Blog

Sin categoría, Translation

Agency vs Direct Client

Ilduara Escobedo

Hello everyone!

This time I want to talk about the differences in working as a freelance translator with a translation agency versus working with a direct client.

In my experience, you can have a good working experience with both, but there are some important differences.

Let’s do pros and cons lists for both!

advice advise advisor business
Photo by Startup Stock Photos on Pexels.com

Pros of working with a translation agency:

  • Usually, they are big companies with experience in the field.
  • They tend to be more trustworthy when it comes to payments (there are exceptions) and offer several payment methods.
  • Their client portfolio can include important corporations that prefer to work with agencies than directly with a translator.
  • Some agencies are a big deal in the industry, and if you manage to work with at least one of them, it can be a great addition to your resumé.

Cons of working with agencies:

  • They tend to pay really low rates because the biggest part of the clients’ payments is for them.
  • They take longer to pay. Normally, agencies can take from 30 to 60 days to pay, which is quite a lot of time, especially if this is your only income.
  • Sometimes you might get to work with a difficult PM or with different PMs for each project, which can create doubt and confusion.
photo of woman using her laptop
Photo by bruce mars on Pexels.com

Pros of working with direct clients:

  • Their rates are better because there is no middle-man involved.
  • They can pay faster, some pay within days of receiving the translation, it depends on their internal payment procedures.
  • You get to work directly with the person who needs the translation, so the communication is much more direct and flows with ease.
  • They tend to offer long-term projects, that in the end are way more convenient than a bunch of little projects here and there.

Cons of working with direct clients:

  • They might not respect your “working hours”. If they need to tell you something they consider urgent, they probably write or call you at any time of the day, even during the weekends.
  • Sometimes, if they are not familiar with how translation works, they might ask for really ridiculous deadlines. Who hasn’t had a client asking for an “urgent” translation for “today” at 5 pm on a Friday? 😉
  • You have to do some research to see if they are reliable, especially when it comes to payments. You can ask colleagues who have worked with them or even asked them for references (if they ask you for references, you can do the same!).
  • If your primary contact is not familiar with your work, you might find it hard to make them understand why the project would take as long as it would and why the cost is what it is.

There are many more pros and cons, I am just presenting a short version of it, but if you can you think of any other important pros and cons, let me know in the comments!

In the meantime, have a great day and I cannot wait to hear all about you! Remember to subscribe to my blog!

 

 

Advertisement
Brand Ambassador, Content Editor, Content Localizer, Content Marketing, Social Media, Translation

First Quarter of the Year

Ilduara Escobedo

Hello everyone!

Well, the first quarter of the year is almost over! It feels like only yesterday we were welcoming the new year! Time is flying, let’s talk about these first three months!

I know people always say that the first quarter of the year is the one that goes by more slowly than the rest, but for me this year… is simply flying by! I haven’t felt these three months pass!

Definitely, it means that I’ve been very busy with work, my blog, and social media. I am very grateful that projects have been flowing my way constantly and that I am able to keep busy.

Photo by Eric Rothermel on Unsplash

FluentU is growing, they will start localizing their French service to Spanish, so I will be helping with some tasks during the process. Although I don’t speak Frech, the bug to learn, at least the basics, has bit me. I just think that I would be able to help more and better if I know a little French.

Besides that, there are some changes needed to be done to videos published before my time, which can consume quite a lot of time

I also received many SEO and Google Ad Search campaigns during this quarter, especially in February. With the Super Bowl and Valentine’s Day, you can imagine how many clients wanted to make sure that customers were drawn to their products and services.

I managed to find a couple of new clients through LinkedIn! I am not as active there as I am on Instagram so it was a pleasant surprise to find messages from potential clients wanting to work with me! I definitely plan to be more active there from now on.

Photo by Towfiqu barbhuiya on Unsplash

Of course, reaching out and keeping in touch with your colleagues is also something that I’ve been trying to do during these first three months of the year.

Sometimes we get so caught up in our work and family lives that we forget about our friends and colleagues who have always supported us.

How has your first quarter of the year been so far? Any new projects or clients? Leave it all in the comments, I would really like to read all about it, and don’t forget to subscribe!

Thank you to Day Translations for sponsoring this post! Make sure to click on the link to find out more about the services they offer.

Until next time, take care and stay safe!

XX

Brand Ambassador, Content Editor, Content Localizer, Content Marketing, Social Media, Translation

Human Contact

Ilduara Escobedo

Hello everyone!

As freelance translators, we know it can be a lonely job. So how can we create human contact, which is so needed in our lives? Let’s talk more about it today!

Any person who works as a freelancer, especially after many years of working in a busy office, knows that it is difficult to adapt from having lots of co-workers to having… none.

Don’t get me wrong, working on our own can have some advantages, like fewer interruptions. You are bound to get interrupted in a big office throughout your day. While working at home, it is less likely to get interrupted, and you can focus more on your work and productivity.

But it can also get a bit lonely… No one to talk to, no one to ask a question to, no one right there to laugh about a meme or a joke.

Of course, our family and friends are a great way of getting human contact but we also need to have colleagues. Mentors are another great idea.

And how do we get colleagues? Well, there are many ways to do that, here are some:

Photo by Chris Montgomery on Unsplash

Local Associations

Most countries have local translators and interpreters associations. That can be a good option for networking and getting to know new colleagues. Of course, this probably means having to pay a fee to be part of it.

You can also join some international associations, like the ATA, which will give you a lot more exposure.

Social Media

Yes! Social media can be of great help when it comes to getting to know new people, not just colleagues, but also potential clients. Instagram has a wonderful community of translators and interpreters. LinkedIn is another great idea. Some prefer Twitter, and there are some interesting groups on Facebook.

YouTube is another great resource! You can follow translators and interpreters who have channels on the platform. Interacting with them and their followers can definitely help you to know more people in the industry.

Webinars and Online Meetings

Live webinars and online meetings are another way of getting to know your colleagues. Maybe you already know them from a social media platform but a live webinar or meeting is the way to finally meet “in person” although not exactly, you know what I mean!

Meeting in Person

Of course, if you happen to live in the same city or country, or even nearby, as some of your colleagues it makes it easier to actually meet in person for a coffee or similar. This is the best way to get to know someone but in this post-pandemic world, I know that we are all still trying to play it safe.

Photo by justin bhalla on Unsplash

So, which are your favorite ways to interact with your colleagues or meet new ones? Have you met any of them in person? I’d love to hear all about it in the comments! And maybe we can meet in person one day!

Thanks to Day Translations for sponsoring this post! Make sure to click on the link to find out more about the services they offer.

Until next time, take care and stay safe!

XX

Brand Ambassador, Content Editor, Content Localizer, Content Marketing, Social Media, Translation

International Women’s Day 2023

Ilduara Escobedo

Hello everyone!

Yesterday we celebrated International Women’s Day, but all of March is Women’s History Month, so the celebration is not over!

Nobody can honestly say we don’t owe an enormous amount to the women in our lives, from the mothers who made us chicken soup when we were sick as children, to the sisters who helped us decide what to wear on our first date, to the wives who somehow manage to juggle both a career and a family, never missing a beat. Women’s Day is all about celebrating these incredible people and showing them how much we love, respect, and value them.

This holiday is perhaps especially important in parts of the world where women are still forced to deal with shocking inequality on a daily basis and is meant to raise awareness of the challenges and struggles faced by these women. Women’s Day celebrates women’s history, highlighting key events, milestones, and achievements, and aims to further promote and raise awareness of women’s rights and to achieve equal opportunity status in all walks of life.

Photo by RODNAE Productions on Pexels.com

History of International Women’s Day

It may come as a rather sad surprise that International Women’s Day was first celebrated on February 28th, 1909 in New York. Two years later, German socialist Luise Zietz proposed that the holiday become an annually observed one that would celebrate various women’s issues, such as suffrage, so as to promote equal rights for women. The first few International Women’s Days were celebrated in a quite different fashion than they are nowadays, with hundreds of demonstrations taking place in Europe. During these demonstrations, women demanded they finally be given both the right to vote and to hold public office.

Employment sex discrimination was also an important issue. In 1917, the International Women’s Day demonstrations in Saint Petersburg, Russia, helped initiate the February Revolution, when women marched through the city demanding an end to World War I. This shocked even Leon Trotsky, who, much like other Russian leaders of the day, did not expect the Women’s Day protests to cause that much of a stir. Until 1977, Women’s Day was celebrated mainly in socialist countries. It was only after the United Nations General Assembly’s decision to proclaim March 8th International Women’s Day that the holiday gained worldwide popularity (source: Days of the Year).

There are many ways that you can go about celebrating this holiday, but all of them have a similar goal: to raise awareness about the struggles of women the world over and honor their achievements. Of course, not all achievements are huge, worldwide game-changers like women finally obtaining the right to vote—there are all sorts of other, smaller feats that women you know manage on an everyday basis that you may not pay too much attention to until you try calming 2 crying toddlers, making dinner and explaining the particulars of a newly-acquired client to your boss over the phone at the same time. This may sound ridiculously hard to pull off, but this is something thousands of women pull off every day, something that should be deeply appreciated and something that nobody should take for granted. Grand gestures aren’t necessarily required to show appreciation, either—sometimes a simple “thank you, I have no idea how you do it” is enough to lift an overworked woman’s spirits.

Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com

So, let’s thank all the women in our lives who support us and have always been there for us! Our mothers, sisters, aunts, cousins, wives, colleagues, etc. But let’s also thank the men who always support women’s right to equality.

I hope you are having an extraordinary Women’s History Month!

Thanks to Day Translations for sponsoring this post! Make sure to click the link to find out more about the services they offer.

Until next time, take care and stay safe!

XX

Brand Ambassador, Content Editor, Content Localizer, Content Marketing, Social Media, Translation

Book Lovers

Ilduara Escobedo

Hello everyone!

Today I want to talk about books. I mean, books are essential for translators, we can’t live without them!

Some people like to read the biographies of the most influential people in history, like Martin Luther King or Mahatma Gandhi. Some people like novels that send chills down their spines, from goth horror novels like Mary Shelley’s “Frankenstein” to Stephen King’s epistolary novel, “Carrie”. Some prefer the classics, like “Pride and Prejudice” or the “Old Man and the Sea”.

But regardless of the kind of books you like the most, the indisputable truth is that the world would not be the same without books. Books have been educating and inspiring us for thousands of years, so it should go without saying that they are a big part of our lives, especially for linguists.

Photo by Aline Viana Prado on Pexels.com

Books are more than simple pieces of paper with words on them (or, in the case of digital books, a bunch of pixels on a screen). They’re a door into another world, whether that’s one full of fiction and imagination or a factual world that teaches you incredible new things. Reading a book is all about celebrating the awesome power of stories and the joy of reading. It’s mainly meant to help encourage a love of reading in children, but people of all ages can recognize and celebrate the day.

Books have a strong connection with schools, and they are used worldwide to allow school children to engage with reading and their favorite books. That’s why it is so important to not just indulge the love of books, but also make sure that children and young people can gain access to books.

Books did not always look the way they do today, with their glossy covers and creamy pages. When writing systems were invented in ancient civilizations thousands of years ago, clay tablets were used. Later, humanity moved on to using papyrus. In the 3rd century, the Chinese were the first to make something that resembled today’s books in that they consisted of numerous thick, bamboo pages sewn together. Then, in the mid-15th century, Johannes Gutenberg’s printing press brought books into the industrial age, making them readily available to anyone who wanted to read them. It is thanks to that ingenious invention that we are all able to enjoy the works of Shakespeare, Tolstoy, and many others in the comfort of our own homes today.

Photo by Hailey Galloway on Pexels.com

So, are you reading a book right now? If so, which one? Which one is your favorite book? Leave me a comment and let’s start a conversation!

Thanks to Day Translations for sponsoring this post! Make sure to click on the link to find out more about the services they offer.

Until next time, take care and stay safe!

XX

Brand Ambassador, Content Editor, Content Localizer, Content Marketing, Social Media, Translation

Digital Learning

Ilduara Escobedo

Hello everyone!

Today I want to talk about digital learning and how it has grown so much over the past three years! The pandemic definitely gave it a boost, so let’s look more into it.

Let’s start with a definition of digital learning.

Digital learning is a method based on the use of new digital tools to enable learners to learn in a different way, whether it be face-to-face, distance learning, or blended learning. It has different methods, which we will see next.

Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com

Digital Learning Methods:

Virtual classroom. Virtual classes allow trainers and learners to be brought together in the same virtual place, for example during a video conference.

Serious games. Organized in various forms, they enable know-how to be learned in a fun and sometimes collective way.

The MOOC (Massive Open Online Course). The best-known teaching method is based on the use of a platform for training through videos, downloadable documents, quizzes, etc.

SPOC (Small Private Online Course). Similar to the MOOC, this interactive training course has the particularity of being aimed at a smaller group of learners, which encourages interactivity with the trainer and ensures that learners are followed up.

Mobile Learning. It involves training from your smartphone. A practice particularly suited to the “anytime, anywhere, anyplace” learning experience.

Social Learning. Based on the exchange and sharing of experience within a group, this more informal and collaborative learning method is also used in a complementary way in the context of hybrid or face-to-face training.

Adaptive Learning. This concept refers to the ultra-customization of certain training courses to adapt to the needs of each learner (specific modules and workshops, adapted training courses, etc.).

Photo by Ivan Samkov on Pexels.com

I don’t think there is anyone out there who hasn’t been involved with at least one of the digital learning methods. What is your experience with them? Let me know in the comments and don’t forget to subscribe!

Thanks to Day Translations for sponsoring this post! Make sure to click on the link to find out more about the services they offer.

Until next time, take care and stay safe!

XX

Brand Ambassador, Content Editor, Content Localizer, Content Marketing, Social Media, Translation

Valentine’s Day 2023

Ilduara Escobedo

Hello everyone!

So, this week was Valentine’s Day! A day that can bring us, as translators, a lot of love as well! Let’s see how this day and other similar holidays can boost our work.

Valentine’s Day is probably one of the most profitable holidays in the year. Marketing campaigns start as early as January, right after the New Year campaigns. It is over a month of hard work to make sure that all lovers out there know exactly what to buy for their significant ones.

Photo by Jill Wellington on Pexels.com

So, if you happen to work as a translator for SEO, Search Ad Campaigns, and Marketing Campaigns, you probably had a really busy month and a half at the start of the new year!

I do happen to work in those fields… and boy, did I get lots of work! I am very thankful for it, of course, but I really had to use my organizational skills to be able to fit all the “urgent” requests.

But of course, Valentine’s Day isn’t just about work. It is a great occasion to show those you love and who are close to you, how much they mean to you. Although, this is something we should always do, not just on a specific date.

Still, it is nice to surprise our close ones with nice details that we hope will make their day better! I certainly like receiving tokens of appreciation from those who truly care about me.

Photo by Helena Lopes on Pexels.com

And even though this holiday has become quite commercialized, I think there is still a way to make it less about big gifts, and more about big hugs! Who doesn’t like to receive a big, comforting hug?

Thus, Valentine’s Day can mean more projects for us, while also being a day to remind your loved ones how much you appreciate them… and also to be appreciated ourselves.

What did you do for Valentine’s Day? I’d love to hear all about it in the comments, and don’t forget to subscribe!

Thanks to Day Translations for sponsoring this post! Make sure to click on the link to learn more about the services they offer.

Until next time, take care and stay safe!

XX

Brand Ambassador, Content Editor, Content Localizer, Content Marketing, Social Media, Translation

Stationery

Ilduara Escobedo

Hi everyone!

I enjoy stationery and buying new things every year. So, let’s talk about this today!

I know that stationery sounds a bit out of fashion, but to me, there is something exciting about getting new notebooks, bullet planners, pens, folders, etc.

They don’t just help you to keep your desk organized, they also serve as a very nice decoration. They can definitely brighten up your workspace.

That’s why I like choosing bold and colorful patterns, to make my office space look less serious.

Photo by Bich Tran on Pexels.com

Although not stationery, plants also go a long way into not just decorating your workspace, but actually bringing life to it.

This year, I decided to go for many flower patterns. They also give a more feminine look to my office, without going overboard.

I like having different types of pens, of different tint colors. I enjoy being able to bring my notes to life. Black and blue tints are okay, but mixing them up with other colors can make a difference.

I know you can do all this on your computer, and I do use it too. But there is something about actually writing down information, which I still really enjoy.

Some of my ideas for social media and blog posts, I like to write them down first in a notebook. This way I can always take it with me and add as more ideas pop into my head.

Photo by Min An on Pexels.com

I also like using a notebook as my bullet planner. I can plan my day, my week, and even my month this way. I only add to the computer the daily tasks but I prefer to keep the rest in my notebook.

And having nice pens, pencils, and so forth, makes it even nicer to write down any sort of information, right?

So, are you team stationery or not? Do you still use it or do you keep everything on your computer? I’d love to read all about it in the comments.

Thanks to Day Translations for sponsoring this post! Make sure to click on the link to find out more about the services they offer.

Until next time, take care and stay safe!

XX

Brand Ambassador, Content Editor, Content Localizer, Content Marketing, Social Media, Translation

Lunar New Year 2023

Ilduara Escobedo

Hello everyone!

On January 22, the Lunar New Year started! And this year is the “Year of the Rabbit”! Let’s learn a bit more about this celebration.

When is the Lunar New Year?

The Lunar New Year begins on the date (in East Asia) of the second new Moon after the winter solstice, which always takes place in late December. This means that the first day of the Lunar New Year can occur anytime between January 21 and February 20.

Why Are There Different New Years?

The traditional Chinese calendar is a lunisolar calendar, which means that it is based on astronomical observations of the Sun’s position in the sky and the Moon’s phases. This ancient calendar dates back to the 14th century BCE. The Chinese lunisolar calendar shares some similarities with the Hebrew calendar, which is also lunisolar, and it has influenced other East Asian calendars, such as those of Korea and Vietnam.

Just like New Year according to the Gregorian calendar (January 1), Lunar New Year celebrations start on the night before the first day of the new year.

China does follow the Gregorian calendar for daily business, but still follows the Chinese calendar for important festivals, and auspicious dates such as the Moon phases.

Photo by Checan27_ on Pexels.com

Who Celebrates the Lunar New Year?

Although this holiday has commonly been called “Chinese New Year” in the West, China isn’t the only country to observe it. Lunar New Year, also known as the Spring Festival, is the most celebrated and longest of all Asian festivals and is observed by millions of people around the world.

A number of the other countries in East Asia, including Vietnam, Korea, Japan, and the Philippines, hold their own new year celebrations at this time.

What Is the Animal for the Lunar New Year This Year?

In 2023, we rang in the Year of the Rabbit, one of 12 animals in the Chinese zodiac. The animal designations of the zodiac follow a 12-year cycle and are always used in the same sequence.

Those born in the Year of the Rabbit are said to be talented at many things. They are affectionate people, often excelling at forming close relationships. However, they also appreciate tranquility and seek out peace.

Photo by I_Babina Photography &Wildlife on Pexels.com

I hope you find this interesting. And do you celebrate the Lunar New Year? I’d love to hear all about it in the comments, and don’t forget to subscribe!

Thank you to Day Translations for sponsoring this post! Make sure to click on their link to find out more about their services.

Until next time, take care and stay safe!

XX

Brand Ambassador, Content Editor, Content Localizer, Copywriting, Social Media, Translation

Out of the Woods

Ilduara Escobedo

Hello everyone!

I noticed that lately, I haven’t written about COVID. And there are so many new cases around the world that maybe we should be asking ourselves if we are already “out of the woods”.

Although all the restrictions like using a face mask, keeping your distance, and not gathering with a large number of people in closed spaces have pretty much disappeared in most countries, some cities and countries are beginning to use some of these restrictions again.

We should remember that we are living through a pandemic. That means that COVID is here to stay with us, probably forever. Our lives will never go back to the exact way they were before.

Photo by cottonbro studio on Pexels.com

New variants of the disease keep appearing. The vaccines used in the past years, don’t cover all the new variants. Plus, now we also have to worry about Monkeypox and Camel flu.

The truth is that, while we keep trying to get back to our “normal” lives more infections happen, and more variants are formed.

So, what should we do? Not much, except taking care of ourselves, our loved ones, and those around us.

I wouldn’t like to be responsible for infecting my mom or any other member of my family, especially those who are more sensitive to getting sick.

As freelance translators, most of us work from home. That is a great advantage already. We don’t expose ourselves daily to other people who might be infected.

Here in Guatemala, the cases of COVID increased in December. Of course, with all the holiday gatherings, parties, concerts, etc. It is only normal that more people are getting sick.

And, of course, we all just want to live our normal lives without worrying about COVID and everything else that is going on in the world.

Photo by Anna Shvets on Pexels.com

I think we can definitely combine getting back to our “new” lives with taking care of ourselves. It isn’t easy to do, but it isn’t impossible. It is all about making sure that we don’t overexpose ourselves for no good reason.

Of course, when we see the situation worldwide, the new cases are affecting several industries. China decided to implement really strict restrictions, so many factories are closed. And this is happening in several countries which are the main producers of the different things we buy.

But our current recession is a topic for another time 😉

What do you think about how the current COVID situation? How are things being handled in your country? Do you feel safe? I’d love to hear all about it in the comments. And don’t forget to subscribe!

Thanks to Day Translations for sponsoring this post! Make sure to click on the link to find out more about the services they offer.

Until next time, take care and stay safe!

XX

Brand Ambassador, Content Editor, Content Localizer, Content Marketing, Social Media, Translation

How to Get Back to the Routine?

Ilduara Escobedo

Hi everyone!

So, you had your holiday vacation and now you are struggling to get back to your daily routine? Don’t worry, you are not the only one!

When we go away for a long vacation, it can be difficult to get back to our daily routine. Being disconnected from work, social media, and everything else makes it tricky to get back to work like nothing happened.

Sure, we went away on vacation to rest but also to recharge our batteries… but the batteries take some time to heat up and start working. We might feel tired instead of full of energy. This is because we need time to adapt back to our routines.

Photo by Mateusz Dach on Pexels.com

What we should do is get back little by little. Don’t accept huge and difficult projects right away when you return from your vacation. Try to start with short and easy projects and work yourself up to working on those huge, time-consuming projects again.

Make sure to take your time. Taking small breaks every 20-25 minutes can help to ease into your routine. Also, during those breaks try to step away from the computer’s screen, maybe even walk a little. This will give you the energy to get back to business!

After a couple of days, you should feel comfortable again working at the same pace you used to before your big holiday break.

The important thing is to listen to your body and your mind. Don’t force them into giving 100% from day one, give them a chance to get used to the routine once more.

This is one of the “cons” of taking a long vacation. Sure, it feels great and we all deserve it but getting back to the routine might be a little more difficult. Of course, our brains and our bodies are amazing, and they will get working at the same pace in no time.

Photo by Mikhail Nilov on Pexels.com

Just take it easy, take time to get ready, meditate, and just go with the flow!

Do you have any difficulties getting back to your routine after a long vacation? How do you deal with it? I’d love to hear all about your experiences in the comments!

Thank you to Day Translations for sponsoring this post! Make sure to click on their link to learn more about the services they provide.

Until next time, take care and stay safe!

XX