Five top tips for excellence in translation.

1)   Google as much as possible: don’t focus merely on the linguistic aspect, but also verify the content of the text. The client will be delighted to know you’ve actually done your research. Don’t hesitate to point out errors or question the information provided. A good translator takes his time to immerse himself in the subject. Needless to say you should always be subtle when informing the client of inconsistencies. After all, no one likes to be corrected and criticised.

2)   Ask a second translator to proofread your text. I know it may sound time-consuming and it may require additional (financial) resources, but in the long run it pays to have someone – preferably a translator – proofread your texts, at least when you’re dealing with large volumes. Remember that unfortunately very few translation agencies actually proofread all translations, so errors can end up costing you dearly.

3)   Take your time. Sure, the more translations you accept, the more money you make, but don’t overdo it. Ideally, you should finish a translation, close the document and re-read it after half an hour or so (or better even, the following morning). I guarantee you'll find typos and discrepancies you missed the first time around.

4)   Build up a network of translator friends and enlist their help whenever you need it. The world of translation is a tough sector where everyone wants a slice of the cake, but translators do realise they sometimes need each other’s help. Set your pride aside and just ask. Social media – Twitter in particular – has opened up so many possibilities, all just a click away!

5)   Your job is done once you’ve sent your work to the client, unless there are complaints and/or queries on his part. Don’t forget that your way of communicating with the client is just as important as the translation itself. Don’t just write “Here you go”. Show that you’ve put some effort into writing your e-mail. A brief, sloppy message doesn’t leave a good impression.

And of course, be passionate about what you do. I can’t stress this enough. If your heart is not in it, the quality of your work will be affected, so don't accept any assignments just for the sake of it. If you're not good at translating contracts, don't even bother. Focus on your field of expertise.

Au boulot!

How to be an awful translator

A few rough guidelines:

1) Idiomatic expressions? Translate them literally. Isn’t that creative?

2) Editable graphics? Just pretend they were non-editable and skip them.

3) Names? Don’t google them. You wouldn’t mind if people misspelled yours, would you?

4) Don’t even bother to open background texts. Who has time for that, right?

5)  A PDF document as reference material? Doesn’t the ADOBE converter do the job perfectly?

6)  Don’t like the original font and layout? Use your own. The designer will appreciate your efforts.

7) Don’t re-read your translation when you’re done – the proofreader or client will be more than happy to correct all your typos and syntax errors.

8) Don’t use the spell checker. I’m sure you know how to write anyway.

9) Save your file in a different format. Let the proofreader or client figure it out.

10) And last but not least, deliver an hour late. Deadlines are overrated.

Thank you for a job well done!