How to Succeed as a Freelance Translator
If you're fluent in two or more languages, you might be able to work from home as a freelance translator. The demand for qualified and creative translators these days is pretty high, and it's only bound to increase as communications technologies improve and different cultures come into more contact with each other. Before you hit the job market, though, you'll want to keep the following tips in mind.
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Instructions
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Acquire some kind of professional certification. The American Translators Association (see Resources below) is the top organization and offers all kinds of useful job-hunting tools to its members.
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Check online sites such as Proz for the latest job postings and opportunities to advertise your services (see Resources below). Freelance translation is a competitive market, so look into as many employers as possible.
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Improve your skills. Even if you're a native speaker of both languages, there are always more words, grammar and stylistic elements you can learn that will improve your translations.
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Consider attending a graduate program in translation. Schools such as the Monterey Institute of International Studies (see Resources below) offer pre-professional programs that will prepare you for the rigors of the field.
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Check sites such as Craigslist and Monster (see Resources below) for more generic translation jobs. Translators don't give these sites as much attention as other translation-specific message boards, but they can offer some really good work.
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Set reasonable rates for your work. Don't sell yourself short, but don't charge too far above the market average or you'll drive potential employers away.
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