Here is the second installment of my Q&A session with a young colleague:
Do you think that sending résumés online should be aimed at specific targets in the current market, i.e., certain countries, companies in a specific industry (e.g., software companies), rather than translation companies? Also, should I address other channels besides sending things out online?As regard specific industries, you should address those in which you specialize.
On-line inquiries should be your first priority, but don't get discouraged in nobody answers you for a while: remember that receiving 2 or 3% answers to an aimed mailing campaign is considered a wild success... and I believe that answers to e-mails run at an even lower rate.
Many agencies and companies are not really equipped to answer to all the unsolicited collaboration offers that keep piling up. However, if your résumé is deemed interesting, it may very well be stored in a database, and you could receive a call back months (or even years!) later.
Another thing that you should do is to go in person to visit nearby translation agencies, to leave there your résumé and a good impression.
When you can, you should also consider joining a translator association (in Italy, AITI), and take part in the association's activities, again in order to network - you never know where the next job offer is going to come from.
I'd add that any time spent on networking (even attending those boooooring seminars on "how to use a two-button mouse" which seem to crop up among our professional organizations) is well spent.
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately, since last week this blog has been locked by Blogger, as their algorithms have (wrongly!!!) deemed it a "spam blog" (no idea why: it is clearly a legitimate blog, but until some human person takes a look, it remains locked)... so while the blog is still up, I cannot post anything new.
ReplyDeleteIf the situation persists, I'll move the blog to some other service.