I am curious... How did you start out ? Auteur du fil: AnnieAnne
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AnnieAnne 
Local time: 19:29
anglais vers français
Hello all,
I have a question for all of you. How did you start freelancing and why did you choose it ?
I thank you in advance for your answers. I think that everybody can learn something out of it.
As for my story....
I have been doing translations at my work for the last seven years when I stumble into the freelance work.
The reason why I choose freelancing is because I can't make the rat race anymore. There is nothing more I like more ... See more Hello all,
I have a question for all of you. How did you start freelancing and why did you choose it ?
I thank you in advance for your answers. I think that everybody can learn something out of it.
As for my story....
I have been doing translations at my work for the last seven years when I stumble into the freelance work.
The reason why I choose freelancing is because I can't make the rat race anymore. There is nothing more I like more than to work from home. I have no problems managing my time since I have one goal. Succeed. And to succeed, you need to work. Of course, the steady paycheck is being missed BUT I got so much in return (a brand new laptop, yeah!) and my husband have a very nice benefits package - that is helping !
What about you ?
[email protected]
Canada
[Subject edited by staff or moderator 2007-11-13 12:51] ▲ Collapse
| | | | | Typical academic/work route | Nov 16, 2007 |
I knew I wanted to become a translator, so I studied for an MA in Translation from Monterey Institute. Right out of school I got a job in Germany, where I worked full-time for 3 1/2 years at a translation company. When my first child was a toddler, we decided to move back to the States to be closer to family. Freelancing was the logical choice, as I wanted to keep translating - there are next to no German>English full-time positions available in the States, and freelancing is much more flexible.
| | | | tonymacg
Local time: 10:29
japonais vers anglais
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| It was a calculated gamble | Nov 17, 2007 |
17 years ago I was manager of a corporate translation department, and I was offered the chance to quit and take a one year contract to supply translations to the equivalent of my salary at the time. As I was in my early 40s, I knew it had to work because I'd never get another salaried job at my age - I didn't think there was much future for salaried translators, and I'd always hated being part of an organization anyway.
It worked out perfectly, and my only regret is that I waited s... See more 17 years ago I was manager of a corporate translation department, and I was offered the chance to quit and take a one year contract to supply translations to the equivalent of my salary at the time. As I was in my early 40s, I knew it had to work because I'd never get another salaried job at my age - I didn't think there was much future for salaried translators, and I'd always hated being part of an organization anyway.
It worked out perfectly, and my only regret is that I waited so long before taking the leap. It pays better, I work just as hard, but I'm my own boss. What more could you want? ▲ Collapse
| | | | Haiyang Ai (X)
États-Unis
Local time: 18:29
anglais vers chinois
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As a student who studies English as a foreign language, I just feel it's one of the two easy fields that we can pursue, and the other being an English instructer. Any other thoughts?
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English Chinese Translator
www.chineservice.com
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Anne Key
Local time: 00:29
néerlandais vers anglais
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In memoriam | Translating started as a hobby | Nov 23, 2007 |
Hello there,
Well, my parents moved from the UK to Holland when I was a nipper. I was raised bilingually, and started translating as a "hobby" while still at school. I enjoyed foreign languages, and was hopeless at science / physics / chemistry / maths etc! So I ended up studying languages at uni and specialising in translation.
After graduating, I landed several secretarial / administrative / teaching jobs, none of which appealed to me. Fortunately, I was repeatedly as... See more Hello there,
Well, my parents moved from the UK to Holland when I was a nipper. I was raised bilingually, and started translating as a "hobby" while still at school. I enjoyed foreign languages, and was hopeless at science / physics / chemistry / maths etc! So I ended up studying languages at uni and specialising in translation.
After graduating, I landed several secretarial / administrative / teaching jobs, none of which appealed to me. Fortunately, I was repeatedly asked to undertake translation work, which again I very much enjoyed.
To cut a very long story short...
As I was enjoying my translation work so much, and wanted to move to the Lake District and the "Great Outdoors", the only feasible option was to become self-employed.
I've been self-employed almost 8 years now, and love the flexibility of being my own boss.
Of course, there are downsides to being self-employed (late payers, irregular income, unpaid holidays, health insurance etc), but the benefits far outweigh the negatives.
[Edited at 2007-11-23 18:03]
[Edited at 2007-11-23 19:35]
[Edited at 2007-11-24 11:46] ▲ Collapse
| | | | redred
Chine
Local time: 08:29
anglais vers chinois
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Although I surfed in the internet frequently beganning in 2000, sometimes I wasted my time in the net when I worked in-house, I don't realize yet there is such a soho job until a few years ago, it inspires me that communication and idea exchange are very important in the information era, we must keep up with the times, don't close yourself from outside world.
[Edited at 2007-12-01 08:42]
| | | | | Looking forward to working from home too | Dec 4, 2007 |
Haiyang Ai wrote:
As a student who studies English as a foreign language, I just feel it's one of the two easy fields that we can pursue, and the other being an English instructer. Any other thoughts?
After years of working for others and freelancing on the side I've decided to go full time on my own and I'm really looking forward to it! Can't wait to be my own boss. And I agree with you Anne: once you are working for YOU instead of the boss, the concepts of work and time management seem much more friendly and the success you strive for is going to serve you and make you proud - not just contribute to someone else's happiness.
By the way, I am leaving a well-paid and secure teaching job because I'm sick of the stress (and I work in higher education, where you would think it would be less - but no). Teaching isn't easy; it's hard work if you want to do it right. Just like most jobs, translation included.
| | | | Eric Zhou
Local time: 08:29
chinois vers anglais
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| Freelancing at home | Dec 5, 2007 |
AnnieAnne wrote:
Hello all,
I have a question for all of you. How did you start freelancing and why did you choose it ?
I thank you in advance for your answers. I think that everybody can learn something out of it.
As for my story....
I have been doing translations at my work for the last seven years when I stumble into the freelance work.
The reason why I choose freelancing is because I can't make the rat race anymore. There is nothing more I like more than to work from home. I have no problems managing my time since I have one goal. Succeed. And to succeed, you need to work. Of course, the steady paycheck is being missed BUT I got so much in return (a brand new laptop, yeah!) and my husband have a very nice benefits package - that is helping !
What about you ?
[email protected]
Canada [Subject edited by staff or moderator 2007-11-13 12:51]
hi annie,
the reason i started was much the same as yours...only that i quitted from the work of inter-trade and not translation although quite a lot of my responsibilities had been translation or interpretation. and one day i stumble into a chance and the idea of SOHO...
i'm going to have my laptop soon！
good luck!
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