Working as a Professional Translator
Routledge Introductions to Translation and Interpreting Series

What does it take to be a professional translator in the 21st century? What are the opportunities and challenges of a career in translation? How do you find that first job? How do you ensure that work remains sustainable over time? Combining industry insights, the latest research in the field of translation studies and a career coaching approach, this textbook takes aspiring translators on an explorative journey that helps them answer these questions for themselves so they can become the professional translators they aspire to be.

Each chapter of this hands-on guide opens with key questions that budding translators might typically ask themselves and encourages them to reflect on their relevance for their own situation through regular discussion points and ?Topics for discussion and assignments?. Targeted suggestions for further reading at the end of each chapter guide users in deepening their knowledge. Written primarily for students on translation courses, the accessible language, tone and design of this book will appeal to anyone who is thinking of embarking upon a career in translation. Additional resources are available on the Routledge Translation Studies Portal.

About the Author

Series Editor’s Foreword

About this Textbook

Acknowledgements

PART I

Joining the profession

1 What skills and qualifications do I need?

2 Career paths: Freelance, in-house or portfolio career?

3 No translator is an island: Setting up your support networks

4 Finding that first job

PART II

On the job

5 Dealing with clients

6 Managing your translation projects

7 Managing translation quality

PART III

Continuing to grow as a professional translator

8 Understanding your market and marketing your business

9 Keeping it sustainable

Bibliography

Index

JC Penet is Senior Lecturer (Associate Professor) in Translation Studies at Newcastle University, UK, where he is currently the Director of the MA in Professional Translation. Since joining the School of Modern Languages in 2010, he has taught on a wide range of undergraduate and postgraduate courses in translation studies, including on translation theory; the language service industry; CAT tools and project management; institutional translation; and interpersonal relations, emotions and well-being in the translation profession. Through his ‘Translation Networks’ project (2014−2018), he established lasting networks with local language service providers and freelancers in North East England.