Starting Work as a Translator

Lisa McCreadie

Timeline

Preparation

Graduation

In business

Now

Preparation

Business plan - Online profiles- Work on languages- Adopt a mentor/exploit contacts- Research the field

Translator’s CV – (past projects, relevant experience, education, “specialities”, Erasmus, etc.)

Registering as self-employed

Graduation (Starting Up)

CAPITAL INVESTMENT

Proz membership (£89)

Website (£75) TM software

(€800/£700) Accounting software

(£120) Phone line (£50) Cost of living for a

couple of months (£???)

GETTING YOURSELF OUT THERE

SHORT test translations

Application forms CVs everywhere Availability for urgent

jobs WHICH MIGHT LEAD

TO

↓ More regular work

Tax

Register for Self-Assessment Do your homework Save Tax return

Bigger and better things! UN, European Commission, European

Court of Human Rights, International Organization for Standardization, World Intellectual Property Organization, Italian courts, Spanish, South African & Irish governments, Chanel, Apple, TGV, Adidas, Raymond Weil, Lacoste, TripAdvisor, Panini, Energizer, Reuters, BestMovies, Philips, Siemens, etc.

Points to consider

PROS

Flexibility Control

CONS

Financial/time output Lonely/unstable

working environment

What I did last week• 12 pages copywriting (English)• 5000 words documentary script translation (French)• 4 hours proofreading (Italian)• 10000 words in progress for next week (Spanish)

AND

• HW presentation • Sebald Lecture & Society of Authors Translation Prizes in London• Norwegian class• Negotiating book commission

YOU WILL NEED

Excellent linguistic and communication skills

Organisational skills Heaps of motivation Investment – money and LOTS of

time Support network and ability to keep

your chin up.