In this CIOL Voices blog, Gillian Morris (pictured above) spells out why she feels optimistic for the future of translators and why she believes human translators will continue to be vital even as machines and AI improve.

I've worked in the language service industry for a long time – first as an employed Translation Project Manager, then as a freelance translator. Here's what I've noticed is completely normal:
 

Sales are often low in January and August

Don't panic. The world is taking a break. You'll soon be tearing your hair out and wishing for more time.
 

Demand for language combinations fluctuates (for no apparent reason)

When I was working as a Project Manager I could go weeks without speaking to some of our regular translators. Then all of a sudden, we’d get loads of jobs for a particular language combination, and I’d have to assemble a bigger team to cope with the workload.
 

Doom and gloom is not new

I’ve noticed moments of panic and shared feelings of unease every time a new technology is announced. Some people don’t want to work with it and leave, others stay. New people and skills come in.
 

Rates have always been an issue

Sadly, I've never known a translation world where professional translators are the ones commanding the rates they want. But good payers are out there, I know that much.
 

You're not competing on service

Good clients will know all of their 'vendors' well, and choose the right person for the job based on their style, specialisms, and circumstances.
 

Experience isn't the be-all and end-all

Ok. For highly specialised or technical texts, experience is important. But sometimes clients need something that comes naturally: a fresh voice, a new perspective, or maybe they just love the way you write.
 

Test translations aren't the best method of testing

I think we all know this already, but maybe it will help if an (ex) client says it out loud. They don’t give either party a proper sense of what working together will be like.
 

Timing is everything

Sometimes you land a client because your email landed in their inbox at the exact moment they were looking for someone like you. It's weird the way that works.

Gillian Morris is a French > English translator and copywriter based in the UK. You can find and follow her on LinkedIn. She is a full member (MCIL) of CIOL and a Chartered Linguist (CL).
 

Views expressed on CIOL Voices are those of the writer and may not represent those of the wider membership or CIOL.