If you are bilingual or multilingual, and looking for ways to diversify your means of income, you should consider taking up freelance translator jobs.
Freelance translator jobs are a flexible and easy way to translate for money at your convenience. You can do it anywhere you are, as long as you have a device and a stable internet connection.
In this article, we will tell you everything you need to know about translation and how to find high-paying freelance translator jobs.
What Are Freelance Translator Jobs?
Freelance translator jobs are all about translating languages to make money. All you will be required to do is to convert a piece of text or documents from one language to another. They are called “freelance” because you don’t need an official environment to do it.
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Freelance translator jobs can be done at the comfort of your home, or anywhere that you are. The timing is also flexible and not as rigid as 9-to-5 jobs.
Another interesting fact about freelance translator jobs is that they are in high demand.
A lot of companies and businesses are expanding their customer base and audience thereby increasing the demand for freelance translators.
Even though there are many free translation tools like Google translator, a lot of clients and companies prefer human translators so that they can get accurate results.
You can get access to these freelance translator jobs by signing into legit websites that offer this service. So, with your language skills and the world becoming a global village, you can use the internet to make money wherever you are.
Requirements For Freelance Translator Jobs
To work as a translator, you need to have a good grammatical knowledge of at least two languages. This is an important requirement. Most translation websites also require English language as a primary qualification.
In addition, you will be expected to work in a quiet environment without any interruption.
Some websites require translators to have a Bachelor’s degree in translation, while others require at least 2 years’ experience. Some others don’t even have requirements – these kinds of websites are good for beginners to gain experience and make money.
Also, you must have a good device (tablet or laptop) and a stable internet connection to do freelance translator jobs.
Apart from the above, you also need the following:
- Some knowledge of technology i.e use of internet and translation software. Your clients may demand that you use computer-assisted translation tools (CAT) that breaks texts into segments to improve productivity.
- Timeliness – You can work at your own time but you must also meet your clients’ deadline.
- The ability to read between the lines
- High organizational skills
- High attention to details
- The ability to generate business through excellent customer experience, marketing, relationships, and networking.
Types of Freelance Translator Jobs
Freelance translator jobs are of many types. You can pick an area of specialty or do many types to increase your income.
Although the basics involve translating a piece of written words from one language to another, every translation job has a different intent. All translation jobs are not the same.
Below are some of the common types of freelance translator jobs:
1. Transcription work
Transcription is simply converting audio to texts. You will be required to listen to a recorded audio or live speech and create a digital word document or write it down on a paper.
Transcription works can be required in the same language or in different languages.
Freelance transcription job is a high paying online job and transcribers in the legal and medical field can earn as much as $100 per day.
2. Create and Sell translation courses
Selling of courses online is a highly profitable venture. Although it takes some work to create and launch a course; after the course is put online, passive income will keep flowing in from it.
There are people that sell online courses for more than $50 per subscriber.
Creation and sales of translation courses can be in 2 ways.
The first way is by creating an online course to teach the language of your choice and the second way is to teach how one can become a successful freelancer using translation skills.
The sales of translation courses are different from virtual teaching which can be one-on-one tutoring or a limited video conferencing. You can sell a single translation course to hundreds of students.
3. Language tutor jobs
If you are bilingual (or multilingual) and looking for a work-from-home virtual teaching job, an online language tutor job is a good option.
In this type of freelance translator jobs, you are required to know more than 1 language and assist the students in learning a new language.
You are also expected to have a good translation skill to teach the language spontaneously and effectively.
Online language tutors can earn up to $20 per hour.
4. Interpretation projects
You can do this if you are bilingual and have some interpretation skills as well. This will increase your earnings.
If you choose to take on interpretation projects, your job will be to hear a person speak in one language and explain to the other person in another language.
Some websites where you can find interpretation jobs are discussed later in this post. There are also bilingual call centers, video conferencing assistant jobs, and virtual assistant jobs on such websites offering translation services.
Unlike text translation, interpretation needs more work and takes more time. It is mostly real-time and no glitch is expected in the process.
This is one reason why only experienced and skilled interpreters are hired.
Freelance interpretation jobs are one of the highest paying online jobs. You can earn more than $30 per hour if you are well-skilled.
5. Text translation projects
In this type of translation work, you will be given text-based documents to convert the documents from the original language to another.
Examples of text translation projects are written documents, account files, articles, emails, eBooks, and blog posts, etc.
In text translation projects, the pay is usually per word basis. This means that you will be paid for each word that you translate and the pay per word can range from $0.01 to $0.02.
So, if the text you are to translate contains 1000 words, you may get between $1 to $20. And you can do this kind of work at your convenience.
9 Websites to Find Freelance Translator Jobs
Freelance translator jobs are mostly found online. There are different websites you can sign on and get accepted to offer your services and get paid.
You can find freelance translator jobs in the following ways:
1. LinkedIn
A good way to find freelance translator jobs is to have an attractive and up-to-date LinkedIn profile. Remember to update your profile with qualifications and certifications that show you’re a translator. This will help people find you.
You can also include your LinkedIn profile link when applying on other translation websites to boost your resumé and increase your chances of acceptance.
2. Facebook
Joining Facebook groups specifically for translators will help you get freelance translator jobs easily. Some translators even go to some of these Facebook groups to give jobs to other translators. This happens if the work is too much for them or if they get jobs in a language they are not familiar with.
Always make sure to read the group rules and stick to them to avoid being kicked out.
You can join the American Translators’ Association or your local association to source for freelance translator jobs.
There are many benefits to joining associations like this:
- You show your dedication to the profession and development. Clients will take you more seriously.
- You will get listed on the directory where clients can look for and find you.
Pick an association that is closer to your location so that you can attend their events and benefit more from them.
4. Gengo
This is one of the most popular translation websites we have. The website interface is convenient and easy to operate. The look and feel of this website is professional and it provides educational materials for its translators. These educational resources contain detailed style guides for some languages.
Gengo pays twice a month via PayPal only.
One hour translation website is one of the oldest and most successful translation sites around. It has a progressive/promotion system for translators.
However, the website has an outdated look and feel but it is still a good place to get freelance translator jobs. They pay through PayPal, MasterCard, and Payoneer.
6. Unbabel
If you are looking for simple freelance translator jobs, then Unbabel is for you. This website’s main focus is to edit machine-translated documents. All you have to do is check for errors and make it perfect.
It is also one of the cheapest websites for clients and businesses looking for translation services. Unbabel is also the only translation service website that pays per hour and not per word.
They pay through PayPal or Payoneer.
7. Textmaster
The name may look boring but this is a great place to find online translator jobs. The website has strong millennial-friendly features, complex things are explained in simple words, and it is people-centric.
Textmaster pays through PayPal and Payoneer.
This is another wonderful website to get freelance translator jobs and gain some level of experience if you are a beginner. It has 2 types of membership, the free one and the paid one which costs $80 a year.
9. Verbalizeit
This organization depends on human-powered translation and all you need to be a translator for them is to sign up, take a test, and wait to be approved.
If you are chosen, you will always get job notifications that suit your profile. They pay twice weekly via PayPal.
To check out more of these sites, see our post: Translation jobs from home.
Freelance Translator Jobs UK
Are you in the UK and looking for freelance translator jobs UK? If yes, you can use these websites below to get freelance translation jobs for people in the UK.
The first one is Freelancer and the second one is Dutch Trans.
Spanish Freelance Translator Jobs
If you are more specific on finding Spanish Freelance Translator Jobs, you can easily get them on these websites:
Freelance French Translator Jobs
You can easily find Freelance French Translator Jobs from the websites below if French is your main language:
- Upwork
- ZipRecruiter
- Peopleperhour
- Glassdoor
- Indeed . This website also has vacancies for French interpreters.
Amazon Freelance Translator Jobs
Amazon is one of the best places to find freelance translator jobs. They are the biggest online market and they are in need of translators of many languages to reach a wider audience and make more sales.
They want to make products available to customers worldwide in their own languages.
Amazon translation jobs can be found on their website.
You can also find Amazon freelance translation jobs on:
Freelance German Translator Jobs
German translators are in high demand. About 130 million people speak German as their mother’s language and it is the most spoken mother language in the European Union.
Also, German is an official language in 7 countries. It is the 11th most widely spoken language in the world.
You can get freelance German translator jobs on German platforms like:
English platforms where you can find freelance German translator jobs are:
- Upwork (English to German)
- Upwork (German to English)
- Indeed
- Glassdoor
- Freelancer
- ZipRecruiter
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) About Freelance Translator Jobs
What languages are most freelance translator jobs in?
English is a top international language and most translator jobs involve translating from English language to another and vice versa.
After English language, Asian languages like Tamil, Japanese, Thai, Sanskrit, Russian, Hindi, Korean, and Chinese are next in demand.
There are also lots of demands in translating Western languages like Dutch, German, Portuguese, French, and Spanish.
How can I find freelance translator jobs?
We’ve given tips above on how you can find freelance translator jobs. You can also check out our post: translation jobs from home to see many websites where you can easily find freelance translator jobs.
What fields demand freelance translator’s services?
A lot of fields or professions demand this service but the most common ones that require a lot of translation are:
1. Health
The health sector needs translations for clinical documents, NGO reports, academic texts, patient reports, and many more.
2. Finance
Translations are needed for profit and loss reports, financial presentations, and annual reports.
3. Marketing
Websites, advertisements, Google ads, social ads, blog articles, drip campaigns, sales copy, landing pages, and brochures need translation into many languages for companies that want to increase their audience base.
4. Tech
Apps, APIs, technical pitch decks, and website localization require translation services.
5. Law
Privacy policies, academic texts, litigation, legislation, patents, court transcripts, and contracts need translation.
6. Food industry
They need translators for their restaurant menus, wine labels, product sheets, bodega websites, etc.
7. Literary
Translations are needed for self-help, fiction, non-fiction, and any kind of publication.
8. Academic
Research papers, reports, journal entries, dissertations, etc. need translation.
9. Business
Business presentations, pitch decks, and articles of association need translation.
How much do freelance translators make?
The pay for freelance translators varies. This depends on the skill, language combination, level of experience, and the number of clients.
However, salary.com estimates that the average pay for translators is close to $49k a year. This also depends on who you are working for. Some clients or companies pay more than others. Check out a detailed guide on how much translators make.
Can I have training in online translation?
Yes, it is possible to take an online course in translation to increase your knowledge and skills and also increase your chances of getting more clients.
There are many courses you can do in translation and there are many websites offering the courses like this one: The Institute of Translation and Interpreting. To learn more, check out how to become a paid translator.
Conclusion
Translation is a well-paying gig that can be done as a side hustle, and being a freelance translator means you can take up different jobs from different clients. This comes with convenience and flexibility as you get to choose who to work for, when to work and where to work.
The sites and tips listed above will get you started as a freelance translator, and improving your skills will guarantee that your services are always in demand and you are well-rewarded.
