The Linguist

28 The Linguist Vol/62 No/1 thelinguist.uberflip.com OPINION & COMMENT Advice from an insider on getting the most out of KATE TROTMAN When I started working as a project manager (PM) for a large language company, crossing the divide from freelance to agency, I received all the predictable reactions from other linguists. But while there are justified irritations about rates, deadlines and lightning-speed responses for 'first come, first served' jobs, it is also possible for freelancers to make agencies work for them. So how can you leverage your skills for each type of market to best effect? What client expectations does the agency need to meet, and how can you help them to do that? When you understand the pressures agencies face, and the priorities and considerations involved in different situations, you will be able to capitalise on this. Let's consider a few scenarios I regularly encounter in my work. When urgency trumps quality. A courtroom drama is unfolding and lawyers need a stream of documents translated by a hard deadline, preferably delivered on a rolling basis. Huge volumes are required by the end of the day. The agency approach is the only way to do it, creating teams of linguists, devising a schedule of priorities and splitting documents. Freelancing in this scenario comes with the satisfaction of being part of a vital team – and hopefully with a rush fee. If you enjoy working under this type of pressure, bigger language service providers (LSPs) may be the best place to start. It's worth finding out which ones work in this field in your language combinations. When regular corporate communications need to be translated consistently every time. A freelancer who regularly works on this type of communication is a solid choice for any agency, as they become a specialist in the terminology, tone and style that the client expects. This is particularly relevant if the client requires a particular locale for a language pair, e.g. French Canadian and Swiss German. An experienced freelancer is a key asset here, but when volumes get bigger, or the freelancer moves on, it is the agency that needs to guarantee consistency for the client. Its translation memories, term bases and style guides enable a relatively seamless handover to other linguists. This kind of contract involves working with a range of translators and can provide regular work until the client stops producing that type of communication. When scientific and technical accuracy is everything, but there is also a hard deadline. Some contracts are so exacting and extensive that an agency must train a specialist team to handle them. High volumes delivered with total accuracy need to be maintained week in, week out in order to keep that contract. In this team, highly trained freelance linguists with specialist subject knowledge are in a prime position. The agency needs their loyalty and expertise because training them takes time, and the pressure to guard quality standards keeps everyone on their toes. Freelancers also need the agencies, as they are the ones winning the institutional tenders. Such a contract might be a freelancer's regular mainstay, paying premium rates, to the extent that they feel more like they're in- house. If you're willing to provide year-round, flawless translations that follow complicated protocols it's worth identifying agencies that operate such contracts in your specialist areas. When a legal document requires understanding of obscure cultural context, such as a particular type of religious language or niche historical knowledge. The message must be 100% accurate in a context that is outside the remit of most speakers. The client expects the agency to deliver, no matter how unusual the request. To find the right specialist, fast, the agency may turn to other agencies, and the freelancer needs them all; client and linguist are unlikely to find each other otherwise. If you have a niche area of knowledge or skill, make sure the agencies you work with know about it, even if you can't imagine when it will be needed. If that day comes, this work fully deserves its premium rate. When revision is as important as translation. I believe good revisers are the hidden heroes of the language industry. An experienced freelancer is always my first choice, rather than an LSP, but it takes time to Keeping agency

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