Even before the internet globalized our industry, it wasn’t easy to get your first translation clients. Now, with people from less affluent countries flooding the market, it’s harder than ever. Clients are picky and, if given the chance, will almost always opt for a translator with experience over somebody without. In other words, you need the job to get the experience and the experience to get the job. Luckily, I have a few strategies to help break you out of this chicken-and-the-egg loop.

How Can You Make Finding Your First Translation Jobs Easier?

Getting experience and finding your first translation jobs can seem hard, but if you follow these simple tips, the process should become easier.

1. Stay Open-minded: While you might have your heart set on a cushy agency gig, that isn’t always where your first gig will come from. You also might have a hard time finding a job that fits your ideal schedule. At this stage in the game, it’s important that you keep your options open and give every opportunity equal consideration. Just because a job pays a bit less than what you’re used to doesn’t mean that it’s a bad one. Use your first year in the industry to explore what’s out there. Now’s not the time to get nitpicky.
2. Tell People You’re a Translator: A surprising number of newbies stay mum about their translation ambitions. You need to be open about your career ambitions. Tell your friends and family that you’re looking for translation work. Crow about your accomplishments on your blog and on social media. You never know which aunt or ex-roommate might have an opportunity in mind. I suggest getting some quality business cards made and passing them out at this stage in the process. It gets your name out faster than just shooting messages to anonymous clients on a job board.
3. Fill in the Gaps: Not having a job means you have time to work on your portfolio and CV You’d be surprised how many non-profits need a good translator. And, you might be equally shocked by the doors pro-bono work opens. Consider joining a group like Translators Without Borders or helping Wikipedia translate pages from one language into another. Just make sure you’re doing something with your downtime. Inactivity never looks good on a resume.
4. Tailor Your Applications: Though it might be tempting to just blanket the market with copy-and-paste form letters, that won’t help you. Clients can tell when an applicant hasn’t read their job post or translator requirements. So, apply to a limited number of jobs and customize your applications for each of them. It might be tedious, but it helps.
5. Try Keeping It Local: Even in the age of computers, clients are more likely to take a chance on someone they’ve met face to face. Reach out to local agencies and ask if they’d be interested in doing an informational interview. Though you’ll get plenty of noncommittal responses, you might just get lucky. If you do get the chance to meet in person, be sure to come prepared with samples, questions, and gratitude.
6. Look into Specializing: Since they have to compete with every translator under the sun, generalists have a much harder time finding work. Use your newfound downtime to build a niche for yourself. Find a few industries that you have experience or interest in and build your new portfolio around them. This allows you to showcase yourself as an expert in the field and sets you apart from other applicants.

Five Places You Can Go to Find Entry-Level Translation Work

It’s no use knowing how to find a job if you don’t know where to look. While smaller agencies are definitely more desirable than the sources below, they can afford to be picky. With that in mind, let’s talk about your options:

1. Translator Portals: These are the first thing most people think of when it comes time to find their first translation job. Though a lot of these platforms are outdated in terms of design and UI, they’re still solid options for finding your first gig. Some of my favorites include The Open Mic, TM-Town, Translators Café, and Proz. Personally, as it’s where I netted one of my first jobs, I’m partial to the latter. If you join these platforms, just know that many of them require paid memberships to be successful.
2. Agencies: Though direct clients are great, agencies come pre-equipped with structure and regularity. While we’d all prefer to work at smaller, better-paying agencies, it’s hard to get into those when you’re just starting out. Most of them require three-plus years of experience before even considering your resume. If you decide to apply to these firms anyway, make sure your cover letter, portfolio, and CV are top-notch. A single typo is enough to sink your already slim chances. While larger agencies might be maligned for their lower rates and stringent turnaround times, they’re also a lot easier to break into Most industry giants rely on skills tests to evaluate applicants and aren’t all that worried about experience. And, due to their above-average turnover rates, they’re almost always hiring. Third, most of them allow you to pick up and drop jobs on demand, making them a great way to level out the doldrums You can visit Nimdzi to see a list of the world’s largest translation providers.
3. Translation Associations: Though many of these don’t post jobs directly, they are a common hunting ground for clients. Register as a translator with your country’s largest associations and make sure to fill out your entire profile. This not only gives you more exposure but also boosts your professional image.
4. Freelance Websites: These job sites aren’t designed specifically for translators, but many of them include translation as a category. By putting you in direct touch with clients, they give you a way to highlight your skills. This low barrier to entry, however, means that competition is fierce and rates low. Worse yet, their already rock-bottom prices are further eroded by platform fees and charges. Sites in this category include Upwork, FreeeUp, Hubstaff, Guru, and People Per Hour.
5. Facebook and LinkedIn Groups: There are groups out there that help translators find new projects. Join a couple and watch for jobs that interest you. Just be sure to read and adhere to the guidelines laid out by the administrators before trying to join. If you don’t, you might start off your translation career with a ban. Large groups in this category include Translation Jobs, Jobs For All Translators of the World, and Language Jobs.

Still Having Trouble?

While it’s not guaranteed, following the strategies laid out above should make finding your first freelance job a lot easier. But, even when you do everything right, it can still take a while to find a client open to working with you. This timeframe can vary depending on your previous experience, certifications, language pair, and marketing skills. While I can’t help you with the former, I can definitely help you with marketing your services. To learn more about how I can help, click here.