Translators – Where Do They Come From, Anyway?

Running a translation business and working with translators is an interesting process. Many people do not realize that we are organized like an agency. As opposed to having translators of every imaginable language packed into our office, we use freelance resources located around the world.

We can tell that sometimes a potential customer calling the office fully expects that we will quickly produce a Burmese translator and put them on the phone to discuss translation of a document that was needed yesterday. Not so fast!

If our goal is to match translators with clients not only based on their working language combination but also based on their area of expertise, educational background, and experience/skills, we would not get far with the in-house translators model.

Instead, we have a vast network of translators located in all corners of the world, working in a variety of fields and specialties.

In reality, we actually prefer that someone who translates into Thai actually lives in Thailand. They get to use and learn their language every day. Language is a living, breathing entity. To stay abreast of one’s mother tongue, living immersed in it – reading the newspaper and watching news on TV in it – definitely keeps linguists sharp and accurate. Once a translator moves away from their native country (like yours truly), their mother tongue skills start to deteriorate.

Once it is clear who and where our translators are, the second question that usually comes right after that is: “How do you find them?”

At this point of our existence, the majority of translators actually find us. We have been around for a while now, and just like in any community, the good word spreads. For years, our translators have been recommending us to their friends and translators with whom they hang out – mostly virtually but also in person.

We also get found because of reviews translators leave for us on job sites and public forums. We treat our translators well and with gratitude. They are the pillars on which our business stands. Without them and their talents we would not be here. Because of that, we have enjoyed five star ratings from our freelancers over the years.

We also have a proactive hiring policy. Even though it does not always work out this way, we generally do not wait until we need translators in a particular language combination before getting them on the team. We actively search for new talent even at times when demand for their language combination is low. It does take time to get to know someone and trust them with our clients’ content – especially since we almost never have the option of meeting them in person. There is a flurry of activities like credentials verification, testing, training, and monitoring that happens at the beginning of a relationship with someone. This training and monitoring is imperative before we fully trust linguists with our clients’ work – and continues throughout the translator’s engagement with TLC.

So there. They may not all be at our office and available at a moment’s notice, but we are still extremely fortunate to work with some of the best and most talented people around. We are in awe of their skills and professional attitude every day. And the effort we put into these long distance relationships? It is more than worth it.