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Once you’ve attained your M.A in Translation, it will be time to enter the field. While there are many career opportunities available to you, one important aspect will be deciding whether you want to pursue a career at a translation agency or become a freelance translator. This decision is built on how you want your work to be structured and what best matches your career goals.

First, you’ll need to compare a role at a translation agency vs. a freelance translator position. Simply put, a freelance translator is considered self-employed, and you won’t work for a single agency, but several. Having a position at a translation agency, on the other hand, is quite different in terms of the environment. At a translation agency, you’ll be more integrated into the company and will have more long-term goals to accomplish beyond the short-term ones of a given project.

Whichever path you choose to follow, Kent State offers an online M.A. in Translation to help you stand out in the job market. We provide tools which let you gain vital skills in research, critical thinking, writing, and collaborative problem solving to open doors to various career paths.

Behind the Scenes of a Translation Agency

One option available to students upon graduation is working at a and others. Agency settings can be ideal for beginners since they can provide consistent work, training, and feedback to help you grow in your career.

In addition to these aspects, other benefits include:

• Steady income – You’ll know the exact amount of income you will be receiving on a consistent schedule.
   
• Benefits – As with other careers, working for an agency features advantages such as having access to healthcare, retirement savings, and paid vacation.
   
• Collaboration – When you need help or advice, there is a team of peers there for you, giving you plenty of learning opportunities and the ability to form strong bonds.
   
• Convenience – When working in-house at a translation agency, there is no need on your end to handle accounting, marketing, or the prospecting of new clients, aspects you may have to undertake as a freelancer.
   
• Professional development – Employees at a translation agency will receive valuable training such as being sent to conferences to help them develop.

Of course, each agency is different and experiences may vary. Along with the stated benefits, there can also be downsides to working for a translation agency. Some people may not love the idea of having less flexibility in terms of dress codes and rules that are part of office life. Other drawbacks could include having a cap on earnings and having little control at times. If the office life is not suited for you, there are other options, such as becoming a freelance translator.

Life as a Freelance Translator

In the freelance translator role, you’ll end up working with a variety of clients such as large corporations, small businesses, nonprofits, governmental agencies, or anyone else in need of translation services. Some of the benefits to being an independent translator include:

• You’re your own boss – You’ll run your company, so you can choose who you want to work with and the amount of time you want to devote to a given project. There will be no external boss dictating your overall workload and deadlines.
   
• Flexibility – Freelance translators have complete control of when they want to work. You can organize your day however you choose and can work from home if desired.
   
• Control of expenses and income – Being a freelance translator, you’ll save on expenses such as lunches and transportation to an office. You’ll also have some control over how much you earn.
   
• Global opportunities – Technology has allowed for freelance translators to not be limited to local clients, opening up the ability to find jobs from anywhere in the world.

Obviously, along with these benefits, there can be drawbacks that result from being self-employed. These drawbacks can include having unpredictable hours, fluctuating income, and business expenses you’ll have to handle. No job is perfect, and that is why we want to provide the realities that you may face as a freelance translator in addition to the benefits.

How Earning Your M.A in Translation from Kent State Will Prepare You

Kent State offers students six different language combinations to choose from in our M.A in Translation online program. Our fully web-based master’s degree provides a firm foundation for students in either Russian, Spanish, French, Arabic, German or Japanese. Plus, choosing Kent State allows you to conveniently complete your degree online from anywhere in the world, with courses that fit your schedule.

In addition to the versatility and flexibility that our online program offers, other benefits include:

• Access to a virtual multilingual computing laboratory with state-of-the-art software
• Personal guidance by faculty
• Courses designed by experts in all aspects of translation
• Excellent employment opportunities

Throughout our online curriculum, students expand their skillsets in research, critical thinking, writing, and problem solving, all of which are essential for success. Gaining these vital skills help open doors to an array of career paths and help each student stand out in their desired career.

Contact Us for More Information on Becoming an Independent Translator

Kent State offers the support students need while challenging and inspiring them to achieve success. Our goal with our online translation program is to provide you with resources so you can successfully pursue your career, whether it is working as a freelance translator or being a part of a translation agency.

Are you ready for a career in one of the country’s fastest-growing industries? Request more information from us and we’ll be in touch soon!