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Independent Contractors All presentations are in English unless otherwise noted. IC-1
(T, 1:45pm-3:15pm) - Beginner Freelance translators and interpreters are in business. This presentation introduces new professionals to the elements of budgeting and business management, as well as to the use of a nontechnical procedure for calculating a minimum price. The method outlined should help anyone develop personal criteria for determining whether a proposed assignment would be profitable. The presentation will suggest ways to track work volume and revenue, which are important for business health and tax reporting. Included will be new material on financial planning, customer relations, and more time for questions and answers. IC-2
(T, 3:30pm-4:15pm) - All LevelsAa Translation companies use hundreds of translators; unless you stand out from the crowd, you will be overlooked. Solid translation skills are not all that it takes to be a successful translator. This session explores what you can do to enhance your standing with translation companies. Translators attending this session will learn how they can become the kind of translator agencies prefer. Discussions will address the best ways to approach a prospective agency and how to "sell" your services where industry needs change as technology advances. The speaker is the founder and president of ISI, a nationwide translation agency based in North Hollywood, California, that has been around since 1982. IC-3
(T, 4:15pm-5:00pm) - All Levels A discussion of the methods individual translators can use to find, and keep, direct clients. This presentation is based on the speaker's experience of almost a decade running an independent translation office in the Chicago Loop. Developing lasting relationships with direct clients provides rewards beyond the ones you deposit in the bank. In fact, most of the ways to find end users for your services make up the same steps that will enhance your professional skills, raise the profile of our professional in general, and keep work fun. Participants are encouraged to share their experiences and ideas. IC-4
(F, 3:30pm-4:15pm) - All Levels This presentation will discuss the process of going from employee, to freelancer, to business owner. Topics to be addressed: the possibilities, the differences, the difficulties, and the pitfalls; what works best for the independent businessperson in the language services sector; working in the global interconnected economy (in your country or abroad); and the alternative track (enhancing another career or profession by adding your knowledge of languages). IC-5
(F, 4:15pm-5:00pm) - Beginner/Intermediate Translators are commonly seen either as "lone wolves" working in isolation, or as in-house translators working in teams. However, the virtual ad-hoc team, in which groups of translators collaborate on large projects, has become increasingly common, particularly for major documentation and software localization projects. This presentation will discuss the advantages virtual teamwork offers to freelance translators, the problems associated with this way of working, the prerequisites in terms of software and hardware, and the new roles translators may take on as members of virtual teams. As outsourcing trends continue, many translators may find themselves working closely with colleagues they will never meet face-to-face. IC-6
(S, 1:45pm-3:15pm) - All Levels What are the specific things translators ought to be doing to present a consistent and professional image as independent translators to clients, the community, and each other? Two experienced translators continue their dialogue with colleagues that was begun at previous conferences ("A Distinctly Absurd Proposal," "Deformation Professionnelle") on what we really do, what translating has done for us, and how to make it all perceived more positively. New IC-7 (S, 3:30pm-4:15pm) - All Levels Claims against translators can arise from different forms of conduct. Examples of the types of claims that have been or can be made against translation services will be discussed as instructive ways in which they can be prevented, including the use of credential verification, checklists, and other procedural steps prior to, during, and after the performance of services. There will also be a discussion of the ways to mitigate the impact of claims, including contractual provisions limiting liability and/or damages, as well as the steps to be taken after a claim is made or after you become aware of a potential claim. (Related Sessions: Preconference Seminars (Seminar J), Freedom is Not Free: The Business Side of Freelancing; Agencies, Bureaus, and Companies (ABC-4) Translating for an International Corporation III: Translator Skills and Competencies; and ATA (ATA-11), Translation, Publicity, and Public Relations: Why Grassroots Activism Can Make a Difference to Your Bottom Line |
