are laws, articles of civil law, insurance documents, and so on.

To work with sources of this kind, it is necessary not only to know the peculiarities of stylistics, but also to understand matters of jurisprudence at least at a basic level.

Adjustment

Another popular activity is adjustment. That is, bringing the information into the proper form that meets all the requirements of the technical task.

Most often, it is necessary to correct sources of a scientific, technical or legal nature, such as laws or regulations, which requires the performer to have a clear, ideal knowledge of all the rules, norms and features of the language.

Finding customers for remote workers is not so difficult.

You don't need experience to do this. But you need to know a foreign language at a good level and follow expert advice.

Advice 1. Carefully read the terms of reference

Each order must be accompanied by a technical assignment (TOR). TK is a document (file) that describes all the requirements for the result.

Parameters such as:

volume;
in what style the translation should be made;
uniqueness is an important indicator for search engines;
basic wishes of the customer;
in what format to take;
amount of payment.

The file needs to be examined thoroughly. The information in the TK will help determine whether the order is suitable for you, and at what level it should be executed.

If the order is taken, it must be fulfilled. To finish what has been started to the end is a quality without which you cannot become a pro in any business. It doesn't matter that the work is remote and the customer is not the boss. You still need to be responsible for your work. This is the only way a reputation is formed.

Therefore, even if it is difficult to complete the work, it is better to ask to postpone the deadline, reduce the level of payment, find a way out of the situation, but finish it to the end.

A responsible executive is a rarity in the freelance market. If you are, you will have an added advantage. This will encourage customers, for example, on online exchanges, to leave positive feedback about the artist, and this is a plus for the rating and payment. The more reviews, the more expensive orders.

A freelancer works at home in a comfortable environment. But this is the catch. So it pulls to rest and postpone the deadline for later. But you cannot do this if you do not want to waste time in vain.

Any freelancer should be as organized as possible. First you need to study all the requirements, find out how much time is allotted for its implementation. For example, a freelancer was given five days for an article of ten thousand characters.

It is necessary to translate 2 thousand characters per day. In this case, it is best to set aside two hours a day and, according to these terms, break the order into parts, leaving one day for review.

This approach will help you make the most of your personal time without breaking deadlines and working in a rush mode, which is destructive for any freelancer.

A portfolio is a folder, site or any other resource that contains completed freelance orders. If the performer speaks several languages, for example, English, German and Turkish, it is necessary to post examples of his work.

What does a portfolio do? The presence of such a resource indicates that the performer has experience, determines his level as a professional. The more often the portfolio is replenished, the more diverse examples it contains, the more interest the customers show.

Most potential employers will look at the portfolio online. The design of the resource will indicate a good level of technical knowledge of the employee.

Advice: make a portfolio with a free website builder like Tilda. These files look impressive, neat and professional.

Where to find a job at home for a translator

Finding deleted orders is a snap. There are many vacancies such as, for example, translator from Italian to Russian or from Russian to Kazakh.

To find remote work translation of articles and not only is possible on such resources as:

Freelance exchanges.
Professional communities and associations.
Translation bureaus and international agencies.

Marriage agencies have become a popular place of employment. Such organizations have a positive attitude towards freelancers who can provide both translation and interpretation.

Freelance exchange

Freelance exchanges are considered the most popular place to search for orders for broadcasting news articles and materials. On such resources, users create an artist account, fill in information about themselves and look for clients. Build portfolio, reviews and ratings. The higher these parameters, the more serious offers will be available to the freelancer.

The most popular freelance exchanges are:

Etxt.ru - copywriting exchange;
Advego is a large exchange of articles and texts of varying complexity;
Freelancer.com is a freelance platform where you can find many orders, even for students.

Communities and associations of translators

On the territory of Russia, the most popular place to search for orders and performers on the topic of information translation are translation communities. The most popular system in this regard is called “Search for a translator”. This community is used by a huge number of high-class test translators. This community only works with a Russian-speaking audience.

The main advantage of such resources is constantly updated information for both customers and performers.

Translation agencies and international agencies

Many vacancies are put up by translation agencies and international agencies. Such organizations are only looking for remote translators... They work as intermediaries between the contractor and the customer and are responsible to both.

The disadvantages of such platforms are high requirements for the level of knowledge of the performer. He is required to be absolutely literate and well-read in a certain topic.

Is it possible to find a job for a novice translator - personal experience of freelancers

Translators have three main types of clients, namely:

Customers from article exchanges and copywriting services.
Orders from a translation agency.
Customers working directly (firms, marriage agencies).

The easiest way to find a job for a novice translator or proofreader of articles and texts is on the article exchange. This is the easiest, guaranteed, but also the least profitable way to earn money. Customers go to the exchange in search of high-quality but cheap translation.

An example is the ProZ translation order exchange. It is an international resource. It is not difficult to make money here, but the main requirement of foreign clients is an excellent track record, many reviews and a good portfolio.

It is best for a novice performer to start working with a bureau. Performers with no experience are hired into such systems, and the pay, as freelancers say, is not bad. Also, unlike an exchange, a translation agency will be able to organize a constant flow of orders for a freelancer, and, consequently, earnings. It is best for a beginner in the field of text translation to start with a bureau.

How much can you earn

As for the earnings of a remote interpreter, it all depends on its level and subject matter, as well as on the niche in which it works. Each of the niches is paid for in different ways. For example, art material costs less, while scientific material is the most expensive. The situation is similar with languages. The fewer language specialists there are, the higher the cost of translator services.

Let's list some facts:

the cost of services starts from 150 rubles. for 1000 characters;
depending on the complexity of the order and the topic, the payment reaches 500 rubles per thousand characters, quite often together with spaces;
if you start with the most simple requirements, then income per month will reach $ 300 with working hours up to four hours a day;
the presence of regular partners significantly increases income;
continuous work will increase the level of skill in rewriting and copywriting, which can increase income up to $ 500;

If you are looking for vacancies for translators without work experience, you probably already realized how difficult it is. Once upon a time I also started working without experience. And let me share with you my "secrets" of how you can find a job, even if you haven't translated a single line in your life before.

And first, let's figure out where it is best to look for vacancies for novice translators. And do they even exist in nature?

Where to find vacancies for translators without work experience

If I was asked what is the main problem of novice translators, I would definitely say that this is a problem with work experience.

No one needs our language certificates and professional translators' diplomas. Everyone needs only this very "experience". Moreover, vacancies may require from one year. From three years, and even five years of work experience.

This is what I call the “novice translator's vicious circle”. They don't give a job because there is no experience, and there is no experience - because there is no job. But where do new translators come from? No one is born right away with five years of work experience.

So, first - we need to decide where we will look for work. There are different customers for translations. The most common type is a translation agency. They act as intermediaries between the direct customer and the final contractor.

Translation agencies are the most undemanding customers. It is with them that it is most convenient to "start" as translators.

Many more vacancies are usually posted by various factories and enterprises.

Why not "go to the factory"?

The fact is that at the factory you will always deal with the same subject. Accordingly, you will learn to translate only on one topic. And in the rest of the topics you will remain the same newbie.

I have often encountered this. A translator comes to get a job with 40 years of work experience (literally!)

He worked for 40 years in the company, and now he is 60, he is retired, and wants to have additional income from working as a freelance translator in a translation agency. You give him an order, but he "does not knit bast."

At the factory, he literally knew everything about his topic by heart. He didn't even need to read the translation, so that he could write everything correctly and quickly in Russian at once. The same terms, the same language constructions. And as soon as "a step to the left - a step to the right" - he immediately gets lost and turns into the same "beginner" without work experience.

Therefore, if your goal is to grow as a translator, it is better to start working with a translation agency. There they will not let you relax. Instructions today, contracts tomorrow, personal documents the day after tomorrow. Get your hand so that you can cope with any topic later.

But translation agencies also require experience.

If you have already tried to send your resume to such agencies, then you probably came across the fact that they do not even answer your letters. And neither the attached test translations nor the language certificates help. No honors diplomas.

And here, let's figure out how to contact a translation agency to receive an order.

How to properly submit a resume to get an order

And here is your first revelation, which you probably did not even know about. In fact, a translation agency doesn't need your work experience. Even if you write “10 years of experience from call to call” on your resume, they will most likely not answer you anyway.

The thing is, they don't know you. They don't trust you. Where have you worked for 10 years? What result did you get? If you have worked for 10 years, why are you still cooperating with a translation agency, but have not found your customers?

There are many questions, but the answer is one - just in case, we will not get involved. We will carry out all orders by the translators whom we have already checked.

And here is a very simple way to "introduce" a translation agency to yourself. Just call them.

Yes, it's that simple. If they even hear your voice, you will already stand out from dozens of daily faceless job seekers.

And if you also look at them personally, then it will be absolutely great. There you tell about yourself, show what you are capable of.

Conclusion

In conclusion, I want to summarize a little all of the above.

There are vacancies for translators without work experience. There are a lot of them, and they are literally under your nose. But you will not be given them, even if you have 10 years of work experience \u003d)

Just because you are not trusted. To inspire confidence in translation agencies (so that they would at least once risk giving you an order) - call and visit them personally.

On the first orders, take whatever you give and do not bargain on rates. First you need to enter the market, and only then look - where is warmer.

If you want to start earning good money right away, get at least 3 years of work experience in 30 days. This can be done under the guidance of an experienced editor.

See you later!

Your Dmitry Novoselov

So, the university is over, you have a diploma in your hands with the proud entry "Translator", and all the doors are open ahead. But soon it comes to the understanding that no money is paid for a diploma, the competition in this area is fierce, and there are not so many customers. What to do? How to become a translator-practitioner, and not just another "humanities student with a diploma"? Let's try to figure it out.

So, the university is over, you have a diploma in your hands with the proud entry "Translator", and all the doors are open ahead. But soon the understanding comes that they don’t pay money for a diploma, the competition in this area is fierce, and there are not so many customers. What to do? How to become a translator-practitioner, and not just another "humanities student with a diploma"? Let's try to figure it out.

If you go to any job exchange and enter “Translator” into the search field, you will notice an interesting trend: work experience is required everywhere. And where did yesterday's graduate get it from? By and large, customers do not care about this, they need a high-quality translation, no one wants to waste time, so do not be surprised if only refusals will come to your responses.

As every translator, I also went through this, and now I will reveal some secrets of how to find the first customers, how to behave with them and build a dialogue. So what options are still promising for beginners?

1. Freelance exchanges.

Benefits: easy registration, direct contact with the customer, a wide range of projects, flexible working hours.

Disadvantages: high probability of fraud, low rates, high competition.

The coolest thing on exchanges is that you organize your working day yourself, you can select projects yourself, set rates. But there is also a minus here: if you didn’t earn money, you sit without money, or, even worse, you did everything, but the customer threw it away, didn’t pay - again there’s no money. However, if in the first case there is no money, because you yourself were lazy, then in the second case time and effort was spent, but there is no material satisfaction, negative emotions and anger overwhelm ... Excellent work results, right? But nobody is immune from this.

The first few projects taught me: you can only trust yourself and that it is better to check yourself from time to time. In total, due to my naivety, I missed a couple of thousand dollars from unscrupulous customers. And the situation with reviews was awful: there were none at all! Therefore, do not repeat my mistakes: always be on your guard, see the customer's profile, reviews, rating and registration date. Based on my experience, I have prepared some recommendations for you that will help you avoid unpleasant situations with dishonest clients.

What you need to do and what you absolutely cannot do:

After registering, spend a little time and fill out your profile: add information about yourself, your education, if you performed any translations during your studies, add them to your portfolio. It will also not be superfluous to get a PRO-status, if it is offered on the exchange, and go through verification. Consider these costs as an investment in yourself, because thereby you will not only get access to more projects, but potential customers will also understand that you are a serious performer, tuned in to long-term cooperation, and not a “one-day” amateur.
Respond to any suggestions that you find interesting. Do not be afraid, for demand they do not beat, in extreme cases, you will simply be refused.
At the initial stage, while you do not have your own client base, offer rates below average, but be sure to ask the customer to leave feedback on your work. Some freelancers at the beginning work only for feedback, and I must admit that this tactic also bears fruit. Personally, I set purely symbolic rates for the first paid projects. Many of these customers have now become my regular customers, I work with them at fairly high rates (with a certain discount), but they know for sure that I will not fail, I will do everything in the best possible way and will not be lost. So don't worry, people are willing to pay for quality work, but first they have to make sure that you are not just another irresponsible layman, which is a dime a dozen on such sites.
Be sure to check the customer's rating, pay attention to the date of his registration on the site and look through the reviews. If a potential customer has just registered, he has no feedback, and during a conversation he offers to pay for the work after receiving it - do not contact, it is better to pay attention to other projects.
Also, be wary when discussing payment options. If you are working with a customer for the first time, it is best to use an exchange tool such as “Secure Deal” or “Safe Deal” or offer a phased settlement option.
Do not respond to projects you know you cannot complete. Cherish your reputation, because it is hard to earn it, and you can lose trust in an instant. I came across very "sweet" projects with good rates, but I realized that I did not have enough experience and knowledge in order to do the job one hundred percent. And I refused. Yes, I lost attractive orders, working on cheaper projects, but on the other hand, I can say for sure that my customers have always received well-done work, and not copy-paste from a google translator. Now, having accumulated knowledge, I take on similar projects, which I previously refused. Remember that interesting projects always appear. It is only important that you are able to fulfill them. Develop, learn, read - and you will quickly grow into professionally... Or you may not, but then do not be surprised that "expensive" translations will float past you.

2. Translation bureaus

Benefits: the translation must be checked by the editor, guarantees of settlements, stable loading, the possibility of upgrading.

Disadvantages: low rates, specific material for work, the inability to build up your own client base.

The second option for beginners is cooperation with translation agencies. I also worked with translation bureaus, and for a rather long time, since on freelancing there is always a chance to be left without payment, no matter how you check the customer. But translation bureaus are usually regularly billed, and I wanted to have a more or less stable income. Now that I have my own client base, I have moved away from translation bureaus, but I would strongly recommend for beginners to work with such companies. Yes, of course, the rates in translation agencies are not the most pleasant, but I advise you to consider working in translation agencies as another step in your education. All the same, your translations will go through mandatory editing, which is very useful for beginners, because many documents have specific forms for translation, specific vocabulary, and so on. Accordingly, you will receive the very practical knowledge that is necessary for further professional development and growth. Some translation bureaus, along with the assignment, attach samples for translation, similar documents that were previously translated by other translators - all this significantly helps in the work. In addition, translation bureaus usually conclude contracts for the performance of work even with freelancers, which is already a kind of payment guarantee. In addition, if you work well, do not let you down, learn quickly and improve, the option of your promotion to the editor with all the following bonuses is not excluded.

I recommend that you first cooperate with translation bureaus, where the most stringent requirements. Why? And here's why: it so happened that from the very beginning I ended up in a translation agency with incredibly tough conditions: it was impossible to refuse the offered assignments, otherwise there would be a fine; after the translation was completed, the editor rated the translation quality on a 5-point scale. For "five" and "four" a certain bonus percentage was added to the standard tariff, transfers to "three" were counted at the regular rate, but for "2" and "1" the rate was even cut.

And at first, while I was doing a lot of mowing, I worked almost without pay, everything was spent on fines. But then, after a month or two, I suddenly saw that "triplets" and "fours" began to appear, I reached a new level of quality, it became much easier for me to work, and earnings began to grow. Now I understand that it was a kind of school of life, a test, after which I would either grow up or remain just another "jerky" Google translator, working on the principle of "ready to work for food, if only they took it."

Of course, there are other ways to get started as a translator, but in this article I have voiced two main options. Each of them has its own advantages and disadvantages, so decide which one works best for you. And remember: hard in training - easy in battle. It's hard for everyone at the beginning of the journey, but if you work hard, value your reputation and develop, you will definitely find your customers.

novice translator

Hello my dear readers! You know, today I began to think that working on the Internet translating texts from English would bring me a good additional income. Translation services are a convenient way to make money online for those who own necessary level one or two foreign languages.

Don't speak English up to the mark? Here's a very decent SkyEng school that gives you the opportunity learn english for free... A school with a very good reputation. You can improve your English pretty well in a short time if necessary.
With English familiar and can you teach other people? It is worth paying attention to sky Ing servicewhere you can register your resume as an English teacher and pass an interview for admission to the team of specialists. An excellent opportunity to earn money on your knowledge of English and working with students on Skype!

This is not just a human hobby! Translations, like other Internet earnings at home, require from you not only a professional approach, but also many other qualities of a business, communicative and personal nature. If you have set yourself the goal of becoming a good and highly paid freelance translator, gather all the will and the necessary information into a fist. Today I will write you useful recommendations to facilitate your work and find customers.

Work as a translator at home via the Internet

I have known English as long as I can remember. As a child, I constantly listened to music and tried to translate the words from my favorite song. For me, learning a new language became like a game, boys can be taken to "Weak", the spirit of perfectionism is constantly present and the desire is getting better.

As soon as I graduated from high school and university, I realized that I didn't have that much language practice. No, me but that's all. A few years later, going through customs control, I began to stumble, it was terribly uncomfortable, because I considered English my second, after Russian, language.

With this it was necessary to do something, moreover, the constant lack of money made itself felt. I started tutoring, but soon realized that this was not mine at all. Then I started looking for a translator job online. Firstly, having gained a few clients, I began to choose topics myself, and secondly, I always had an extra penny, and I did not forget the language. It is very convenient, and the vocabulary is constantly improving. I did not even think that I did not know so many words yet, this, despite the fact that the vocabulary of English language not that big. Translation of texts is now my hobby. Thus, I save myself on tutors and I am sure that I will not forget English.

Translation of texts from English into Russian for money at home

Don't know where to start? Believe me, the main thing is to want to start and be confident in your actions. Translating text is not difficult, especially when you have access to electronic dictionaries, to various specialized resources, the main thing in such work, no matter how strange it may sound, is to start doing it.

The opportunities that are open before you

Consecutive interpretation during oral dialogue. I myself often did such translations, but I did not work remotely, but this way. It was not far from Lake Baikal when I hitchhiked there with my friends. A group of American tourists came to the lake, I don't know where the American guide went, but the point is that they were given our guide, who could only say: "Hello". I could not help but influence the reputation of our country, and took up consecutive translation. The bottom line: the guide says a sentence, you listen to it, then translate it into English, and so for several hours of continuous "talking".

There is also such work online, you connect to the dialogue as a participant in a conference, meeting or seminar remotely, via Skype. Of course, I did not take money for my services, but you can make good money in this way.

Legally competent technical translation and other highly specialized topics are rated much higher than classical ones. If your translation will be used for "internal" use in the workflow, this is one thing, but the task of technical translation is to create texts that will be used while working with foreign partners or regulatory support of the business.

Notarized translations. If you move to another country, you need to notarize documents or international treaties. I will say right away that this is a good income, because my friend has been doing this for many years in a row. He does not sit at home, for work he only needs a computer and Internet access to receive and send work.

The only thing that needs to be taken into account is that the translator himself must obtain a certain license to engage in this type of activity. It is inexpensive, but you can get it only by passing certain exams for knowledge of the language and at its level. Notaries, as a rule, work with translators on a long-term basis, so if you find yourself an employer, you can consider this to be serious and for a long time.

Correction and editing of materials in different languages. This work at home is not very paid (since the actual texts do not need to be translated, you just need to correct mistakes), but at the same time, the process itself is no less laborious.

Unusual income for those who do not stand still

I would like to tell you about one work that does not really relate to translations, but is related to foreign languages. I can even recommend it to those who want to practice a foreign language and want to communicate more in it. The bottom line is that there are sites, and you need to tell about it: what do you see, is it easy to find information on it, what you like and what not.

This is necessary so that the site owner knows how rationally the space is used and how easy it is to find the necessary information. I was doing this work for a year and a half, then I decided to find something else. No, it's not that I stopped liking, it's just that I always develop and rarely stand in one place, even if it is warm and cozy. I was looking for a job on this site https://www.rev.com/freelancers/transcription... Maybe this information will be useful to you. If you have any questions, write in the comments, I will be happy to help you.

On the same site, I found myself subtitles for various television shows and films. The only thing that may confuse you is that the money comes to the PayPal payment system, so ask before registering, or there is a PayPal cashing point in your city. Ukraine, for example, has a company office only in Kiev.

Where else can you find work for beginners who want to start translating texts?

To work from home, you only need a computer with an Internet connection and a few hours of free time. It seemed that there would be a desire, but the vacancies themselves will be found, you just need to register on a specialized website and start working at home.

But in fact, all sites have their own working features, which no one will tell you about during registration. As a result, it may turn out that such a job is not suitable for you, and you have already lost time, and your earnings have not been what you expected. Therefore, before registering your account, think about the work scheme, which will suit you best.

Local communities of translators

The search-translator.rf network is a popular site for finding employees focused on the Russian market. There are many specialists in Search-Translator of the Russian Federation who work not only with popular languages, but also in the language of countries of near and far abroad. The disadvantage of this system is the significant predominance of those who want to work on customers. But here you can always find information about remote work for translators.

Online Bureau

Another type of work at home for a translator is to find a job in a specialized bureau. Here you can register as a professional certified specialist and receive an order for translation of legal, medical, technical literature.

Or you can perform remotely less time-consuming written translations or place orders for oral consecutive translations, literary translations, stylistic or grammatical corrections of the text.

Becoming a member of a specialized agency is a special kind of job for a translator. As an intermediary between the translator and the client, the employer takes a fixed percentage of the commission. But only on this site you can often find a fairly high-paying job.

Help you!

The rating table of domestic and some foreign agencies can be viewed on the website https://translationrating.ru/... It is convenient to choose a potential job by category here.

The world's largest freelance resource Freelancer.com will also help you find a potential employer. On the portal, most people are engaged in rewriting or copyrighting, so translators, and even more professional ones, are worth their weight in gold here.

Project orders can be found on the page

https://www.weblancer.net/,
https://work-zilla.com,
http://www.etxt.ru/.

I think this little article will be useful to you, and you decide to make money remotely and become your own master. If you have been working as a translator for a long time, write in the comments how you started and why you decided on such a job. It will be interesting to read and, perhaps, you will give an impetus to someone from those who dreams of such a job, but does not dare to start ...

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