For new translators there can be no doubt that the hardest thing is to get your foot in the door and convince an agency to give you some work - unless of course you have a personal link to an agency through marriage, friendship or a previous business!
Usually a new translator will send out hundreds of CV’s to agencies and get a response rate of about 5-10%, of which a few might send you their terms and conditions and add you to their database, one or two might well ask you to do a test translation and then if you’re lucky you might get work from one or two agencies on a steady basis. Time consuming? Yes. Discouraging? Yes. Soul destroying? Yes, and all the while you still have to pay the bills!
The bad news is that most freelancers tend to go through the same nightmare, the good news is that those who stick it out tend to see some results in the long run. So is it worth even sending your CV to agencies in the first place? Is there a better way to break into the industry? Should the new translator use their time more productively to get better results?
The fact is that there are benefits of working with agencies - you have control over your work schedule because you chose the jobs you want to do (and in turn determine your own income level), you can develop excellent working relations with specific project managers, you don’t have to worry about marketing to direct clients in fact, you can even spend most of the time communicating by email without ever having to speak to real people! (Believe me if you’ve ever had a job working with the public that is a real positive point in favour of working with agencies!)
There are a few positive steps that can make this process slightly more productive:
Get a “feel” for the agency by looking at their website. Do they look professional or do they have a slightly tacky look to them? What does the website say about them? For example, are they offering the “fastest turnaround at the lowest prices”? Do you really want to work for a pittance? Don’t fall into the trap of sending out mass emails to hundreds of agencies at the same time.
Be specific
Try to send a brief cover email with your CV rather than just emailing out CV’s to everyone. Show that you have at least know something about them - for example, what the agency specialises in and how you can help them. So, if you want to specialise in the arts why contact an agency that specialises in pharmaceuticals?
Be business savvy
Use common sense. If an agency prefers contact via an online form, use an online form. If they are looking for freelancers with specific qualifications do you have those qualifications? there is a balance between promoting your skills and wasting your time. Remember too that some agencies have a very bad reputation when it comes to project management, people skills or payment practices.
