How to grow your client base

So if qualifications are not always enough and luck plays a role on getting jobs, how can you beat the odds?
What can we control?
We can control how good we are at what we do, how well we present ourselves and what we know, and how hard we work. If you sincerely want to succeed as a freelance Translator, you will need to grow your LSP (Language Service Provider or also more commonly known as ‘Translation Agencies’) client base and therefore you must control these things.
Since a successful contact begins with a positive first impression, the way you present yourself and your work then should be the most important area to consider. So how do you make the Project Manager of the Language Service Provider believe you are the best person for the job? You can consider these presentation pointers in mind:
1) No one will hire you if they do not know who you are and that you are qualified and able to do the job.
- Google the Language Services providers and send them your résumé. With today’s communications technologies there is no reason you cannot work anywhere in the word!
- Sign-up and add your profile online on sites such as ProZ.com and translatorscafe.com. LSP actually use these translators’ communities when they are searching for a qualified translator.
- Make sure your résumé is a true testament to what you are able to do. Language Service providers hate to be disappointed and once they are even one time, it is hard to obtain their interest again. Only look as competent as you truly are.
- Keep your résumé and any online profiles updated and detailed, triple check it and spell check it. Do not forget to list your languages!
- Become certified and make sure the country which you are certified lists you in its public database.
- Join professional organizations such as ATA ( American Translators Association), where your contact information and services can be listed online.
- Attend a ProZ.com networking session or other industry networking events and conferences. Have real business cards printed and pass them out.
2) No one will hire you if you do not follow directions. All LSP’s have résumé submission guidelines that are unique to their business. Follow them.
- Do no cc: everyone in the company hoping someone will get it.
- If there are no directions on the company site, call and politely ask how you can submit your résumé.
- Do not keep emailing the company to ensure they got your email. You may call and ask once if it was received, then let it go. If they are interested, they will contact you.
Remember, it is one thing to be aggressive; it is another to annoy people.
3) No one will hire you if you have overestimated yourself and your abilities.
- If your résumé indicates you have been out of school for only a year, you may not merit the higher rates paid to more seasoned translators. At this point and time you simply do not have enough experience yet. Also if you have been translating a year and indicate on a list of completed projects a large project for a Fortune 500, an LSP may not believe you, so briefly explain yourself. Give the Translation Agency a reason to believe you.

Being a Qualified Translator is not enough for success

The reality of being a freelance translator is:
1) Sometimes someone less qualified will get the job.
2) Sometimes the person who gets the job does not do what she or he promised to do.
3) There are more translators that there are Language Service Providers (LSP’s), so simply being qualified is not enough.
4) Sometimes a good reference is not enough to get the job.
5) Some people are just lucky.

There is a lot in life we cannot control. The unfortunate part is that the uncontrollable often impacts the bottom line.

How to Become a Sucessful Freelance Translator

As a freelance translator you will be require to produce a certain number of words per day, if the agency is going to continue to offer you work. You will slowly have to produce from 1,000 to 2,000 words a day.

You may decide to find work first as a salaried employee with a translation services agency, as a Junior Translator. Your income will be less compared to what you might potentially earn in a freelance capacity, but don't forget that without experience you're never going to be successful in the first place.

Working at a translation agency will enable you to acquire the skills and experience you need to become a professional translator. This will also give you the opportunity to experiment with various types of texts and subjects.

Regardless if you decide to increase your experience working as a salaried employee in a translation agency or if you choose to venture into the freelance world right away, the best plan is to send your resume to a chosen group of professional translation firms and translation departments within private companies and governmental institutions, clearly referring to your work experience and education. Don't forget to highlight your willingness to do a free test translation.

If you are working in another field, once you have managed to find enough freelance work to keep yourself busy for around 20 hours a week, you might consider terminating your current employment and devoting the extra time to attracting new business. In 20 hours most experienced freelance translators tend to earn around as much as a full-time translator in salaried position at a translation firm.

These are clearly very general guidelines; however, you will find that experience and a certain amount of business expertise are the things that matter most in a successful freelance career.

Ema Dantas is the owner of Language Marketplace Inc, a translation agency in Canada, with office in the United States, Scotland and Portugal.;After having worked for several translation agencies and government departments as Freelancer, Mrs. Dantas opened her doors for business in 2001 and Incorporated in 2003. Language Marketplace is now one of the fastest growing Translation and Interpretation services agencies in Canada. For more information about Language Marketplace, visit their site at www.languagemarketplace.com.