One of most significant and potentially life-changing advice I’ve ever received in relation to my work as a translator and interpreter came from an ex-actor. She said that she knew lots of conference interpreters making a similar mistake that a lot of actors make: they don’t trust their basic skill, and instead of delivering outstanding performance, they’re too stressed thinking not to get one word wrong. What she said then was: “Come on, they know how to interpret, they have already graduated, so they have the skill. They know the lexicon, because it’s never only one word that fits this context. Stop thinking about that and start delivering like a star, using your tone of voice, your charm, your personality”. Now if that makes the difference between a good actor and a brilliant actor, it will surely make the difference between a good linguist and a really outstanding one.
What are the rules?
Accept the fact that you’ve been trained as a translator and interpreter, therefore you simply know how to do it. If you still have serious doubts, find a mentor who will happily assess your work and cheer you up. Or find translations done by professionals that you know you could’ve done better. You know how to translate or interpret and you should take that for granted.
How that will make the difference?
My ex-actor was right: it’s easy to spot an actor who’s still doubtful regarding his own talent. He’s uneasy on the stage, he lacks this confidence to approach great directors, he doesn’t have enough power to turn people’s heads around. He’s still an actor, but he’ll never make it to the Oscars.
The same rule applies to languages in action. You can be a hardworking translator, going through texts over and over again, constantly being unhappy with the words chosen, never approaching serious LSPs because “you’re not good enough”. Or you can be a celebrity translator, landing great projects with little effort, confident in who you are and what you do. Why not?
How does confidence work in practice?
1. If you trust your skills, you make fewer mistakes. This may sound paradoxical, but if you’re not too obsessed with double-checking every single word, you’ll have more time to check for typos, numbers, and instructions. Just accept the fact that your translation is fine and concentrate on perfecting it.
2. If you accept that you can do it, you do it better. Works great with samples sent to you by prospective clients! You can either approach this task fearful of failure and fail, or just do your job, as usual. Don’t question your basic skills and don’t take one “no” as a proof that you can’t do it. Actors are rejected dozens of times. Does that make them worse actors?
3. If you’re confident, others will sense it. Be proud of your achievements, be impressed by your own CV, enjoy your work. Whenever you send your application to a new client, visualise them opening your e-mail, reading your cover letter, and being impressed with your CV. Your confidence will convince them of hiring you.
4. Be proud, and business will come your way. Confident and optimistic people attract more business. Since I started trusting in my ability to translate, I’ve gained a few wonderful clients and met interesting people out there.
5. Confidence enhances your USP. We all know we need something to stand out from the crowd. In business, it’s called a Unique Selling Point – the differentiation factor. If you’re confident enough in your basic skills, you can concentrate on growing your business and earning more. You’re not just a translator anymore, but you’re someone worthy of attention.
Even though there are no Oscars for translators and interpreters, I still think there’s a lot to win in our profession. And if confidence in our basic skills is the factor that makes the difference, it’s better to have it. In the end, you do have these skills anyway, don’t you?
Marta Stelmaszak
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16 Comments
Dear Marta,
Again a lot of very useful insights in your blog. Yes, if one is too stressed and anxious about one’s own quality as a translator or an interpreter, this will have an overall negative impact. Hence a self fulfilling prophecy could start to happen, which is even more negative.
On the other hand, one has to be realistic too. At what point is one confident enough to know that he or she is capable of stellar performances in the translation industry? I recently had a little discussion on ProZ on the topic if “this is a recession”, meaning that many of us, translators and interpreters, are experiencing a serious dip in the demand from clients or potential clients. One answer, that I take seriously, was the following: “In fact, there are some businesses doing very nicely, and many are still turning over vast profits, but that there is dramatic change afoot is undeniable and I don’t think any of us know where this is heading. My view, for what it’s worth, is that our industry invariably reflects society and the commercial world at large: those at the top will do well, those at the bottom working at very low rates, will also survive (just). In my view, it’s the middle that will be flushed out and there are a lot of us in the middle”. I think this a right observation and severe warning for many of us, that shouldn’t be taken lightly at all. So, in conclusion, I agree with your topic in this blog, while remaining very aware at the same time of the danger of belonging to “the group in the middle that will be flushed out”.
Best regards
Dear Jan,
Thank you very much for your comment. I know that finding this thin borderline between being confident and too confident is difficult. But from my experience, there’s much more of those who are decent translators, but are too ashamed to go out there and get it, as compared to those who just show off. It can be easily verified anyway…
I really liked the comment you’ve presented here. And it might be true. The longer I think about it, the more convinced I become. There seem to be no place for middle-scale products, services, people (?). It’s either the best, or the cheapest. I’ll risk and I’ll try to be the best.
I really appreciate this post. Like you say, if you know you have the education and experience, why act like an amateur? Such a great reminder, and a much-needed confidence boost. Thanks!
Hi Carolyn,
I’m glad I could help you with your confidence. We do seem to forget about it, sitting in our offices scared of these oh-so-great-and-accomplished translators and thinking we’ll never be as good as they are. Well… they weren’t born like that. We’re all (ok, most of us, some people just can’t translate.) capable of reaching the stars
I think you make some good points, particularly in regards to degrees. One of the advantages of having a degree, or any qualification, is that if and when you get knocked back by a client you can remind yourself that you actually are good enough to do your job and that can help you regain your self-confidence.
Thanks for your comment, John.
Some time ago I had an unpleasant situation in court. The prosecutor would ignore the fact that there was an interpreter and he would go on and on mumbling, almost whispering, quoting deadly passages from law books. I was devastated, and I thought: apparently I can’t do it. It was only because I reminded myself that I have the diploma, and I’m experienced, I managed not to leave the profession altogether.
I’m wiser now, and I’m not afraid of telling them to speak louder and slower. I’m there as a professional and they have to respect me. That’s my confidence.
This is a great comparison. Trust yourself and you will be trusted. Amen!!
Thanks for your comment, Ina. There’s definitely something true to it!
It’s certainly true that confidence breeds success - and thanks for such an upbeat post.
But we need to make sure that we are constantly updating and enhancing our knowledge, and not just resting on our educational laurels. Confidence with firm foundations is real confidence.
It’s a big and ever-shifting beast, is language.
Thanks for your comment, Oliver.
I agree with everything you say. Only well-founded confidence works. And that’s this type of confidence I’m talking about in here. If we do work on our skills, if we are developing our professional abilities, we need to be proud of it. I am
Very true. I find that when I interpret (up on a stage in front of hundreds of people or in a booth with headphones and a microphone), my mind switches to a different mode. When you’re up there, there is no time for fear anymore. You just ‘switch yourself off’ and ‘switch the interpreter on’. If you have some experience and are familiar with the vocabulary, you just ‘come to’ after the job is done. Remembering that I’m about to switch to the automated mode of an interpreter, helps me overcome my initial stage fright and keep my confidence. But that comes with experience, I guess.
Dear Agata, thank you for your comment. It’s definitely true. And I think I know what you mean. Whenever I interpret (or present), my concentration takes me to a different reality, where there’s nothing but the communication model. There’s the message, the audience, the speech, and the author. There’s no me, no fear, no what-if-they-don’t-like-my-accent thinking, there’s just the ultimate stance of the author. Nothing else exists. That’s what I love about public speaking (or interpreting).
Excellent post, a must-read for every translator seeking a daily dose of inspiration. It is OK to BE hungry, just don’t LOOK hungry (look enthusiastic instead!). In other words, stay positive and fake it ’till you make it!
“Fake it ’till you make it” - I like that
When I was a tad younger, I used to read a lot on visualisation and creating your own future through imagining it. Well, it’s been a couple of years and here’s my secret: it works. Hence my advice to every start-up translator: think of yourself as of a well-established and highly professional provider, and it will come to you. Fear, or lack of confidence, won’t help.
Thanks for this inspiring post. I’ve been considering studying as a translator for a while now and articles like this are of great help to me. I shall bookmark it!
Thanks! I’m glad that you found it inspiring. Good luck!