Study abroad, international students have more advantages in choosing to work in translation

Today, international students account for a large proportion of China’s translation market. Their choice to engage in translation work has a certain relationship with their own language advantages. Foreign life experience makes international students more familiar with foreign cultural backgrounds, which is conducive to correct understanding of semantics.

Among the many international students, some are working as full-time translators, while some are just making extra money by doing part-time translators after work. So, how is the domestic market’s recognition of international student translations? Can their experience of living abroad make their translation journey smoother?

The market demand is huge and many international students work part-time as translators

The survey found that international students do have an advantage in the recruitment of some domestic translation companies.

For example, when some translation companies are recruiting, those with a foreign study background and a master's degree or above are eligible for employment without examination. There are also many translation companies that will indicate when recruiting: "Preference will be given to those with study abroad life and work experience."

It is understood that international students with overseas study experience and certificates are more likely to gain the trust of customers.

In recent years, more and more international students have applied for jobs in translation companies. With the refinement of professional division of labor, in a certain professional field, international students with outstanding foreign language abilities are more popular.

However, most international students who engage in translation work part-time or use translation as a career transition choice, and there are relatively few who specialize in translation work.

Wang graduated from an engineering college in the United States. He has lived abroad for many years and is proficient in English and French. Currently, she has opened a Taobao store online, providing Chinese-English bilingual translation and English document writing services.

However, her job is to do business in a foreign-funded enterprise. She said: "I opened a Taobao store because I have other plans, and the implementation of this plan requires principal. I just use my own money." A skill to prepare some funds as quickly as possible. ?

Many international students have been strong enough to take over the business of translation companies after returning to China for many years. In order to have more free space, they generally tend to work as part-time translators.

Difficult to develop, large space for mid- to high-end translations

However, not all international students have good development prospects after engaging in translation.

First of all, the differences in translation abilities of international students give them different development choices. As a Japanese freelance translator, Ding has a deep understanding of this.

She said: "International students with outstanding oral interpretation skills generally work in the direction of simultaneous interpretation, while international students in the translation category are mostly concentrated in translation companies." Another way is to contact customers yourself, first form a translation team, and then develop the team into a translation company. ?

Secondly, the problems of the translation industry itself also restrict the development space of international students’ translation.

For example: the industry positioning is unclear and there is a lack of access system; there is a lack of overall quality process control; competition among translation peers is fierce and translation prices are constantly falling; the translation scale is small and no industry has been formed, etc. When some international students applied for translation companies, they were defrauded of unpaid labor by the translation company on the pretext of trial translation.

?Their own language skills and the external working environment make the prospects for international students engaged in translation not particularly clear. But if you can do mid-to-high-end translation, then you will be quite satisfied with both the salary and the working environment. ? Classmate Ding said.