Yahoo Answers is shutting down on 4 May 2021 (Eastern Time) and the Yahoo Answers website is now in read-only mode. There will be no changes to other Yahoo properties or services, or your Yahoo account. You can find more information about the Yahoo Answers shutdown and how to download your data on this help page.

Which translation work experience placement should I choose?

I'm a final-year languages & translating and interpreting studies student. I spent my year abroad working as a translator for companies in France (sports retailer) & Germany (manufacturer of speech aids for laryngectomees) and I plan to spend my next year doing another work placement in Germany, which is being organised by my university. I want to do an MA in translating afterwards, with a view to becoming a translator in the future. My problem is that I've been offered the choice of two different work placements for next year. Translation is a major part of both placements, although they also involve general office work. The first company is a German media company, which would give me the opportunity to do something different & interesting, plus I'm unlikely ever to have the opportunity to work for a TV company again.

Update:

The other placement is a German pharmaceutical company. I've already done one work placement at a medical company, & all of my extended translation projects have dealt with medical subjects, so this work placement could give me the chance to specialise in medical translations.

Basically, I'm confused about which one to choose. I know that having a specialisation is desirable. Would my work experience be too diverse if I work for the media company? Or is it too early to worry too much about specialisms? Could I honestly claim to have a specialism in medicine after working at the pharmaceutical company? Even if I end up knowing a bit about certain medications and speech aids, it doesn't seem enough to be able to say that I specialise in medical texts. If I choose the media company, is there any way that I could specialise afterwards?

My heart wants to choose the media company & my head wants to choose the pharmaceutical company. Could anyone give me any advice please? Thank you!

7 Answers

Relevance
  • 1 decade ago
    Favourite answer

    The words which grabbed me here were "different and interesting". You have probably learned already that the career of a translator can be a tedious one, especially when stuck in one particular rut. Moreover, if one specialises in one particular field and no other, then it is difficult to move into things which are more diverse, as one tends to be labelled and categorised. My experience of the translation industry is that ideally one should know something of as wide a field of subjects as possible and then have an in-depth knowledge of a particular area of activity. At the moment you have no knowledge where life is going to lead you or what further interests you might find yourself acquiring. It is also important to make contacts wherever you possibly can, as any one of them could lead to a valuable source of work. Moreover, you might ultimately decide that you want to move out of translation altogether and instead build upon your linguistic expertise in a new career, using your translation skills as a valuable adjunct to whatever else you are doing. I would not wish to influence your choice, but I simply offer these reflections as the fruit of experience. I would congratulate you on concentrating on German as well as French, as I think that this is a language in which there is a particular demand at the moment. I hope that whatever you decide, it will go well for you.

  • Jules
    Lv 5
    1 decade ago

    Hi, sorry I can't give you an answer based on knowledge of translation as a career........ cos I don't have any..... lol

    But what I would say is that once you begin your working life it's not always easy to make leaps between the kind of job you have and what you might like to have a go at..... also, life is too short to always do the 'right' thing!

    You are only young once, don't miss out on any opportunity that you might not get another chance at.

    Guess, what I'm really saying is....

    Go with what your heart says.

    Take a chance after all the risk is minimal and you will enjoy it much more if you really want to do it.

    Good luck with placement!

    Source(s): Regret missed opportunities....
  • 1 decade ago

    Personally, I would go for the media company. You've already done a work placement in a pharmaceutical company, so you've already got experience in that & it's always good to do something different. If it's interesting, you're likely to make a better effort as well.

    Plus, I should think it would look really good on your resume (& in your degree), because it shows you're good at adapting to different situations. You never know, it might open up even more opportunities for you.

    So...all in all, go with your heart.

  • 1 decade ago

    Go with your heart. These days it's difficult for translators to specialise. Clients think that, since we're all computer literate we can tackle almost everything. I get enquiries where the client doesn't even bother to state the field. 'Technical translation' is all I get, and that covers a multitude of sins.

  • 1 decade ago

    Go with your heart. It sounds like you may regret not taking the opportunity. It may also give you experience to maybe work for a television company again if that is something that interest you.

    Either opportunity will help you with your professional goal, so you might as well pick the one that you foresee enjoying more.

  • 1 decade ago

    I'd say go with the media company. You'll probably be in a position to pick up with medical organizations later, if that's what you want to do, due to your experience with the earlier medical firm.

  • 1 decade ago

    Amongst other things I can speak,read and write seven languages fluently.My "Dollar's worth" is:Go with the media company but,it should be your choice only without external influences lest you regret it.

Still have questions? Get answers by asking now.