It’s the ultimate dream: do your translation degree, get some experience and land in a cosy, comfortable office doing translation nine to five. Is it really?
In-house translation pros and freelance translation cons
- No need to worry about the clients
Freelance translators spend amazing amounts of time simply getting the work, not to mention getting it done. Over the years it proves to be the most important part of the whole business. Translating is easy compared to that!
- Customer Relations Management is not your business
Freelancers have to deal with clients and they have to be good at it
- Nice desk and comfy chair
Well, freelancers don’t get anything for free. They have to furnish and equip their offices. And that proves to be quite costly.
- You’re not buying any software
Freelancers have to prepare to spend quite a lot on software. Moreover, there are various providers with completely incompatible systems. And sticking to one CAT tool only is not the best idea. That may limit you to certain agencies only.
- Constant and steady source of income
True, there’s no such a thing as steady income in most of freelance translators’ lives. You have to prepare to manage your money.
- Annual leave and insurance
Freelance translators and annual leave? One can hardly get a day off a week, not to mention few days in a row! Freelancers work whenever there’s business.
- You can be promoted
As long as you don’t promote yourself to a CEO or CFO, no-one else will offer you any better position in freelance translation.
In-house translation cons… and freelance translation pros
- Travel time
As a freelance translator, you can laugh at all these people stuck in the tube and wasting some best hours of productivity reading free newspapers. You can use your “travel time” much better!
- You work slower
For freelance translators it is usually easier to concentrate on getting the job done. Instead of gossiping, having counterproductive meetings and drinking cups of tea every day, freelancers sit down and translate.
- You can’t choose what you translate
Freelance translators have this freedom to decide what they want to translate. If you find text too tedious, too boring or simply too difficult, you can quite easily say you’re not going to translate it.
- You can’t turn a client down
Freelance translators are business people. And in business you have to know that some clients simply don’t deserve your time. You’re free to tell them they pay too little, set too short deadlines or treat you with no respect. And then just let them go.
- Working from 9 to 5, every day
Freelance translators work when they want and for how long they want. You’re not bothered with any opening hours, set hours, break hours. The only hour that matters to you is the deadline hour.
- Buying lunches, coffees and biscuits
It’s amazing how much freelance translators save on these ridiculous treats. No need to buy overpriced stuff on the high street.
What about your own pros and cons?
Marta Stelmaszak
Marta Stelmaszak is a translator between Polish and English, combining language skills with a thorough understanding of economics and business to help SMEs make as big an international impact as possible, providing translation and interpreting services for the legal, business and marketing sectors. Read Marta's book on business.
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4 Comments
Freelance translators do not get stuck daily in traffic jams when going to work!
(I used to spend around 2 hours every day to go and return from work… Now I spend those two hours in the swimming pool, cooking, or even working).
That’s a great reason 🙂
One of my greatest pros was turning clients down. In a past life as a HR and recruiter, I sometimes suffered from having to say OK to a client and knowing there was really not much I could do to help.
I never gave much thought about dealing with a sick kid before, but I became a mom shortly after I graduated as a translator one year ago, and I must say I appreciate that when my son can’t go to the nanny, all I have to do is arrange my schedule, even if it means that I may have to work late at night.
That’s what is the best thing about the profession in my mind - the freedom to work how we want, when we want 🙂