Trados Made Easy

Trados Made Easy Application software helps the user to make the work that needs to be accomplished much easier and simpler to perform. Trados is one such software that is available to translators to help them in improving the quality and the quantity of work that is completed. But, many translators are of the notion that Trados is very difficult to learn and is not user friendly. But, contrary to the popular belief, Trados can help a translator in not only improving the quality of work by eliminating many mistakes it can also enhance the productivity. In the beginning stages, you can just start with learning one module of Trados i.e. Trados Workbench. This module is useful in translating a number of file formats such as .doc, .xls, .pdf, etc. This enables you to concentrate on learning one module and you can avoid learning other modules such as Multi Term, Tag Editor, etc until you have got a basic hang of what you need to know. Let us now learn how a file is translated using Workbench. Using the Windows “Start” button, access “Programs” and from there open the Trados Translator Workbench (should be installed in your computer). Once the program is open, a new file is created using the file option in the menu and is named appropriately and saved. The options such as the language of the original text and the translated text is chosen from the options and saved. The original text is then opened in the Translator Workbench and the mouse is pointed to the first line and the keys Alt and Home are pressed. The translation is then typed in another box that is present on the spreadsheet. Once the first line is completed to proceed to the following sentence, the keys Alt and Num are pressed. This method is followed until the entire document is completed after which the keys Alt and End are pressed. Since the completed file has both the languages, it is necessary to remove the original text from the file. This is performed using the clean-up option in Tools of the workbench menu. Once cleanup is performed, the file will only contain the translation. Since Trados saves all your translations into memory, it will give suggestions in translating many phrases and sentences which will make it easy for you to translate repetitions.

101 Tips to Succeed as Freelance Translator

Photo Credit mikelens 101 Tips to Succeed as Freelance Translator Translation 1. Make sure that you want to be a freelance translator 2. Don’t quit your day job in the beginning. 3. Restrict free (sample translation) to 300 words 4. Translate into your native language only. 5. Always keep a very close eye on quality. 6. Always meet deadlines. 7. You're really only as good as your last translation. 8. Conduct terminology research. 9. Don’t bite off more than you can chew. 10. Do some volunteer translation work. 11. Consider 2000 target words to be a normal day and 3000 target words to be very good. 12. Have different rates for general, semi-specialized and specialised texts. 13. As a beginner, be careful in taking large volume jobs. 14. Do not accept any assignment if you are not confident that you can do it. 15. Do not accept anything in an area that you are not familiar with. 16. Do not work for a rock-bottom rate. 17. Do not accept any assignment for which you are not fully qualified 18. Read forum posts and translation blogs like Tips for translators (http://www.getdirectclient.blogspot.com) Learning 19. Specialization - This is definitely advantageous for you 20. Learning translation properly once at a postgraduate programme. 21. Make yourself familiar with the entire CAT and similar programs out there. 22. A writing course and a course of stylistics always come in handy. 23. Learn how to improve your translation even after becoming a professional translator to find the best translation. 24. Improve writing. 25. Continue to invest in necessary training. 26. Learn to translate by reviewing other people's work. 27. Practice translating something that one hasn't read in the target language. 28. Ask professional translators to send you translations they just finished and read those translations carefully 29. Try Proficiency tests: Try IELTS (for English) or UN exams or TOEFL (for English) 30. Get certification by NAATI (Australia) or ATA (USA) or other associations. 31. Answer Kudoz and similar questions. 32. Become member of PROZ, Aquarius, and Translators base and other portals but search for life beyond them. 33. Participate in forum discussions. Clients 34. If your clients are happy, you seem to be doing something right. 35. Do not depend only on one client. 36. Do not assume your current rate of incoming work will continue unabated. 37. Expand your client base. 38. Have portfolio of regular clients. 39. Create Credentials. 40. Ask for feedbacks. 41. Ask for testimonials. 42. Keep your clients happy- repeat jobs will come your way Attributes 43. A bit of luck is always in the game, the rest is hard work. 44. Do what you really like. Then money will flow. 45. Have desire, passion, and dedication and do hard work. 46. Remember your job is not a hobby but a profession. 47. Remember your success is judged by the quality of the end result. 48. Remember your success is judged by having the money in the bank. 49. This profession requires ethics at every level. 50. Successful translator needs to have talent, drive, energy, commitment, confidence - and luck. 51. Study and research before you start. 52. Endeavor to translate with utmost accuracy and fidelity. 53. Convey to the readers of the translation the same meaning and spirit of the original. 54. Master the target language equivalent to that of an educated native speaker. 55. Have Up-to-date knowledge of the source language. 56. Have Up-to-date knowledge of the subject area. 57. Be truthful about your qualification. 58. Continuously self-improve. 59. Inspire hope. 60. Have common sense and apply it. 61. Know your own limitations. 62. Always follow you gut instincts. 63. Have Attitude! Business 64. Consider freelance translation as a business. 65. Have a business plan how you’re going to get work 66. Consider translation as for-profit activity 67. Tell everyone you know that you’re available for Translation jobs 68. Keep sending your CV to agencies. 69. Market yourself everyday even when you have a job at hand. 70. Be truthful about your business. 71. Become member of translation portals. 72. Invest in paid memberships. And test it. 73. Advertise your services through all means and test it. 74. Have business acumen. 75. Become member of local chamber of commerce 76. Become member of translator's organizations. 77. Join network of translators. 78. Reply to emails within 3 hours, if possible. 79. Create a good CV 80. Follow successful translators 81. Create a website/Blog and promote and track posts. 82. Create or buy a database of agencies. Health 83. Take regular breaks when working. 84. Take care of your health 85. Take care of your family 86. Take vacations. 87. Do Yoga exercises for hand, neck and back. 88. Have your eyes tested at least once a year. 89. Quit Smoking Family 90. Make your family happy 91. Love your spouse 92. Play with your children 93. Take care of your parents Tools 94. Use dictionaries, Google, Wikipedia, etc. 95. Use CAT tools and speech recognition if possible. 96. Invest in Hardwares, softwares, CAT tools, dictionaries Home Office 97. Manage your home office. 98. Keep track of your finance 99. Send invoice along with the job 100. Create multiple options of payments for Client- cheque, paypal, moneybookers, bank transfer etc. 101. Keep all records for 2 years minimum.

Freelancers Owning Websites-Boon or Bane

Photo Credit rosemary Freelancers Owning Websites-Boon or Bane The question that comes to the mind of every freelancer is whether or not to have a website for promoting themselves and their work. Will having a website improve the volume of projects they are obtaining? Will creating an identity help in impressing the clients that scout for freelancers on the internet? If you are one of those freelancers with such questions on your mind, you are not alone. There are many such freelancers who are in the same dilemma as you are. From a larger perspective, it has been observed that there is a divided opinion among freelancers in answering the question. Creating a website and maintaining it does not come cheap. While owning a domain name is not very expensive, creating the right content can be. Also, there is a necessity for you to have the right adwords such that there is more traffic generated to your website. This is again a costly affair as you need to pay to the search engine for certain adwords when ever they are clicked by a user. Even though generation of traffic does not come easy, there are many who believe and have experienced an increase in the number of clients by owning a website. There are many who perceive that with a website there is an identity for yourself on the internet which will help embellish your accomplishments as well as provide a feel-good factor for your clients. At the same time, there are others who feel that having a website in no way increases the face value and they feel that they can obtain adequate workload by other means such as developing a good client contact base and with having their profiles on other freelance websites which has good amount of web traffic already. They feel that this will help them in concentrating on their work more and would not necessitate spending time on any unnecessary things such as trying to improve the traffic to the website. While some think that having a website is highly advantageous there are many others that think that having a website is in no way of an extra benefit. The perceptions of each one differ and how you lean is dependent on how you feel about the whole issue.

Points to Getting Jobs as a Freelancer

photo credit Prakhar Points to Getting Jobs as a Freelancer Being a fresher to freelancing can be very intimidating and daunting, especially when you are trying very hard and not being able to land up with any projects. The first and foremost thing that you must remember is that you are not alone over here. No one usually lands up with a silver spoon in their mouth. Every freelancer when they began did go through this phase. Here are few pointers that will help you in planning out the right approach that you need to adopt to help you out. 1. As a fresher, you need to establish your credibility in the arena that you want to flourish in. You should remember that you are a newcomer in the sea of other freelancers and you should work towards measuring up to them. 2. Start by creating a good C.V. that has up-to-date information regarding you. Add important keywords related to your work in the resume. Try to impress the person reading your C.V. by keeping it polished but be honest. Do not falsify your resume in any way because your lies are bound to come out later. 3. Go looking for work. The advent of the internet has made it possible for you to find jobs on a global front. Check out the various websites offering freelancing work. You can start out initially by taking a free membership provided in many sites and then switch over to a premium membership later. 4. You can even try some agencies that may be present in the city that you live in by cold calling. 5. Never undersell yourself. If you believe that you can land up a job sooner or later stick to your estimates. Another alternative is that you can offer value added services such as proofreading, editing, etc within the quoted price. 6. Check on ways and means to make your presence felt. There are many forums and activity boards on the websites that will be able to help you do so. 7. Last and not the least, you need lots of patience. If you believe in yourself, it is only a matter of time when you will land up with that first job and many more to come.