How to Tell If Working from Home as a Translator is Right for You

If you would like to work from home while using your existing language skills, becoming a translator can be a great opportunity. However, not everyone who is bilingual is suited to at-home translation work. Here are four easy ways you can check out this potential career or side hustle before making any major commitments:
1. Make sure you are fluent in at least two languages, preferably ones that are in demand.
Fluency in at least two languages is one of the most obvious qualities of a successful translator, yet many people are not quite sure whether they are fluent in their non-native language. One way to both test and improve your fluency is to write to and read messages from native speakers. Conversation exchange websites can give you a chance to chat with native speakers for free, including via e-mail and instant message. After you have found a language partner and enjoyed a few conversations, ask them for a blunt assessment of your language skills. Be sure to try this with several different partners.
As for demand, the five languages with the most speakers are Mandarin, Spanish, English, Hindi, and Arabic, so a combination of two of those would be a great start. Combining one language from that list with a more obscure language can also help you carve out a competitive niche.
2. Test your typing speed and improve it by playing free keyboarding games.
Since many translation gigs offer pay by the project, page, or word rather than by the hour, being a slow typist will hurt your income potential as a professional translator. A fun way to practice typing is by playing free keyboarding games online. While some of these games are intended for children, adjusting the difficulty and enabling all keys can make them more challenging. Many of these sites also offer tests to determine your typing speed (in words per minute which can come in handy for the next step.
3. Try a short-term translation gig on a freelancing website.
Some translators will tell you to obtain a certification before anything else. However, if you have no experience working as a professional translator, how can you know whether you will enjoy it in the first place?
Instead, try taking on a short-term project as a freelance translator first. You can find both short- and long-term gigs using online freelancing platforms. This is probably the quickest way to test whether you will enjoy translation tasks. Your first few tasks probably won’t pay much, but since the purpose of this step is to figure out whether you like translating, focus on the work itself. Do you find it mentally stimulating or frustrating? Are you able to focus your attention on the task, or does your mind quickly wander? Remember that one of the most important qualities of a successful translator is that he or she enjoys the work.
4. Obtain a certification.
If you had fun freelancing and are looking forward to better-paying gigs, it’s time to get serious about becoming a translator by earning a certification. You can do so through the American Translators Association or similar professional associations serving this industry. If you are in the U.S., your state may also offer an accreditation program. Having one or more certifications shows potential clients that you are committed to your work and qualified to perform it. Furthermore, once you earn a certification from an organization, you will be listed on its site directory, making it easier for potential clients to find you.
If native speakers of the languages you want to work consider you fluent, and if you are a fast and accurate typist, enjoy translation, and have successfully earned certification, congratulations. The professional organization that certified you should be able to guide you toward career opportunities or active job boards with higher-paying gigs than you’re likely to find on mainstream freelancing sites. Held og lykke — good luck!
