Today’s information technology has enabled us to work on various projects that range from design, multimedia creation, and translation. In this article, we will focus on the third topic. If you can speak English and one or two extra languages, then you are more than ready to make money on the Internet. However, you have to execute your plan flawlessly because online mistakes stay forever. Once you leave a poor record, it will negatively affect your reputation for a long time.

Begin with Volunteering

The best way to make portfolios on the Internet is to get involved in nonprofit and educational projects. TED, Global Voices, Kiva, Per Mondo, and Idealist are five platforms that you can use to enhance your translation skill. Besides, if you want to open a translation agency, volunteering will be an excellent way to build your reputation. It shows that your business is not only profit-oriented but also is also intended to contribute to the greater good.

The second advantage of participating in volunteer projects is that it will give you a chance to connect with other translators and editors. Networking is vital in translation jobs because not all of those posted gigs are legit.

Use a Proofreading Program

Even though automated proofreading will not be as meticulous as if a real person does it, it will still speed up your workflow significantly. Features like grammar and plagiarism check will be vital if you work on academic projects. And here are the most recommended proofreading programs for English: Grammarly, Ginger Software, PaperRater, Pro Writing Aid, and Hemingway Editor.

You should learn the advantages and disadvantages of the platforms above. You can calculate the subscription fee and see if it can cover your profits. It would be better if you opt for a program with scalable packages because you may not need all of the advanced features when you begin your business.

Join a Community

This section is a further discussion of the second topic above. The best way to find the right people in the language industry is by volunteering first. And after that, you will see which forums, platforms, and social media that a particular group of translators tend to use. For example, mLingua.co.uk, Proz.com, Translatorsforum.net are three websites where you can connect with language professionals of diverse project fields, such as medics, law, manufacture, and finance.

Sell Yourself Through Social Media

You may have heard of LinkedIn, and you may have had an account there. However, LinkedIn tends to be rigid and serious. It would be best if you train yourself to be adept at using social media and gaining followers so that every time you have a project, your client will feel not only the benefit of your translation skill but also your marketing skill. Almost all content needs publicity, and if you can help your client with that task, it will be a plus.…