The Savvy Newcomer aims to serve newcomers to the translation and interpreting professions by publishing high-quality, peer-reviewed content on a weekly basis. We strive to provide you with the answers to the many questions you face as a new or aspiring translator or interpreter.
Many language professionals start out doing their work “on the side” of whatever else they are doing in life. When people find out you are bilingual, you may be asked to do some volunteer interpreting to help out a friend, family member, or someone in need, or you may agree or be expected to do the occasional translation—and maybe even get paid for it. Volunteering and doing small side jobs are great ways to gain experience and improve your skills as a translator or interpreter. But in order to be a professional—whether you plan on doing this work part-time or…
Read MorePublic Outreach Presentations: Change Perceptions Outside our Industry
This past fall, Veronika Demichelis and I had the opportunity to speak about translation and interpreting at Rice University. My hope is that in sharing our experience, you will be encouraged to seek out or accept similar opportunities. It’s important to bring greater awareness to the general public about our industry and to educate potential buyers of translation and interpreting…
Read MoreMore is Not Better When It Comes to Your T&I Client List
This post was originally published on Madalena Sánchez Zampaulo’s blog. It is reposted with permission from the author. Everyone wants to grow their client list. After all, who wouldn’t, right? It’s part of being a business owner, no matter if you are a freelancer or if you manage several people who work for you. It’s good to always have more…
Read MoreAttending Your Clients’ Conferences
Have you ever been told, “go where your clients go,” “meet your clients face-to-face,” or “attend an industry event”? Have you been interested, but not sure where to start? Attending your potential clients’ conferences can be very rewarding: you learn new terminology, get familiar with the industry, meet potential clients, and promote your services. The list goes on! However, conferences…
Read More10 New Year’s Resolutions in the Field of Privacy for Freelance Translators
This post was originally published on LinkedIn. It is reposted with permission from the author. Do you collect personal data from your clients and prospects living in the European Economic Area (EEA)? If so, give a fresh start to your privacy practices. 1. Clean up your clients and prospects’ personal data Do you store personal data from your clients and…
Read More5 Truths About Court Interpreting
This post was originally published on the Translation Times blog. It is reposted with permission from the author. Both our interpreting students and beginning court interpreters colleagues pursing certification regularly ask us about what it’s really like to be a working court interpreter. As Judy is a federally certified Spanish court interpreter, she is going to (partially, of course) answer this…
Read MoreMachine Translation and the Savvy Translator
Using machine translation is easy; using it critically requires some thought. Tick tock! As translators, we’re all too familiar with the experience of working under pressure to meet tight deadlines. We may have various tools that can help us to work more quickly, such as translation memory systems, terminology management tools, and online concordancers. Sometimes, we may even find it…
Read MoreWhat Freelancers Can Learn from Entrepreneurs
This post was originally published on the Freelancers Union blog. It is reposted with permission from the author. Get paid for doing what I love, doing it wherever I want, whenever I want, and however I want. No more bosses demanding unconvincing protocols or mandatory smiles (I’ll never forget those six years at a burger joint where “smiles were a part…
Read MorePromoting the Craftsmanship of our Profession
1944. Wartime France. No fabric. The norm had been 100. They were down to an index of 26. There was not even enough material to make socks! Paris, the world’s fashion capital, had lost hope of reviving its precious haute couture. American photojournalist Lee Miller came to France as a war correspondent. She connected with Edmonde Charles-Rouxe, a French war…
Read MoreGlossaries for Translators: Why You Need Them
Photo Credit: Alex Read via Unsplash This post was originally published on the Ben Translates blog. It is reposted with permission from the author. If you are a translator and you haven’t made your own translation glossaries yet, you need to create one right now. You are not just missing out; you are doing yourself a disservice. The benefits of creating…
Read MoreThe Monterey Institute: A Translator’s Tale
The purpose of this post is to help you answer the question: Is it worth it for me to get a degree in translation? By degree, I mean a formal, one- or two-year academic program that teaches the theory and practice of translation. Clearly, the answer to the question will depend on the individual and their circumstances. To help you…
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