Translation Pro tip: Kickstart your translation career
Diving into a new career like translation can be daunting. But wading into unknown territories may not be as perplexing as one thinks.
As a keen translator and language-lover myself, I sought real stories from translators to understand what it takes to kickstart a translation career. It evolved into an engaging panel discussion with four seasoned translators which I was honoured to moderate.
The esteemed panelists come from different backgrounds, specialisation and experience in translation: Lontar Foundation’s co-founder and literary translator John H. McGlynn; Singaporean veteran translator and interpreter Bashir Basalamah; Qudsia Karimi at Canada’s Ministry of Human Services; and final-year History and Translation Studies student, Foo Yong Xiang.
The four translators graciously shared their tips and gems of experiences on how they made a headway into the industry–a path that is at once exciting and challenging.
Here are some highlights from the conversation:
1. Start organically and start small
In full modesty, none of the four panelists envisioned themselves to be full-time translators by profession.
“I don’t know of anybody…who thought that when they were a child, they’d hope to grow up to be a translator,” John chuckled. Indeed, the translation industry can be unpredictable and short-term, especially during the pandemic.
“There is a long take-off in the translation industry,” Bashir said. Having made a mid-career switch from court interpreting, Bashir described how he began translating as a part-time venture before he could fully work as a translator.
To overcome such hurdles, Bashir advised to “Aim for the long term, but be prepared to take something short term.” Drawing from his experiences, he recommended dipping your toes into freelancing part-time first, before venturing into a full-fledge translation career.
In a nutshell: Be open to opportunities that come your way. Every field you plunge into will help you gain something new about translation.
2. Pursue meaningful projects
The panelists shared that long-term opportunities eventually came their way due to their personal interests and experiences.
As a theatre major interested in Indonesian puppetry (wayang kulit), John grew to learn and speak Bahasa Indonesia. His focus organically shifted to translation when Indonesian writers approached him to translate their work because of his combined language proficiencies and literary interests. “It will happen naturally,” John said, “You should allow yourself to go with the flow…but you have to enjoy what you’re doing.”
Qudsia added that her lived experience as a refugee and her studies in political science informed her progression into translation and interpretation work.
“My plan was never to become a translator and interpreter,” she shared, but her personal experiences and passion eventually led to translation. “I had [gone] through the refugee process myself, so I could explain it well to clients and refugees who were arriving.”
As a result, she ventured into translation work for organisations such as the UNDP, UNICEF, multicultural associations in Canada, Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada and the Immigrant Services Society to British Columbia. Qudsia shared that these experiences made her work fulfilling. “There is a moral part [that comes] with your work as a translator/interpreter.”
The crux of the matter is that if you’re just starting out, seek opportunities that relate to your personal interests and mission, even if they may seem unconventional. This will not only make you stand out from the crowd, but it will also make your work an enjoyable endeavour.
3. Network and join a community
Networking is a valuable skill to have no matter your industry–even for the solitary translator. Often times, peer-to-peer relationships can help you secure meaningful collaborations and share resources with one another. As Bashir added, networking is not just about finding work, “but finding colleagues to share your work with.”
“Surround yourself with translators and those passionate about translation,” Yong Xiang chipped in. Having dabbled in freelance translation during his gap year, Yong Xiang immediately wanted to pursue Translation Studies at university. He strongly advocates for new translators to get involved in the translation community as peers can help look for opportunities for each other.
The road less taken
As the panelists shared their experiences, it became clear that there is no one path towards being a translator.
Make the most of your experience and get involved in meaningful projects as you venture into the industry. The key thing is to keep learning and approach the industry with an open mind.
Indeed as challenging as it may be, it will be worth the effort.
“I saw something bigger [in translation], where I could do something…” Bashir reflected, “I’m really happy right now. No regrets at all.”
Written by Liani MK
We would like to extend our gratitude for the support provided by the National Translation Committee for this webinar.
Missed out on our webinar? View the full recording here.
In the meantime, look out for more events, resources and opportunities to translate at Jala’s platform.
