Translation Journal Update | September 8, 2014

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Written by Vic Rillo

Rate negotiation is an expected (if sometimes uncomfortable) part of freelancing, much like bargaining is in many cultures. The sooner you as a translator accept the reality of negotiation - and of negotiation tactics - the sooner you will achieve a rate that is acceptable to you.

In this article, I will suggest two useful tactics you can use to gain an upper hand. By being strategic in your approach to rate negotiations, you can definitely come out a winner!

All too often, freelance translators price their work based on their own perceptions of what their services are worth. Wrong approach! Instead, do the opposite: price your services according to your client's perceived value. Yours is not the most important opinion when it comes to rate negotiation - it is what your client thinks that makes all the difference.

So, the next time you are faced with a request for rate negotiation, stop and analyze your client's situation and the nature of the project. The rate you can charge depends more on the value of the project to the client than perhaps any other factor. Knowing how your translation services will ultimately benefit the client and the client's bottom line will help put you in the rate negotiation driver's seat. Click here to read the article in full.

Starting Out As A Translator

Whether you are considering becoming a freelance translator or have just been employed as a translator for a company, here are a few things to consider when starting out.

Translation services are a necessity to a number of different professions. Ours is a global world, and the need for translators is growing at a rapid rate. Click here to read the growth in the translation industry.

Without translation services, businesses would be extremely limited in the number of companies - and countries - with which they could conduct their business. Professional translators are tasked to translate many different types of documents: contracts, websites, marketing materials, software code, manuals, and much more. Translation services expand the global reach of companies, offering amazing access to new customers and collaboration partners. Read more.

Plucked from the Web

Interested in watching a film this weekend? If you love foreign films as much as I do, check out this link to "10 foreign language films you must see before you die." Which of these have you already seen? Post the films that you have seen (and what you thought of them) on the Translation Journal Facebook page!

Recent Contributor Spotlight

The October 2013 issue of the Translation Journal features the article "How I Learned the Alphabet" by Kenneth Kronenberg. In addition to his work in medical translation, Kronenberg also specializes in intellectual and cultural history, diaries, and letters. Enjoy his delightful article here.

For Fun - Snapseed

Snapseed is an app that allows you to transform ordinary photos into extraordinary ones. After just a short learning curve to familiarize yourself with Snapseed's incredible features, you will be polishing your photos to perfection using a gesture-based swipe technique.

This app straddles the line between a full-fledged image editor and a filter app. Snapseed gives you control over how filters (such as Drama, Vintage, and Tilt-Shift) and other effects are applied to your images, as well as providing other options, including borders and finishing touches. If you're in the mood to get creative with your photos, check out Snapseed!

Have a great week!

Karen Hodgson