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Posted on13 January 2014

I want to be a translator!

So, as a translation agency, we hear this a lot. We meet people who want to be translators, or have just started their freelance worlds. What do we say?

Atlas has been going 23 years, and we are established and respected – not just for great work for clients, but also by translators and suppliers who we build long-lasting relationships with. You probably know what a translation company does, so instead I’ll focus on what we offer to people who want to work with us, at all stages of their careers. We can offer a lot more than just asking you to fill in a form and sitting on our database.

We offer a work placement scheme, offering experience to people from all different backgrounds, from many countries.

We offer training courses – Project Management, CAT tools, proofreading, voiceovers…..

We run CV clinics – to ensure you present yourself in the best light

Find out about us (and anyone else you want to work with) – do your research. Follow us on Twitter, Facebook etc. Come along to one of our Open Days

What’s the demand and what should I specialise in?

This will vary from agency to agency. For Atlas, EU languages are most requested, although Chinese, Arabic and Indian languages are also popular . Subject areas are very wide , think “solid” subjects like law, contracts, finance, marketing. We also work on “interesting” projects like cookery books, market research, toys, websites. Our clients are varied – your choice as a translator is whether to go “niche” and drill down into a particular specialist area – or keep your options open with a variety of subjects and then specialise later on.

Think about subjects you enjoy and that you can work on easily and will enjoy researching – sounds obvious? The faster you work, the more money you’ll earn. And the more you will enjoy this wonderful career choice.

CS

I want to be a translator!

ATC – Full membership of the ATC (Association of Translation Companies). Company of the Year 2020 & 2021.

CIEP – Corporate membership of the CIEP (Chartered Institute of Editing and Proofreading) since 1993.

Corporate membership of the ITI (Institute of Translation and Interpreting) since 1994. Corporate Member of the Year 2021.

ISO 17100 – ISO 17100:2017 for Translation Services (since this standard began, in 2008, externally audited annually).

ISO 9001 – BS EN ISO 9001:2015 (certified since 2003, externally audited annually).

Living wage employer – As a living wage employer, we believe our staff deserve a wage which meets every day needs.

Mindful employer

Mindful employer – We are a mindful employer, working toward achieving better mental health at work.

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Disability confident committed – We are Disability Confident Committed, ensuring our recruitment, communications and support are inclusive and accessible.

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4-day week employer since 2019

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Good Business Charter Member since 2022

The Slator Language Service Provider Index (LSPI) is a ranking and an index of the world’s largest translation, localization, interpreting, and language technology companies.

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The Patient Information Forum promotes access to trusted and high-quality health information for the public and healthcare professionals.

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Member of the Federation of Small Businesses and the Self-Employed

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Signatory of the Prompt Payment Code since 2023.