Category: Sin categoría

Sin categoría, Social Media, Translation

Free Learning Resources

Ilduara Escobedo

Hello everyone!

I don’t know about you, but I love to learn new things and improve my languages, translation, and marketing knowledge.

There are great and free resources online that we can use to learn more. Here are some examples of the ones I use.

Podcasts

Podcasts are such a great free resource for getting tips for your business. As a translator, I find them helpful. They have provided me with such incredible insight, and it’s always great to hear about the experiences of other translators.

My favorite podcasts are:

  • Smart Habits for Translators
  • Marketing Tips for Translators
  • Translation Confessional
  • Freelancers & Entrepreneurs by Paul Urwin

You can find them all on different podcast platforms like Spotify and Apple Podcasts.

selective focus photography of gray stainless steel condenser microphone
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Webinars

There are thousands of free webinars out there that you can watch either live or recorded, with incredible content. You just have to search for the subjects you’d like to learn more.

When it comes to marketing, specifically for Instagram, I love Elise Darma’s videos. They are short but packed with useful information. I could say that almost everything I know about IG marketing, I learned it from Elise! You can find her videos on IGTV and YouTube.

Of course, I also look for webinars about translation. There are great ones on ProZ TV, both recorded ones and live ones. ProZ is always putting together live webinars for translators that talk about current issues and how to improve yourself.

I recently started participating in webinars organized by Tess Whitty and Virginia Katsimpiri. Virginia has a Facebook page group; she mentors translators to get better at what we do. Tess focuses more on marketing for translators; she has a vast experience in that field and knows how to apply it for translators.

Other sources of free webinars are Later and Hootsuite.

Online courses

Not the same as webinars, they refer to longer courses (with several lessons) that you can take on different subjects.

I just finished a Digital Marketing course at Shaw Academy. I took and advantage of the free month you get when you subscribe, precisely the time I needed for the eight lessons (two per week) of the course.

Tutorials

I think the primary free resource for tutorials is YouTube. With millions of videos at your disposal, you are sure to find a tutorial that interests you.

From how to use Google Ads to how to set up your Wi-Fi router, there is no excuse for not learning something new with all the content available. The only problem might be where to start? Just make sure that you search for content that interests you.

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Can you think of more free learning resources for translators and freelancers in general? If so, leave the information in the comments, and I will share them on the following blog post.

I hope you find this information useful, and don’t forget to like and subscribe to my blog!

Until next time, take care and be safe!

XX

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Sin categoría, Social Media, Translation

Let’s Talk Pandemic

Ilduara Escobedo

Hello everyone!

Today I want to talk about how the pandemic is being handled in our countries and what we think about it.

In Guatemala, for almost two months now, we have been on complete lockdown, and for about a month and a half, we’ve also had a curfew. For a month, it was from 4:00 PM to 4:00 AM, and for the past two weeks, it’s been from 6:00 PM to 4:00 AM. Also, during the curfew, we cannot travel from one State to another.

We have about 600 cases of infection, and from those around 20 have died, and 60 have recuperated.

Our new president (started in January of this year, poor guy!) is a doctor, so I think this helps because he understands the risk and dangers better. Of course, this doesn’t mean he has all the answers; I don’t think anyone does.

health workers wearing face mask
Photo by cottonbro on Pexels.com

I was chatting with my friends in Italy, and they agree that the problem there is that everyone thought they were just more cases of the flu, which had been affecting the country since October, so they were completely unprepared for the pandemic.

Although pandemics like this one have existed before, this is the first time I have experienced it, and I guess most of you hadn’t either. These are unprecedented times for almost everyone.

What about the economy? Ours has been harshly affected, with most businesses closed, especially small businesses. Many people have been laid off because of the situation (one of my brothers included), and the surviving ones are supermarkets, pharmacies, banks, and those that offer delivery services like most restaurants.

But also, people are trying their best to survive by selling masks, antibacterial soaps, groceries, and other first need items to have an income during the quarantine.

In many countries, authorities have said that the restriction measures will slowly start to disappear as of next week. Our president calls it a little “gift” if we behave well this week.

But, are we ever going to be able to go back to “normal”? Is there now a before and after coronavirus? What will our new “normal” be like?

During the Bubonic Plague, for instance, social distancing and isolation were practiced, but after a while, people went back to the same interactions they had before the pandemic. Is that going to happen to us? Are we going to be able to hug and kiss our loved ones again? Are we going to be able to shake hands again?

As someone from a Latin American country, being affectionate is part of my culture, it’s in our blood! So, the thought that we might not be able to show affection to our loved ones as we once did, it is heartbreaking.

What do you think will happen? Will things go back to the way they were before, or are we going to have to get used to a new “normal”?

pexels-photo-3952231.jpeg
Photo by cottonbro on Pexels.com

Let me know in the comments, and for further information on the pandemic check out my two previous blog posts: Work in the Time of Covid-19 and What To Do During The Quarantine

I do hope my next post will be about good news on how we defeated COVID-19 and how we are slowly but surely getting back to our old ways but in a better and healthier way.

Until the next time, take care and stay safe!

XX

Sin categoría, Social Media, Translation

What To Do During The Quarantine

Ilduara Escobedo

Hello everyone!

So, nothing has changed much since my last post. Most of us are still in quarantine because of Covid-19, and this might continue for a while.

Which brings the question: What to do during the quarantine?

There’s plenty to do, depending on everyone’s circumstances, but here is a list of things that have helped me through this time.

Working

I’m lucky enough to be a freelance translator and to have been working from home for over two years. This means I didn’t need any time to adapt to remote work, but I’m sure this not the case for everyone.

Regardless, it is vital to fall into your work-from-home routine. Make sure to work as if you were in the office (same schedule), don’t waste too much time and set daily tasks and goals.

Remember that you’re not a remote worker, you are just trying your best to work from home due to extraordinary circumstances.

person using macbook pro on table
Photo by Anna Shvets on Pexels.com

Eating Healthy

Being at home all day could make you fall into bad habits, like eating unhealthy snacks. I know this one is hard to follow, but make sure to have plenty of healthy snacks like fruit, yogurt, and nuts. Also, drink lots of water.

Exercising

Whether you had a workout routine or not before the quarantine, you should start one. Working from home is very sedentary, so we need to move! It doesn’t have to be something too complicated or elaborate, just standing up to stretch out and walking around the house can get your heart rate going.

Reading

This one is for those of you who like to read. I love to read, and lately, I’ve also been listening to audiobooks, which you can do while you work out or take a break. If you enjoy reading, I highly recommend Scribd, it has a wide selection of books and audiobooks, and it offers a 30-day trial period.

Catching up with podcasts, webinars, and tutorials

Do you need to catch up with lots of podcast episodes? Have you been putting off some beneficial webinars and tutorials? Then go ahead and start catching up with them, you’ll probably learn some interesting tips related to your industry while being entertained.

Video chatting with family and friends

Being apart doesn’t mean not communicating with our loved ones. We have plenty of apps to choose from to video chat with anyone in the world, so use them and make sure to stay in touch and show love.

selective focus photo of man in brown button up shirt holding talking on the phone
Photo by Andrea Piacquadio on Pexels.com

If you are spending the quarantine with family, make sure to spend time with them, you could play games, watch movies, play in the garden or outside if allowed.

Also, remember this is not a productivity challenge; you don’t have to do right now everything you haven’t been able to do. You also need to rest, so take it easy.

This won’t last forever, so let’s try to make the best out of it! You should check out my previous blog post Work in the Time of Covid-19 to learn more about remote work during this pandemic.

Until next time, stay safe, and don’t forget to subscribe!

XX

Content Localizer, Sin categoría, Social Media, Translation

Do What You Love

Ilduara Escobedo

Hello everyone!

Tomorrow is Valentine’s Day, but I don’t want to write about couples and significant others, I want to talk about doing what you love and loving what you do.

Not all of us get the opportunity to do what we love, at least not all the time. This means that we often have no choice but to settle for whatever is available.

And this might work for a while, but sooner rather than later we realize that we can’t be completely happy and fulfilled unless we get to do what we love most in the world!

So, the first step is to figure out what we love to do. What is our passion? What is that thing that we can see ourselves doing for the rest of our lives? Is it writing? Designing? Translating? It doesn’t matter what it is, what matters is to make it happen.

I know… many times that means to take a leap of faith but we shouldn’t settle for anything else! We’re talking about our future happiness and that’s a big deal.

Depending on your passion, you should start a plan that leads you to it. It could be something simple like if you have a full-time job that you settled for, start doing what you love during your free time.

Once you position yourself in the market and start getting more clients and work, try to transition to a part-time job. And when you feel completely ready to take the leap… just go for it!

It won’t be easy, it’ll require big sacrifices and lots of hard work but if you believe in yourself and in your passion, don’t let anything slow you down or stop you.

Yes, having a job it’s important, making money matters, but why not have all of that by doing what you love to do? Just knowing that every morning when you wake up you’ll get to do what you love, it will make you not only very happy but also highly productive.

You might want to read my previous post Why Am I a Translator? to find out more about my passion.

We all perform better when we’re happy, and that happiness will spread to all the aspects of your life!

Celebrate Valentine’s Day, but don’t forget to love yourself and what you do.

I can’t wait to read your comments and don’t forget to subscribe to my blog to be among the first ones to know when I publish a new post!

XX

 

 

 

Sin categoría, Social Media, Translation

New Year’s Resolutions

Ilduara Escobedo

Hello everyone!

I’m back!

I must say I had an excellent social media hiatus and now I’m back with more energy than ever to start #2020!

Of course, as the new year starts, everyone talks about their resolutions. What they will accomplish that weren’t able to do last year, or the year before that, or the year before that, etc.

I’m not a big fan of resolutions because sometimes you can create expectations that are too high, and you’ll never be able to accomplish them, which will only lead to frustration.

If I’m going to make any resolutions, I want them to be as close to reality as possible and to be attainable.

So, here is my attempt at five simple new year’s resolutions:

  1. Keep my full-time job by doing my very best work, improving myself and always being open to learning new things I can help with.
  2. Continue to grow my business by networking with more potential clients and not depend only on what I have now.
  3. Make more connections, not just through social media but also face to face. We’re so used to all the electronic media available that we forget that real people are on the other end, people we should meet and connect with.
  4. Read more books! Not just about my field, but about any subject I find interesting and helpful, both personally and professionally. And keep on learning!
  5. Get rid of the negativity! Whether it comes from within me or from the outside, make sure to get it out of my life and focus on the positive side of things.

What do you think? Not that bad?

I think that if I keep it short and simple, I have better chances of achieving them. It is better to concentrate on a couple of doable things than on dozens of things we’ll never have time to reach.

What about you? Are you making any resolutions this year? If so, which ones? Feel free to share them in the comments; I’d love to hear about them.

This is it for today; I wish you all the best for this year! Be strong and never give up on your dreams! You can accomplish anything you put your mind and energy into!

Until next time, take care and don’t forget to subscribe to my blog.

XX

Sin categoría, Social Media

The Holidays Are Here!

Ilduara Escobedo

Hi everyone!

I cannot believe it is that time of the year again! The holidays are almost here!

And besides it being a time to celebrate and spend time with your loved ones, it is also a time to reflect on what was this year like for us.

I mean, it’s not just a year that’s ending, it’s a whole decade!! So, we should reflect on the last ten years of our lives, and that’s a lot of time!

But I think it’s worth doing.

Ten years ago, I was very comfortable with a nice administrative job. I made good money, my bosses were great, and although there were times when my work would get me really stressed out, it wasn’t all the time.

I drove to the office and back. The traffic got worse and worse as the years went by and driving like that was literally affecting me physically. I had back pains all the time, driving in that madness got me more stressed than work, which was terrible!

Not everything was terrible, though. I made some of my best friends during that period, friends I’m still in touch with and who are essential in my life.

A decade ago, I never would have thought that I would become not just a freelance translator but an entrepreneur by the end of the decade. If someone had told me that, I would have thought they were crazy!

It’s funny how our lives can change so much in just a few years. Now, I can’t believe I stayed at that job for so long! Yes, it was good and comfy, but it wasn’t fulfilling my career or my life.

When I think about all the good and bad decisions I made in the decade, I don’t regret any of them. I learned from all of them, even the bad ones. They shaped me into the woman I am today.

close up of two flute glasses filled with sparkling wine wuth ribbons and christmas decor
Photo by VisionPic .net on Pexels.com

So, as the holidays get closer and closer, I have nothing but gratitude for where I am today, for having my family’s support and doing what I love the most.

I hope this holiday season is fantastic for you and your loved ones!

This is my last blog post of the year and the decade, so see you in 2020!!

Until then, take care and let me know how you are spending the holidays.

XX

 

Sin categoría, Social Media, Translation

Why Am I a Translator?

Ilduara Escobedo

Hi everyone!

Recently, someone contacted me to ask what my experience has been as a translator because she wants to study translation, but she’s having second thoughts.

After reading this DM, I started thinking about why I became a translator and my journey to where I am today as a freelance translator.

access blur close up colorful
Photo by Omkar Patyane on Pexels.com

I graduated as a translator and interpreter many years ago. I wanted a full-time job as a translator, but I couldn’t find anything locally, and back then being a “freelancer” wasn’t very popular. In those days, we didn’t have social media or too many translators’ platforms to find work from home.

So, I gave up on my dream of working full-time as a translator and started working in several administrative positions in different companies, and I was a translator just during my “free time” like it was a hobby. The experience I got from those jobs was significant, I learned so much… But after a while, I would always end up getting really tired of doing what I was doing, and I would go off to find a new job in the same field.

About a couple of years ago, it finally hit me… I’m not doing what I love, that’s why after a while I get so sick and tired of these administrative jobs, I have to do something about it! And I finally made the decision to quit my last administrative job, which was a good one, and took the risk of starting a new career as a freelance translator.

woman in black long sleeve dress standing on brown concrete pathway
Photo by Stanley Morales on Pexels.com

It hasn’t been easy, that’s for sure! There were moments when I thought it was better to stop trying and find another 9 to 5 administrative job. It took me a lot of hard work, self-doubt, desperation, and sacrifices to finally get my first full-time job as a freelance translator. Also, I am working with great clients who pay very well for other smaller projects.

Nowadays, social media and translators/freelancers’ platforms like ProZ.com, Upwork, etc., helped me a lot to network with clients and get projects to work on. They have also helped me to earn a reputation as a professional and reliable translator.

So, going back to the DM I got, I wrote back asking her if translating is her passion. Is she willing to take all the necessary risks and make all the sacrifices needed to succeed in this business, where there’s so much competition? If her answer is yes, then she should go for it!

Translating is my passion! I could not see myself doing anything else for the rest of my life. This is why I am a translator, and I could never go back to boring jobs that don’t fulfill my dreams.

What was your journey like? Was it easy or not to make the decision to follow your dream? I’d love to hear your comments and remember to subscribe to my blog!

Until next time, have a wonderful time!

XX

 

 

 

Sin categoría, Translation

How to Say No

Ilduara Escobedo

Hello everyone!

Today I want to talk about how to say NO.

As a freelance translator, I know how difficult it is to say no to a project or a client.

When we begin in this business, we can’t afford to say no to any work, otherwise, how are we going to find and keep clients? But many of those first projects are paid at very low rates or have tight deadlines and we drive ourselves crazy trying to accommodate.

After a while, if you are lucky, you begin to get more clients and more projects, some of which will bring a better payment.

So, you need to prioritize, which clients are bringing more work at better-paid rates? Or which projects are the ones that pay the best?

close up photography of woman sitting beside table while using macbook
Photo by Andrew Neel on Pexels.com

Here is when you will need to start saying no. Either because the rates offered are too low compared to how much other clients are paying you, or because the deadline is ridiculous.

Has it ever happened to you that you are asked by a client to complete a project, the same day, but they send it to you at 4:55 pm of that day, offering a low rate per word or per project?

You’d probably say yes and keep on working until late to get it done and sent. But when your business starts to grow, you also have to think about which and how many projects you can actually take, and which ones work best for you.

I know many people say you shouldn’t say no, but sometimes you have no choice. Saying no is not a bad thing, as long as you are very polite about it and you explain why you cannot meet the requirements.

It is not about getting in a fight with a client, it is about charging what you deserve to make for a certain project, especially if it comes with a tight deadline. You can say no or you can say, “I can do it, but I will need to charge you an extra fee for rush delivery or for a weekend surplus.”

I try not to take on projects during the weekend because it is the only time I have to spend with my family and with myself! Also, it is when I can run errands and do other stuff that I don’t have time to do during the week.

Also, I don’t take on long projects that have a 24-hour deadline. I know I won’t have enough time to finish it and proofread it, or if I do, I know it will be a rushed work that I won’t be happy with.

Of course, may clients say, “But it is not so many words, why can’t you deliver them earlier?” or “I thought you were available 24/7?”

design desk display eyewear
Photo by energepic.com on Pexels.com

I love my work as a freelance translator, but that should not mean that I cannot have any sleep or that I always have to feel like I’m not going to meet a deadline.

Your health and your sanity will thank you for taking the necessary time to take care of yourself. If you are feeling great, your work will also be great.

This doesn’t mean that you can’t make exceptions for loyal clients, but you have to learn when and how you can make these exceptions.

What has your experience been like? Can you say no? Let me know your thoughts on this subject in the comments, and don’t forget to subscribe to my blog!

Until next time, have a wonderful day!

XX

 

 

 

Sin categoría, Social Media

Instagram Partnerships

Ilduara Escobedo

Hello everyone!

Today I want to talk about Instagram partnerships.

First, what do I mean by “partnership”? I mean, working with a company that pays you to post some of their material on your feed.

I don’t use the word “influencer”, because to be one on IG, you need more than 10,000 followers and the posts become “sponsored” ones.

blur display electronics hand
Photo by energepic.com on Pexels.com

Partnerships, is for those accounts with less than 1,000 followers, like me. I am close to 500 followers, not a lot in comparison to a true influencer, and this is why I was so surprised about a DM I got.

It was from a translation agency, and they pretty much told me how impressed they are with my posts and want to work with me to post some of their material so it reaches my followers.

I said I was surprised, because this is the first message of this kind that I have received since I opened my IG business account, and also because they were asking for fees…and I had no idea about what to answer!!

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

Thank God for contacts! I immediately asked a very famous IG marketing expert and influencer, @elisedarma, if she could help me. And she sent me a link to a blog she wrote about this subject, which included a calculator to know how much you should charge someone for each post, depending on how many followers you have.

I also searched the internet for further information. I read that it was important, before discussing fees, to ask the client what their budget is for this project and what exactly do they need me to do.

Would they send me the material, ready to be posted or would I have to do some sort of designing? How many times per week was I expected to post their material? Did they want a regular picture/video post or a story, or both? Or is it just a one-time thing?

So, I asked the client that, and right now it is all about discussing the details.

I’m not sure if something will come out of this, but whenever I heard people say that you can actually make money from Instagram, I thought they were crazy and that it wasn’t possible…but now I see how it can happen!

I know I won’t be making buckets of money with such a small number of followers, but if one company has reached out, and if it works for them, this could mean that other companies could approach me to provide them with the same service.

This has nothing to do with translation, but I am always open-minded about learning new things and working on new kinds of projects.

Have you ever done work like this? What was your experience like? I’d love to hear about your stories and how this form of partnership has worked out for you.

Don’t forget to leave your comments and follow my blog…I promise you won’t regret it!

Until next time…Happy Halloween!!

XX

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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!