Anna is self-employed and likes the freedom of being her own boss. She also enjoys meeting new people and visiting interesting places, both perks of working as a freelance Polish simultaneous interpreter.
How relevant is your degree to your job?
My MA in Polish interpreting and translation is incredibly relevant and important. Without having studied it I wouldn’t know half of the things I know now and it would be much more difficult to start in this industry.
What are your main work activities?
With conference interpreting, you may have a job in a huge plant in Denmark one day and a conference at the stadium in Old Trafford the next. It’s a constantly changing environment.
When it comes to translation into Polish, the workload involves responding to requests for quotes to secure work. Once a client accepts, you complete the translation over a week, then ideally, if you have the luxury of a long deadline, you leave it for a day or so and then read it through to see the mistakes or typos you might have missed.
What do you enjoy about your job?
With Polish conference interpreting I like meeting all the interesting people, being in places I normally wouldn’t be and learning interesting facts and topics that I otherwise would know nothing about.
When working on translations, I can deal with topics that help to broaden my horizons. I also know that I’m helping other people, whether a target audience to have a better understanding, or a company to increase their profits.
The freedom that comes with the job is another great bonus. Although it is much more comfortable to work at home, if I have to, I can work from wherever, as long as I have my laptop and a Wi-Fi connection.
Any words of advice for someone who wants to get into this profession?
Use the local professional network for support. Don’t think you are on your own. Talk to colleagues and meet other professionals.
Learn more
If you would like to book Anna or one of her colleagues for an interpreting assignment or for Polish translation services, please do get in touch.
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