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If you’re fluent in English and another language, you can find great work as a translator.
Translators work in a multitude of industries, from customer service and marketing to the medical industry. In our ever-increasing global market, dual-language skills are in high demand. In fact, there’s a huge opportunity for those who can translate, interpret, and proofread documents from and into English.
A great aspect about translator jobs is many of them offer flexibility in terms of hours, location, and scheduling. Many translation jobs can be completed from home and even on your own schedule. It’s a great opportunity for those seeking work-at-home job option.
What Types of Translator Opportunities are Available?
The range of opportunities varies widely by industry and skill set. With a background in the medical or legal industry, translation jobs are varied and in high demand.
Customer service is another important area where translation jobs abound, spanning many different industries.
One of the best ways to find translator jobs is to work through an agency. This can provide you with a variety of job options across many fields and industries.
Chinese, German, Russian, Portuguese and Spanish are particularly in-demand. While not all translator jobs require a formal education, some such as sign language and interpretation for the Deaf require a bachelor’s degree. Most translation jobs require the candidate to be fluent in both English and a second language.
How Much Do Translators Earn?
Many translations jobs start out at an hourly rate, but the median salary for a full-time translator is $44,190. Salary will vary greatly on availability, specialization areas, and language skills.
Where To Find Work-at-Home Translation Jobs
There are many opportunities for work-at-home translation jobs. One of the best methods for finding jobs is to work through an agency. An agency can help you find consistent work and even permanent placement.
Here are some places to get you started.
1. Rev
Rev is a transcription, caption, subtitle and translation company. They support 35 languages and translate a variety of documents including, academic, immigration, travel, business, legal and technical documents, as well as web content. Transcriptionists and captioners can earn $.40 – $.75 per minute of audio. Translators can earn between $.05 and $.07 per word translated. Hours are flexible and working from home is often an option. With Rev, you work as a freelancer, which allows you to choose which projects you prefer to work on and your hours.
2. Welocalize
Welocalize works with freelancers as well as agencies. They work with a variety of specialized industries such as technology, consumer satisfaction, manufacturing, learning and education, legal, travel and hospitality, finance, oil and gas, and life sciences. Welocalize works to pair translators with targeted industries. Hourly contractors earn between $23-$43 hourly, depending on their area of specialty, language, and availability.
3. Telelanguage
Telelanguage offers translators for phone work, onsite and offsite work, scheduling, customer service, and more. They’re local to Portland, Oregon, so many of the on-site jobs require someone who can work face-to-face and lives within the Oregon area. Telelanguage works within the healthcare, insurance, and legal industries. Due to the sensitive nature of the work, interpreters must pass a background check and be comfortable interpreting in a variety of legal and medical situations. Call center reps, and telecommuters earn between $10-21/hour, and medical interpreters can earn up to $28/hour, depending on language and area of specialty.
4. Argos Multilingual
Argos Multilingual was founded in Krakow, Poland in 1996, but has since expanded to the USA. They are a global language and translation vendor working with interpreters and translators from around the world. They recruit Subject Matter Experts in a variety of fields including software, biotechnology, biochemistry, financial and manufacturing. They work with over 2,500 translators in languages including FIGS languages, Central & Eastern European, Scandinavian, English, Asian, Arabic and Middle Eastern languages. The pay scale varies with education, language skills, and industry expertise.
5. SDL
SDL has over 55 offices in 38 countries and works with over a thousand interpreters. They are targeted to life sciences, legal, travel, retail, automotive and manufacturing, finance, marketing, creative services, and high-tech industries. In-house interpreters work closely with external freelancers to collaborate and work together on projects. The salary for an SDL translator varies between $36-$56 depending on the area of expertise and availability.
6. Verbal Ink
Verbal Ink works with only native speakers who‘ve passed a rigorous screening and background check. They work in over 200 languages to translate documents, audio clips, videos, voiceovers, and desktop publishing. They work carefully to communicate accuracy, nuance, and syntax, so their human translation has the edge over automated translation tools. To work with Verbal Ink, translators need strong grammar and computer skills, as well as the ability to differentiate and discern a variety of voices and accents. Verbal Ink requires translators to sign a non-disclosure agreement and protect client’s confidentiality. Verbal Ink doesn’t disclose their pay rate, but freelancers report it’s “better than average” for transcription services.
7. TransPerfect
TransPerfect offers consecutive and simultaneous interpretation services, as well as translation and software localization services. TransPerfect works in a variety of industries from advertising, public relations, and entertainment, to energy, mining, finance, and life sciences. They own over 90 offices around the world and pair with contractors all over the globe. Interpreters earn an average of $13.87/hour and can “bid” their rates for various projects.
8. Gengo
Gengo offers contractors the ability to set their own schedule and pick their own projects, so you can always work on projects that fit your interests and expertise. With online forums, interpreters can bounce questions off fellow professionals and receive feedback and advice. They offer the ability to work via PC, tablet, or even smartphone. English translators earn $417/month on average. After passing an initial screening test, translators are given access to projects where they can set their own pace and unlock more challenging projects for higher pay.
9. VerbalizeIt
VerbalizeIt sends job notifications right to your phone where you can accept requests and take on translation tasks. Once your work’s complete, you submit it for approval and receive a completion credit. As you earn quality badges, you can receive new incentives and access to higher paying jobs. VerbalizeIt works in over 150 languages with over 50 industries. While they don’t disclose salaries, some reports say it’s low for the industry.
10. Capita
Capita hires both freelancers around the globe and in-house positions in Manchester and London. Translators are required to have at least three years of experience or have translated 100,000 words. They also offer deaf, deafblind, and British Sign Language opportunities. Interpreters can work across many industries including medical, government, legal and education. Capita’s pay varies by expertise and location.
11. Upwork
Upwork is a freelance job portal that offers a variety of freelance gigs from writing and administrative work to translation and interpretation. If you would prefer to look for translation opportunities on your own, rather than go through an agency, Upwork has tons of individual listings. The industries are varied from web and manufacturing to engineering, design and customer service. Upwork takes a small percentage of each transaction and payments can be made via PayPal, direct deposit, wire transfer, Payoneer, or Skrill.
12. FlexJobs
Translation opportunities are also listed on FlexJobs. One of the nice features of FlexJobs is the ability to compare the 100 best companies in the industry, as well as review feedback from former contractors and employees. The listings on FlexJobs vary by availability, and potential candidates can view listings and pick and choose based on description and requirements. FlexJobs has an A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau.
Should You Start Your Own Translation Business?
If you prefer to set up your own translation business from home, there are some great opportunities out there. There’s a high demand, a broad market, and startup and overhead costs are very low.
There are industry group translators who can join to network with other translation professionals, including the American Translators Association and the International Federation of Translators. These groups can help you network and explore the industry of translating to understand if it’s an opportunity you wish to pursue.
Just as you would with any home business, the first step is to study the industry and learn about potential opportunities.
Translation is a great opportunity for people with dual-language skills, seeking a flexible, and interesting opportunity. If you’re fluent in multiple languages, translation may be a great work-at-home opportunity for you!
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Looking for a part time job. Fluent in English and Spanish. Have traveled extensively, so travel oriented translating would be a great possibility. Preferably working from home.
Hi Olga,
I know Appen and Rev hire part-time translators. You can also check out sites like Fiverr, Upwork, and People Per Hour.
Good luck and keep me posted!
Ready to translate from English to Arabic or contrarily.
Translate and fluent Arabic/English also basic French Communication.
I am Alicia from Spain. Ready to work from home as an English to Spanish translator.
Im interested in translation
Any type of work
I am fluent in French English and Hebrew
I have a bachelor degree from New York as well as Israel
Originally from Paris France
Dear all
My name is Yoga.
I want to work from home as a translator from English to Bahasa Indonesia and vice versa. I have had some previous experiences from texts to books.
My email address is [email protected]
Thank you in advance
Kind regards
Yoga
My name is Sarah and I am fluent in English and Spanish. Seeking to help translate documents from English to Spanish or Spanish to English. I can also do memo recordings in English or Spanish. I have worked in medical field and familiar with HIPAA. You may reach me by email at [email protected].
Hello everyone!
I am looking for a job as a translator from home!
I speak fluent English, Dutch and Albanian.
Feel free to email me with opportunities; [email protected]
Hi I am looking out for translation jobs from home. I am fluent in English Telugu Tamil & Hindi
My name is Mariyana. I have experience as a translator from Bulgarian into English and vice versa. My email is [email protected]
I want to work as a full time translator. I am a PhD holder.
I am a translator German to English looking for home translating any sort of documents.
Looking to work from home, translating small documents for any agency that needs inf. translated. From English to Spanish!
I have 6 years experience as translator and also medical certify translator.
I can make translations to/from English-Greek-Arabic-French home-based as a second job. Looking forward.
Hi. I’m interested in having a part-time in-house job. I am interested in translating Albanian or Serbian-English.
Hi Anton,
Check the links above to find out who is hiring for those languages.
Good luck!
Hi,
I am Dayachandra Chahal, holding Master’s degree in Hindi and graduation with English literature. Besides this, undergone Translation training certificate equal to Post Graduate Diploma in translation Hindi to English & vice-versa from Central Translation Bureau, Calcutta in 1995. Undergone interpretation training at Parliament House in 1996. Having a good command on Academic, Professional, Technical, Computer, Medical and Administrative terminology. I am also having experience in translation, interpretation and technical operational capabilities.
HI I’m looking for translation jobs from Spanish to English and vice verse
Native Spanish – fluent English
Just follow the links in the article ?
Hi, I am a German Language Translator and I looking for a permanent position as I have been a freelance translator for two years along with a few agencies.
My contact details are +919561214478
May I look forward for huge translation job works soon..
Good luck!
If you have several years of translation and interpreting experience check out telecommuting and freelance translator job opportunities at: https://www.languagealliance.com/jobs/
These offers does not state if it’s international or not. Does South Africa qualify?
You’ll have to research them to find out.
I am a freelance translator looking forward to having in-house-job
I’m a translator Spanish-English or Portugues-Spanish, also looking for an in-house full-time job as a translator.
These are remote (work-at-home) jobs. Try checking Indeed or LinkedIn for in-house job openings.
I would suggest you Mars Translation for online job! Hopefully, they will help yours!
Good Luck!