The Savvy Newcomer aims to serve newcomers to the translation and interpreting professions by publishing high-quality, peer-reviewed content on a weekly basis. We strive to provide you with the answers to the many questions you face as a new or aspiring translator or interpreter.
Starting your career as a freelance translator or interpreter is exciting, but it can also feel overwhelming. Beyond your linguistic skills, you’re stepping into the world of independent contracting: contracts, marketing, professional development, taxes, technology, and more. It’s not always intuitive at first, but the good news is that you can build a successful business with a strong foundation. Here’s a guide from A to Z covering the essentials every new freelance translator and interpreter should know: A – Agreements Never begin work without a signed agreement. Contracts clarify deadlines, rates, payment terms, confidentiality, and expectations, and they protect both…
Read MoreTen Evenings Per Year
By Caitilin Walsh It doesn’t seem like a huge time investment, but they are some of the most demanding hours for me professionally. During those ten classes (five Wednesdays during the spring and fall quarters), I not only have to provide valuable theoretical and practical information to 18 energetic and motivated students, but my entire knowledge and 25+ years’ professional experience…
Read MoreA Day in the Life: Bellevue College
This week we continue with our “A Day in the Life” series featuring an article written in collaboration by two current students from the Bellevue College Translation and Interpretation Certificate Program. We find it very interesting to hear the unique perspectives of students from completely different backgrounds who share a common goal: Applying their language skills to work through a…
Read MoreATA Business Smarts – The Midsummer Slump
Reblogged from ATA Business Practices Dear Business Smarts: During the past two weeks, very little work has come in. My regular clients all seem to have gone on a collective beach vacation. Even though I usually have a steady amount of work, I have had to search the online marketplaces for assignments, without much success. I feel like a fraud…
Read MoreHappy Birthday to The Savvy Newcomer!
This Friday, August 15, marks the first anniversary of The Savvy Newcomer blog – still very young, but, boy has its presence been felt! Now that you have come to know The Savvy Newcomer, we thought it would be nice to hear the experience of all involved in this project, because, in a way, we were all newcomers (again), and…
Read MoreNewbies and Buddies Survey: The Results Are In
By Helen Eby & Jamie Hartz Last year’s American Translators Association annual conference in San Antonio was the first to host two new sessions called “Buddies Welcome Newbies”. The Buddies and Newbies sessions were the brainchild of a few volunteers and some very eager supporters, and the events made such a successful debut last year that they will be taking place…
Read MoreEight Unusual Tips for Newcomers
By Steven Marzuola & The Savvy Newcomer As you might already know, online groups are an excellent source for discussing the everyday challenges we face as professionals. One such group in LinkedIn recently sparked a great conversation, and one of its contributors, Steven Marzuola, offered excellent – and often unspoken – tips for aspiring translators and interpreters. In today’s post…
Read MoreTips for an Interpreter-Friendly Presentation
By Ewandro Magalhães Featured article from The ATA Chronicle, originally published in August 2012 As much as we hate to admit it, interpreters make mistakes. Yet, holding interpreters solely responsible for successful communication and betting on their infallibility is a utopian dream. Ultimately, speakers should be equally accountable for the clarity and translatability of the ideas and words that make…
Read MoreHelen’s summer reading topic: Spanish linguistics
By Helen Eby I plan to teach a class on the formal aspects of Spanish for Hispanics who speak Spanish well and have a solid level of literacy in English and Spanish. I started thinking of this when I taught my first Medical Interpreter training program here in Oregon starting in January of this year. There is a significant number…
Read MoreUniversity of Massachusetts Amherst: A Day in the Life
By Jocelyn Langer The simple New England elegance of Amherst and the plain grey concrete walls of Herter Hall do not at first glance hint at the diversity of language and culture represented within the Translation program at the University of Massachusetts. A scientific look at the geology of the Connecticut River Valley, however, shows traces of its graceful mountains’…
Read MoreTen Things You Must Never Do to Your Colleagues
By Maria Cristina de la Vega Reblogged from the NAJIT Blog with permission Do not give advice freely, even if you think it would be helpful, unless you are specifically asked for it. It is far better to just lend an ear. Most people just need a sounding board to express their thoughts and come to a decision about events in their…
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