Guide for Translators to Find Quality Vietnamese Translation Jobs
Being a Vietnamese translator is a fantastic career for those who are interested in the Vietnamese language and culture. However, a common concern that freshers in the language industry usually have is how and where to find translation jobs that pay good rates and are challenging enough to make them feel motivated.
If you want to become a Vietnamese translator and are wondering the same, check out our guide below.
Things to Prepare before Seeking Vietnamese Translation Jobs
Being able to speak two or three languages (and one of them is Vietnamese) does not make you a Vietnamese translator or give you the ability to handle important Vietmese transition projects. You need more than just your ability to speak a language. To be more specifics, you will need to prepare yourself with:
#1. Relevant Certificates
Although certificates do not reveal everything about a translator’s ability, they are required proof to get you past the scanning CV round before you get closer to any Vietnamese translation job.
To be a professional Vietnamese translator, first, you need to be a native Vietnamese speaker. Then, you must have a degree in the Vietnamese language or translation as well as proper training in a specific domain. For example, if you want to be a Vietnamese translator in law, you must have a background in the law field which can be achieved either through taking courses or work experience.
If you change from another field to the language industry, don’t forget to take Vietnamese translation courses and obtain relevant certification.
#2. Translation Skills
It goes without saying that you must be fluent in at least one foreign language besides Vietnamese in order to work as a Vietnamese translator. A high level of language proficiency for a translator requires years of study and constant training. Furthermore, to accurately convert words between two languages while conveying the appropriate messages and tones, a Vietnamese translator must not only be fluent in a foreign language but also have good language skills in Vietnamese.
Because language and culture are inextricably linked, you can’t work as a Vietnamese translator unless you’re familiar with Vietnamese culture. To avoid costly mistakes, you should constantly deepen your understanding of both Vietnamese culture and the culture of the source language.
Technology has become an essential component of the translation industry. Translators should use tools to improve translation flow and accuracy rather than feeling being threatened by the rapid development of machine translation and other advanced technology. To meet client deadlines, you should increase your work efficiency by utilizing translation tools such as CAT Tools, online proofreading, OCR, and QA tools. The ability to use these supporting tools fluently for Vietnamese translation projects has become a requirement for Vietnamese translators.
#3. Translation Skills
The more experience you have, the more likely you are to get more Vietnamese translation jobs and higher pay. What about fresh Vietnamese translators? It is normal for new Vietnamese translators to have difficulty finding paid work at first because clients are unlikely to entrust their projects to translators with no or little experience.
You can consider doing unpaid Vietnamese translation projects for organizations like the United Nations, Translators Without Borders, or small local events. The main goal is to help you gain real-world work experience in Vietnamese content translation while also building your portfolio. You should also request testimonials from your clients after each project to attest to your abilities.
Recommended Platforms to Find Vietnamese Translation Jobs
Let’s check out some great platforms you can use to find Vietnamese translation jobs. You should use as many platforms as possible to make the most out of these platforms and increase your chance of getting new translation jobs.
#1. Translator Communities
To begin, most free translators search for Vietnamese translation jobs in translator communities such as ProZ, Translators Café, or Translation Directory. These websites work in the same way that job boards do, allowing you to apply for various Vietnamese translation projects.
With millions of monthly website visitors, having a profile on these translator communities increases your chances of being discovered. Many customers also post job openings on these platforms. As a result, you will be able to actively apply for translation projects that are of interest to you.
Besides translating, a Vietnamese freelance translator is somewhat considered a marketer. This is because they need to market themselves in order to reach more potential clients and find more Vietnamese translation jobs. And the best free way is through social media platforms.
When it comes to jobs, make sure you have a strong LinkedIn profile. You should expand your connections with people in the same industry as well as people who work in the domains that you specialize in. For instance, if you are a marketing translator, connect with other marketers to catch up with the latest trends in the industry and who knows, they might be your potential clients.
What’s more, you should regularly share your knowledge and experience as a Vietnamese translator to gain more engagement from your connections. And don’t hesitate to react and comment on interesting posts relating to your expertise. Being active and outstanding on LinkedIn and clients will come to you. When you are on Linkedin, don’t miss out on some helpful LinkedIn groups for translators.
Facebook is also a good social platform for you to connect with other Vietnamese translators and learn something interesting each day. You should check out these great Facebook groups for translators.
#3. Your Own Website
You should also consider creating your own website and writing attractive content that will appeal to your potential clients. Blogging allows you to demonstrate your voice, writing skills, and, of course, your own experience in Vietnamese translations. That’s an excellent way to develop your personal brand.
And it’s even easier now that WordPress provides a plethora of free or low-cost themes. Pay attention to SEO factors that will bring you more organic traffic, which means more chances of reaching your potential clients and translation jobs.
However, you should know that this platform is a long-term strategy. It is unlikely that you will be able to find new clients or translation jobs right away. Building a website, creating content, and improving SEO all take time.
#4. Vietnamese Translation Companies
Working with professional Vietnamese translation agencies is a popular way to find freelance translation jobs for Vietnamese language pairs. There are hundreds of well-known and reputable translation agencies that will almost certainly provide you with numerous job opportunities.
Translation agencies have a large number of regular B2B clients as well as end clients. Therefore, you will have a stable number of projects on a regular basis. Of course, to achieve this, you first need to pass their tests. If your tests are well-performed, you can be confident that you will be given monthly, weekly, or even daily translation assignments to work on.
Before you work with any Vietnamese translation agencies, make sure you check the reviews and feedback from other Vietnamese translators to see if they are good companies who pay you good rates and on time or not. If they receive a lot of negative feedback, it’s the red flag that you should not cooperate with them. ProZ’s Blue Board is a platform where you can check this information.
Vietnamese Translators’ reviews on GTE Localize
If you want to work for a professional Vietnamese translation agency, apply to be a part of our talented Vietnamese translators.
