interpreter – Page 3

Are You Cut Out to Work as an Interpreter? Six key traits of professional interpreters

Posted on October 15, 2018 by drawingboarddesign in Field, Interpretation, Professionalism

Are you a bilingual or multi-lingual individual thinking about putting your language knowledge to work? Perhaps already working as a translator and looking to branch out? Interpretation is rewarding work, but knowledge of languages is only a starting point for success in the field. Do you have several of these six traits of successful and fulfilled professional interpreters? You might be cut out for a career as an interpreter!

Good listener. The ability to speak fluently in multiple languages is, of course key, but more than half your time as an interpreter will actually be spent listening! Interpretation requires focused, attentive listening, often for long periods of time. Your client is depending on you to capture every detail and aspect of an interaction and to convey their meaning accurately, so it is important to be fully attentive to all parties. In addition to the very focused listening required while interpreting in the moment, at the outset of any job you will have to listen to your clients and make sure that you have a clear understanding of their needs and of the situation that you will be entering as their interpreter.

Ability to multitask. Interpretation requires a very particular type of fast paced, mental multi-tasking. Interpreters have to watch and listen (often while taking notes), absorb the meaning of what was said, as well as non-verbal cues, mentally translate the meaning, and then speak clearly and fluently. It is a rapid process, and the interpreter must also be able to easily alternate between translating and speaking both languages.

People skills. While translation can be a solitary, cerebral occupation, interpretation is a highly person-oriented occupation. Good interpreters are not just attentive, focused listeners, they are compassionate and patient listeners. They have the ability to connect with people and establish trust, sometimes under very difficult circumstances such as a medical appointment or court appearance.

Cultural competence. Communication involves much more than spoken language. Non-verbal cues inflect the meaning of the words that we choose, and make up a significant component of how we make ourselves understood. Like words, expressions and gestures vary across culture. An interpreter should have sufficient fluency in both cultures to interpret non-verbal cues. Understanding of cultural norms and expectations is also important to understanding both parties and helping to navigate misunderstandings that go beyond language.

Specialty knowledge (or the motivation to acquire it). Interpreters work in many different areas of specialization, such as community, medical, court or conference interpretation. Each of these areas has its own sets of technical vocabulary and cultural norms that must be mastered not just in one language, but both. If you have existing knowledge of the court system, for example, this is an advantage to becoming a court interpreter. What is more important, however, is the motivation and passion to do the additional learning required to master a specialization.

Emotional resilience. As an interpreter, you will be doing highly demanding work. This is what makes interpretation rewarding. But, you may also find yourself in emotionally difficult situations, such as having to interpret bad news from a doctor, or supporting someone in the legal system, or in the middle of a conflict. While good interpreters are compassionate, they must also be able to maintain boundaries. It is important to be able to sustain your own mental and emotional well-being, as well as your professionalism and dedication.

Does this sound like you? Do the challenges and demands of interpretation sound engaging and rewarding? Then interpretation might be your best next career move!

Practicing Customer Service as a Freelancer: Nine tips for translators and interpreters

Posted on September 6, 2018 by drawingboarddesign in Industry Tips

Providing customer service based on communication, responsiveness and integrity is essential to a successful freelance career. When seeking new clients, customer service is what sets one certified expert apart from another. It is also what keeps clients returning. But what does good customer service actually look like for a translator or interpreter? We have nine tips for stepping up your customer service game from first contact with a client to end of contract:

Invest in a good website. Most clients will seek you out online. Make sure that your online presence is easy to navigate and clearly provides all the information that a potential client will need to understand your services and recognize your value. Make it easy for them to contact you.
Practice good email and phone etiquette. Customer service for freelancers is all about building relationships, so be friendly, positive and professional. Use salutations in your emails. Smile on the phone and say thank you.
Listen to your clients. The goal of good customer service is a satisfied client – or better yet, a client who has been truly wowed. To satisfy a client you must understand what they want and deliver the product or service. To wow a client you must understand their values and priorities and be able to deliver an experience beyond their expectations.
Use your expertise, with tact. The customer is always right, except that they have come to you as an expert. You have the experience and knowledge to avoid potential issues in a project, so don’t be afraid to share your expert perspective on a course of action.
Set clear expectations from the start. Good customer service requires flexibility, but professionalism includes setting limits that reflect the value of your time and expertise. Agree upon clear and realistic deliverables and deadlines from the outset of a project. Include limitations such as how many revisions you will provide before incurring additional charges.
You and the client are a team. Even with the best laid agreement, clients will occasionally make unexpected requests and projects will hit setbacks. Remember that the client and you are on the same team and respond with flexibility and a collaborative attitude.
Focus on solutions, not blame. When problems arise or you receive critical feedback from a client, focus on generating solutions rather than assigning (or dodging) blame.
Be able to apologize. Owning up to your mistakes with humility demonstrates integrity.
Follow up. After completing a contract, follow up with the client to thank them for their business and ensure they are satisfied.

Success as a freelance professional depends on good client relationships and a positive reputation. This is especially the case in professions such as translation and interpretation, where the freelancer is involved in something as intimate and nuanced as communicating on behalf of a client. Consistent customer service practices demonstrate professionalism, dedication and integrity, all of which are qualities that will bring both new and repeat clients.

The Art of Exceeding Client Expectations: Why customer service should matter to freelancers

Posted on August 3, 2018 by drawingboarddesign in Industry Tips

As a freelance translator or interpreter, you’ve dedicated years to learning your craft, building a portfolio and mastering certifications. You may want to believe that your specialized knowledge and experience will speak for (and sell) itself, but succeeding as a freelancer takes a whole host of other skills. A freelancer has to be his or her own sales and marketing team, accountant, office administrator and maybe even web designer. Among all the roles that freelancers play, it is easy to see why the importance of customer service is sometimes overlooked. It should not be that way, though. Effort put into customer service saves double that effort in seeking and securing clients.

What is customer service? It is about more than fielding complaints and practicing good email etiquette. Customer service is the art of exceeding customer expectations. Success as a freelance translator or interpreter relies on being able to build strong relationships with clients. You are not just a representative of a business, you are your business. Customer service based on communication, responsiveness, and integrity will help secure new clients, build long term relationships with existing clients, and will contribute to a positive reputation.

A freelance professional who communicates clearly is easy to hire and easy to work with. You are the expert, so give potential and new clients the information they need to understand your services and value as an expert. Good communication builds rapport and connection, setting you apart from the competition. You are not just trying to secure a contract. You are establishing a relationship that may lead to repeat contracts and recommendations. Good communication is also essential to ensuring that you deliver the service that the client expects, or better yet, a service that fulfills their needs and priorities so well that it exceeds their expectations. Ultimately, this is what generates repeat business and good word-of-mouth.

Clients will also return to a freelancer who demonstrates that they are responsive to the client’s needs. This may mean being flexible to changes of direction and being open to unique requests. It also means being able to resolve problems and rectify mistakes with a positive, solution oriented attitude. Flexibility and responsiveness to requests will garner new clients. To existing clients, it will demonstrate your ongoing dedication to their satisfaction. Being able to effectively respond to problems and mistakes, which will inevitably occur, demonstrates reliability and integrity.

Like most relationships, the most successful, long term client-freelancer relationships are based on trust. Integrity is fundamental to establishing and maintaining this trust. This is can be as simple as delivering work by agreed upon deadlines, or as challenging as resolving conflicts or rectifying mistakes in a fair and constructive manner. Becoming a trusted name in your industry will also generate new business.

A strong portfolio and certifications are fundamental to establishing a career as a translator or interpreter. Customer service, however, is what will set a career as a freelancer into motion. Prioritizing customer service from first contact with a potential client and throughout the entire project pays off in a positive professional reputation, long-term, repeat clients, and new business.

Translation & The Richness of Culture (An Interview with ATIA President Perla Ben-Zvi)

Posted on July 18, 2018 by drawingboarddesign in interview

In the coming months, the Association of Translators and Interpreters of Alberta (ATIA) will be profiling some of our prominent members and those who have served (or continue to serve!) ATIA in a volunteer capacity. This month, we talked to Perla Ben Zvi, certified translator and current president of ATIA.

How long have you been part of ATIA?

In the year 2002 I became an English to Spanish Certified Translator.

Tell me a bit about your personal history and what brought you to the organization.

I came to Canada in 1989, and after going through the process of “being an immigrant” myself, I tried to give back to the community by translating for immigrants at a non-profit organization.

I loved translating from the beginning. I enjoy translating and interpreting for my clients so they may achieve their goals. I enjoy finding ways to represent as faithfully as possible the meaning of a text in another language and the constant learning experience of working on translations. Sometimes the challenge is the topic and sometimes it is in how to precisely calibrate the translation to make it the best fit for the country in which the material will be presented. Most of my translations are for Latin America where there are lots of different countries and I need to adapt the translation accordingly.

I was born in Argentina, where I studied four years towards a degree in Economics. To improve my translations skills, I completed a program offered through New York University. It was very interesting to be part of a class with students from different Latin American countries and to become aware of the subtle differences in the Spanish of the various countries.

In which positions have you served the organization?

I was the treasurer for two years from 2005 to 2007. At that time the treasurer used to do the accounting, write receipts, issue cheques, prepare the budget, etc. We were a smaller organization then, so the support was limited. From 2015 to 2017, I held the position of Vice President for Northern Alberta and I currently serve as the President.

Can you tell me about some of your most enjoyable moments as a translator? What are some of the most memorable projects you have worked on so far? Do you have a favourite?

I very much enjoy doing translations in the agricultural field. I always have something to learn about plants and animals and the richness of Alberta’s agriculture.

What struggles have you had?

Like many other translators, a big struggle is to find that “right word” in the sentence: you end up reading lots of material in the target language to make sure that the translations will read as ‘naturally’ as the original English text. At times, the problem is that the document in English was not written in the best possible way and that makes translating it effectively a bit challenging, but you work around such things.

How did you know you were cut out for translation work?
When I started to do translations I did not confine myself to personal documents. I found that enjoyed the entire process of reading, doing research, translating, editing and feeling very good about the translation I had just finished. I enjoyed reading books in the topics of translation, especially one by Marina Orellana entitled “La traducción del inglés al castellano”. Such things indicated to me that I had found my passion and my vocation.

What type of work do you primarily do? Is there another type you wish you did more of?

Over the years, most of my work has been translation, but in the last couple of years, I have increased my workload as an interpreter. I find that the balance between translations and interpretations suits my professional goals of aiding a wide variety of clients very well.

ATIA has been around since 1979! In your opinion, what makes the organization successful and gives it such longevity? What sets ATIA apart?

ATIA is a professional organization and part of a national body (CTTIC). A major reason for our success and longevity is that we take pride in the way translators and interpreters become members after proving themselves as professionals through rigorous exams. ATIA has a very strong Code of Ethics and the members are aware of the way they must conduct themselves in the field. Such standards have always set our members apart – to the satisfaction of their clients – and that makes the organization stand out for the better.

To become a member of ATIA requires preparation, experience, commitment and continuous study.

What vision have you brought to the position of President?

My vision is to help establish ATIA as the “place to go” for clients looking for professional interpreters and translators with high quality and ethical standards.

What do you like to do in your free time?

I like to travel, read books, and be with my family.

What is a quirky fact someone may not know about you?

I like salads and soups.

Perla Ben-Zvi is a Certified English-Spanish Translator and an Associate Community and Court Interpreter. Perla provides high-quality English-Spanish translations in a variety of areas, as well as exceptional interpreting services in a number of settings. Her studies also include CISOC Community Interpretation Protocols and Procedures training and police interpreting. Perla has more than 20 years of experience working in the translation industry. Perla lives in Edmonton with her family.

Translation Success (An Interview with ATIA Member Hellen Martinez)

Posted on May 10, 2018July 3, 2018 by drawingboarddesign in Uncategorized

In the coming months, the Association of Translators and Interpreters of Alberta (ATIA) will be profiling some of our prominent members and those who have served (or continue to serve!) ATIA in a volunteer capacity. This month, we talked to Hellen Martinez, certified translator and interpreter, and former ATIA President.

How long have you been part of ATIA?

I became a member in 2003.

Tell me a bit about your personal history and what brought you to the organization.

I have a bachelor’s degree in translation and interpreting from my native Peru. My dissertation thesis was about translation techniques for technical translation. I was working as a full-time translator for engineering companies in Peru. I was also a translator for the Ministry of Energy and Mines in Peru. When I moved to Canada, I intended to keep working in my career path. I learned about ATIA through Luisa Izzo, who was my Grammar teacher at the University of Calgary.

In which positions have you served the organization?

When I joined ATIA, I volunteered in events and fairs. From 2007 until 2011, I served as VP for Calgary, and from 2011 until 2016, I served as president of our organization.

Can you tell me about some of your most enjoyable moments as a translator? What are some of the most memorable projects you have worked on so far? Do you have a favourite?

I feel in the clouds when a client tells me that they loved my work. There’s nothing more uplifting than an appreciative client. I have two memorable translation projects and two memorable interpreting assignments: the translation of Antamina Mine’s Environmental Impact Assessment, the translation of Minera Panamá’s Environmental Impact Study, interpreting for Hon. Ed Stelmach, and interpreting in a casual rendez-vous where the interpreting was so incredibly dynamic that the Ecuadorian and Canadian engineers weren’t even looking at me, but at each other when they were talking. They didn’t feel my presence—and that’s exactly what you want as an interpreter!

What struggles have you had?

Lack of recognition. With Alberta being a very multicultural place, there are unfortunately a lot of people out there who claim to be translators and interpreters just because they can speak two languages. Because they lack language-transfer skills, they don’t know the industry, and accept low rates for a work that should be done by a professional translator or interpreter. These people are incredible at marketing, and, unfortunately, clients are not aware of the consequences of a bad translation or interpretation, and accept the service of these people, who are actually disserving our industry. Some traditional agencies bid their projects to the lowest offer, and most of the time low offers come from other countries or even other provinces. The paradox is that really high rates are then charged to their clients in Alberta, and very low pay is offered to the translator, enriching the middleman. I struggle to make stakeholders understand that Alberta has great interpreters, but if they keep using unqualified people, they will scare good linguists away, losing them other already hogged industries.

How did you know you were cut out for translation work?

Funnily enough, right after I finished university. I was doing my practicum at a soil mechanics laboratory, and realized how clueless engineers could be without the intervention of a translator. I am a born helper, and I realized that my calling was to help people by serving as a bridge of the language gap (as cheesy as it sounds—but it’s true!).

What type of work do you primarily do? Is there another type you wish you did more of?

I translate and interpret, but I mainly translate. I translate technical and legal documents, but technical are my favorite. I love them. As we speak, I’m translating an environmental report. I love the research, and the fact that I can’t stop until I find the right and precise word for what the text is saying. Once, I spent five hours looking for the local name of an insect only found in Central America. I went through a lot of articles and reports, until I finally found the equivalent word in Spanish. That time—that “I got it!!” moment cannot be described. The sense of accomplishment is just amazing. I wish I could do more legal interpreting—it’s an area that I really enjoy.

ATIA has been around since 1979! In your opinion, what makes the organization successful and gives it such longevity? What sets ATIA apart?

We’re close to being around for 40 years! Isn’t that amazing? What makes ATIA successful is its members, hands down. We are lucky to have very committed members who are always helping advocate for the industry, quality and good standards. What sets ATIA apart is its members and its standards. Our standards are high and because of that, our members are the most qualified translators and interpreters in the industry.

What do you like to do in your free time?

Depends on the weather! In cold days, I enjoy reading, cooking and scrapbooking. In sunny days, still reading, but also biking and walking.

What is a quirky fact someone may not know about you?

I’m a grammar nerd. I correct my daughters’ and hubby’s grammar all the time, mainly when we’re texting. And as much as I’d like to do that with some of my Facebook friends, I love them too much to lose them over missing punctuation!

Hellen Martínez CTr, AComI is an English-Spanish Certified Translator and an Associate Community Interpreter member of the Association of Translators and Interpreters of Alberta (ATIA). She holds a bachelor’s degree in Translation and Interpreting in Spanish, English and French, a Certificate in Marketing Management and is currently working toward her Certificate in Professional Editing. Hellen has more than 25 years of experience working in the translation industry. Hellen lives in Calgary with her husband and her two children.