Getting Started as a Freelance Translator:
An Online Course
"I honestly don't think I would have been comfortable entering the translation
industry had it not been for this course! I feel that I learned everything that
I needed to know in order to be successful as a freelance translator."-A graduate of "Getting Started as a Freelance Translator" Click here to read more testimonials from past students.
Register Here for the course session
beginning July 19, 2010:
Tuition is $350 and includes a copy of my book, How to Succeed as a Freelance Translator. Members of the American Translators Association receive a $50 discount on tuition for Getting Started as a Freelance Translator; please include your ATA member number when registering.
About the course: In this self-paced six lesson online class, you'll learn practical
strategies for succeeding as a freelance translator. We'll discuss how to set
up your business, get some translation experience if you have none, find and
keep clients, pursue certification, establish your rates and payment terms, and
develop translation specializations. See the course outline for full details; you can
register for the course here. The class is not language-specific (it is open to translators in any language combination) and covers business practices only, not translation technique.
Who is the course for? Anyone who is interested in starting a career as
a freelance translator. While you'll get the most out of the course if you
already have college-level fluency in English and at least one other language,
anyone who is interested in working as a translator is welcome to take the
course. If your language skills need work, we'll discuss how you can make this
happen. Please note that although participants from any geographic location are
welcome, some of the information such as finding new clients, negotiating
contracts and setting your rates will be oriented toward translators who are
either based in the U.S. or who plan to work mainly with U.S.-based clients.
About the instructor: I started my freelance translation business in
2002, after working as a high school teacher for 8 years. With no contacts in the translation industry, I had to learn, often the hard way, about how to launch and grow a successful business. Since then, I have earned ATA certification as a French to English translator, served as Administrator of the ATA's French Language Division and am currently serving as the President of the Colorado Translators Assocation. My client base includes translation companies and direct clients throughout the U.S. and Europe. In 2006 I published How to Succeed as a Freelance Translator, a business how-to guide for freelance translators; it has since sold 3,000+ copies.
Getting Started as a Freelance Translator is a six lesson online course; you have 12 weeks to complete the six lessons.
Course registration is $350. Each lesson is a PDF document that I will e-mail to you; you'll also receive
practice exercises that you will e-mail back to me for feedback. For example, you
will create a translation-targeted resumé and cover letter, identify your
potential translation specializations, calculate your potential income and
develop a marketing plan for your translation business. Throughout the course,
you'll be able communicate with me by e-mail whenever you want, so that you can get all of the information that you need to start your freelance business. If, after the
first lesson, you feel that the course isn't for you, $300 of the registration
fee is refundable.
If you'd like to register for Getting Started as a Freelance Translator,
click here to go to the online registration
form. If you have additional questions, please e-mail Corinne McKay.
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