Work from home opportunity – Translation

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The COVID-19 pandemic brought about the work-from-home trend, and it is here to stay. Consequently, you can work from home translating documents for that extra revenue. Language translation is a lucrative business helping many people earn a livelihood. Learn the qualifications, the languages in demand, and where and why you need to start in this article.

Why Start Translating Documents From Home

With the internet growing by the day, there is an increasing demand for translators. Translating documents from home is a perfect side hustle since it offers freedom and a flexible schedule. Additionally, when working from home, you can take on as many clients as you wish, and your financial revenues have no limit.

Having a degree in relevant fields can increase your earnings exponentially. You can work as a freelancer and also seek employment from translation agencies that allow remote work. Firms are continually seeking people who can interpret, translate and revise documents in different languages.

You can translate documents from various fields, including customer service, education, tourism, finance, commerce, healthcare, and many more. Having a translator will help tailor the message to suit the local culture, therefore, eliminating any errors that result from translation.

What Qualifications Do I Need to Start Working From Home as a Translator?

Translation work does not necessarily require qualifications. However, like any other profession, you must prove that you can do the work. For most entry-level translation jobs, clients will request to see your degree. To prove to clients that you can take their translation jobs, you need to confirm that you have several years of experience or have received training in translation or languages.

A degree or postgraduate degree in linguistics and translation will get you a spot in the industry. Additionally, if you have taken combined degrees such as law with language, you can also get into the career. Additionally, you can get a diploma in translation from recognized institutions.

However, you don’t require a degree to work in translation. The minimum requirement to get into the job is a high school diploma or GED. If you a native of the language, educational qualifications don’t matter.

The skills needed to start a career in translation are advanced language knowledge, great writing skills, cultural knowledge, research skills, great translation judgment, and computer skills. Personal skills needed to become a remote translator include self-motivation, attention to detail, great organization, adaptability, reliability, and curiosity.

How to Get Translation Jobs Without a Degree

As a freelance translator, you have to start from somewhere. Without a degree, landing jobs is considerably harder. However, you can gain experience by volunteering. You can volunteer to translate blog posts, youtube videos, and Wikipedia articles.

Alternatively, you can get various certifications from online courses. Online courses and workshops will help you gain relevant skills, especially if you are interested in specialized translating jobs.

Another option to help you build skills and knowledge is self-study. Make use of computer-aided translation to expand your vocabulary and expertise.

You can also start freelancing on popular platforms such as PeoplePerHour, Fiverr, and Upwork. At first, you might get low-paying jobs, but as you gain experience, your revenue will increase. When you get on these platforms, the secret is to market yourself. Additionally, after landing jobs, ask clients to give you a review and testimonial to help you fish for more clients.

Finally, to attract translation jobs from home, start by building a portfolio or CV, where you list all your experiences and showcase your skills, certifications, and training.

What Do You Need to Start Translating Documents From Home

There is no excuse for not starting a translation career if you have no work. The initial investment is very little, and you will be running quickly. It would be best if you had a fast computer with a good internet connection to start translating jobs.

Alternatively, you can go big and build your translation website and optimize it so that clients can find you. The initial investment can be considerable, but the return on investment is rewarding.

What Language Translation Skills Are the Highest Paying?

Simultaneous Translation

Simultaneous translations happen when the translator interprets the speaker’s words in the source language as the talk is ongoing. Such translations pay higher rates because it is one of the hardest tasks. You need to listen, translate and talk simultaneously. The job requires an increased focus such that you will find two simultaneous translators working as a team.

Annually, simultaneous translators can get up to $180,000 per year, with experts earning up to $500,000.

Localization Translation

Localization translators have recently come in demand because companies are trying to localize their content to suit their target audiences. They help translate websites and other material to serve local markets. Localization translators can earn up to $60,000 annually.

Medical Translator

Technical translators generally earn higher than other translators. To become a medical translator, you need a deep knowledge of medical vocabulary and content. Medical translators help translate documents and other content to help establish communication between patients and their physicians. Medical translators can earn up to $46,000 per year.

Literacy Translators

These are linguists who specialize in translating literature. These translators work on various documents, including novels, books, blog posts, and journals. For effective translation, the translator must prioritize cultural and localization issues. Linguistics translators can even spend months trying to translate one piece. As a literacy translator, you can earn up to $51,000 per year.

Judiciary Translator

These translators usually work to translate legal documents. This kind of work can be tedious. In addition, it also requires technical knowledge in legal matters. Therefore, they earn up to $70,000 per year.

What Languages Are Most in Demand for Translation Services?

Certain factors determine how a translator gets paid. These factors include translation speed, language pairs, location, translation service, and type of content. Some languages pay higher than others. However, the payment rate is highly reliant on the economic output of that language.

For instance, native German speakers aren’t many. However, the people speaking that language are economically advanced. Therefore, there are many opportunities for translation into German.

German

These translators earn up to $42,000 per year. German interpreters and translators are especially in high demand in the finance sector.

Spanish

There are approximately 400 million native Spanish speakers, the official language in more than seven countries. Consequently, Spanish translators are usually in high demand and get lucrative salaries.

Italian

Italian ranks as the third highest-paying language for translation. An expert Spanish translator can expect a remuneration of more than $40,000 per year. Italian translators who also double up as Portuguese translators have an added advantage.

Russian

Russian translators are in high demand in the finance and economic sectors. A Russian translator is expected to fetch around $36,000 per year.

Mandarin

The Chinese market has been growing exponentially, and as a result, there has been a growing demand for Mandarin translators. A Mandarin translator can expect up to $39,000 annually.

Conclusion

Working from home translating documents will give you flexibility and freedom. There are many opportunities to get you started on this career path, even without a degree. Freelancing platforms are a great point to start looking for translation opportunities.

To kickstart your career, we advise getting some certifications from recognized institutions. You are set to go if you have a degree in translation or linguistics. We wish you all the best.