Article Common mistakes to avoid as a freelance translator
As freelancers, we all make mistakes. No matter how many articles just like this one you read, there are always going to be times you misjudge things or make bad calls.
Because that’s just life, and some things can only really be learned through trial and error!
You’ll make plenty of mistakes at the start of your career. And although your hard-earned experience and wisdom will mean that as the years go by you’ll make far fewer of them, you’ll probably keep making them in some way, shape or form up until you retire.
The good news is that although it won’t make you immune to slip-ups, all the sage advice in this blog will help you avoid certain pitfalls that have tripped up many a freelancer.
Here’s a run-down of some of the most common mistakes made by freelance translators.
1. Putting all your eggs in one basket - clients
If you find a client you enjoy working with, and they send you lots of projects that keep you busy, it can be easy to get too comfortable with them.
Remember, no one client should ever be the source of more than 50% of your income. In fact, to be on the safe side, that should probably be more like 25%, but that’s not always realistic.
Whatever the limit you set, the important thing is not getting yourself into a situation in which you have one main client, and losing said client would totally devastate your business. Your freelance river needs to be fed by lots of small streams, not just one source, or it’s at risk of drying up.
If you find yourself in a situation like this, it’s time to prioritise finding and onboarding new clients who will also turn into regular streams of income.
2. Putting all your eggs in one basket - niche or service
Not everyone would agree with us here, but we’re big believers in the power of diversification. Yes, it’s very important to have clear niches, as we’ll go into below.
But we think they should be niches, plural. So you’re not entirely reliant on one industry. If you do want to stick to one specialist subject area, then maybe you could diversify in terms of the services you offer within that niche.
Diversification will look different for everyone, but it’s vital for anyone who wants a business that will be able to weather storms and stand the test of time.
3. Not establishing your niches from the beginning
As we’ve already said, we’re not advocates for over-niching.
But we are advocates for identifying a few specialist subject areas from the beginning of your career, based on your interests, experience and education, and tailoring your marketing accordingly.
There are probably huge numbers of freelance translators offering your language pairs, so your subject matter expertise will help you stand out from the crowd.
It’s normal for our niches to change and evolve over time, so don’t worry, you won’t be wedded to the ones you choose now. You can always say goodbye to a certain specialisation or introduce a new one.
4. Believing have to do it all on your own
When we first start our businesses, it’s normally just us and our laptops against the world.
It’s easy to feel like we should be able to handle absolutely every aspect of our business on our own and struggle to relinquish any control. Or invest any money in our businesses, for that matter.
But it’s so important to recognise when you’re out of your depth and ask for help. Especially when it comes to financial matters, like handling your tax return, or anything legal. Invest in professional help and save yourself the stress.
5. Not prioritising cash flow
Much as you love translation, this isn’t a hobby, it’s your livelihood. And you need money to survive.
So, your finances have to be a priority from day one. Don’t be tempted to stick your head in the sand. You need to know the numbers back to front and know when money is coming in and going out, so you don’t find yourself without any cash.
LSP.expert is your best friend here!
6. Not charging based on your financial needs
Don’t just pluck a number that seems reasonable (or not too scary) out of the air.
Your minimum rate should be calculated based on what you need to earn to cover your living expenses.
Once you’ve identified that minimum rate, it has to be non-negotiable. Your time is better spent marketing to clients that can afford the rates you need to charge than it is working for unsustainable rates.
7. Not tracking your times
To calculate what you need to charge, you need data that tells you how much you can achieve in an hour or a day.
Tracking your time for every project you do right from the beginning will stand you in excellent stead when it comes to quoting confidently, raising your rates and making all kinds of important decisions.
8. Joining the race to the bottom
Having black-and-white data to back up the rates you set will also help you avoid the scramble for jobs that will be far more stressful than they’re worth.
If the client’s only criteria for choosing a translator is price, then they don’t value you as a professional and will probably be a nightmare to work with.
Be very wary of job ads asking you to quote your “best rate”, especially when they expect you to give a discount for a high volume of words. Big projects can be very stressful, and you might have to turn down other work because of them, so you need to be fairly compensated for them.
9. Working too much
Just because it’s your first year of freelancing doesn’t mean you need to grind yourself into the ground. You need to value yourself from day one. You need to be at your best to do your best work, so rest and exercise have to be priorities.
It’s scary when you’re first getting started and you feel like you have to say yes to everything, but it’s so important to be realistic and not push yourself too far.
Don’t bite off more than you can chew - if you don’t think a deadline for a project is realistic, then be honest with the client or PM and ask for more time.
If your schedule is already full to bursting with work, let the client know and see if they can wait a little longer for delivery. If they can’t, then take a deep breath and say no. You’ll feel far better for it!
10. Not prioritising working on your business
Any translator quickly realises there’s so much more to freelancing than just the translation. Marketing, finances, productivity, networking…
There’s so much to think about, and to keep on top of. A big mistake a lot of people make is just ignoring that side of things and hoping it will somehow look after itself.
But if you want to succeed, whatever that means to you, you have to take your business seriously, and take care of everything that comes along with being a business owner.
Set aside non-negotiable time regularly to deal with everything that isn’t client work, and you and your business will feel the positive effects.
11. Seeing other translators as competition
Last but definitely not least: they’re not your competitors, they’re your colleagues!
Rather than being secretive about your rates or clients, or worrying that a translator that does the same thing you do might get picked over you for a project, treat them as your friends and confidants.
Refer other freelancers for work you’re not right for or don’t have the capacity for and cheer them on in everything they do. Meet up with other freelancers in-person or online and steadily build a network of people you can support and turn to for support.
Good freelance karma has a way of coming back around, so even though you shouldn’t be building your network just to get work out of it, you will get work out of it in the long run. Rather than being shy and holding back, dive headfirst into the fantastic translation community. You won’t regret it.
A mistake is a chance to learn a lesson. One you can probably turn to your advantage.
But if you can avoid these bumps in the road, then that’s even better.
Give yourself the best chance of avoiding these freelance booby traps by letting LSP.expert provide you with all the data you need to make the best decisions for you at every turn.
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