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Poll: Is certification important for getting a job in your field?
Thread poster: ProZ.com Staff
ProZ.com Staff
ProZ.com Staff
SITE STAFF
Jan 20

This forum topic is for the discussion of the poll question "Is certification important for getting a job in your field?".

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Lieven Malaise
Lieven Malaise
Belgium
Local time: 14:23
Member (2020)
French to Dutch
+ ...
Yes Jan 20

I would say yes, without saying that it's necessary to become succesvol as a translator.

Sundar Gopalakrishnan
 
Maria Teresa Borges de Almeida
Maria Teresa Borges de Almeida  Identity Verified
Portugal
Local time: 13:23
Member (2007)
English to Portuguese
+ ...
Depends... Jan 20

There are many different certifications available for translators. So, it depends on what is meant by certification: ProZ.com Certified PRO Network? ATA certification? CIOL? Sworn translators? In my opinion, being certified is not a must in order to find jobs and it’s probably more important for a beginner translator to add credibility to his/hers profile…

Rachel Waddington
Sundar Gopalakrishnan
 
Thomas Johansson
Thomas Johansson  Identity Verified
Peru
Local time: 07:23
English to Swedish
+ ...
No Jan 21

I don't think so.

First, I'm not sure what is meant by "getting a job in my field" in the question, with regard to translators. Does it mean getting an employment as an (in-house) translator or winning a job such as the jobs posted at proz.com?

With regard to the second interpretation, I can say that I am not "certified as a translator" in any formal sense, but I have never felt this has been an obstacle for winning such jobs. Not at all. In fact, for many years (approx... See more
I don't think so.

First, I'm not sure what is meant by "getting a job in my field" in the question, with regard to translators. Does it mean getting an employment as an (in-house) translator or winning a job such as the jobs posted at proz.com?

With regard to the second interpretation, I can say that I am not "certified as a translator" in any formal sense, but I have never felt this has been an obstacle for winning such jobs. Not at all. In fact, for many years (approx. 2006-2018) I used to bid quite frequently on the jobs posted at proz.com and after some time (after having developed my "communication strategy") I would usually win the projects I bid on (at least 50% of the time, I think). (I offered reasonable/average rates for my language combination, typically 0.10 euro per word.) I would say winning such jobs has to do mostly with communicating in a way that gives the client confidence that you are professional, serious, and honest (which, coincidentally, is the purpose also of formal certifications).

[Edited at 2024-01-21 03:37 GMT] ▲ Collapse


Angie Garbarino
Kaspars Melkis
 


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Poll: Is certification important for getting a job in your field?






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