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ATA’s 67th Annual Conference takes place October 28-31, 2026, at the Hyatt Regency San Francisco, and those four days will fly by. The attendees who get the most out of the conference are rarely the ones with the best luck; they’re the ones who did a little homework before boarding the plane. Here are nine things you can do ahead of time so you arrive ready to learn, connect, and enjoy yourself. 1. Order paper business cards now Yes, still. Paper cards remain the fastest way to close a conversation gracefully in a noisy hallway. Order them early enough so…
Using SlideShare to Embed PowerPoints in a Website
SlideShare is a slide hosting service owned by LinkedIn that allows users to upload presentations, either privately or publicly, to a website. This tool can be used for a variety of applications, including to upload presentations of useful resources for sharing with the public or a select audience, as well as to share sales and advertising information with your target…
Advice for Beginners: Specialization
By Judy Jenner Post reblogged from Translation Times blog with permission by the author, incl. the image Many beginning interpreters oftentimes ask us about specialization and whether it’s essential that they specialize. We get many of these questions from Judy’s students at the Spanish/English translation certificate program at University of San Diego-Extension and from Dagy’s mentees. We thought it might be helpful to…
Local Conferences: The Block Parties of the Language Industry
Are you a member of your local translators and interpreters association? Have you ever attended a local conference? There is no question that a large-scale conference like that of the ATA is worth attending at least once in your career, but conferences of its scope come with a price tag and can require significant travel. Luckily, you do not have…
So You Want to be a Freelance Translator or Interpreter: Starting from Scratch
Starting your freelance translation business from scratch can be a daunting task. Below are a few of the most fundamental questions to ask yourself as you begin to think about building your business. Do I need further training to become a translator? There is no one “right” way to become a translator, but most professionals feel it is important to…
Linguist in the Spotlight: An Interview with Rosario Charo Welle
There is much to be learned from our colleagues, but it can be intimidating to strike up a conversation with the “pros.” For that reason, we at Savvy have done the work for you and are excited to announce our new interview series, “Linguist in the Spotlight,” where we pick the brains of experienced translators and interpreters and bring their…
Book Review: Deconstructing Traditional Notions in Translation Studies
Reblogged from the ATA’s Spanish Language Division blog with permission by the author, incl. the image In order to set the context of what translation is, I will quote the Interagency Language Roundtable (ILR) description of translation performance: Translation is the process of transferring text from one language into another. It is a complex skill requiring several abilities. The term “translation”…
Buddies Welcome Newbies at ATA58
This year, Buddies Welcome Newbies celebrates its fifth anniversary, and as part of the celebrations, the team is introducing a few new surprises! After its debut in San Antonio in 2013, led by Helen Eby and Jamie Hartz, Buddies Welcome Newbies has grown to become a well-known event right before the Welcome Celebration of the ATA conference. Designed as an…
The Extraordinary Translator and Interpreter: A Mini-Survey from ATA57
In just one week, nearly 2,000 translators and interpreters will convene at ATA’s 58th Annual Conference. Memories of last year’s event abound, and The Savvy Newcomer is pleased to present the results of a mini-survey we conducted at the 57th Annual Conference in San Francisco whose goal was to examine trends in the backgrounds of translators and interpreters, particularly those…
Preparing a Translation for Submission to the United States Government
Written by Helen Eby in collaboration with Jamie Hartz Many documents that are submitted to U.S. Government agencies must be submitted along with a statement indicating that the translator is skilled to perform their task. This can be called a translator’s statement, statement of accuracy, certification, translator’s declaration, etc. I’ll call it a “translator’s statement” here as I dive into…
Summary of the ATA Translation and Interpreting Services Survey
Reblogged from The ATA Chronicle with permission, incl. the image The fifth edition of the ATA Translation and Interpreting Services Survey serves as a practical tool, revealing general trends in the translation and interpreting industry. The recently released fifth edition of the ATA Translation and Interpreting Services Survey is an invaluable benchmarking tool for nearly everyone in or affiliated with the…