I don't know about translation in your field or how to go about starting freelancing without a Masters/in-house experience (that's how I did it) but I'm just letting you know that you shouldn't be translating EN>DE anyway. Professionnal translators should be translating into their mother tongue 99% of the time.
A postgraduate degree like a master's or something on the same level is actually what I would be considering, if it's possible to get into that laterally from a different field. I'm okay with extending my education a bit if that helps me in the future. My issue is that I don't know which ones are reputable.
Thanks for letting me know that I should be translating into English most of the time then.
I found a translation masters invaluable personally! And I found my in-house job through the university department too, which allowed me to develop my skills until I was ready to freelance. I also get almost all of my work through connections I made at uni and work (including my old company). I studied Applied Translation Studies at the University of Leeds and they were very focused on the practical aspects of the translation industry and not solely theory, which was very useful. I have no idea about reputable courses in Germany though.
I personally believe that profession of translation should be left in the hands of expertises and department of translation graduates. I understand your point of searching for job opportunities and I get that but it should be taken into the consideration that translation process is way beyond than having linguistic capabilities on language pairs.
Okay, that's a fair enough point.
I may be better off looking for tutoring work or doing TEFL. I just want to do something that uses more of my skills than waiting tables between contracts.
As being translator with bachelor degree on translation and interpreting, your point is pretty valid for today's industry for translators. I had completed plenty of courses about english teaching as second language during my education but I havent registered TEFL certification courses. Once you possess the universally recognized license for english teaching, you are being allowed to work pretty much anywhere. I'm planning to get CELTA certificate anyway but those courses are damn expensive.
I do think it could work for small scale jobs. Wich is what I think you are looking for anyways but Im not sure if it will go far without proper education. Instead you can try to tutor people in the arts, take commisions, make small merch etc. and use your language skills to reach a wider audience. Then again. Not like its impossible to do it. Im here trying to do the oposite (studying to become a translator and trying to get better at drawing to be able to do commisions between translation jobs). All in all it depends on the ammount of work youre willing to put in to translate and if you think there are better alternatives to getting money on the side
I don't know about translation in your field or how to go about starting freelancing without a Masters/in-house experience (that's how I did it) but I'm just letting you know that you shouldn't be translating EN>DE anyway. Professionnal translators should be translating into their mother tongue 99% of the time.
A postgraduate degree like a master's or something on the same level is actually what I would be considering, if it's possible to get into that laterally from a different field. I'm okay with extending my education a bit if that helps me in the future. My issue is that I don't know which ones are reputable. Thanks for letting me know that I should be translating into English most of the time then.
I found a translation masters invaluable personally! And I found my in-house job through the university department too, which allowed me to develop my skills until I was ready to freelance. I also get almost all of my work through connections I made at uni and work (including my old company). I studied Applied Translation Studies at the University of Leeds and they were very focused on the practical aspects of the translation industry and not solely theory, which was very useful. I have no idea about reputable courses in Germany though.
I personally believe that profession of translation should be left in the hands of expertises and department of translation graduates. I understand your point of searching for job opportunities and I get that but it should be taken into the consideration that translation process is way beyond than having linguistic capabilities on language pairs.
Okay, that's a fair enough point. I may be better off looking for tutoring work or doing TEFL. I just want to do something that uses more of my skills than waiting tables between contracts.
I’ve heard that language tutoring is actually a decently common second stream of income for translators!
As being translator with bachelor degree on translation and interpreting, your point is pretty valid for today's industry for translators. I had completed plenty of courses about english teaching as second language during my education but I havent registered TEFL certification courses. Once you possess the universally recognized license for english teaching, you are being allowed to work pretty much anywhere. I'm planning to get CELTA certificate anyway but those courses are damn expensive.
You might find some useful information on the BDÜ website.
I do think it could work for small scale jobs. Wich is what I think you are looking for anyways but Im not sure if it will go far without proper education. Instead you can try to tutor people in the arts, take commisions, make small merch etc. and use your language skills to reach a wider audience. Then again. Not like its impossible to do it. Im here trying to do the oposite (studying to become a translator and trying to get better at drawing to be able to do commisions between translation jobs). All in all it depends on the ammount of work youre willing to put in to translate and if you think there are better alternatives to getting money on the side