| Pages in topic: < [1 2] | Is the membership of ATA a must for a translator and interpreter? Thread poster: jiajunjorkyin
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Baran Keki 
Türkiye
Local time: 23:28
Member
English to Turkish
| How very interesting! | Nov 27, 2021 |
If anyone can certify a translation in the US, then why is it that the US Universities make it compulsory for overseas students to have their diplomas, transcripts etc. translated & certified by an ATA certified/affiliated translator?
I receive such requests every now and then (in fact these are the only requests coming my way from ATA in the last 2 years), and they hardly justify the annual fee I'm paying...
| | | | | Credentials of some kind are increasingly necessary | Nov 28, 2021 |
Jennifer Levey wrote:
A 'must'? - Certainly not.
I’ve had a fruitful and satisfying career in translation for around 47 years. My only ‘qualification’ is a grade 4 O-level in French – an exam I took in England around 55 years ago.
All the other stuff – degrees, professional associations, CPD, etc. etc. - may be ‘nice to have’, but won’t make a jot of difference to your income if you can't demonstrate to potential clients that you're a competent translator.
To do that, you need to show them your work, not the fancy diplomas hanging on the wall.
[my emphasis]
Translation is not a highly regulated profession, and there is no magic key that you must have to access the good jobs or convince clients that you can do what they need. This is why some agencies (bottom feeders) go for the cheapest offer or the fastest response to a post on their platform.
Clients willing to pay for quality have to be convinced that you can deliver, and ultimately your work is the most convincing proof.
However, your actual work may be confidential or subject to NDAs, or new clients may not have time to look at samples of it. The right credentials can show that you know what you are doing.
Some clients ask for references, and as a beginner you may not have many. You do not want to ask for them too often. Freelancing is not employment, and your clients may not want to give references to potential competitors.
Membership of an association is an advantage here – the references go only to the association, and only once, so you do not need references several times a year for each new project.
-- Qualifying for membership and signing a code of conduct shows you are a professional.
-- Clients can find you if you have a profile on the association website, such as the Chartered Institute of Linguists’ Find a Linguist or the equivalent. (My target language is British English, so I am a member of the UK-based CIoL.)
Exam certificates may or may not be useful. Real knowledge of a specialist subject can be proved in many ways, but increasingly, qualifications make an impression. You need to market your expertise one way or another. I would not advise a young translator to start out today with only an O-level and no plans for relevant CPD.
Look at it from the client’s point of view – what would your ideal client look for in a translator? If you have the right qualifications, say so on your profile, and if not, think about how you can acquire them!
[Edited at 2021-11-29 10:46 GMT]
| | | | jiajunjorkyin
China
Local time: 04:28
English to Chinese
+ ...
TOPIC STARTER
Thank you for all your comments and I will treasure.
By the way ,is ATA membership exam quite difficult?
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