Skip to main content

Time to Update Your CV – A Guide for Freelance Translators

Most of my daily work involves recruiting freelance translators. I send hundreds of emails and screen dozens of CVs every week. I have held the role of Resource Administrator for a year and during this time I have been able to interact with translators from all around the globe. This has given me an overview of how freelance translators present themselves to their potential clients.

Recruiting freelance translators is not an easy job. The market is endless and finding the right freelance translator for your projects can seem like finding a needle in a haystack. Personal impressions play a big part in the recruitment process. We all have different personalities, priorities and goals and this should be clearly shown on your CV. Together with your introductory e-mail, this is the first impression your new client will have of your business. Therefore, I would like to share with you my opinion of what makes a successful freelance translator CV.

As a freelancer, you are not applying for any position within the company but you are offering your services as a professional. That is where the CV of a freelance translator must differ from a regular job-seeker's CV. The recruitment process is also different, so the information you hand to the recruiter varies.

In my opinion, you should always have an up-to-date version of your CV within reach; whether you are looking for new clients, or you just want your existing customers to have an updated version of the one you gave them 10 years ago. First thing you might think, “I want my CV to reflect my experience and skills in a professional way”. Being a freelancer looking for new clients, you can’t afford to appear unprofessional to your clients and peers.

Your CV should be short, informative and colourful. As I said before, skills and experience aside, you want to show your personality and you should choose a design that is most relevant to you. The way you choose to present your professional career to your potential clients is the most exciting part, in my opinion.



You can choose the layout according to the content you would like to add, the most important thing is that the information should be clearly visible and understandable to the recruiter. Your contact details, language combination, years of experience, favourite subject matters and services and CAT tools (or lack of them) are essential on a CV. It is always relevant to mention any membership, certification or even your usual availability per week.

Regarding publications or past projects you have worked on, I am in favour of keeping a CV and a portfolio separately. Your CV should show your skills and your portfolio can list the clients you have worked for and/or the different projects you have been involved in. Nowadays, there is an increasing focus on CPD recording. Your CV and portfolio are the best places to record and demonstrate to your clients all the new skills you have acquired.


I hope you find this advice useful when creating your new CV. Advertising your new skills, and the development of your career, is the best way to win new clients and projects. Best of luck!



Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

What everyone is talking about

What are the key skills needed for vendor management?

While browsing the Internet, I came across a list of attributes that a successful Vendor Manager should have, and I found it very interesting. Some of these skills are also important for other roles, but I find them especially important for any role within the translation vendor management field.  👋Excellent communication skills👋 Vendor Managers need to communicate with different parties: teammates, colleagues, suppliers and clients. Being the administrator of the database gives the Vendor Manager a lot of knowledge about the company’s suppliers (or what is missing), so they are the best people to answer their colleagues' questions. For example, when the sales team wants to check the number of resources the company has for certain language combinations, or when project managers can't find a suitable supplier for their job. 😀Ability to develop and maintain strong and successful working relationships😀 This is one of the main duties of the Vendor Manager. Recruiting suppliers
1 comment
Read more

Negotiation tips for Freelance Translators

In the translation industry, negotiation is sometimes a daily practice; vendor managers negotiate with potential suppliers, project managers negotiate with freelance translators and clients negotiate with LSPs to get the best deal possible.  I used to be the kind of person who shied away from negotiating at all costs. I felt uncomfortable and overpowered when trying to negotiate. That is why, in 2017, I attended a short negotiation course, and I realised that everyone in the room that day had the same problem as me. This course taught me some basic principles, so that I was able to build   my negotiation skills at my own pace. The truth is that the more you negotiate, the better you get at it.  In my opinion, preparing for a negotiation is key in order to get the best outcome. What could you do to prepare for a negotiation?  Learn as much as you can about the person/company you are going to talk to.  Think about the relationship you have with the other party. How mu
Post a Comment
Read more

Seven things Vendor Managers look for in a Freelance Translator

I would like to share with you the seven main attributes a Vendor Manager wants to see when working with freelance translators, as well as the language combination and subject area. (No, "cheap rates" is not one of them!)  Good time management: All clients expect their vendor to meet all project deadlines. If this is not possible, I would advise the translator to reject the task, and wait for the next offer. Missing a deadline will discourage the LSP from sending the translator additional work, but rejecting an offer won't affect their chances of getting project offers in the future. Time management and multitasking are skills that can be easily learned and adapted to your way of working. Understanding the LSP's process and hierarchy: Addressing the wrong person and replying to the wrong email thread when contacting an LSP could mean your message never reaches the intended receiver or is not understood correctly. Make sure you know who is who to ensure the quickest re
Post a Comment
Read more