What are the Tips for Making Money by Translation?

So far, we have talked about what translation is, translation training and what kind of work you need to do to become a professional translator. In this part of our article, we will cover different methods you can use to make money as a translator.

As you continue to read our article, you are either a translator or a translator candidate who is very willing to get into this job. Because we do not think that there will be anyone in the world who would want to translate just for the sake of a hobby.

However, if you are new to the translation business, you may not have noticed that not all translators make their money in the same way or from similar sources.

Translating, like other professions, offers a wide range of services. So, if you think that there is only one way to make money from translation, you will be limited and you will never be able to earn the amount of income you want.

You ask why?

Because everyone is different.

We each have different strengths or weaknesses. Each of us approaches the work we do, translation, from different angles, which is the right thing to do. That's why, like every other industry, you should focus on job opportunities that complement your skill set or maximize your income in the translation industry.

We should all do this.

However, as we mentioned before, if you are new to the translation business, you may not even be aware of these opportunities. Fortunately, this is not an impossible situation. Because the most important thing is to realize that your strengths and weaknesses are always open to change.

Let's take a look at the tricks of earning income from translation without wasting any more time.

Tips for Making Money by Translation?

1) Work with a single client in the initial phase

Most translators do just that to make money. If your only career goal in the translation profession is to translate, you might want to start by building your own client base.

There are many ways to accomplish this.

However, the most important thing to keep in mind is to work with one client at a time. One of the biggest mistakes new translators make is that they don't want to start this business with a single client, but with 20 stable clients that will appear all at once.

But this is not the right approach at all.

In fact, this is a way you can finish your career before you start, because whatever your profession is, you have to find your customers one by one.

So start by finding your first customer first. Then others come. This is the only way you can build your customer portfolio.

2) Work for translation offices

Some of the translators prefer to work with translation offices.

Working in an office environment can be a very logical choice because this will enable you to find a job without the hassle of searching for a client. This is the added value that translation offices will add to your career. Moreover, there is a mutual benefit for both you and the business you are affiliated with.

3) Open your own office

Most translators realize that when they open their own offices, they will generate a much larger income.

How Does?

Because they are aware that they can provide services even in languages ​​they cannot speak in their own offices. In this way, they can pass jobs for different languages ​​to translators who can speak those languages ​​and focus on another area of ​​the client market.

Have you decided to open your own office?

Wait, you don't have to implement all of these things at once.

Take small but sure steps. First, find people you can work with comfortably. Then focus on adding new languages ​​to your range of services.

4) Provide translation training

Participating in education and training activities is another way to maintain your translation life.

And universities are not the only channels that need education in this regard.

Colleges, adult language schools, and even summer schools all look for teachers who are qualified to provide the kind of training that makes people willing to learn and pay for what they learn.

5) Provide online translation training

If the thought of trying to teach something to a room full of students looking at you with curious eyes terrifies you, you can change the dimensions of the job with one click and move the education process to online platforms.

The best part of these types of courses, where you will explain the basic principles of translation and the ways to stay in this sector, is that they can be designed only once and used many times.

In the past, the equipment to design or host such classes was difficult to obtain. 

However, this has changed slightly with the emergence of websites offering online courses. 

Udemy, for example, makes online course services a lot easier, all for free!

6) Build a website dedicated to translators

As a translator, you must also have a website.

Because without your website, getting a place in this profession may not be as easy as you think.

Maybe you've already built a solid website and even love the idea.

Then let the good news come from us. There are many translators who have no clue about designing, hosting or managing their own websites. So you're already one step ahead of your competitors!

So, do you have to learn all this?

Actually yes.

But most translators don't, And they won't. This means you can enter the industry as a professional translator and web designer with a website. Please include content on your website that you consider the needs of translators, that is, designed for them.

7) Write a book about translation or interpreting

When you search for "translation" in the Amazon Kindle store, you come across about 20,000 books.

These were all written by someone. So why not be one of them?

If you are well-equipped about translation and the translation industry, by putting all your experiences into a book, you will be guiding translators who are new to the industry.

8) Provide trainings for certification exams

Earlier, we gave information about what the ATA certification system is and how it will benefit you.

If you remember what an important certification it is, you'll also guess that there will be plenty of translators ready to tackle the ATA certification exam. Especially if you are a translator who has passed the exam and you believe you have a good grasp of what the exam measures, you can even give other translators tactics to help them pass the exam. This is another source of income dependent on translation.

Preparation training for standardized exams (YDS, TOEFL, IELTS, etc.) is a huge global market.

9) Translate on Freelance Sites

You can create a membership on sites such as Fiverr, freelancer, bionluk, Upwork and start making freelance translations. You can keep your fee slightly below the market to find references at the beginning, and increase your price as your references and score increase.