A Translator as A Project Manager

Sometimes, direct clients of mine, particularly hoteliers that wish to create or re-create their hotel’s websites, ask me if I can help them in their quest of finding the best professional translators in the language they wish to have their site translated into.

Finding the best professionals in the field is quite a challenge. Apart of being true to the client, I also carry the responsibility on my shoulders of knowing that the website is going to be read by hundreds of native speakers and I need to make sure that all these sites are not only absolutely free of spelling and grammar mistakes, but they read wonderfully and as naturally as possible.

The first thing I do is to look back at my university years and try to remember my classmates both in my BA as well as my MA. I need to be sure that they have the right academic qualifications. If I do remember someone who was native in the target language I am in need of, then I get in touch with them! This is where Facebook comes handy! If I do not remember, then I ask my fellow translators if they know someone that can help me out. If they do, then that is great! They give me contact details and the journey becomes easier. If they do not, then I turn to Twitter. There is such a large community of translators there! And the good news is that even if my tweet is not seen by the right translator, my tweet is re-tweeted by these wonderful followers and eventually I get contacted by the right translator. It is more helpful to my search when a translator has a website. There is no need of the CV sending activities.  All the information I need is collected and my work becomes easier. I do this in order to find proofreaders as well.

Following the above described process, then everything is easier from there. I get quotes for rates and talk to my clients. Then, all together agree on a deadline. When the translation is ready, a programmer uploads the text onto the site, a proofreader reads the whole site and checks that everything is ok and the site goes live!

Sometimes it can take a lot of my time from my actual work, but in these crazy financial times, I do like to help my friends-translators. Besides, I sleep better at night knowing that I have made the right choices and have kept all the people involved happy with our services!