Packing your bags and going abroad in order to work as a translator can be difficult if you don’t know what to expect. Depending on the languages you know and the climate of the country you want to visit, you can gain significant experience for your future career development. What are some of the details surrounding the idea of working abroad as a translator and what can you get from doing so?
Becoming a freelancer
Being a freelance writer means several things – not the least of which is the ability to pick and choose your clients. You can focus your efforts on finding local clients in the country which you choose to visit or simply work through freelancing platforms such as Upwork and Freelancer.
Doing whichever one will allow you the free time you need to learn more about the people and the language of the country you chose to reside in for the time being.
Localizing your previous work
It’s a good idea to practice translating into a new language by taking your previous projects and localizing them. This can help you practice for future projects and have tangible documents to show to potential clients.
You can do this in your spare time as a means to sharpen your skills and practice in a stress-free environment without deadlines or requirements.
Learning new languages
One of the best benefits of working abroad as a translator is the ability to get firsthand knowledge of new cultures and languages. This will provide a huge benefit for your future development and the prospects of you getting hired by new clients.
People like seeing professionals that have intimate knowledge of their own culture and beliefs. Using this to your advantage coupled with a professional editor from Pick Writers – best translation website can prove to be a good combination for implementing your newfound languages.
Personal and professional development
Living in another country means that you will have a lot of time to dedicate towards your personal development. This can make your time management and organizational skills much better as a result, giving you plenty of opportunity to apply them to your translation work. Working outside of your comfort zone comes with its set of challenges, all of which will contribute to your independence and individuality as a translator and a person.
Networking opportunities
Traveling to other countries is a great way to meet new clients and translators that are willing to work with you in the future. While you can certainly find both online without meeting them in person, the later will give you a much better chance to leave a lasting impression and land new contracts shortly afterwards.
Use the opportunity of traveling abroad to meet as many new people as possible, putting an emphasis on professionals in your niche. Make sure to also pay attention to any seminars, conferences and meet-ups that might be happening in your vicinity while you are abroad since these prove to be the most effective means of networking.
Fulltime or freelance translation
Making a choice between settling down with a fulltime employment and traveling the world indefinitely is a matter of personal choice. Some people prefer to stay digital nomads for the majority of their lives while others prefer settling down and starting families somewhere abroad.
Choose what you think is best for your future and choose a place that makes you happy and gives you the opportunity to grow as a professional. In the end, that is all everyone is looking for out of life, professional translator or not.
Tags: Career, Translator, Work