The Linguist

The Linguist 57,4 - August/September 2018

The Linguist is a languages magazine for professional linguists, translators, interpreters, language professionals, language teachers, trainers, students and academics with articles on translation, interpreting, business, government, technology

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32 The Linguist Vol/57 No/4 2018 ciol.org.uk/tl INSTITUTE MATTERS I first joined CIOL as a Student Member in 2011 and became a full member in 2016 after establishing my business full-time (English to Greek translation). In June 2017, I attended the Business, Professions and Government (BPG) Division AGM and talk. The committee wanted somebody to raise awareness of the division on social media. As the youngest person in the room, I felt this was something I could contribute. I have training in social media and digital marketing, and specialise in translating marketing and advertising, as well as testing websites, phone apps and videogames. For my own business, I use Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Instagram. On Monday mornings, I spend an hour scheduling posts for the entire week: one a day that leads back to my website or blog, and one that reposts an article or event. I then check my social media channels at least three times a day. For the BPG, there is, for now, only a Twitter account to manage. Although I am not a member of the committee, I am committed to tweeting at least once a day about the division and its events, and to monitoring interactions. Members sometimes tweet questions about an event or a problem with email updates, so it's almost a first-line customer support role. Jane Galbraith, CIOL Head of Membership, went through the do's and don'ts of social media activity with me. The strategic plan is to raise awareness of the division – what it does, who it is for – and to bring more people to events, while increasing awareness about joining CIOL and becoming a Chartered Linguist. What makes CIOL different is that it is for any professional who uses languages in the workplace, and the BPG represents that, welcoming linguists from all fields/careers. For each committee meeting, I generate a report on how many tweets go out, how many people see them, what kinds of interactions we receive etc. My first meeting was a significant experience for me, because the committee members are valued and experienced colleagues. I was asked to quantify my use of time on Twitter. This is not something I did for myself, so I didn't know that Twitter had its own analytics tool, which provides useful data, such as which tweets are the most successful and what followers like. That was an immediate benefit because I can use this tool for my own business, picking up patterns that enable me to achieve the desired interaction by giving people more of what they want. So I am improving my skills and understanding of social media through the BPG role. It has provided a good insight into how the Institute works. In time, I want to be more involved with CIOL and help shape things from the inside, for my colleagues and our profession. This role offers a sense of achievement because I am giving something back. To find out more about getting involved with the BPG Division, email bpg@ciol.org.uk. Follow the division on Twitter @CIOLBusiness For contact details for CIOL's membership networks (divisions, societies and associations), visit ciol.org.uk/networks-events To view the calendar of events, see ciol.org.uk/events MEMBERSHIP NETWORKS Vasiliki Prestidge MCIL CL explains what she gets out of her voluntary role with the BPG Division Spreading the message

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