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How to Get Out of a Marketing Rut in Your T&I Business
March/April 2022 Issue
So many people would love to make marketing a habit in their translation or interpreting freelance business, but it can be easier said than done. Just like with any skill or habit, good marketing practices take time to develop. And when you find what works for you, what resonates with your clients, and what brings […]
Setting Goals for Your Freelance Business: An Important Job Satisfaction Tool
November/December 2021 Issue
The following was originally published on Next Level: The ATA Business Practices Blog. This initiative by ATA’s Business Practices Education Committee provides information for both freelancers and company owners to use in all aspects of their careers, from improving their privacy protections to planning for retirement. Visit: www.atanet.org/career-education/next-level. I’ve been teaching business classes for freelance […]
Why You Need to Keep Swipe Files for Your T&I Business
July/August 2021 Issue
Swipe files are something I believe every translator or interpreter should be keeping for their business, regardless of whether they prefer to work with translation/interpreting agencies or direct clients. So, what’s a swipe file? In a nutshell, a swipe file is a file or folder you keep on your computer, in your email, on your […]
Teamwork: The Pros and Cons of Being a Lone Wolf or a Pack Animal
May/June 2021 Issue
From the outside looking in, most translators probably seem like lone wolves, happily working at their desks all day with hardly any social contact. In fact, many freelancers highlight being their own boss and making all the decisions as one of the main reasons they pursued a self-employed career. But the reality can be quite […]
Why Your Website Needs a Contact Form and How to Get It Right
January/February 2021 Issue
Contact forms on websites are nothing new these days. But not all freelance translators or interpreters take advantage of them. There are a lot of good reasons to use a contact form. It doesn’t have to be totally impersonal if you set it up well. Done right, you can make a contact form that’s beneficial […]
Query Sheet Management for Project Managers and Translators
September/October 2020 Issue
Everyone will probably agree that one of the most important aspects of a successful translation project is communication—with the client, project manager, and linguistic team. To facilitate organized and effective communication between everyone involved in a project, a query sheet will sometimes be provided. These sheets are especially important in large, complex projects where there […]
How to Plan for Big Changes in Your Freelance Business
November/December 2019 Issue
Do you ever feel like you need to make a change in your business, but you’re not sure when to pull the trigger? Or maybe you know you’ve needed to make a change for some time but just keep putting it off. If you aren’t sure when the best time is to make a change […]
Glossaries for Translators: Why You Need Them
September/October 2019 Issue
If you haven’t made your own translation glossaries yet, you need to create one right now. You’re not just missing out, you’re doing yourself a disservice. The benefits of creating and maintaining your own glossaries cannot be understated, from increased productivity to better translation quality. They are essential tools for all translators that can be […]
Three Myths about Who Should Edit Your Translation
July/August 2019 Issue
(The following originally appeared on The Savvy Newcomer blog, https://atasavvynewcomer.org.) Some translation projects involve a lone translator, while others allow the translator to choose an editor. My own experience comes from working for direct clients, where I almost always choose an editor to work closely on a translation with me, or we switch roles and […]