Hi.
To most of you, I’m a relatively new face round here. With 19 years’ professional translation experience under my belt however, I can assure you I’m not!
So why is this the first you’ve heard of me? Well let me tell you a thing or two about that.
To most of you, I’m a relatively new face round here. With 19 years’ professional translation experience under my belt however, I can assure you I’m not!
So why is this the first you’ve heard of me? Well let me tell you a thing or two about that.
For more years than I care to think about just now, my focus has been solely agency work.
I know. I can hear the gasps of horror from here!
Why?
Because it suited me.
Because I chose a different path.
I chose family.
I chose to be there before my children left for school every morning and when they came home in the afternoon.
I chose to attend sports days and school plays, gymnastics competitions and football matches.
I chose to be there with cuddles and sympathy when they were sick.
And I chose not to worry about letting down direct clients while doing it. Does that mean I let down agencies? Not at all, it just means I saved myself that additional pressure.
Has my career suffered as a result of this choice I made?
Yes and no.
I almost always have more work than I can comfortably handle and I turn down several translation requests most days. Up to now I have done very little in the way of marketing. That, alongside my three beautiful, growing, happy children, is a success to me.
I am living, breathing proof that you can have it all.
That said, my rates have plateaued and I find myself increasingly frustrated by the practices of certain (by no means all) translation agencies. As my children grow older and less dependent on me, seeking out my own direct clients seems the natural progression.
Natural, that is, until I look around.
After almost two decades of hiding faceless behind a desk, this is a daunting prospect. Especially when I look at those who were starting out around the same time as me. Those who are now influencers in their chosen fields or simply not with us anymore (RIP Chris Irwin, you were a major part of my early freelancing life).
The scene has changed dramatically and I can’t help but feel like I missed out. Because I chose to just do agency work. How could I possibly compete with these industry greats, who were once peers, who have chosen to focus solely on their careers?
It was enough to send me running straight back to that desk, tail firmly between my legs.
Yet here I am.
Because a very strange thing happened.
A friend of a friend shared with me an article about “imposter syndrome”. Wow! I didn’t even know that was a thing. It was like someone had lifted the veil from in front of my eyes and I was suddenly able to see again. All kinds of things started to make sense. My longest-standing client has been with me for 15 years non-stop. My rational voice says you can not keep a client happy for that length of time without being good at what you do. But for years I have convinced myself of any number of other reasons why they might choose me: my rates are low in comparison to my experience or it’s a “better the devil you know” type scenario. I now know this is my imposter syndrome talking.
That knowledge gives me a new perspective. My peers are no longer infinitely better than I will ever even hope to be. They are respected colleagues who chose a different path.
My path in this industry has been unconventional from the outset. I gained my degree in European Law and Languages and launched myself headlong into freelancing. No stint in-house with an agency, no business school. No guidance. Trial and error. I now know that doesn’t make it any less valid.
So this is me.
Stepping out from behind my desk.
Stepping out of my comfort zone.
Stepping out into what I hope will be a fruitful fresh start and I would love for some of you to join me along the way.
I know. I can hear the gasps of horror from here!
Why?
Because it suited me.
Because I chose a different path.
I chose family.
I chose to be there before my children left for school every morning and when they came home in the afternoon.
I chose to attend sports days and school plays, gymnastics competitions and football matches.
I chose to be there with cuddles and sympathy when they were sick.
And I chose not to worry about letting down direct clients while doing it. Does that mean I let down agencies? Not at all, it just means I saved myself that additional pressure.
Has my career suffered as a result of this choice I made?
Yes and no.
I almost always have more work than I can comfortably handle and I turn down several translation requests most days. Up to now I have done very little in the way of marketing. That, alongside my three beautiful, growing, happy children, is a success to me.
I am living, breathing proof that you can have it all.
That said, my rates have plateaued and I find myself increasingly frustrated by the practices of certain (by no means all) translation agencies. As my children grow older and less dependent on me, seeking out my own direct clients seems the natural progression.
Natural, that is, until I look around.
After almost two decades of hiding faceless behind a desk, this is a daunting prospect. Especially when I look at those who were starting out around the same time as me. Those who are now influencers in their chosen fields or simply not with us anymore (RIP Chris Irwin, you were a major part of my early freelancing life).
The scene has changed dramatically and I can’t help but feel like I missed out. Because I chose to just do agency work. How could I possibly compete with these industry greats, who were once peers, who have chosen to focus solely on their careers?
It was enough to send me running straight back to that desk, tail firmly between my legs.
Yet here I am.
Because a very strange thing happened.
A friend of a friend shared with me an article about “imposter syndrome”. Wow! I didn’t even know that was a thing. It was like someone had lifted the veil from in front of my eyes and I was suddenly able to see again. All kinds of things started to make sense. My longest-standing client has been with me for 15 years non-stop. My rational voice says you can not keep a client happy for that length of time without being good at what you do. But for years I have convinced myself of any number of other reasons why they might choose me: my rates are low in comparison to my experience or it’s a “better the devil you know” type scenario. I now know this is my imposter syndrome talking.
That knowledge gives me a new perspective. My peers are no longer infinitely better than I will ever even hope to be. They are respected colleagues who chose a different path.
My path in this industry has been unconventional from the outset. I gained my degree in European Law and Languages and launched myself headlong into freelancing. No stint in-house with an agency, no business school. No guidance. Trial and error. I now know that doesn’t make it any less valid.
So this is me.
Stepping out from behind my desk.
Stepping out of my comfort zone.
Stepping out into what I hope will be a fruitful fresh start and I would love for some of you to join me along the way.