Nowadays it is much easier to find any information online than ever before. However, when it comes to looking for a job in any field, including translation, many are at a loss and spending hours surfing the web does not bring any results. The issue is that technologies are only as good as those who use them and without knowing the right places and effective strategies, the job search may transform into looking for a black cat in a dark room.
Finding agencies that hire translators may not be an easy task especially for a beginner. Companies often use clickbait to attract the attention of translators to copywriting and similar services because those often have high rotation and need new people constantly. Another obstacle is that looking at a stunning homepage of a company with dozens of positive reviews and a hundred promises of the bright future and unimaginable earnings one can still not know whether that business is not a scam or if all the information regarding the job they offer is way too much sugar-coated. However, it is still possible to get through this mess and find real vacancies for a translator. Some of the strategies to find agencies hiring translators that work are:
Depending on how one uses it, Google can be either a waste of time or a very powerful tool for finding a job. What makes a difference here is a search query. It should not be too long e.g. “I need a well-paid translation job” or too short e.g. “work for translator”. It should not even be a full sentence or a phrase. A good search query is straight to the point and contains only relevant keywords. But what is relevant in this case? Well, if you are looking for a job, what is relevant, is, of course, the field, in this case, translation. Next, the query should include the specific language pair you want to work with, e.g. English French. The last relevant part is what exactly you are looking for in relation to the field of translation and a language pair – e.g. vacancy, agency, application/apply. With a precise query the output will correspond. Just skip the ads on the top and look through the search results.
What is good about LinkedIn is that not only you can look for an agency to work in but also an agency to seek you. So you can make use of the passive job search. However, there are several important prerequisites for it to take place. One needs to fill in as many sections in the profile as possible and make it look like a CV for a translator’s position. Another important thing is having a wide network. The more often you show up in the search results and recommendations, the higher are the chances to receive job offers on LinkedIn. Concerning the Premium subscription, it is not needed for the majority of users and most likely it will not produce any significant effect.
The best place for translators to find recommendations and feedback regarding the work in particular translation agencies are translation forums. If in many companies there are practices of asking employees to write positive reviews in Google and Glassdoor, and there are special reputation managers who keep track of it and fake information, on forums translators can openly share their experience and reveal the truth. Many of the forums often have special sections where translators share open vacancies in translation agencies that are worth attention. They also discuss their own ways to look for translation companies, which can also be helpful especially for beginners in the industry.
It is worth mentioning Proz.com separately since it is not just a forum but rather a whole community of translators with many tools designed specifically for their needs. One can search through their database of translation agencies and companies to find the best possible match for the services you need. Another option is to go to the Jobs directory to find some specific orders and take part in the bidding process. What is probably the most valuable when looking for a translation agency to apply is the Blue Board. It is the system of rating companies by the likelihood of working with them again where translators on Proz.com evaluate their experience after completing some job for a client. If the rating of a particular agency is very low, it is probably better to avoid it.
This website will probably be one of the first when searching for a translation agency that hires translators. It is no surprise that oftentimes language professionals are recruited on this freelance platform. What is good about it is that you set your own rate and attract the specific types of clients you would like to work with. In order to be successful on Upwork one needs to be able to present oneself and think of the way one’s page looks to attract the attention of potential clients.
When looking for a translation agency to work with there are certain parameters that can filter the companies and help to see only the most suitable vacancies. However, one should also keep in mind that if too many filters are applied the number of results may be 0. It can be either a matter of convenience or personal preference but the main things to pay attention to can be:
Finding a good translation agency can be a challenging task for a translator at the beginning. But with perseverance and effort it is possible to be hired by a trustworthy company and enjoy effective and smooth cooperation. The two most important things are believing in one’s own professionalism and choosing the right strategies for job search.
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