What people are looking for in a career is undergoing a massive shift in our culture. Younger professionals tend to prioritize mental health and often want the ability to arrange their schedule to make time for life commitments outside of their professional endeavors—such as pursuing other jobs or embracing family responsibilities. In fact, according to Upwork, “Gen Z is abandoning conventional 9-to-5 corporate jobs for more diverse, flexible careers in freelancing.”

Similarly, Kate Palmer, an employment services director at Peninsula UK, states that “Generation Z are known to place more importance on flexibility, work-life balance, and personal well-being, and, therefore, are much more likely to look for an employer that aligns with these values.”

Based on my own connections with young people, this is true in the US as well—and many Gen Xers share these values too. The traditional disadvantages of freelancing, such as the lack of a guaranteed, stable income and the lack of benefits through a corporate employer, are often seen as worthwhile trade-offs for more flexibility, a better work-life balance, the opportunity to address mental health issues, and the desire to make a positive impact on the world.

Translating and interpreting are professional pursuits that align well with this new approach to work. They are flexible (you can be your own boss and work remotely or in-person), they can accommodate a healthy work-life balance (you can work part-time or full-time), and they can even promote well-being (it’s rewarding to be a bridge of communication and know you are helping people).

But what does it actually mean to behave like a professional in 2025? Professional behavior, etiquette, and expectations are oftentimes assumed, rather than overtly discussed. And while these expectations have changed over time, they are not always what young people expect or assume them to be! Professional etiquette can actually help to create a healthier work-life balance by reducing expectations about response time as well as establishing sustainable boundaries that promote better mental health.

So, what are “professional” behaviors and expectations in our digital age?

Email vs. text

We are all very familiar and comfortable with texting, and for many of us, it is our preferred method of communication, especially for personal matters. But emails are still the standard in professional communication. My first contact with clients is almost always via email, and most ongoing correspondence is also conducted via email. This may seem daunting to young professionals who are less comfortable with email, but it can help to establish healthy boundaries between work and personal communication.

Response time

The Millennials and GenZers in my life feel obligated to respond to a text within five minutes or risk offending someone. This can be a cause of stress and anxiety. But in the professional world, responding to an email within 24 hours is considered very prompt, and responding within 48 hours is perfectly acceptable in many cases. And that doesn’t count weekends! If I receive a professional email on a Friday, I do not feel obligated to respond until Monday (or later) unless it is a client with whom I have a very close working relationship and I know the matter is truly urgent.

Availability boundaries

This is a major consideration in our digital era of constant notifications and demands on our time. Having a separate email account for work and setting those notifications so that you don’t see them pop up the moment they come in can be important for our mental health and, ultimately, for our capacity to successfully run a small business while also being available for other life commitments. A professional who is running their business full time will be able to check emails multiple times a day, but if you run your business on a part-time schedule, setting aside a time each day (only once a day, not multiple times a day) to check your work email and respond is perfectly fine as a professional. For the most part, you do not need to respond instantly!

Social media boundaries

The line between personal and professional online profiles is more and more blurred. Clients and colleagues want to know that you are a real person with your own unique personality, interests, and priorities. But having no boundary between your personal and professional online profiles can be detrimental to your professional image as well as to your mental health! One way to handle this is to start off with a robust LinkedIn profile that is purely professional. Then take advantage of the online directory profiles you can create within the professional organizations you belong to. This is where clients are most likely to look when they are seeking a professional. And refrain from posting about your freelancing work on your personal Snapchat, TikTok, or other social media accounts. Your clients are probably not the same people as your personal friends and followers. Create new social media accounts for your business and connect with other professionals or potential clients on those platforms, keeping the content related to your business. This will streamline your content for your targeted audience, and also create healthy work-life boundaries!

Professional translating or interpreting can be a great career choice for those who prioritize flexibility and a healthy work-life balance. Understanding professional etiquette and maintaining good boundaries can minimize your stress as you embrace the advantages of a career as a freelance language professional.

About the Author

Marybeth Timmermann is an ATA-certified professional French to English translator specializing in academic writing for scholarly publication, literature, certified documents, and revision/proofreading. She is a longtime contributing translator and editor to The Beauvoir Series, a multi-volume collection of the writings of Simone de Beauvoir in English translation. She also works with direct clients translating philosophy, fiction, academic records, and official documents. You can connect with her by email, on LinkedIn, or on her website.