The ups and downs of a starting translator

The downs

2008-03-28T14:47:00.003+01:00

This will not be a cheerful post!

For three days now, I have not received a single demand for translation, except a translation agency who asked for a translation of 40 words and then send me a message of Erratum: Sorry, this is not to be translated in your language.

What is WRONG?

I really have the feeling that something has happenend and everybody around me knows it apart from me! Am I getting crazy? Victim of paranoia?

Just let us be rationally:
a) I do not had any critical remarks from any agencies.
b) In February, I was completely booked out.
c) And right away, all the other translators of my language combination have work.

So: WHY? What is wrong with ME?

I try to comfort myself and work hard on the improvement of my knowledge. I just try to stay normal and do business as usual.

But I am not feeling well. I cannot ask nobody, I have the feeling that I cannot talk to no one and I am just feeling so crazy alone on this earth - it is really hard to bear...

Back on the track

2008-01-29T10:27:00.000+01:00

Hi,
I have not written for such a long time because work and assignments just ate me up! Although times have been hard physically speaking and brain wise, this period gave me GREAT motivation for my translation career. I am quite thankful for all the experience I was able to gather...

Now, we are a little back to normal: I have some small assignments every week, but am not running like a hamster in his cage. I have time for delicious coffee breaks and for sorting things out.

That's why I would like to talk to you about a fact which I think hard to bear anthropologically speaking. It concerns the relationship to translation agencies which are at the moment my main clients.

With some of them, I have worked now for some months. Our contact is mainly an electronically one, i. e. they ask me by email if I can take over an assignment and I send my agreement or refusal. There are some project managers, mainly women, who phone me up. But that is, as for me to say, not the majority.

As in general, I am quite nervous on the phone searching desperately for something intelligent to say I prefer this contact by writing. It is time consuming, yes, but I still have the feeling that I can express myself more clear and more cheerfully!

The only thing which really bothers me are these very short answers and this total lack of feedback.

You know, when you have worked for a great quantity of hours on a project, when you have put your heart into it, searched the world for the right word that is music in your ear, when you have completely identified with the subject and author and you are proud of your work and the only answer you get after sending the translation to your client is: Merci, bien reçu!, you feel all of a sudden dreadfully alone in this universe!

My sister said to me: "Why do you not ask for feedback?" But I wonder if this is really the good thing to do! Will it not irritate my clients who already suffer under a lack of time? I mean, I am a service provider. And that's all!

Is the better way not to grow up and to get all my satisfaction out of the well-done work, my proper pride concerning the project and the money received? Or is this humanely impossible? Or is this not just a little bit "triste"?

Three weeks of work

2007-11-20T15:57:00.001+01:00

The last three weeks have been a total run for me. I just worked day and night and the quality of my work and myself have suffered!

There were some assignements which I would have liked to deny, but the agencies were so insisting that they made me worry for my professionnal future.

Two of the assignements were followed by questions - a bad sign! And today, I got no offer, no message, no nothing! And I am feeling physically and psychologically wearied of!

Although I delivered about 50 assignements which were of good quality, the old questioning mill starts off: Am I made for this job? Can I ever be of long lasting quality? Can I manage to have enough, but not too much clients? Can I find the right tone for the communication with clients? Will there ever be again an assignement for me?

The only mean to employ right now: Stop thinking, take a bath to relax and then read and learn, read and learn, read and learn...

Keys to success - I. part

2007-10-05T14:10:00.000+02:00

SPECIALISATION is definitely one of the keys to a successfull carreer in the translation business!

Of course, when you have some professionnal training or experience in a field other than translation, you are a very lucky person! You should state your experience as clearly and as eye-catching as possible in your service proposals and continue deepening your knowledge! Agencies will love you!

If you do not belong to the crowned heads in the business, you should specialise in one field (technical, law, commerce, medical) which corresponds to your likes and to the demand on the market.

Do you ask yourself "But how, oh how can I become a specialist?"
Here is some practical advice!

First of all and in any kind of situation: Don't panic!

Then: 2. Make your choice and stick to it!
As a starting translator we are very proud of our first paid translations. As in the beginning, we make a grab at any order we can get hold on, the subject matters vary and we get a kind of kaleidoscop!
But be aware - nobody will believe in your skills and knowledge if you present yourself as an expert for software, designers shoes, allergies and financial issues simultaneously!

3. Learn!
The possibilities are unlimited! You can take on an on-line course, for example with the Open University, attend trainings, watch documentaries on TV, go to university as an auditor...

4. Keep yourself in the picture!
You should always follow up changes and developpements in your specific field! Read specialist journals and every single news about your subject matter! Talk to experts - the Internet is perfect for that!

5. Work on text!
Keep your terminology up-to-date! And work on a regulary basis on articles in your field of competence!

And last, but not least! 6. Be patient!
With the time, slowly but steadily, you will feel that your knowledge is growing! Very little in the beginning and after a time like a bramble bush!

Just keep on going!!!

A forced holiday

2007-10-03T07:08:00.000+02:00

Back again after quiete some time! But I have a good excuse - I was forced to take some holiday from the translation and Internet business.

No, not because I would have won a week on the Caribbean or in Tahiti! Why roam so far afield? I just went next door, to Germany, for family reasons and could not get into the Internet!

I tell you, I was nearly going crazy in the first place. Running around like an headless chicken feeling the earth shuffeling under my feet!!! Awful! (Also for family and friends...)

But then, all of a sudden, after some days, the ZEN feeling took over: I laid back to relaxe, to have some good beer after the Reinheitsgebot and I just did not think anymore about all the clients I was loosing in just that moment! The western way of ZEN! What else can you do?

When I came finally back to my dear computer at home, I stroke tenderly his head! And he did not disappoint me: The damage was not too bad! I lost two new clients from which one was a German agency! They had offered some translation work by email. But the email was so unprofessionnal that I did not even bother to send an answer!

All in all it was an exhausting and though helpful experience: Now, I sometimes allow myself to break away from the office for a short while! And then, I dream of Tahiti!

Deep in the countryside..

2007-09-15T06:01:00.000+02:00

...that's where I am living, far away from towns, villages, people. This morning, there was a mist which embraces everything. I sit outside under some trees and like the contrast: Not a single soul around me, but I am doing a translation for one of the biggest pharmaceutical companies in the world.

Qui(e)te romantical!

Paperwork

2007-09-12T15:04:00.001+02:00

Yesterday, I spent my day with paper work. I wonder to what level the unemployment rate would rise in France if there weren't all these papers and documents to send out and to class and to organize.

The mass of documents is unbelievable!

I am working with some sociétés de portage, an organisation which employs me and does my invoicing! Here in France, they say that by these means you reduce paper work. To be true, I have some doubts about it!

Each time, I contact my société they ask me for new papers. Yesterday, at the end of the day, I felt near the cash I earned, yes, I had the feeling that I could nearly touch it!

But then the man of the société de portage said to me: "After sending out the contract to the client in double wich we valided last month, you now need the rapport d'acitivé which has to be signed by the client in double. Then he sends it to you, you send it to us and when we receive it before the end of the month, we will valid it which takes about one week. After that you can declare your depenses and your activié. Then you do your monthly declaration and you demand a bulletin for the salary. And if you have done this by the 10th of the month, we will do your bulletin at the end of the month and you receive your money the following month by bank transfer which takes about ten days."

I swam a bit and drowned then in a paper pool!

After, I smoked a cigarette, took a deep breath and then looked for a new société de portage perhaps more adapted to my profession. And I found her!

Everything seems to be easier with them; even Paypal is possible!

Ah, look, I just got an email from them. Yes, what is it? I open my mail in a relaxed way. And then the man says: "Now you need a paper which states that the translation agency does not pay VAT. It must be an official document and also, we need..."

Brazil!

Discouraged!

2007-09-09T15:45:00.002+02:00

When I sit at my computer at 5 a. m. (yes, in the morning), I sometimes feel discouraged. The reasons:

- The week is nearly over and my batterie so empty!
- I have calculated how much I earned the week and envy my cleaning woman!
- I think of all the mistakes I have made vis-à-vis my clients! (And all the nasty answers I received!)
- I have an appointement with my bank director!

Do you know what helps me in these dark moments? I think of my brother-in-law and friend who has told me some months ago: "Don't stop! Just accept every order you can and work! Do not get white hair over one particular order! What counts for you right now, is the mass of orders, the volume!"

He was right and still is!

While I am sitting there and translating, one manual after one label inscription after one film title and one PowerPoint presentation, something changes, with each text; something is developping and linking in my head lots of words and translations, my passive memory wakes up and I seem to feel some sort of "trust" in my capacities.

Do you know the magic word, the resul of the process? The sesam which opens all the doors? To your own capacities and to big translation agencies? It's experience!!!

I clutch at straws and hold on, I keep going and translate as much as I can. And one day, it will work!

Phew, that's done!

2007-09-07T10:20:00.002+02:00

I send the last part of the assignement this morning to my agency. I guess they were satisfied! At least, they had no questions!!!!

I definitely would have liked to get a mark from them or at least a "Well done". But remember, I am a service provider now and not a school girl anymore. So I tapp myself all alone on the shoulder for that!

It was hard work. The hunting language is very, very special and thereby very interesting! Also for my daily language life! There are so many expressions I use in everyday communication that come from the hunting business. I guess because these are our origins.

And now, after communicating for two days with lots of hunters on the Web, I nearly feel like a hunting specialist myself. But will probably never see again a hunting text to translate in my life!

So, in order to get the most of my hard work, I will publish some glossary on hunting! Definitely! Also to fill up empty days without paid work!

And to all of you I have learned to say: Waidmannsheil! Halali!

Word FAAAAst

2007-09-06T13:56:00.000+02:00

Yesterday night, at about 10 pm, my trial period for Wordfast ran out! Why not? I love problems while I am working!!!

As I got so used to Wordfast in the past months, I just bought it right away on Internet (and received the licence today). There was no other way out because the translation which I had to deliver this morning, was done with Wordfast!

My bank account screamed out loud and tomorrow I certainely get some friendly letter from my bank director! But what can I do? I am a professionnal now who has to do investment.

By the way, Wordfast is great! It helps you to never forget a single word as it is dividing phrases into segments. It analyses your text, word nomber, etc. And you can build up magic databases.

The guidelines are comprehensible, even for people who have never read a manual before in their life! And for all the rest, Wordfast proposes training sessions in every country and a mailing list where questions are answered quickely!

Hope that the investment pays out soon!!!

So tired...

2007-09-04T23:07:00.000+02:00

It is about elven o'clock and I am tired!

Everybody is sleeping in my home: cats, dogs, children and husband! Yes, I have the feeling: The whole world sleeps while I am still on my computer trying to figure out the details of hunting fox and other cunning devil!

Believe it or not: I got an assignement today. About 2000 words! Not too bad, n'est-ce pas?

And lots of agencies, at least four, answered my mailing campaign. I have the feeling that I am in the mids of everything!

But right now, I am too tired to think about it. My way goes straight to bed as tomorrow morning work is waiting for me. I have to get up early, very early, very, very early because it is Wednesday and the kids are, here in France, off school. And want to talk to hard working Mummy!

Good night! Faites de bons rêves!

Quiet and all of a sudden a big RIOT

2007-09-04T08:58:00.000+02:00

This morning, I got the phone call (the second in my life) of a translation agency. They are interested in my profile as a translator and would like to work with me.

"Could you please send us a more detailed resume?", the woman asked me on the phone, "I guess that you did not enumerate all your translation assignements and that you gave just an extract of you experienced professionnal life." What can one say? Yes, I did quite a lot of translation in my life, but will it be enough to fill two pages?

I am nervous, I am excited! For one minute, I was thinking just going to bed putting the cover over my ears in order not to hear the phone ringing.

But no, I am a big girl now and I will try my upmost! I will try and I will learn and finally, I will succed. Perhaps not this time, perhaps not next time, but one day...

I will keep you posted.

It is all so quiete....

2007-09-04T07:21:00.000+02:00

...it is all so still!

And I wonder: What's wrong all of a sudden? Does no agency want to work with me anymore? Did they loose my email-address? Or is somebody telling stories about me on the Web?

In the beginning of summer, I sent out about 70 mails to agencies proposing my services. And I got some translation assignements for:
- household appliance
- English and French designers and their automn collection
- preparation instructions of frozen fish

I was so happy and over excited that I got a cleaning woman. Today, she is earning more than me!

Somewhere, I found a good excuse to my state: Apparently after two months in a job there should always be a period when business is down! Can anyone confirm this?

Or am I just to bad?

Doubts, doubts, doubts - they come in slowly, without making a noise, grap heart and brains and DRIVE ME CRAZY!

But I do not give up! No!

About me and this blog

2007-09-03T23:24:00.000+02:00

The blog of a starting translator who tries to find her way in the jungle of the business world!

One little thing to tell you - I am not writing in my mother tongue and my name is in reality not Josi Pines!

The reason? I want to talk to you as openly as possible and tell you what is really happening to me without loosing clients, money and my reputation.

I want to talk to you about my mistakes which I have to analyse and then to hide from everybody.

And I want to talk to you about my success which I have to hide a little from friends and family!

Hope you'll have a good time!

Welcome!

2007-09-03T22:54:00.000+02:00

The ups and downs of a starting translator, that's what this blog will be about! This blog is about my personal ups and downs and doubts and happiness! I have started my translation business in juin of 2007, i. e. three months ago. And I can tell you, I passed three months of excitement!

Positive and negative excitement and lots of nights without sleep!

Can you imagine? I have never worked in a translation agency, I worked in a Marketing Service, yes, I worked as a translator for a kids shop and on voluntary basis. And comparing to my collegues in the private university where I did my translation course, I felt quite "ahead" concerning translation experience...

All of my former collegues have stopped their carreer as a translator, even one who was able to pass State examinations! So, I am all alone in the World Wide Web, in this community of wild animals!

But I want to succeed as a translator. It was always my dream and I love it. I love words, I love to find the right expression matching context and language level. I like to communicate with people by writing. I like to search the Internet. I am eager to learn.

I am a certified translator, certified by the Chamber of Commerce and Industry where 90 % of the candidates failed. At least that's what everybody talks about during the breaks...*

And still, it is not easy!!!

Come and follow me on my way to the TOP! (I hope?!)