Starting up as a translator directly after University

Kay Denney wrote:

OK, I see you are still here so I shall add my two cents

I agree that a third language would not help much unless you go out on a limb and learn a language that no other native English speakers learn. But that doesn't help you in the short-term with getting established as a translator directly after University, which after all was the specific question you asked.

I only have one source language. When I see the infinite shades of nuance in my source texts, and see how I have had to stretch my knowledge of my source language even after learning it for over 40 years, I just don't believe anybody could have enough knowledge of three languages to be able to translate from them all in any given subject.

Unlike learning another language, learning a specialist subject is more of a narrowing down than a broadening out, so it's easier to achieve (apart from rocket science of course ). You can gain knowledge of a specialist subject in a variety of ways, such as in part-time jobs you take on to pay your bills while you build up your customer base (if possible in different countries or failing that, in fields where you are in contact with people in different countries). I worked for a woman in the film industry who left to work as a translator from home simply to be with her children more. She obviously knew the jargon, and also had many contacts who knew she could translate and immediately started sending her work.

Your specialist subject can also be your hobby. My primary specialist subject is fashion and textiles, and I got into that partly because I learned dressmaking with my mother, and picked up all sorts of vocabulary simply by reading pattern instructions. These were multi-lingual even back in the day, so I kind of picked that specialist jargon without even trying.
When working as a PM in an agency, I once needed a translator specialising in horse-riding. I just did a search in our database, thinking it'd be a long shot, and lo and behold, a translator we occasionally sent finance translations to had listed horse-riding as a hobby. She was utterly delighted to do all the translations, it made a great change to the dry as dust stuff she normally ploughed through.

Nowadays I do a lot of work for museums, artists and art galleries (OK this has been on hold since lockdown but it will surely pick up again). I have zero qualifications in the subject, unless you count my enthusiasm. This is a passion I share with my daughter, we often go to exhibitions together. Again, I have picked up a lot of jargon simply by reading the catalogues in both my languages.
A former colleague worked as a PA in a law firm for a while before striking out as a translator. With the name of a well-known law firm on her CV, and again, thanks to her contacts there, she quickly specialised in legal translations, and of course she can command very good rates in that field.

Another advantage of adding specialist subjects rather than another language: if you use a CAT tool, you'll quickly build up a beautiful memory and termbase which will help you for all clients in that field.

Hope that helps.

Marc Fisher wrote:
I had perhaps thought that there would not be a market for a translator with sport as a sole specialism?

Marc Fisher wrote:

This is very helpful, thank you Kay.

My specialist subject would be sport. I am a fully qualified tennis coach (which I do not wish to pursue as a career) and I have played tennis throughout my life and follow the sport at all levels. I have also translated parts of the French Tennis Federation website for an undergraduate project and I am currently subtitling a Spanish documentary about the tennis player David Ferrer for a postgraduate project. The same would go for football, which despite not playing at a high level, I have followed religiously since a young age.

I had perhaps thought that there would not be a market for a translator with sport as a sole specialism?

Rachel Waddington wrote:



Do you ever write or blog about sports? That could be a good way to show off your writing skills and get noticed. Sports is big business, so there will definitely be a market, though you will probably not end up working exclusively in that field.

Why not put up some sports-related sample translations and write a profile intro along the lines of what you have written above?

Working in a sports-related company whilst building your translation business might be a possible route to look into.

Marc Fisher wrote:

My specialist subject would be sport. I am a fully qualified tennis coach (which I do not wish to pursue as a career) and I have played tennis throughout my life and follow the sport at all levels. I have also translated parts of the French Tennis Federation website for an undergraduate project and I am currently subtitling a Spanish documentary about the tennis player David Ferrer for a postgraduate project. The same would go for football, which despite not playing at a high level, I have followed religiously since a young age.

I had perhaps thought that there would not be a market for a translator with sport as a sole specialism?

Kay Denney wrote:
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Chris S wrote:

nothing important