Start a Translation Service
Do you speak two or more languages fluently? You can start your own translation service if you do. Just about any language will work, but the more common ones include English, Spanish, French, Japanese, Chinese, and Russian, among others.
Starting your own translation business takes some planning. You will need to have a good idea of what kind of service you want to offer. Do you have a specialty? For example, can you translate medical or scientific documents? Or legal ones? Having a specialty will make your service that much more valuable.
Some companies prefer to hire a certified translator. If you want to go that route, you will need to get certified. It is actually recommended since you can drastically boost your clients by getting certified. The American Translators Association is a good place to take your exam and become certified. They also offer a directory where you can list your services. Even if you don’t live in the U.S., the ATA can be used for certification.
Deciding what type of translation to offer is pretty easy. If you are most comfortable translating written documents, that is the perfect place to begin. However, you could also translate audio files or even offer local translation services, translating for the police, seminars, etc. The options are limitless.
You will need to check out translation prices in your area in order to set competitive prices. Once you know what the norm is, you can set your own prices and it is time to start advertising.
Start off with ads in your local paper, on craigslist.com and any other free ad areas you can find. You should also try to get listed in as many translation directories as possible. A quick search on Google should turn up enough sites for you to get started with.
Here are a few more resources to help you get your translation service started:
Medical Translation Article
Translation Biz Blog
Home Biz Article on Translation
