Translation Rules

1) It’s not about your language skills

Language skills for a successful, professional translators are secondary. Because if
you want to be a success you have to make money. And making money means
finding clients. I’d much rather be a decent translator with killer marketing skills
finding clients than the most awesome translator ever with no skills at finding new
clients. The first way, you’ll make money. The second way, you won’t. It’s as simple
as that.
2) You have to solve a problem
Translation is just like any business. In order to succeed, you have to solve a
problem. You have to be the solution. And in order to do that, you have to know what
problems you are trying to solve. Do you know what your translation clients need
from you? Or are you just guessing?
3) Success takes real work
It’s easy to look at successful translators and complain how they have it so easy.
How they are successful because of X, Y, or Z. But what we don’t see are the hours
of laboring in obscurity that they’ve gone through. The frustration, wins, and losses
that have hardened them to where they are now. Don’t think that success is easy. It
takes work. Lots of work. And when you’ve done that, it takes even more work.
4) Tactics are for lazy people
Don’t get caught up in the entrepreneur hype when you first start out. You know what
that hype is.
“Get on Twitter!”
“You have to be on Pinterest!”
“Instagram is where it’s at!”
Instead of tactics, focus on your strategies. Figure out your goals and make long and
short-term plans to reach those goals. The only real thing you need is your own
website. As a translator, you want a way for people to reach you, find you, and know
who you are. A professional website is the best way to do that as a translator. I use
Bluehost for my websites. It’s what I recommend for all translators.
5) Professionals get paid
To be considered a professional translator, you need to learn how to get paid. If you
love translating for the fun of it, fine. But if you want to treat it like a business, that
means figuring out how to get people to pay you for your service and expertise. Don’t
feel like you have to provide free translations to your local community center just so
you can “pay your dues.” That’s stupid. If you’re a translator, act like one. Treat it like
a business and do work that gives you money in return.
6) You don’t need credentials
And speaking of paying your dues, you don’t need permission to be a translator. You
don’t need a translation certification. You don’t need another translator’s blessing.
You don’t need a college degree. You don’t even need to have lived in a country that
speaks your second language. If your language skills are good enough, and you can
market your services effectively, you’ll get paid.
7) You need a medium of communication
Remember that part about tactics?
You need a way to get your message out. A way for potential clients to find you, trust
you, and hire you. Some people use Facebook, others use Twitter or YouTube. I
don’t recommend any of these.
Why? Because you don’t own any of these platforms. You could be banned for no
reason from any of these platforms and your audience would disappear overnight.
However, if you have your own website, you own the platform. It’s your place on the
Internet. And nobody can arbitrarily take it away from you because they disagree
with your message, or any other reason. So, get your website.
8) You don’t need fancy equipment or software
Be careful when you first start out as a beginning translator. Don’t bye into the hype
that you have to own the latest and greatest translation software or computer
equipment. Don’t spend $1000 on translation software before you even know if
you’ve positioned yourself well enough to earn that money back. Instead, use free
options. Google has it’s own Translator’s Toolkit. Sure it might not have all the bells
and whistles that come with a $1,000 program, but it will get the job done. Your
equipment doesn’t make you successful. You make yourself successful. Then you
can get the equipment to push you even further.
9) Communication is key
One of the most important translation rules for new translators is that communication
is important. Not just communication itself. But also knowing how to communicate
effectively. As a successful translator, you will not hide behind your email. You will
not hide behind your website. You have to be in front of customers, either in person
or virtually. Make sure you know how to talk on the phone. Know how to use Skype
or Facetime. Understand that you need to exude confidence in yourself and the
services you offer. And that confidence has to be conveyed to your potential clients.
They don’t want to entrust their business to a loser.Show them you are a winner by
how to talk to them.
10) Don’t give a shit what others think
As a translator just starting out, you need to not care what other people think. You’ll
have lots of people tell you that you’re wrong, or you’re wasting your life, or whatever
else. The reason they will say these things is because you will no longer fit into the
mold of what they are stuck in. They want out of their boring life. You are trying to
make something more of yourself and they don’t like it because it shows that they
are lazy and not willing to work to get what they want.
11) Be prepared to put in the time
Everything worthwhile takes time, there are no shortcuts. If you want it, you have to
be willing to work for it. Day after day, month after month, year after year. But if you’re
consistent, you’ll be a success. You’ll make it where you want to be. Imagine yourself
already there and let that give you motivation when times get hard and you feel like
you’re stuck.
12) Lay off the social media
Putting in the time means making sure your efforts are directed where they need to
be. Finding clients, making money, marketing your services, networking. It doesn’t
mean wasting time on translator forums. It doesn’t mean wasting time on social
media. Those are time sucks. If you want to be on social media, fine. But don’t fool
yourself into thinking your building your business by posting on Twitter or Facebook.
You can do that when you have a consistent stream of 1,000+ visits a day to your
own communication media, like your own blog.
13) Look for ways to diversify
Some of the most successful translators don’t limit themselves to simply translation.
They offer complementary services. They figure out what they enjoy and see how
they can solve other problems their customers have. When I was translating full-
time, I noticed that the clients I translated for also need native language writers. I
always felt confident in my writing abilities, so I started adding that to my services
offered. Pretty soon, writing overtook my translation. I found it more rewarding. So I
started offering it more. I would have never evolved in that direction had I not been
willing to branch out and try something new. If you’re a translator, you can transition
to a number of other ventures. You just have to be open to the opportunities.
14) Certification is not necessary
Don’t fall into this trap, don’t think that you need to be certified, don’t think you need
to have permission from anyone to start. Just start. Certification can be useful, but it
is not necessary. Let me say that again. Translation certification is not necessary to
becoming a professional translator.
15) It has to be done your way
One of the final translation rules for new translators is this:
Remember that your path is and will be different than any other translator.
It will be different than mine.
It will be different than your mentor’s.
It will be different than the path of any other translator you read about online.
And that’s how it should be.
 República Bolivariana de Venezuela
Ministerio del Poder Popular para la Educación
Universidad Nacional Experimental del Magisterio
“Samuel Robinson”
Guanare Estado Portuguesa

Participante:
Ing. Jesús Toledo
V-19187108