2023 Goals for Translators: Where to Focus Your Energy

Are you a translator looking to set some goals for 2023? Look no further! In this listicle, we'll explore some key areas where you can focus your energy on improving your skills and succeeding in the coming year. From staying up-to-date with the latest technology to networking with other professionals, there are plenty of ways to take your translation career to the next level. Read on to learn more!

With a world population of over 8 billion people, the job as a translator has never been more important. There’s still a lot of language barriers we need to cross, many languages that need more representation, and a lot more people that need to be heard. Even with the advancements of machine translation, us, human translators, still play a huge role in filling the gaps machines may miss.

As the year came to a close, we chatted with some of the best translators in the industry to pick their brains, know their process, and get their top tier tips to help our readers know where to focus their energy for a brighter year ahead as translators. So let's get started and make 2023 your best year yet as a translator.

Let’s get to know the translators! Starting things off with Miriam Hurley.

 

Miriam Hurley (Italian to English)

She is an American translator based in Florence, Italy. She’s had two decades of full-time experience as a certified translator from Italian to English. 

Here are her top three tips for translators:

1. Hurley believes that surrounding yourself with the languages you focus on can help improve your skills. She recommends reading materials and constantly translating things to practice.

2. When faced with difficult translations, Hurley tries to make the English clear and flow well. She admits that poor source text can be an extra challenge.

3. To work effectively with clients, Hurley recommends being communicative, open, and responsive. She also sets boundaries to avoid clients taking up too much of her time. She has her terms online to avoid misunderstandings.

 

Joachim Lépine (French to English)

He is a professional translator based in Quebec, Canada. He provides premium French to English translations for various mediums such as academic research, commercial, and marketing.

Here are his helpful tips:

1. To improve your skills as a translator, expose yourself to a lot of quality writing in your target language. He recommends integrating this exposure into your lifestyle. For example, he makes time to go to the library with his child to check out books , which allows him to improve his writing skills through reading and spend quality time with his family at the same time.

2. Becoming certified or recognized by your local association can help ensure you have the skills you need for a successful career and allows you to connect with other professionals for advice.

3. To build a successful career, focus on your strengths and let others handle tasks that require skills you don't possess.

 

Ann Montañana (Spanish to English)

She is an English translator with many years of experience. She currently works as a certified translator from Spanish to English but has had extensive experience in being a foreign language teacher in a handful of schools in Argentina and the US.

Here are her tips for us:

1. To improve your skills as a translator, she recommends taking courses on topics you want to translate. For example, if you're passionate about television and the film industry, you could combine that with audiovisual translation.

2. To avoid linguistic problems in difficult translations, continuously learn about the language and know your strengths and useful tools. Also, receive feedback to improve your work.

3. To deal with clients and manage difficult situations, learn from your mistakes and integrate other life skills. For example, Ann’s experience as a translator, Spanish teacher, and UX writer helps her understand conflicts, improve communication, and master the art of patience, which provides good service to clients.

 

Anna Hennrichs (German to English)

She is a certified translator based in the Canary Islands, Spain. She provides professional translation from German to English and Spanish to English. 

Here’s her advice:

1. Anna believes that success in the translation industry is possible without a university degree, but recommends educating yourself about the tools and processes to understand the market and stand out. This can help you navigate the market, start collaborations, and use your time wisely.

2. Get as much reference material and familiarize yourself with the topic of the translation to avoid missing context or unclear instructions. She also suggests using style guides and translation memories to help with difficult translations.

3. For dealing with clients in general, you should always value open and honest communication in order to provide the best service possible. If issues come up, give detailed and professional feedback that all parties can understand and offer suggestions on how to solve them.

 

Ivan Fosin (English to Croatian)

He is a professional translator based in Edinburg, United Kingdom. He professionally translates from English to Croatian and is trusted by important brands & companies with their marketing, tech, legal, and business texts.

Here’s his advice:

1. His translation approach boils down to flexibility. Being able to follow rules and deviate from them when necessary is a characteristic of a good translator. This can be useful for legal texts and speaking to Gen Z.

2. Welcome advancements in machine technology because it can help automate tasks and make the process more efficient. Take as many courses as you can to continue your professional development to stay up-to-date in the industry.

3. Set clear expectations from the very beginning with your clients. As a language professional, it's important to respect deadlines and provide high-quality texts. He also recommends going above and beyond by giving additional commentary on the job and following up with clients if necessary. He believes that being reliable and trustworthy is key to a good relationship with clients.

 

After reviewing the list of tips shared with us by our top translators, it's clear that there are many ways for language professionals to gear up for the new year. Some suggestions include setting specific goals for the year, continuing to learn and improve language skills, staying organized and on top of deadlines, and networking with other translators and industry professionals. By following these steps, translators can set themselves up for success in the coming year and continue to provide high-quality translation services to their clients.

Once again, we hope you enjoy the holiday season and wish you best of luck on your career for the new year!