| Páginas no tópico: < [1 2] | Should I give up trying to work as a freelance translator? Tópico cartaz: Antonio Arizcun
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Samuel Murray 
Holanda
Local time: 12:10
Membro (2006)
inglês para africâner
+ ...
| Don't say "I do this because I attended that" | Mar 26, 2014 |
Regarding your web site:
You write: "I offer video games localization, having completed an online course in the subject by Pablo Muñoz, and software localization, having completed an online course by Tragora Formación." If I was a client and I had either of those types of jobs, I would not give them to you, because you create the impression that you believe simply attending a course makes you competent in that field. And "online course" sounds like something that anyone could ha... See more Regarding your web site:
You write: "I offer video games localization, having completed an online course in the subject by Pablo Muñoz, and software localization, having completed an online course by Tragora Formación." If I was a client and I had either of those types of jobs, I would not give them to you, because you create the impression that you believe simply attending a course makes you competent in that field. And "online course" sounds like something that anyone could have done in their spare time (some online courses give diplomas even if you only attended the course). And do you think clients would know who or what Pablo and Tragora is? Even if I had studied under the great Reiss, Vermeer and Holz themselves, I doubt if any of my clients would know who that is. Academic peers would know, but not clients, and you're trying to attract clients here.
I don't think we should overplay the value of a web site (hardly any of my clients get a hold of me via my web site) but I can say this about it: your web site is geared towards introducing you as a person -- instead, it should focus more on what you can do for clients, and less on who you are and what you've decided to do with your life after you did what you did previously.
Regarding your résumé:
Your résumé says "Starting a career as a freelance translator" in the very first line, and that is a signal to clients that you're not competent as a translator. A sentence like "My goals for the first year, as stated in my business plan are to obtain enough customers to have an opportunity to delight them" is what you should write to your academic head of department to impress him with your fervour, but you won't win any clients that way. Instead, redesign your CV so that it focuses more on what services you offer and less on your personal willingness to be a good person.
Positioning your contact details lower down the page on your résumé makes it look like a sponsored advert instead of address details. I think you're also assuming too much of clients, e.g. you're assuming that they will know that "Antonio Arizcun Martín" is your name. And why do you put your hobbies in the same box as your contact details? I also have personal information on my résumé (I used to mention my hobbies, but I no longer do, because I no longer have hobbies), but the personal information should be at the very end, almost as an end-note.
Just a thought: will US clients know what "in the UK" means?
Trados? Which Trados?
Your profile photo reminds me of someone who's just had a night of hard partying and who has put on his shirt the next morning but haven't shaved yet, and is caught by surprised by drunk friend's camera. Sorry, I don't mean to be rude -- you should smile as you read this. I'm not saying you can't look professional with that beard, but the photo doesn't sell you well.
Here's the overal impression that I get from your résumé: you studied English literature and then couldn't find a job in it, so you worked at a retail store for a while, and now you want to do some translation work on the side. Is that really the impression that you want to create? Your retail experience has nothing to do with your translation career -- don't make mention of it except as a small note about what other experience you have. If you know a lot about the retail industry and you want clients to think that that is your speciality, then try to give the impression that you're an expert in that field and not that you've "worked in retail".
[Edited at 2014-03-26 07:12 GMT] ▲ Collapse
| | | | Kay Denney
França
Local time: 12:10
francês para inglês
In the key words of your profile, I see "relable", do you mean "reliable"?
I only spent five seconds looking at your profile and saw that. As a client, I would think "his spell check is not reliable" and move on to the next one.
Other than that, I don't really have much else to contribute apart from vouching for the advice already given.
Good luck!
[Edited at 2014-03-26 11:20 GMT]
| | | | Emma Goldsmith
Espanha
Local time: 12:10
Membro (2004)
espanhol para inglês
| Bump your MA to the very top of the page | Mar 26, 2014 |
If you want to sell yourself as a translator, get together all the information relevant to translation and delete the rest (almost). This applies to your CV and to your ProZ profile.
If I were you, I'd introduce myself in the following order:
1. MA in translation at x university.
2. Degree in English at x
3. Strong source language skills: 10 yrs' residence in England
4. Target language skills: can you show you write well in Spanish? At least point people to ... See more If you want to sell yourself as a translator, get together all the information relevant to translation and delete the rest (almost). This applies to your CV and to your ProZ profile.
If I were you, I'd introduce myself in the following order:
1. MA in translation at x university.
2. Degree in English at x
3. Strong source language skills: 10 yrs' residence in England
4. Target language skills: can you show you write well in Spanish? At least point people to your samples.
4. X years experience (include your MA years)
5. Specialisms: x and y (back this up if you can with x words, x courses, etc.)
6. CAT tools: which one, which version. If you consider yourself a competent CAT tool user, then now's the time to say it.
I wouldn't even mention retail experience or do any name dropping. John Lewis sounds great in the retail world in the UK, but it doesn't mean anything outside that world.
And I wouldn't offer Spanish to English translations, as others have mentioned.
Hope this is helpful,
Emma ▲ Collapse
| | | | Samuel Murray
Holanda
Local time: 12:10
Membro (2006)
inglês para africâner
+ ...
Emma Goldsmith wrote:
4. X years experience (include your MA years)
I would consider that dishonest.
Two more thoughts:
* Did you spend two years (2007 and 2009) or three years (2007-2009) on the MA?
* I just noticed that you taught English classes -- you can tout that as well.
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Tom in London
Reino Unido
Local time: 11:10
Membro (2008)
italiano para inglês
Texte Style wrote:
In the key words of your profile, I see "relable", do you mean "reliable"?
I only spent five seconds looking at your profile and saw that. As a client, I would think "his spell check is not reliable" and move on to the next one.
Other than that, I don't really have much else to contribute apart from vouching for the advice already given.
Good luck!
[Edited at 2014-03-26 11:20 GMT]
...and I noticed "...it seems that there are less and less questions coming".
That should be "fewer and fewer".
| | | | laure claesen
França
Local time: 12:10
Membro (2005)
inglês para francês
| A number of agencies are always looking for freelancers | Mar 26, 2014 |
I agree with all my colleagues : don't give up. I went through this myself at the beginning but I was so keen in becoming a translator that I made it work -- almost frantically.
Just another tip, if I may:
A number of agencies are always looking for freelancers. They have a tab "Careers" in their websites where they would specify this. Don't be afraid to have a very detailed CV - just the opposite of what you learn in job centers. Whoever is looking for your experience will pick up w... See more I agree with all my colleagues : don't give up. I went through this myself at the beginning but I was so keen in becoming a translator that I made it work -- almost frantically.
Just another tip, if I may:
A number of agencies are always looking for freelancers. They have a tab "Careers" in their websites where they would specify this. Don't be afraid to have a very detailed CV - just the opposite of what you learn in job centers. Whoever is looking for your experience will pick up what they need at a glance.
Target 3 or 4 everyday, whilst also browse their website.
Also, translate something everyday.
A newspaper article, something interesting found on the internet. Breathe and live what you want to be.
I wish you the best and I believe it will work for you. ▲ Collapse
| | | | Emma Goldsmith
Espanha
Local time: 12:10
Membro (2004)
espanhol para inglês
Samuel Murray wrote: Emma Goldsmith wrote:
4. X years experience (include your MA years) I would consider that dishonest.
If Antonio writes "x years' experience as a full-time professional translator" that would be dishonest.
If he writes "x years' experience translating English to Spanish" (or similar) I think it would be true.
I agree, Samuel, that "X years' experience" is always hard to define. Does it include full time, part time, paid, unpaid, doing it as a student, for a neighbour...
My son's been interpreting for his grandparents since he was 3, but that probably doesn't count as years of experience for a CV.
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