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ProZ.com mentoring programme: Do I need professional experience to apply?
Thread poster: Vivien Green
Vivien Green
Vivien Green  Identity Verified
United Kingdom
French to English
Jan 9, 2013

I am at the point of attempting to embark on a career in freelance translation but have yet to take on any paid work. I am keen to find some unpaid apprentice work for an established freelancer or agency before attempting to find paid work as this will give me some experience and increase my confidence.

I came across the Proz.com ment... See more
I am at the point of attempting to embark on a career in freelance translation but have yet to take on any paid work. I am keen to find some unpaid apprentice work for an established freelancer or agency before attempting to find paid work as this will give me some experience and increase my confidence.

I came across the Proz.com mentoring programme (http://www.proz.com/guidance-center/mentoring-program) and thought it looked ideal. However, in spite of it being stated at the above site that the programme is intended for translators with a lack of experience, one of the requirements to apply is having a good track record in business, and the application form is asking for information on the following:

Willingness and likelihood of past clients to work with you again
Description of type and approximate number of active clients
Approximate volume of work completed over past twelve months
Record for on-time delivery
Business / personal situation (ex. are you freelance? approx. hrs per week?)

While I've done plenty of translations as part of my undergraduate degree and in my last job for an International hotel chain, none of this has been paid, freelance work. Is this programme for people like me or not? Surely anyone who can give details like the ones requested above doesn't really lack experience? Can anyone advise? ▲ Collapse
 
Hazel Underwood
Hazel Underwood  Identity Verified
United Kingdom
Local time: 11:56
Member (2005)
German to English
+ ...
No experience needed Jan 9, 2013

Hi there! I am one of the mentors for your language combination, and as far as I am aware you do not need experience for the mentor programme (maybe best for one of the site staff to confirm this though).

Feel free to get in touch.

Kind regards,

Hazel
 
Lucia Leszinsky
Lucia Leszinsky
SITE STAFF
You do not need experience to become an apprentice with the ProZ.com mentoring program Jan 9, 2013

Hello PromptResults,

As The ProZ.com mentoring program section explains, http://www.proz.com/guidance-center/mentoring-program , the program is intended for translators with lack of experience and in need of guidance and advice. The only requirement to enter the program as an apprentice is to be a ProZ.com member.

So, can you please tell me where exactly you... See more
Hello PromptResults,

As The ProZ.com mentoring program section explains, http://www.proz.com/guidance-center/mentoring-program , the program is intended for translators with lack of experience and in need of guidance and advice. The only requirement to enter the program as an apprentice is to be a ProZ.com member.

So, can you please tell me where exactly you see the list of requirements you mention and an application form? This will help me to look into this further. Thanks!

Lucia ▲ Collapse
 
Vivien Green
Vivien Green  Identity Verified
United Kingdom
French to English
TOPIC STARTER
Thanks - think I got lost and ended up in the section for mentors without realising. Jan 9, 2013

Thanks people!

Lucia - I seem to have found my way onto the page at http://www.proz.com/cpn which I now see is aimed at mentors, rather than apprentices. Then I clicked on "apply now" thinking this would offer the possibility to apply for both mentors and apprentices. My mistake, thanks so much for getting back to me though!
 


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ProZ.com mentoring programme: Do I need professional experience to apply?







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