Are you thinking to change your boat? You seem to stand in front of the ocean and questioning yourself — How should I start? Smaller questions follow the main — “Is that what I really want to do?” If Yes, then get prepared ! You will face tight deadlines and flexible workdays, unexpected offers and customer critics, exhaustive workspace and short breaks, self-financing and instability. Finally, you have to follow the constant excitements accompanied with repeated disappointments.

Any freelancer, being a translator or a programmer, is depending on the new orders. The customers are the source of stable revenues allowing us to reach the financial stability. But how to reach the stability…As a freelancer you will need a number of tips in order to walk on your path of beginner translator. 

1. Flexible schedule

The world of freelancing implies the freedom, just don’t be naïve! Don’t presume that an unlimited free time awaits you. Correct, you are no longer tied to your employer’s desk. The daily routine when you wake up at 7 o’clock, you do a quick breakfast, drive your car whistling a song, meet your desk with a cup of coffee and complete the workday is over. 

Freelancing means to be awaken all the time: follow your emails, accept unexpected offers, meet tight deadlines, work on large and small orders, adopt the flexibility of freelancer’s life. You finance your existence being your own employer.

2. Internal and external customers

Expand the number of your internal and external customers. Register in different freelancing and translation websites introducing your experience, skills, trainings and acquired certifications. Create your portfolios. Several large platforms such as Fiverr, Freelancer, Upwork, Flexjobs, SimplyHired, Guru, LinkedIn, Behance, 99designs, Dribbble, People Per Hour, ServiceScape, DesignHill, TaskRabbit and other platforms offer various jobs for freelancers. Be active on websites and forums. Actively communicate with your customers introducing them your prices and deadlines.

3. Service specification

Specify your service. If you prefer translations and dislike review or proofreading offers, then talk to your customer about "Translation Only" services. If you do proofreading exclusively, submit and promote it. Involve specific claimants in your business. Try to distinguish the fields of translations —  what is the scope you feel better? For example, do you provide only medical, historical, business, marketing, geological, construction, mechanical, sports or standard translations?

More you are specific, easier is for your customer.

4. Pricing Definitions

Clearly define your translation pricing. Set a minimum price for small documents and offer higher pricing for technical translations. Technical translations require long-term efforts. Not a time you will spend more time on searching a word, checking the meanings, researching new terms and so on. On the other hand your customer may have a difficulty to imagine the number of hours you may spend on a short paragraph. He will better complain of literal translations or fluency of text as he hardly imagine the number of hours you may spend on working with technical content. 

Estimate your time, set clearly your pricing and explain in detail your job to the customer. 

5. Active communication with the client

One of the important aspects of translation work is the correct communication with the client. Each translation order is accompanied by a number of documents: guidelines, checklists, glossary references, style guides, final documents, etc. These are intended for the translator to help him achieve a quality translation. It is very important to read your client’s instructions carefully and several times in order to apply them correctly during the translation. Try to maintain active contact with your client by asking him questions both before and after the translation.

6. Computer knowledge

Translators constantly receive documents of various formats requiring computer knowledge. The PDF format usually disliked by translators is anyway one of the most common formats that translators may work. To deal with different file formats try to install in your computer all the necessary programs which will be helpful when receiving an order. Get acknowledge with different computer tips and tools constantly acquiring new knowledge. You will not feel the use of knowledge right away, but once you get the translation projects in hurry, you will appreciate your acquiring. 

7․ Holidays

We started with the idea that we need to be flexible in the freelancing world like have a flexible schedule, quick answers to requests, constant readiness for translations and not only on working days and so on. But... you can’t always continue like this.

As a beginner translator, try to work with your customers adjusting your working hours and days over the time. If you receive offers on non-working days, try to coordinate the orders with the customer by moving them to Monday. Indicate what days and what hours you rest. If you are going on vacation, leave a mandatory notice for your clients. Constantly regulate your time as it will allow you to perform such an exhausting work as translation.