Michael
Job Title
Freelance translator/interpreter/proofreader/editor
Company and location
South Oxfordshire
Industry sector
Language Services: Science, technology
Background :
BSc (Chemistry), PhD (Organic Chemistry); university lecturer/research worker in Organic Chemistry.
What does your job involve?
Translation/interpreting/proofreading/editing Spanish or Portuguese translations into English.
What made you chose your current job?
It came about by chance. Having been a university lecturer/research team leader in organic chemistry (through the medium of Spanish) at the University of Chile, on returning to the United Kingdom I was employed as a chemist in industry, was moved within the company to development chemistry and pilot-plant scale-up, and from there into technical marketing. At that point I was asked to participate in the translation into Spanish of the company's technical data sheets and to be involved in looking after and interpreting for Spanish-speaking visitors.
One thing led to another and I started getting commissions for translation from third parties: this involved working only into and out of Spanish (and Spanish interpreting), but then broadened out into running a translation/interpreting agency, and also translating from Portuguese (and sometimes French) into English.
What skills and qualities are required for your job?
Good knowledge of the languages from which one is translating and of specialised subject matter, together with persistence and dedication.
What do you like most about your job?
I make my own hours, I set my own pace.
Do you have any advice for people entering a similar career to yours?
Whenever I come to discuss career paths, I always point out that particularly for a translator or interpreter, if they wish to work in scientific or technological areas, it is my view that it is better to first learn the scientific subject matter, approach and discipline, and subsequently develop a language or languages to a suitable professional level, rather than the other way round - this may not be a universally popular point of view in linguistic circles (and here I speak as a part-time UK university lecturer on Spanish and Portuguese to English translation courses).