Challenges of Translation: Downtime

The fact of the matter is that in terms of demand for document translation services, it can all vary quite greatly and due to forces outside of one’s control. During some periods, one might see numerous requests for translators of every type; during other periods, a freelance translator in Singapore may find nothing but deserts and ghost towns. PR application translations of course require people who want to become a Permanent Resident of a country in the first place. If their interest regarding this dries up, then so will work that involves the translation of their personal documents. The onset of COVID-19 worldwide has resulted in numerous worrying developments, including the obvious significant decrease in international travelers and, in turn, the decrease in their needs for a certified translation company in Singapore to convert their documents to another language. Though such periods are regrettable, there are still ways to improve one’s career as a translator, freelance or employed.

One way is using such free time to improve one’s knowledge and skill of the languages they work with, and consequently improve the quality in services they provide, such as legal translation services. A previous article listed various ways this can be accomplished, though one can go a step further by embarking on a personal translation project. There are many types of entertainment media in the world, all of which can also be found in a variety of languages. While many of the above have been translated to other languages as well, a number can only be found in a single language. Depending on a translator’s interests, they could translate the title of their own choice for themselves or a small group to enjoy. They (whether they do it by themselves or as part of a translation group) could also share their translation for free on the internet to promote their own skills.

Granted, there is a certain gap between the language used for entertainment media and that which is encountered in formal notarized translations, but any work that gives one further experience with a language, particularly through repeated exposure to common phrases or grammar rules, can help grow one’s prowess with various language-related skills, such as providing a higher-quality certified legal translation service in Singapore.

There are a great many other activities that a translator can engage in to improve their lot in life, and they do not need to specifically focus on a translator’s skill with languages. After all, translators (particularly freelancers) would be well-advised to spend time on self-promotion as well, making themselves known to other translators and the translation companies that would hire them. That, however, is a topic for another day. For now, one can simply dwell on the wealth of pursuits that a translator may pursue on their own time and in so doing increase their capacity for delivering a stellar certified translation service in Singapore.