How do you show your credibility to potential clients?
Thread poster: Zolboo Batbold
Zolboo Batbold
Zolboo Batbold  Identity Verified
Italy
Local time: 11:13
Member (2021)
English to Mongolian
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SITE LOCALIZER
Apr 30, 2019

Hello everyone. I have master degree in Specialized Translation. I would like to specialize in the medical field as a translator, with special regards to preventing and curing deceases. So, you start studying the field, and you become an expert in the field, know the ABC about medicine and pharmacy. My question is this. How do you show your credibility to potential clients? I mean, if you don't have a medical certificate in an academic sense, how do you convince clients that you're the deal? Tha... See more
Hello everyone. I have master degree in Specialized Translation. I would like to specialize in the medical field as a translator, with special regards to preventing and curing deceases. So, you start studying the field, and you become an expert in the field, know the ABC about medicine and pharmacy. My question is this. How do you show your credibility to potential clients? I mean, if you don't have a medical certificate in an academic sense, how do you convince clients that you're the deal? Thanks for any idea and comment.Collapse


Khalid Sabili
Maria da Glória Teixeira
 
Tom in London
Tom in London
United Kingdom
Local time: 10:13
Member (2008)
Italian to English
Examples Apr 30, 2019

Zolboo Batbold wrote:

How do you show your credibility to potential clients? I mean, if you don't have a medical certificate in an academic sense, how do you convince clients that you're the deal?


By completing your Proz profile and including a good range of examples of your work (in the "Portfolio" section).


Maria da Glória Teixeira
Maria Teresa Borges de Almeida
Paweł Hamerski (X)
Kay Denney
 
DZiW (X)
DZiW (X)
Ukraine
English to Russian
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Results Apr 30, 2019

A tree is known by its fruit.

Prove that one is
1) a decent specialist (credentials, references, portfolio/tests...);
2) a reliable biz partner (business skills, including negotiations...);
3) a worthy person (interpersonal skills...).

First I'd rather let prospects know about me, building a personal brand and spreading the publicity at different places via legal means available. While biz is no charity (as a tax benefit), sometimes even volunteering or part-time apprenticing also puts you in a good light.


 
Rachel Waddington
Rachel Waddington  Identity Verified
United Kingdom
Local time: 10:13
Dutch to English
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Be the real deal May 1, 2019

I think once you have studied a field in enough depth that you actually are the real deal, the problem of convincing clients will take care of itself to a certain degree. You will have studied a long list of courses. You will have attended conferences in the field. You will be able to converse with an expert on an equal level. It tends to be pretty obvious who is serious about their specialism and who isn't.

So, I'd start by actually acquiring a genuine specialism and worry about co
... See more
I think once you have studied a field in enough depth that you actually are the real deal, the problem of convincing clients will take care of itself to a certain degree. You will have studied a long list of courses. You will have attended conferences in the field. You will be able to converse with an expert on an equal level. It tends to be pretty obvious who is serious about their specialism and who isn't.

So, I'd start by actually acquiring a genuine specialism and worry about convincing people later. Translators don't stop learning when they graduate - so sign up for a course in your field and expect study to be a continuous process throughout your career (there are plenty of MOOCs these days so lack of funds shouldn't be an excuse). Subscribe to a medical journal and read a bit every day. Attend some events in the field. It's a long slog, but also a fascinating journey. Good luck.
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Dan Lucas
Michele Fauble
 
Kay Denney
Kay Denney  Identity Verified
France
Local time: 11:13
French to English
qualifications May 1, 2019

I would say that for very specialised, technical fields such as medicine, clients would like to see a professional qualification. The translators I hired when a PM were typically former nurses, or people who had studied medicine but then decided against actually practice, or who burned out as a doctor. I remember an excellent pharmaceuticals translator who had trained as a pharmacist but switched to translation to be at home with her kids.

It's OK to wing it in fields such as fashi
... See more
I would say that for very specialised, technical fields such as medicine, clients would like to see a professional qualification. The translators I hired when a PM were typically former nurses, or people who had studied medicine but then decided against actually practice, or who burned out as a doctor. I remember an excellent pharmaceuticals translator who had trained as a pharmacist but switched to translation to be at home with her kids.

It's OK to wing it in fields such as fashion and tourism: research skills and a flair for pithy writing will suffice to produce a text that's fit for purpose. When people's lives literally depend on you getting the translation right, formal qualifications are more reassuring.
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Rachel Waddington
Dan Lucas
 


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How do you show your credibility to potential clients?







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