You’ve got your degree in languages and translation, maybe with the highest grade and an intriguing discussion with compliments by the Degree commission, but becoming a translator seems always more difficult? How many times have people told you “ok, but apart from languages what are you able to do?”

I thought to bypass this rude question (and broaden my competences) by taking my master degree in International Studies, but still it is a “theoretical” field. “Which practical skills do you have?”

…

I think nowadays the key for success is finding what you love and specialising in it! SPECIALISE and never lose your enthusiasm… that’s the key, especially if you want to work as a translator.

I’ve done internships and jobs as translator and cultural mediator but only recently, I’ve decided to take the following steps:

1. Build your brand identity 
2. Subscribe on LinkedIn and do networking
3. Share your knowledge and get knowledge from others
4. Take the best from the experiences you have and put yourself into the game
5. Believe in yourself (you have studied for that, you have the necessary competences. I learnt it pretty well working as ZH>IT linguistic and cultural mediator… Maybe I’ll tell more about this experience in another post)
6. …and never stop studying, always be curious!

📎 Now, tell me: What have you done to grow your business as a translator? Has it been frustrating at the beginning?