Healthy Freelancing Boundaries

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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Marketing Strategies for Freelance Translators and Interpreters

?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. 

4 reasons why you need to learn to let go of your translations

Translators, similar to writers, often get attached to the fruits of their creative work, the words they’ve crafted, creative solutions they spent hours pondering. That’s why handing over a project to a client can elicit mixed feelings—on the one hand, you’re thrilled to take on new challenges; on the other hand, you’re parting with your brainchild that, in a way, carries parts of you. Translation offers a glimpse of your personality, reveals your thought process, exposes some of your biases, beliefs, and values. Even the most technical of translations has your unique style in it, your choice of words, your voice.

While it’s rewarding—even necessary—to take pride in what you do, holding your work too close to your heart can undermine it.  Pouring your heart into what you do and leaving a piece of you in every project won’t go unnoticed and your clients will appreciate your passion. It’s about finding a healthy balance between dedication and detachment that will help you carry your signature throughout your work and get better with every word.

Here’s why letting go of your translations will make you a better and happier translator:

1. Letting go of your words will make you more receptive to criticism. Distancing yourself from your translations will help you take feedback and potential criticism constructively, and transform them into improvements to the original text. If a translation is an extension of you, then any form of criticism, even the most benign and well-intentioned, is going to feel as an attack on you. If you happen to work with an editor or peers who scrutinize your work, knowing exactly where you end and your translation begins will save you from unnecessary self-doubt. An adequate distance between you and your work where you focus on quality and solutions that best suit your context will help avoid tensions within your team.

2. It will help you think critically and grow. Be proud of what you do. Yet keep your mind open to better ideas. You can only take a step back, evaluate your work, and question some of your decisions if your translation is loved from a distance. By cutting ties with a text, you’ll see rationale behind your decisions and know why you did what you did, and how you can do better next time.

3. Acknowledging your mistakes will be easier. Typos in early drafts are inevitable. Did you miss a footnote? Or did your editor point out an inconsistency? If you detach your work from yourself, you will find that owning mistakes and correcting them will become easier.

4. Do it for your self-esteem and emotional well-being. Distancing yourself from the work you do for your clients will help sustain a healthy self-esteem and shield from forming a negative perception of yourself with every comment you might receive about your work. Waving good-bye to your translations will never become easy, especially if you truly love what you do. Don’t let your dedication, zest, and love for translation get in the way of professional growth and job s

Life after translation: easy add-ons that can set you apart

So you finished translating a text—now what? What extra mini services can you offer to your clients without compromising the scope of the work and within your professional and personal comfort zone? While translation already involves multiple steps—from initial research, terminology checks, drafts, and revisions—there are ways to increase the value of your services and enhance the overall quality of your work. Going the extra mile will strengthen your relationships with clients, add variety to your professional life, and push you to explore adjacent fields. In a competitive globalized economy, the extra “icing” you put on top of your translation work might be what will set you apart.

What does “going the extra mile” for your clients might mean in the language of translation? What are some organic ways to enhance quality of not only your work, but also your skills?

1) Review, edit, and proofread your work. Hone your copy-editing skills or work with professional editors. While this service might already be included in your client package, many translators overlook the value of a good edit. As we already spend hours—or days or weeks—dissecting volumes of information, researching terms, scrutinizing words, our eye get accustomed to the text at hand. As a result, we are more prone to skipping letters, skimming, or glancing over typos. Plus, by the time a translation is editable, you’ve already seen it a million times—no chance a mistake snuck in, right? Wrong!

Although translation and editing go hand-in-hand, not all translators study editing. And even if they are naturally gifted at it, they might put it off until the very end of the transition cycle or skip the step altogether.

Handing over a typos-free, clean, well-organized, and consistent copy to your client is just as important as getting the translation right. A good way to ensure editing and proofreading are integrated into your approach includes making a list of steps to check off before you fire away your translation: is the tone in your document consistent? Are page numbering, indexing and heading correct? Do you adhere to the established style guide? Are proper names spelled correctly? Build a database where you list your clients’ preferences including anything from fonts to their opinion on the Oxford comma.

2)  Offer a summary of the translated text, a bulleted outline, a presentation based on the content of the translated document as an extra service. Put yourself in the shoes of your client: will they need to present the thick manuscript you just translated to their teams? Would they want a summary of the translated file? What will the future of your translation look like? Don’t hesitate to ask your clients how they will be using the translated document, or what their future usage might be and if you can help them adapt to those needs.

3) Is your document image-heavy? Are you skilled at photo-editing software? Any way to make the translated text more visually digestible for your client? Discuss any possibility for information hierarchy, fonts that might work better to communicate the message, text placement options. If images communicate just as much information as the text you’re translating, learn how to enhance as needed.  

4) Be open to receiving feedback: if your client has comments or questions about the translated file, encourage them to reach out to you. Keep all lines of communication open and offer to revise your work in case your clients receives feedback.