Tag: interpretation

ATIA Translators

Title Protection and Your ATIA

Posted on by Amelia Hall in Community, Field, Interpretation, Members Only, Professionalism, Title Protection, Translation

Big developments are underway with your ATIA

The ATIA is working closely with the Government of Alberta to secure Title Protection for Certified Translators and Interpreters under the Professional and Occupations Association Registration Act in Alberta.

What is Title Protection?

Title Protection would reserve the right to the titles of “Certified Translator” and “Certified Interpreter” for certified members of the ATIA under provincial legislation.

The fundamental purpose of Title Protection is to regulate professions in the public interest. It serves as a mechanism for informed choice, empowering the general public to understand the risks and benefits associated with their choice in hiring professionals.

As it currently stands, anyone can legally claim to be a “certified translator/interpreter.” With Title Protection, users of translation services will be able to distinguish Certified Translators or Interpreters from uncertified practitioners through the protection of the titles: Certified Translator and Certified Interpreter.

In Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick and British Columbia, the titles of “Certified Translator” and “Certified Interpreter” are protected under each province’s respective legislative mandates. Examples of other professions regulated by Alberta’s Professional and Occupations Association Registration Act include Landscape Architects, Professional Planners, Municipal Assessors, Certified Management Consultants, Professional Biologists and Chemists, and Professional Electrical Contractors and Master Electricians.

What does this mean for members of the ATIA?

With Title Protection, only certified members of the ATIA will be able to call themselves “Certified Translator/Interpreter.” Consequently, these protected titles will become synonymous with the professional competence and ethical conduct of the certified members of the ATIA. This will enable the consumer to distinguish between language professionals who meet the guaranteed minimum standard of competence and accountability to the profession from those who do not.

The crux of Title Protection’s utility is informing users of translation and interpretation services and the general public. We are currently developing outreach and engagement initiatives to raise awareness on the standard of competence and accountability guaranteed by language professionals of the ATIA; but we need your support. As members of the ATIA, we are all accountable to our profession – both through our own professional practice and through the public-facing aspects of our field. There are many ways you can engage with your ATIA to forward your own career and the sector as a whole, and every contribution elevates all of us.

For more information on Title Protection, engaging with the ATIA, or how you can contribute to the development of the language sector in Alberta, please contact development@atia.ab.ca.

Healthy Freelancing Boundaries

Posted on by drawingboarddesign in Industry Tips, Professionalism

When you are a self-employed as a freelancer or contractor, being on the lookout for potential clients is a way of life.  When we find new potential clients, or when there are new inquiries into our work, it is certainly an exciting thing. This is especially the case when we are just starting out, are experiencing a lull in incoming business, or have recently wrapped up projects and are eager to start more.

However, it is important to not allow your boundaries to be crossed by potential clients, even when you are in need of new ones. There may be traps that we can fall into, such as more work required than was stated at the beginning of the contract and clients who assume you are available most times of the day. If we can set reasonable boundaries from the beginning, from the time the initial contract is made, this can prevent you from falling into any of these traps.  Here are some trade secrets for subtly setting boundaries in this line of work:

  • Set project management meetings
  • Get all documents needed before starting work
  • Consider rush fees, revision fees, and deadline missed fees

Set regular meetings to go over progress and any issues. This not only keeps you on task, but can also be very helpful for the client. All too often we are inundated with emails, texts, and phone calls from clients. If we can limit this correspondence to these meetings, it can cut down on the expectation (and overwhelm) of timely replies.

Gathering everything needed before work starts can eliminate the need to drag projects on past their expected deadline. If you find yourself waiting for necessary documents, this can potentially prevent you from working on other projects, as you are saving space for this client and perhaps have not taken on others. Assert this to avoid this potential set back.

A tight turn around time requires hard work in a short amount of time, with little room for maintaining work-life balance. You may consider raising your prices for this. On the flip side, you might also consider setting fees for projects that drag on due to the client’s delay. At times, you may come across clients who never seem to be satisfied – here you can charge a fee for going beyond a set number of revisions that you deemed to be sufficient from the get-go. Finally as a follow-up to number 2, charging for missing documents and missed deadlines on the client’s part may be helpful.

Pro tips:

Manage expectations with assertiveness

The best way to manage expectations, of course, is to set them at the beginning and be extremely consistent and diligent with these contracted expectations. However, in the case that these expectations aren’t respected or maintained, it is imperative to have assertive and direct conversations with clients about this.  In addition, in the very early stages of project discussion prior to contracts being drawn up, remember that you are under no obligation to take on the project if it’s not a good fit for you.  Just because you’ve entered into a dialogue about the client’s needs and expectations does not mean that you are then obliged to take the job on.

Use your intuition by listening to yourself

If you have a gut feeling about a potential client or an offer, then it may not be for you. Listening to your intuition takes skill, including an ability to listen to what your body and “gut” is telling you, an ability to read body language of others, and, of course, an ability to say no.  Sometimes we ignore these for the sake of incoming business, but the outcome could end up being less than beneficial. Always listen to what your intuition is telling you to avoid potential setbacks, negative outcomes, and individuals who may be trying to take advantage of inexperience or financial need.

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Digital Marketing for The World of Languages

Posted on by drawingboarddesign in Field, Industry Tips, Professionalism

How do you market yourself online when you do not have specific goods to sell, but are selling your services?  The answer to this question is content marketing strategies. When you have a service to offer, generating content and an audience online can gather many potential clients. It is defined as the supply of relevant, informative and entertaining web content to the internet user. This content could take many forms, including blogs, tips, research and more.

When content is generated on a regular basis – credibility and trust grows. This is because it provides an opportunity for the service and the client to connect in the digital world. Relationships are built and maintained. It’s the next best thing to networking in person.

As a translator, how do you stand out among other service providers on the market? It’s a difficult thing to do – stand out and assert yourself among others.  However, with good content marketing, it is possible to gain an advantage over the competition through digital relationship building. Many translators seek contracts as sole proprietors, and do not operate with huge marketing budgets, and it becomes important to generate content in a productive, efficient and economical way. Here are steps in doing so.

 Create or refresh your website

The first step to content marketing is to ensure you have a website and that it is performing well.  You may consider hiring a web designer to assist with this process, however it is not necessary with some basic research into how to do this. If your website is already created, you could examine every page to ensure that your links are correct, and that there are no “dead ends”.  You may want to look for and delete content that is outdated, incorrect or repeats. 

 Write content regularly

New content is the basis of this type of marketing.  Websites that create new content often come up higher in Google searches, resulting in better rankings for the website. Thus, content marketing isn’t about creating website pages and being done – it is an ongoing project. Some individuals choose to hire marketing companies for this process, others update content alongside their translation work.  It is recommended that new content be created at least once a month, to allow for this relationship building and for clients to hear you voice through your writing style and skill.

Spread the word around

Now that content is written, it’s time to spread it around. Raising visibility can be done on websites like Linkedin that are dedicated to digital marketing.  There are free community platforms that can be posted to, such as Medium, Flipboard, and Hub Pages.  Social media can be invaluable for spreading the word about your new content. Social media can humanize a business by putting your face onto it and showing your qualifications, experiences, and personal style.  Building followers by engaging with your online community regularly is key to social media success.  This is called “seeding” – when you put your content in a place that your target audience is likely to read it,

Learn SEO

Search Engine Optimization, or SEO, is essential for content marketing. This is where your website comes up in search engines based on the keywords within your website. These keywords are the fundamental concepts that describe your website and any words that a client may use to type into a search engine, like google. Once you have compiled a list of keywords, then integrating them into your website in titles, headings, and descriptions is paramount for SEO. Caution must be used, here, because too many keywords can cause search engines, like google, to react negatively and lower the websites rankings. The goal here is to make your website high on the list of websites that come up in relevant searches – think page 1!

Marketing Strategies for Freelance Translators and Interpreters

Posted on by drawingboarddesign in Industry Tips, Interpretation, Professionalism, Translation

?Understanding languages is a pretty good industry to get into. Globalization has increased the need for translators and interpreters to continue to break down language barriers. As such, it can be one of the most satisfying careers, as interpreters and translators have a direct role in bridging language and culture and breaking down barriers.

The translation services industry is growing rapidly, and the demand for effective translators and interpreters remains large. The industry is expected to increase to $38 billion by next year and $45 billion by 2020. Additionally, employment rates are expected to grow by 29 percent until 2024. Some of these rates will be within freelancing or contract work.  Many who are looking to freelance can benefit from marketing strategies that look at ways of gaining new clients and new contracts.  Making real life connections is key. Below are some marketing strategies geared to those who are in the business of language.

If you can commit to talking to at least three different people about your business everyday, you’ll be likely see some changes within your clients, your contracts, and your income.

Social media certainly has it’s place in the marketing world, as long as you are using it consistently in order to build an audience. However, not all marketing should be done on the computer, and meeting your potential clients where they are is equally as important. Do your research, find out where your ideal clients go to network, learn, and grow their businesses — and go there too!

Having a speech prepared that briefly describes who you are, what you do, and what you can offer is key during moments of networking. Whether impromptu meetings or planned networking events, preparing what you will say can help ensure you communicate the information and message you wish to convey. Remember to keep your tone level, your language positive, and use accessible, precise, and plain language. Be sure to tell them how to find you, whether it’s online or your physical work address, and be sure to do it within one minute so you don’t lose your audience. 

Now that you have met new contacts, a key piece to networking is following up, rather than relying on your potential clients to contact you. Following up quickly is key, within 24 hours is ideal. Ensure you mention meeting them, and offer to meet up again. If you follow up via written form, ensure you use professional language and edit thoroughly!

Referrals are the most effective, and cost-effective, way to generate new business, yet asking for referrals can feel awkward. It is important to know your client, so generally using the clients you have the best relationship with is important. You may need to be professional and direct, or more personal and out-of-the-box. You may offer incentives for referrals, and be sure to thank your clients afterward.

Anyone who freelances what they do can benefit from learning and practicing some marketing and network strategies. Freelance translators and interpreter, by nature, have careers that rely upon and build relationships. In fact, your very job includes building bridges between culture and language and deepening bonds between neighbours. Now that’s a great career.