Being independent: challenges and advantages Thread poster: Maria-Letitia Chiculita (X)
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Maria-Letitia Chiculita (X) 
Romania
Local time: 12:38
Romanian to English
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I would kindly ask you to share with us the main challenges you have to deal with and the advantages you have in your country of origin, as an independent translator/interpreter.
How do you cope with challenges and what tips would you give to new comers ?
| | | | Milos Prudek
Czech Republic
Local time: 11:38
English to Czech
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| core recommendations | Aug 25, 2009 |
I would kindly ask you to share with us the main challenges you have to deal with and the advantages you have in your country of origin, as an independent translator/interpreter.
How do you cope with challenges and what tips would you give to new comers ?
- must be self-motivated and disciplined.
- need to be able and willing to sell your services. To make offers, to negotiate prices.
- need to be able to say NO politely yet firmly.
- never become cocky.
- choose a market (high quality and adequeate pricing, or low price low quality)
- choose specialization
- separate work from entertainment/web surfing
- have a small office at home to separate work and free time
- save money (3 or more month's wage) for dry spells (no job periods)
- see dry spells as opportunity to learn or rest (hakuna matata)
- watch your health (back pain, repetitive stress injury)
- get invoicing software
- do your tax returns or hire someone to do it
- have your own domain and website
- keep your CV updated
- I could go on. These are the core recommendations.
| | | | Nicole Schnell
United States
Local time: 02:38
English to German
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In memoriam | Here is my list | Aug 26, 2009 |
- Never behave like an employee because you are not.
- Select your customers carefully. After all, they need and want to buy your services, not vice versa.
- You may become cocky. Not the unprofessional way, but like any other organization on the market. Like, say, a credit card company, because that is what you will be all of the sudden. Reserve the right to refuse service. Every gas station and restaurant has a little sign like this in their window. Why not you? It sa... See more - Never behave like an employee because you are not.
- Select your customers carefully. After all, they need and want to buy your services, not vice versa.
- You may become cocky. Not the unprofessional way, but like any other organization on the market. Like, say, a credit card company, because that is what you will be all of the sudden. Reserve the right to refuse service. Every gas station and restaurant has a little sign like this in their window. Why not you? It saves a lot of trouble in the long run.
- Do not hesitate to conduct background and credit history checks on your clients.
- Specialize. If a client tries to talk you into a field that you don't know by heart, decline. They will appreciate your honesty and professionalism.
- Deliver 100% at all times. This will turn customers into long-term clients. Beautiful!
- Don't base your business on software only. Keep your books properly.
- Do not send files titled "CV". You may as well put a big red stamp on it: "I don't have a glue and I am a beginner. Feel free to rip me off.". You are not applying for a full-time position. Send short bios, profiles or something. Don't be too generous with that.
- Build a network. You might become sick all of the sudden and you might need the help of colleagues on short notice to get a job finished. When you are self-employed, there are no excuses to miss a deadline due to the chain reaction that it will cause. You are fully liable.
- Don't work for free. This includes unpaid tests. You are a business and you have responsibilities.
- Enjoy and be proud of your business! ▲ Collapse
| | | | Sheila Wilson
Spain
Local time: 10:38
Member (2007)
English
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| I second the comments from both Milos and Nicole | Aug 26, 2009 |
They are all important concerns, and I agree with Nicole's view of "cocky" in the professional rather than personal sense.
These are the ones I find the most difficult to implement:
Milos Prudek wrote:
- separate work from entertainment/web surfing
- have a small office at home to separate work and free time
- save money (3 or more month's wage) for dry spells (no job periods)
- see dry spells as opportunity to learn or rest (hakuna matata)
It's that separation of professional and home life that I find difficult as a freelancer. It's so easy to stay at the computer, playing a game of Sudoku or whatever, when "ping" - the computer alerts you of an email arriving in your work inbox, and then it's back to work again.
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