{"id":3232,"date":"2023-08-21T13:20:24","date_gmt":"2023-08-21T11:20:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/spezialis-translations.at\/?p=3232"},"modified":"2023-09-20T13:21:26","modified_gmt":"2023-09-20T11:21:26","slug":"advice-new-translators","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/spezialis-translations.at\/en\/general\/advice-new-translators\/","title":{"rendered":"4 things I wish I\u2019d known when I became a legal translator"},"content":{"rendered":"

Being one of those staid, square people who likes to keep their membership of online platforms to a sensible number, I was surprised to find myself joining Reddit recently. My primary motivation in doing so was to join in discussions about SEO as part of establishing and growing my new business<\/a>.<\/strong><\/p>\n

But I also decided to use the opportunity to join a community for translators wishing to share their experiences with others in the industry. See if I could share some of the insights I\u2019ve gained in my time as a freelance legal translator.<\/p>\n

Many of the posts in the group were from young language graduates thinking of becoming freelance translators and requesting advice from those already out in the trenches \u2013 err, sorry \u2013 market<\/em>.<\/p>\n

I won\u2019t lie: reading through a few of these newbie \u201cwhat should I do?\u201d posts, a part of me wanted to write \u201csomething else\u201d.<\/p>\n

But that is far too harsh. Even though I am currently in the process of diversifying away from translation, I have never regretted my decision to become a freelance legal translator back in 2015. It was a culmination of my years of legal education in England, Germany and Austria and the years I then spent working in the Austrian legal sector. Not just that: it was a much better fit for my personality and natural strengths – and I knew there was a market gap for well-done, quality German to English legal translations.<\/p>\n

It is enormously satisfying to be a proud nerd in your niche, to have very definite opinions about how things should and shouldn\u2019t be done – and to be genuinely driven to provide the best results every time.<\/p>\n

It is precisely this depth of experience – and the fact that I am now pivoting away from the branch somewhat – which makes me feel like ponying up some unvarnished honesty when it comes to the challenges of being a freelance translator in 2023. And the young, fresh-faced whippersnappers of Reddit were first in the line for a dollop of it.<\/p>\n

Here\u2019s what I told them.<\/p>\n

1. Working for translation agencies is all about weighing up the benefits and the costs<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Getting on the books of a translation agency or two is a great way to get the money flowing when you\u2019re setting up your business. You don\u2019t have to worry about customer acquisition, the work is quite varied \u2013 and it just comes to you.<\/p>\n

The price of this simplicity is that you get paid a whole lot less than with direct customers. The agency obviously takes their cut, there might be a proofreader who needs paying out of the price too\u2026and all on a hyper-competitive marketplace being totally upended by AI. Oh yes, and you have next to no bargaining power over price or conditions \u2013 it\u2019s basically take it or leave it.<\/p>\n

Agencies can also seriously mess you around. Translators are ten-a-penny and if you aren\u2019t doing their bidding 100% then the next one is waiting right behind you, ready to take your place. Don\u2019t think for a minute that you are special or that anyone really cares about you. You are mostly just a name on an electronic project management dashboard.<\/p>\n

Here are some of the things I\u2019ve experienced with agencies in the last 8 years:<\/p>\n