High-Paying Part time Translation Jobs Online (12 Best Sites)

Would you like to make money translating but don’t want to quit your job? Or maybe you want a side hustle for quick cash. If yes, consider taking on part-time translation jobs online. 

Translators are in high demand, and if you can speak and write in more than one language, you can convert this skill to money. Therefore, if you want to know how to become a good translator and make money with part-time translation jobs online, read this post.

What does a part-time translator do?

The primary duty of a part-time translator is to convert written documents, audio recordings, and life speeches from one language to another. Part-time translation jobs can be done less than 40 hours a week. This makes it suitable for moms, students, and even people who don’t mind having multiple jobs.

Part-time translation jobs are not the same as interpretation jobs which may require you to work with different clients at events or with a specific personal company when they travel to a foreign location. Most translation jobs are remote or in-house.

Part-time translation jobs from home

For part-time translation jobs from home, you will mostly be helping clients translate written documents or audio or video recordings from one language to another. You can get part-time translation jobs online and do them in the comfort of your home before sending them back to the client in exchange for your payment.

Though translation jobs can be done full time, the best way to start is with part-time translation jobs as they prepare you for the job ahead. 

How to get part-time translation jobs online

Before applying for part-time translation jobs, you must first be fluent in writing and speaking a second language. Depending on the type of translation job you want to do, you may be required to have a degree in your second language or certificate of training.

Some government institutions, including federal, state, or municipal websites, usually advertise part-time translation jobs. Sometimes, you can also find these adverts from your local community online or by visiting the place in person. 

However, on the internet, numerous freelance translator job boards advertise part-time translation jobs which may not even require qualifications. Nevertheless, most websites require you to pass their speaking or writing competency test.

Besides this, you can also earn from part-time translation jobs by offering language lessons.

Where to find part-time translation jobs online

When it comes to finding part-time translation jobs online, these are the different options available:

• Your website
• Online translation agencies
• Job boards
• Freelance marketplaces 

1. Your website

Having a website should be your target if you want to have a personal brand or translation agency in the future. WordPress has numerous free or cheap themes to make your website look professional.

Unlike general freelance websites that make it easy to meet clients from the ever-crowded job boards, owning a website requires you to source and pitch clients directly. This means hard work, but it pays in the long run.

Online Agencies

2. Gengo

Gengo is one of the most popular online agencies for translation. Their translators primarily work with educational resources and rarely run out of work because Gengo gets unending orders of translation assignments. 

Japanese is the most ordered language on the platform, while the demands for other languages are low. So, you may want to consider your language combination before joining.

3. ProZ

ProZ is the home for translators and has been around for a while. On the platform, translators upload their profiles for clients to see. Also, the clients upload their job opportunities for freelancers to apply.

The good thing about this website is that there is always a good flow of translation jobs with a high traffic volume.

4. Translators Café

Translators café is almost like ProZ but on a smaller scale. Since it has a smaller community, it is easy to get a job on the platform. However, the job inflow may not be very regular.

Job boards

5. Indeed

Indeed is a job board that offers job listings, including online translation jobs for students. To get started, create a profile on the site and apply directly to potential clients.

6. Google Ads 

Many companies advertise their openings for translation jobs on Google. So, when looking for translation jobs, just search on Google. There, you will find full-time translation jobs, part-time translation jobs, and the likes.

7. ZipRecruiter 

ZipRecruiter is a great place to find part-time translation jobs as many companies come there to advertise their openings. You can also find sites or companies that want in-house full-time or part-time translators. Depending on the negotiation and requirements of the client, you can do this job as a work from home or in the office.

8. Zippia

Just like ZipRecruiter, Zippia is another job board that offers work from home translation jobs. They also have openings for interpreters for high school students, moms, recent graduates, etc.

Freelance marketplaces 

Besides your website and translation agencies, you can still find part-time translation jobs on freelance marketplaces, including:

9. Fiverr
10. Upwork
11. SmartCat
12. Freelancer

How to get part-time translation jobs from agencies

As a part-time translator, you won’t have all the time in the world to go searching for new openings and clients. So, to minimize the stress and use the little time you have for more, stick to the 80/20 rule. As a part-time freelancer, you should be getting 80% of your work from 20% of your clients. That will keep your energy coordinated. Asides part-time translation jobs, this rule applies to almost everything.

Most agencies prefer to work with a unique set of freelancers, the 20% which they send 80% of their translation jobs. The remaining 20% of their translation jobs are given to others occasionally.

But how do you keep yourself in the 20% that gets 80% of the work from clients, when there is high competition and translators that offer them even better rates?

This is what to do.

• Ensure the first job you deliver to the agency is superb. What you need is an excellent first impression that will blow them away.
• Ask questions if there is a task you do not understand. Though you may feel like you don’t want to bother them, but it proves to them that you are committed to accuracy.
• Ensure that your translations are error-free. No one expects to get a piece that’s full of mistakes.
• Learn and master the art of formatting. Agencies love translators that format their work perfectly.
• Beyond the working relationship, build a personal relationship with your project managers.
• Always appreciate your project managers for sending you translation jobs. Who doesn’t like to deal with grateful people?
• Request for feedback on your translations. Project managers love people committed to growth; asking for feedback proves you’re one of them.
• If you can’t meet the deadline, kindly ask if it can be extended. It is better than delivering below par work.
• Don’t be afraid to reject some translation jobs you are not comfortable with. That will improve your reputation.
• Understand that people can perceive translations differently and sometimes expect something different. This can lead to future problems, so you must tell your client about these glaring individual differences. That way, you won’t have to handle issues about them saying your translations are wrong when they’re just viewing it from a different angle.
• If you encounter errors in the text you were given to translate, point it out to the project manager. This would prevent you from bearing the burden later, earning you more respect from the agency.
• If you’ve been absent from work for a while but want to begin without knowing where to start, take the opportunity to re-sell yourself to the agency again. Tell them how you can be helpful to the company. Even if you were once their translator but got ditched, you can be reconsidered.

What are the highest-paying language pairs?

The highest paying translation jobs usually come from countries that do business with other countries. So, you should choose to translate the languages spoken in these countries—for instance, Spanish and English. Your pay will be even higher if the people who can speak these languages are few and the salary in the country using the language you translate to is high.

You can get the highest paying translation jobs from the following language pairs:

• Spanish to English 
• Japanese to English
• German to English
• English to Arabic
• English to Chinese
• Finnish to English
• English to Danish

Nevertheless, working with the highest language pair is not all there is to earning high with part-time translation jobs. Specializing in a niche also has a significant role to play.

How to specialize in a niche for part-time translation jobs

I mentioned earlier that if you must make a substantial amount of money as a part-time translator, you must utilize your time and energy effectively. One of the ways to do this is by specializing in a niche. It is more lucrative to specialize in a subject matter than to be a general translator.

Besides being fluent in another language, if you have a background in a high-paying field, you can specialize in those areas to earn more.

These are the highest paying fields with a high demand for translators:

• Law
• Medical
• Business and finance
• Technical
• Literary work

FAQs

When should I transit from part-time to full-time translation?

Almost everyone starts online translation as part-time work. However, depending on how much they succeed at the job, they can become full-time translators within a few months or years.

If you are wondering when to transition from a part-time translation job to full-time, then these are some of the factors to consider.

• What is your target income? Can you get that amount through translations alone?
• Have you developed a good working relationship and background in translation that can help you have a steady stream of translation jobs coming in?
• Do you get satisfaction from doing translation jobs? 

The best time to become a full-time translator is when you can generate enough income from your translation jobs, you have built a strong network that will help you get consistent jobs, and you have developed & established yourself in a niche and are known for your work.

However, most people generally enjoy working part-time translation jobs because it is easier than full-time. This is what I mean.

Taking part-time translation jobs gives you more time to improve on and market your skills. Meanwhile, with full-time translation jobs, you would likely be working with many clients and being on the tight end to meet deadlines. This may deprive you of opportunities to market your skills to higher-paying clients. 

Some people, even professional freelance translators, prefer to have part-time translation jobs to pick up other kinds of jobs to stabilize their income. 

Regardless of whether you want to do part-time translation jobs or go full-time, ensure that you are creating enough time to turn in quality professional translations to your clients so that you can have better opportunities in the future.

Can I work part-time as a translator?

Yes, you can work part-time as a translator. Part-time translation jobs are now common. As a part-time translator, you work for less than 40 hours a week. Though some translation jobs can be recurrent, however, have a recurrent client that understands your schedule and gives you work accordingly.

Can I take translation as a side job?

Translation can be a good side hustle if you speak more than one language. Language services are in high demand in almost every sector, and you can make money from translation and localization services.

Do translators have good pay?

Translators in the US have an average salary of $29 per hour. However, as an expert, you can earn at least three times this average wage, depending on your area of specialization. Check out a detailed guide on how much translators make.

How can you make more money as a part-time freelance translator?

Part-time freelance translators can make more money by translating for different clients, increasing their daily output, and managing their finances well. Check out our post on freelance translator jobs.

Are translators required to travel a lot?

Translators are not always required to travel much. The most important requirement for translators is that they continually learn new things to improve on the language they are translating. However, if you’re an interpreter, you may need to attend conferences and travel to new venues for seminars, workshops, and the rest.

Do I need a degree to do part-time translation jobs?

You can do part-time translation jobs without a degree. However, if you want to make a promising career out of it, you need a bachelor’s degree and some years of experience. You should also have a good knowledge of the field you’ll be translating.

Is translation a dying profession?

No, translation is not a dying profession. In fact, there’s a projected growth of the employment of translators and interpreters to increase up to 20% between 2019 and 2029. That’s higher than the average of all occupations.

Is it difficult to find part-time translation jobs?

As long as you know what to do and how to do it, you will likely not have many challenges finding a job. Also, you can find translation jobs even as a beginner and grow in them until you become perfect.

Is it stressful to be a part-time translator?

Some translation clients and project managers usually demand short deadlines, so a translator may need to put in extra work hours to meet up their assignments before the deadline. This can be pretty stressful. But since a part-time translator doesn’t take on too much work, the stress from a few jobs is minimal.

Conclusion 

Whether you are a busy mom, a career woman or even a student, you too have a chance to make money with part-time translation jobs. Maximize your knowledge of languages by putting the tips in this post to good use and earning real cash doing so.

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