METM24 presentation
Career development: embracing specialisation and navigating change
Terri White, Salles, France
Looking back over a long career in translation, the presentation provides a personal perspective on career development. It looks at ways of taking and maintaining control of a freelance translation business with an emphasis on specialisation.
Long before AI arrived to ruffle the feathers of the translation industry, building and consolidating a fulfilling freelance career involved developing the personal qualities needed to actively shape and steer a business. Alongside acquiring language, technical and business skills, this requires something more fundamental: learning to take a step back and see the bigger picture; identifying personal goals and comfort zones; remaining open to new opportunities – even when they don’t fit into your original plans.
This can be done without the help of marketing gurus and life coaches. Getting expert advice is great when you know what it is you want to know but – in my experience, at least – is not always the best way of finding out exactly what that is.
Taking examples from personal experience in legal and architectural translation, the talk examines a journey from enthusiastic language lover via budding translator to successful and financially independent professional. It analyses the dead ends, switchbacks and shortcuts encountered en route, and offers some practical tips on finding specialisations.
The presentation seeks to share personal lessons learnt and encourage reflection. It aims to help fellow professionals identify what they want from their careers; evaluate where they are and consider their options for the future; understand the need for specialisation and develop their knowledge in the subject area(s) of their choice. It is aimed at all working translators and editors, irrespective of language combination, who are looking to progress to the next stage of their career, feel they have reached a crossroads or want to specialise.
About the presenter
Terri White is an experienced translator working in architecture and the law. She has previously delivered an annual short course on translation practice at the Université de Toulouse Jean Jaurès. A keen advocate of subject specialisation, she encourages colleagues to stand shoulder to shoulder with their counterparts in other professions.
