When it comes to translation, a simple mistyped number can mean the difference between a patient taking 50 mg vs. the correct 5 mg dose. In other words, it is literally life and death in some cases so there’s just no room for quality problems. In other specializations, patents might not be valid or wars […]
Author Archives: Jenae Spry
Scope Creep: Dealing with Small…and Not-So-Small Changes
Ever been in this situation? I started a proofreading job only to realize the translation is a disaster. I agreed to translate a file based on a sample, but the rest of the sample includes tons of unexpected formatting. I took an interpretation assignment that was supposed to be escort but once I got there […]
The One Crucial Thing You’re Forgetting When Handling Mistakes
We are all people, and mistakes happen. Sometimes we, as translators or interpreters, are the ones at fault. Perhaps we didn’t catch a typo or mixed up a deadline. Or perhaps there was a miscommunication between you and your client that produced what your client perceives to be a mistake on your part. It happens […]
Dealing with Low-ballers
Rates are a very controversial issue in our industry and the issue of low-ballers is even more controversial. In fact, it’s kind of a hard concept to pinpoint. One freelancer might be regularly (and happily) working for a rate that another considers low-balling. Or, you might be too fast to burn a potential bridge over […]
How to Unleash the Entrepreneur Within
As freelancers, we are translators and/or interpreters first, and many of us fall into being a business owner for no other reason than the fact that our industry is generally set up in favor of hiring freelancers to do work on a contract basis instead of hiring full-time employees. In other words, instead of having […]
Need More Work? It’s Not Them, It’s You…
and That’s the Best News You’ve Heard All Day
If you don’t have work, the most likely reason is not them, it’s you. Before you start raging at me through your computer, keep reading. That’s actually good news…no…it’s GREAT news. Think about it. If the reason you don’t have work is because of the state of the economy or the translation industry, then there’s […]
Streamlining & Automation: the Key to Translation Speed
Translating faster isn’t about rushing. It’s about saving time on everything else. As translators we perform so many time-consuming tasks without realizing it that it is all too easy to wonder where your day went. Here are some tricks I use to help automate what I can so I can spend my time translating. 1) […]
Are You Missing Out Due to Fear of Missing Out?
You’ve probably heard of FOMO before but if you haven’t, it stands for “fear of missing out” and this disease runs rampant in our age of instant gratification and technology. You probably have it to some degree even if you don’t think you do. I know what you’re thinking, “but if I don’t check my […]
Impressive Time Management: The Time Diet
Do you often feel like your business is running you instead of the other way around? Do you wonder why you constantly feel like there aren’t enough hours in the day? This is your chance to figure out where your time is going once and for all, and start taking control of your business and […]
Never Update Your Client’s TM…and Other CAT Tool Tricks
CAT (computer-assisted translation) tools are now a staple in the translation industry. If you’re not using one, I would argue that you are choosing not to take advantage of one of the best productivity tools available, regardless of the type of translation you do. Even if you have been using a CAT tool for some […]