What does it mean to be a professional translator or interpreter? Since we all have different backgrounds and there are quite a few paths one can take to get there, I think we can safely agree that there’s no such thing as a universal ‘recipe’. However, there are a few common ‘ingredients’. So, is being a professional just about qualifications, skills and experience or is there more to it? What other aspects do clients look at and use as criteria to choose one professional over another? Sometimes the devil is in the details and small aspects can make a big difference. In my presentation, I will discuss various ways of how you can ensure you are perceived as a professional, from the way you approach clients to invoicing and beyond, with a few statistics thrown in for good measure, some real examples from our day-to-day work to spice things up and some recommendations to help you and ultimately the entire profession.

2. Disclaimers
 Common sense, yet…
 Learn from (my) mistakes
 I love numbers
You are a professional, but can the others tell?
18-19 June 2016, Porto - Portugal
@InboxTranslate
@AlinaCincan#APTRAD2016
@aptradportugal

3. About me
 +10 years’ experience
 BA in languages
 MA in Intercultural Cooperation
 Member of the Chartered Institute
of Linguists (UK)
You are a professional, but can the others tell?
18-19 June 2016, Porto - Portugal
@InboxTranslate
@AlinaCincan#APTRAD2016
@aptradportugal

4. Agenda
 Definitions
 The obvious
 The devil (is in the details)
 Resources
You are a professional, but can the others tell?
18-19 June 2016, Porto - Portugal
@InboxTranslate
@AlinaCincan#APTRAD2016
@aptradportugal

5. Professional /prəˈfeʃ.ən.əl/
“a person who has the type of job that
needs a high level of education and
training”
“a person who does a job that people
usually do as a hobby”
You are a professional, but can the others tell?
18-19 June 2016, Porto - Portugal
@InboxTranslate
@AlinaCincan#APTRAD2016
@aptradportugal

6. Professional /prəˈfeʃ.ən.əl/
“What makes you great is not (only)
what you do, but (also) how you do
what you do.”
Constance Chuks Friday
You are a professional, but can the others tell?
18-19 June 2016, Porto - Portugal
@InboxTranslate
@AlinaCincan#APTRAD2016
@aptradportugal

7. Stating the obvious…
 Qualifications
 Memberships
 Specialisation
 Work
You are a professional, but can the others tell?
18-19 June 2016, Porto - Portugal
@InboxTranslate
@AlinaCincan#APTRAD2016
@aptradportugal

8. Stating the obvious…
 Qualifications
 Memberships
 Specialisation
 Work
You are a professional, but can the others tell?
18-19 June 2016, Porto - Portugal
@InboxTranslate
@AlinaCincan#APTRAD2016
@aptradportugal
67%
14%
5%
14%
MA in Translation
BA in Translation
BA in other
Other

9. Stating the obvious…
 Qualifications
 Memberships
 Specialisation
 Work
You are a professional, but can the others tell?
18-19 June 2016, Porto - Portugal
@InboxTranslate
@AlinaCincan#APTRAD2016
@aptradportugal
71%
29%
Members
Non-members

10. Stating the obvious…
 Qualifications
 Memberships
 Specialisation
 Work
You are a professional, but can the others tell?
18-19 June 2016, Porto - Portugal
@InboxTranslate
@AlinaCincan#APTRAD2016
@aptradportugal

11. Stating the obvious…
 Qualifications
 Memberships
 Specialisation
 Work
You are a professional, but can the others tell?
18-19 June 2016, Porto - Portugal
@InboxTranslate
@AlinaCincan#APTRAD2016
@aptradportugal

13. The devil is in the details, in what you…
 show
 say
You are a professional, but can the others tell?
18-19 June 2016, Porto - Portugal
@InboxTranslate
@AlinaCincan#APTRAD2016
@aptradportugal

14. The devil is in the details, in what you…
 show
 say
You are a professional, but can the others tell?
18-19 June 2016, Porto - Portugal
@InboxTranslate
@AlinaCincan#APTRAD2016
@aptradportugal

15. CV/brochure
 languages
 length
 format
 name
You are a professional, but can the others tell?
18-19 June 2016, Porto - Portugal
@InboxTranslate
@AlinaCincan#APTRAD2016
@aptradportugal
Word
53%
PDF
47%

16. Website
You are a professional, but can the others tell?
18-19 June 2016, Porto - Portugal
@InboxTranslate
@AlinaCincan#APTRAD2016
@aptradportugal
Yes
47%
No
53%

17. Social media
You are a professional, but can the others tell?
18-19 June 2016, Porto - Portugal
@InboxTranslate
@AlinaCincan#APTRAD2016
@aptradportugal
Yes
28%
No
72%

18. Where we find
translators
You are a professional, but can the others tell?
18-19 June 2016, Porto - Portugal
@InboxTranslate
@AlinaCincan#APTRAD2016
@aptradportugal
39%
35%
8%
3%
8%
5%2%
Professional associations
Application (internal)
Social media
Recommendation
Application + social
ProZ
LinkedIn

19. The devil is in the details, in what you…
 show
 say
You are a professional, but can the others tell?
18-19 June 2016, Porto - Portugal
@InboxTranslate
@AlinaCincan#APTRAD2016
@aptradportugal

20. Approaching clients
You are a professional, but can the others tell?
18-19 June 2016, Porto - Portugal
@InboxTranslate
@AlinaCincan#APTRAD2016
@aptradportugal

21. Approaching clients
You are a professional, but can the others tell?
18-19 June 2016, Porto - Portugal
@InboxTranslate
@AlinaCincan#APTRAD2016
@aptradportugal
Dear Vendor
Dear all
Dear translator
Dear supplier

22. Approaching clients
You are a professional, but can the others tell?
18-19 June 2016, Porto - Portugal
@InboxTranslate
@AlinaCincan#APTRAD2016
@aptradportugal
Hello self-ruling freelancer
Hi autonomous freelancer
Hello remote guru
Attention independent ace

23. Approaching clients
You are a professional, but can the others tell?
18-19 June 2016, Porto - Portugal
@InboxTranslate
@AlinaCincan#APTRAD2016
@aptradportugal
Dear Sir or Madam
Dear HR manager
Dear Project Manager
Dear Sirs
To whom it may concern

24. Approaching clients
You are a professional, but can the others tell?
18-19 June 2016, Porto - Portugal
@InboxTranslate
@AlinaCincan#APTRAD2016
@aptradportugal
Dear Alina
[…]having seen Inbox
Translation's sense of
humour and passion for the
industry[…]
Hello Ms Cincan
[…] I have been enjoying your
translation and language-related
tweets […] and I really enjoyed
your interview with Tess Whitty
back in March.[…]

26. Online & offline behaviour
You are a professional, but can the others tell?
18-19 June 2016, Porto - Portugal
@InboxTranslate
@AlinaCincan#APTRAD2016
@aptradportugal

27. Online & offline behaviour
You are a professional, but can the others tell?
18-19 June 2016, Porto - Portugal
@InboxTranslate
@AlinaCincan#APTRAD2016
@aptradportugal
#t9n PM : cheap monolingual asshole whose job is to extort #t9n-s at the cheapest
possible rate & to make sure t9n-s are delivered on time. #xl8
[…]LinkedIn is a professional platform for professional comments
only. […] WE DO NOT WANT TO HEAR FROM YOUR SON AGAIN
ON THIS PLATFORM NOR ABOUT YOUR PERSONAL LIFE. […]

28. Communication
 invoices
 signature
 PO/instructions
You are a professional, but can the others tell?
18-19 June 2016, Porto - Portugal
@InboxTranslate
@AlinaCincan#APTRAD2016
@aptradportugal

29. 5 things that put me off
 Constantly changing rates
 Low rates
 Not being straightforward
 Spamming
 Difficult to work with
You are a professional, but can the others tell?
18-19 June 2016, Porto - Portugal
@InboxTranslate
@AlinaCincan#APTRAD2016
@aptradportugal

31. My top 3 Rs
 Responsiveness
 Reliability
 Recommendation
You are a professional, but can the others tell?
18-19 June 2016, Porto - Portugal
@InboxTranslate
@AlinaCincan#APTRAD2016
@aptradportugal

33. You are a professional, but can the others tell?
18-19 June 2016, Porto - Portugal
@InboxTranslate
@AlinaCincan#APTRAD2016
@aptradportugal

34. You are a professional, but can the others tell?
18-19 June 2016, Porto - Portugal
@InboxTranslate
@AlinaCincan#APTRAD2016
@aptradportugal

35. You are a professional, but can the others tell?
18-19 June 2016, Porto - Portugal
@InboxTranslate
@AlinaCincan#APTRAD2016
@aptradportugal

36. You are a professional, but can the others tell?
18-19 June 2016, Porto - Portugal
@InboxTranslate
@AlinaCincan#APTRAD2016
@aptradportugal

37. You are a professional, but can the others tell?
18-19 June 2016, Porto - Portugal
@InboxTranslate
@AlinaCincan#APTRAD2016
@aptradportugal

38. Questions?
 Twitter: @InboxTranslate & @AlinaCincan
 LinkedIn: https://uk.linkedin.com/in/alinacincan
 Website: http://inboxtranslation.com
You are a professional, but can the others tell?
18-19 June 2016, Porto - Portugal
@InboxTranslate
@AlinaCincan#APTRAD2016
@aptradportugal