| Număr de pagini: < [1 2] | Can anyone advise me on translation qualifications? Inițiatorul discuției: Vivien Green
|
|---|
Vivien Green 
Regatul Unit
din franceză în engleză
INIŢIATORUL SUBIECTULUI | Some great advice from everyone! | Mar 17, 2013 |
I've had some great advice - this site is rather wonderful! Thanks everyone!
David - I took some classes at the Universite Catholique in Lille, the Grande Ecole I was enrolled at (EDHEC - right next door) let us foreign students do that if our home universities didn't mind and I had a fantastic experience. I miss Lille!
I will dig out my degree certificate and find out whether the translation modules would in fact count for something - I hadn't considered that they m... See more I've had some great advice - this site is rather wonderful! Thanks everyone!
David - I took some classes at the Universite Catholique in Lille, the Grande Ecole I was enrolled at (EDHEC - right next door) let us foreign students do that if our home universities didn't mind and I had a fantastic experience. I miss Lille!
I will dig out my degree certificate and find out whether the translation modules would in fact count for something - I hadn't considered that they might. (Thanks so much for the link Russell!)
I've just had a look at the information on becoming a certified pro - it looks like I need a fair bit of professional experience. I'm not sure how much they require or how long this will take to get.
I think I can actually do the MITI for relatively low cost as I'm in Scotland, but the DipTrans still appeals to me more for some reason. I haven't ruled the MITI out though.
Lisa - I'll look into the ITI and CIOL. One of my friends actually suggested this but I haven't done anything about it so far. I was a bit hesitant as it costs yet more money I don't really have and since it's not really a qualification I wasn't sure if it would be valuable to a beginner like me (my friend found it beneficial but she is an interpreter with a Masters degree). When you say it gives you an excellent network, how important is this? I am on various translation networks on linkedin and organised a translators meetup through meetup.com - not necessarily expecting to get work through either but thought it couldn't hurt to meet other professionals. Would there be more likelihood of work through a network like the ITI or CIOL?
Sheila - The WLS sounds like it's worth looking into and I know someone who is currently doing it so I'll ask her a bit more about her experience. Again though, it's more money and there are so many things I'd like to invest in to develop my business - it's hard deciding what to choose!
neilmac - I agree that certificates don't necessarily indicate that one translator is better than another but as some of the others have pointed out, there are people that do, hence why I'm considering it. I do feel frustrated with the "inflation" in qualification requirements for jobs these days though.
And a final question about Kudoz points - how on earth do I get these? I've looked at some of the question in my language pair before but I never know the answers (and I presume people only ask a question when they've exhausted all other resources). There are so many people with decades of experience I feel it will take me years to get to the point they're at. ▲ Collapse
| | | | Vivien Green
Regatul Unit
din franceză în engleză
INIŢIATORUL SUBIECTULUI | directory ranking. | Mar 17, 2013 |
Just thought of another question - is it actually worthwhile to improve your position in the proz.com directory? I sometimes think it might work like google; if you can make it onto the first or second page then it does make a difference, but improving your position from page 502 to page 309 probably won't lead to any obvious benefits.
| | | | XXXphxxx (X)
Regatul Unit
Local time: 20:46
din portugheză în engleză
+ ...
| Professional associations | Mar 17, 2013 |
Vivien Green wrote:
Lisa - I'll look into the ITI and CIOL. One of my friends actually suggested this but I haven't done anything about it so far. I was a bit hesitant as it costs yet more money I don't really have and since it's not really a qualification I wasn't sure if it would be valuable to a beginner like me (my friend found it beneficial but she is an interpreter with a Masters degree). When you say it gives you an excellent network, how important is this? I am on various translation networks on linkedin and organised a translators meetup through meetup.com - not necessarily expecting to get work through either but thought it couldn't hurt to meet other professionals. Would there be more likelihood of work through a network like the ITI or CIOL?
What it'll give you is access to rates surveys, advice on setting yourself up, discounted professional liability insurance, access to forums with professionals able to give you sound advice, help with terminology (rather than the off-the-wall answers you often see on KudoZ). Pointing to membership of a professional association will also mean that many agencies will be happy to waive requirements for references, translation tests etc and finally I gather that the ITI directory (for qualified members) is somewhere that good clients go to in order to find translators. I'm sure I could think of many more pluses - those are the ones that immediately come to mind. You'll find the membership fee will pay for itself in no time.
| | | | XXXphxxx (X)
Regatul Unit
Local time: 20:46
din portugheză în engleză
+ ...
| You've hit the nail on the head | Mar 17, 2013 |
Vivien Green wrote:
Just thought of another question - is it actually worthwhile to improve your position in the proz.com directory? I sometimes think it might work like google; if you can make it onto the first or second page then it does make a difference, but improving your position from page 502 to page 309 probably won't lead to any obvious benefits.
I only ever get contacted for one of my language combinations and in one particular specialist area. Looking at my directory rankings I see that it's because I come out on page 1 for that particular combination. There are people on KudoZ who have been collecting points for YEARS, they answer most questions in a matter of moments and have a vast number of points. To me, it is one of the reasons the system doesn't work. A newcomer hasn't got the remotest chance of catching up. My advice would be to save your precious time and focus on other marketing routes - I'm not a fan of the way KudoZ is run
| | |
|
|
|
Vivien Green
Regatul Unit
din franceză în engleză
INIŢIATORUL SUBIECTULUI | That definitely sounds worth looking into. | Mar 17, 2013 |
What it'll give you is access to rates surveys, advice on setting yourself up, discounted professional liability insurance, access to forums with professionals able to give you sound advice, help with terminology (rather than the off-the-wall answers you often see on KudoZ). Pointing to membership of a professional association will also mean that many agencies will be happy to waive requirements for references, translation tests etc and finally I gather that the ITI directory (for q ... See more What it'll give you is access to rates surveys, advice on setting yourself up, discounted professional liability insurance, access to forums with professionals able to give you sound advice, help with terminology (rather than the off-the-wall answers you often see on KudoZ). Pointing to membership of a professional association will also mean that many agencies will be happy to waive requirements for references, translation tests etc and finally I gather that the ITI directory (for qualified members) is somewhere that good clients go to in order to find translators. I'm sure I could think of many more pluses - those are the ones that immediately come to mind. You'll find the membership fee will pay for itself in no time.
Some of that does sound very valuable although I have some of those things already - A friend of a friend sent me some very useful rate studies and I'm so far finding proz.com pretty good for advice, although maybe I don't know what I'm missing?!
I would be interested in the terminology help though. One of the biggest surprises I've had so far with the work I've done is quite how many terms there are that do not appear in dictionaries or the proz.com glossaries. Even when google shows that the term is used frequently, it has been surprisingly difficult to find the English equivalent on many occasions.
I'm really surprised agencies would waive their requirement for references and tests - have you seen this happening a lot or is it occasional? Is it not quite easy to become a member if you've got the money? The fact that agencies value membership is definitely worth taking note of though so thanks for the information!
▲ Collapse
| | | | Vivien Green
Regatul Unit
din franceză în engleză
INIŢIATORUL SUBIECTULUI | Insurance and kudoz points again. | Mar 17, 2013 |
No idea what happened with the formatting there!
And I also meant to say the insurance would be enormously beneficial.
I have actually just found a kudoz question I know the answer to - although the answer is actually also contained in a discussion posted below the question (the discussion contains a link to another member who had asked the same question and received the correct translation in response). I'm not sure if I can reply to the unanswered one and get points... See more No idea what happened with the formatting there!
And I also meant to say the insurance would be enormously beneficial.
I have actually just found a kudoz question I know the answer to - although the answer is actually also contained in a discussion posted below the question (the discussion contains a link to another member who had asked the same question and received the correct translation in response). I'm not sure if I can reply to the unanswered one and get points?! Although if the points aren't all that valuable, I suppose it's not that important. ▲ Collapse
| | | | XXXphxxx (X)
Regatul Unit
Local time: 20:46
din portugheză în engleză
+ ...
Vivien Green wrote:
I'm really surprised agencies would waive their requirement for references and tests - have you seen this happening a lot or is it occasional? Is it not quite easy to become a member if you've got the money?
Put it this way, I have never given a client the name of a referee and I haven't done an unpaid test for 10+ years. You'll need to take a look at the qualifying criteria for becoming a member of each respective association. You may have to start off as an associate and even associates I believe need to provide proof of qualifications/experience and names of referees. No, you don't just pay and join. It' s not Proz
[Edited at 2013-03-18 08:19 GMT]
| | | | Sheila Wilson
Spania
Local time: 20:46
Membru (2007)
engleză
+ ...
| KudoZ can be helpful here on ProZ.com | Mar 17, 2013 |
Vivien Green wrote:
is it actually worthwhile to improve your position in the proz.com directory? I sometimes think it might work like google; if you can make it onto the first or second page then it does make a difference, but improving your position from page 502 to page 309 probably won't lead to any obvious benefits.
You do have the disadvantage of being a very small fish in a very large ocean, I'm afraid - and I'm swimming along there with you. Someone in a rare language pair can afford to be complacent, knowing that clients will find him/her with no trouble. But we have to work hard at getting noticed.
KudoZ CAN help here. Even if you come way down the list of all FR>EN translators, that's not how clients generally use the directory. They'll search for exactly the type of translator they reckon will fit their need best. FR>EN translators live all over the world, and if the client specifically looks for UK-based ones, then you're a bigger fish climbing up a shorter list (sorry, I think I ought to drop the fish analogy).
Now that the list's shorter, those KudoZ points become more important, especially as the list is sorted firstly on points in the specified field. So, imagine the client searches for Religion, and you and Jo Bloggs both specialise in it. Jo has 5000 points overall but zero in Religion, and you have 12 overall and 4 in Religion. You're above Jo in the list due to those 4 points (normally gained from having just one answer accepted.) Does that make sense?
Anyway, used sensibly, KudoZ has several other advantages:-
- potential clients and other freelancers can very easily browse the questions we've answered, giving them a good feel for our skills, our use of language etc;
- it hones our research skills, which are very, very important to a translator;
- we find out things along the way and expand our vocabulary;
- fellow translators are more prepared to give their time to help us when we have a real need for collaboration on a difficult term;
- it does give you a good feeling to have helped others.
But it's important to use it sensibly. Don't go chasing every point in every field. Some people get far too serious about the points and start getting bitchy, or answering when they don't have a clue. If you find that other translators are getting that way, or are asking lists of stupid questions that you feel are wasting your time, filter them out so you don't get alerts to their input.
| | |
|
|
|
Vivien Green
Regatul Unit
din franceză în engleză
INIŢIATORUL SUBIECTULUI | membership of CIOL or ITI/kudoz points. | Mar 18, 2013 |
I had a look at the ITI and CIOL membership conditions - I don't think I'm eligible for either yet. The ITI requirements are less stringent but I need references and I don't think I can get those yet. The place I worked for for the last five years no longer exists (and they had a policy of not giving out references even when they did). Any professional connections I've made as a translator have not existed for the minimum year-long time period.
I need a qualification for the CIOL... See more I had a look at the ITI and CIOL membership conditions - I don't think I'm eligible for either yet. The ITI requirements are less stringent but I need references and I don't think I can get those yet. The place I worked for for the last five years no longer exists (and they had a policy of not giving out references even when they did). Any professional connections I've made as a translator have not existed for the minimum year-long time period.
I need a qualification for the CIOL and in the last year of my degree, the language component was not quite 40% (frustratingly it was supposed to be, but the course structure was changed in the year I did my finals reducing the language component).
But it's something to keep in mind for the future, thank you!
Re the kudoz points, it's good to have another perspective, so thanks Sheila. What you say does make sense. It's just going to take some time to build up some specialist knowledge. ▲ Collapse
| | | | XXXphxxx (X)
Regatul Unit
Local time: 20:46
din portugheză în engleză
+ ...
| Worth a call | Mar 18, 2013 |
Vivien Green wrote:
I had a look at the ITI and CIOL membership conditions - I don't think I'm eligible for either yet. The ITI requirements are less stringent but I need references and I don't think I can get those yet. The place I worked for for the last five years no longer exists (and they had a policy of not giving out references even when they did). Any professional connections I've made as a translator have not existed for the minimum year-long time period.
It's worth a call to either institute who will be able to tell you for certain whether or not you are eligible now. They often think of experience or qualifications you hadn't considered or may have other ideas on referees. I know what you mean re. company policies on not giving out references; it's becoming increasingly the case
| | | | Stephen Emm
Local time: 20:46
din franceză în engleză
+ ...
| Do a translation diploma | Mar 19, 2013 |
Vivien Green wrote:
I had a look at the ITI and CIOL membership conditions - I don't think I'm eligible for either yet. The ITI requirements are less stringent but I need references and I don't think I can get those yet. The place I worked for for the last five years no longer exists (and they had a policy of not giving out references even when they did). Any professional connections I've made as a translator have not existed for the minimum year-long time period.
I need a qualification for the CIOL and in the last year of my degree, the language component was not quite 40% (frustratingly it was supposed to be, but the course structure was changed in the year I did my finals reducing the language component).
But it's something to keep in mind for the future, thank you!
Re the kudoz points, it's good to have another perspective, so thanks Sheila. What you say does make sense. It's just going to take some time to build up some specialist knowledge.
You won't be eligible for full ITI membership yet, you will need to have been working in the translation industry for 3 years and completed a certain number of assignments. You will also need to be able to provide a couple of industry references and then pass the exam.
You can, however, join the ITI as an associate member and still enjoy the benefits that being part of the ITI network provides. This could be a good move for you.
I would also agree with the earlier poster (Lisa, I think) who suggested doing an MA or diploma in translation on a part-time basis. I did an MA in translation back in 2000 and it was invaluable in terms of building skills, establishing confidence and gaining a foothold in the translation industry. I did the course on a full-time basis, but in hindsight, it would have probably been a better option to do the course on a part-time or distance learning basis.
Some people might be sceptical about the value of translation qualifications, but as a young translator, they could help you get your first in-house job in the industry or make you stand out from other freelancers who have no specialist qualifications or just have a language degree.
| | | | Jessie LN
Regatul Unit
Local time: 20:46
din spaniolă în engleză
+ ...
| Glad I read this | Mar 24, 2013 |
This is a really helpful thread. Although I have a degree in languages with a translation component (which I loved and got excellent marks for), I still feel slighted every time I have to answer the question "Do you have a degree/Masters in translation?" when registering with an agency. I don't have one, but in a way I do... how do I let them know that I'm worth considering??
There is a new translation MSc running at the university where I did my undergrad and I'm seriously tempted ... See more This is a really helpful thread. Although I have a degree in languages with a translation component (which I loved and got excellent marks for), I still feel slighted every time I have to answer the question "Do you have a degree/Masters in translation?" when registering with an agency. I don't have one, but in a way I do... how do I let them know that I'm worth considering??
There is a new translation MSc running at the university where I did my undergrad and I'm seriously tempted to give the 2-year part-time option a go while simultaneously trying to build a freelance career, as some of you have already suggested. However, it will probably overlap with my plans to start a family. Is it possible to do all three of these things at once?? My head hurts just thinking about it.
I've been looking into membership of professional associations as well, so I'm very glad I came across this topic. Thanks for starting it, Vivien
[Edited at 2013-03-24 10:13 GMT] ▲ Collapse
| | | | | Număr de pagini: < [1 2] | To report site rules violations or get help, contact a site moderator: You can also contact site staff by submitting a support request » Can anyone advise me on translation qualifications? | Trados Studio 2022 Freelance | The leading translation software used by over 270,000 translators.
Designed with your feedback in mind, Trados Studio 2022 delivers an unrivalled, powerful desktop
and cloud solution, empowering you to work in the most efficient and cost-effective way.
More info » |
| | TM-Town | Manage your TMs and Terms ... and boost your translation business
Are you ready for something fresh in the industry? TM-Town is a unique new site for you -- the freelance translator -- to store, manage and share translation memories (TMs) and glossaries...and potentially meet new clients on the basis of your prior work.
More info » |
|
| | | | X Sign in to your ProZ.com account... | | | | | |
Login to reply/comment 
Translation news
