成为自由译员的门槛？Base 中国和美国的对比：

英文源自

How to Succeed as a Freelance Translator 

第三版

中文编译由51找翻译高级笔译班学员林佳明同学完成，编者结合国内的实际情况，做如下比较：

01

# 译员资格#

#  原文 #

In the United States, there are very few barriers to entry for someone who wants to start a business as a freelance translator. There is no standard licensing procedure for freelance translators; translator certification is not available for every language, and there are successful freelance translators from a huge range of backgrounds. In theory, almost anyone who has nearnative skills in at least one foreign language and is a good writer in their native language can become a translator. In practice, the majority of successful freelance translators have several qualifications in common: nearly all have at least a Bachelor’s degree and many have a Master’s degree or higher, either in translation, in a foreign language, or in their area of specialization; they have lived or worked for an extended period of time in a country where their non-native language is spoken; they have excellent writing skills in their native language; they have in-depth knowledge of at least one specialization and they are very motivated to launch and run a business on a self-employed basis.

#  编译 #

在美国，想通过做自由译员起家几乎不会受阻。美国没有针对自由译员的标准审批程序，也不是每种语言都设有相应的译员资格认证，成功的自由译员来自各行各业，背景各异。理论上，至少有一门外语能力达到近母语水平且母语写作能力出色者，大都可以成为译员。实际上，大多数成功的自由译员都具备以下几个共同资质：大都至少拥有翻译 、某一门外语或其自身专业领域的学士学位，且许多人拥有硕士或更高学位；在非母语国家生活或工作过一段较长时间；具备出众的母语写作能力；精通至少一个专业领域的知识且十分渴望从事自由职业。

  编者注：     

从开篇看，中美在这方面几乎没有什么不同，如：注重翻译经验。

早期，国内译者从欧美翻译公司外包回来的项目以英译中为主，在CATTI考试未普及前，HR会参考应聘者的雅思或专八的成绩，大学学历，但是，最重要的还是看翻译经验，看应聘译者是否具备某一领域的大量翻译经验，这是获得测试机会的重要门槛，直至今天依然如此。

即便是长期合作的客户，也会重新要求就某一新领域的翻译合作，再次要求做测试。国内不少民间自由译者圈的高手，很多甚至没有CATTI证书或非语言类专业出身。

#  原文 #

If you don’t have a Bachelor’s degree, it’s not impossible to start a freelance translation business, but you may face some barriers that don’t apply to translators with a higher level of education. It’s more difficult (but not impossible) to meet the eligibility requirements for the American Translators Association certification exam; you may face competition from other translators with higher levels of education; you may face questions from clients who wonder if you are qualified to do the job. So although there is no absolute requirement that translators have a college degree, it’s certainly advisable to earn at least a Bachelor’s before launching your business.

#  编译 #

若没有学士学位却想成为自由译员，也并非完全无望，但可能会遇到学历更高的译员无需面对的阻碍，包括较难（但也不是不可能）满足美国翻译协会（American Translators Association，简称ATA）资格认证考试的报考条件，可能要面对来自其他学历更高的译员的竞争。客户可能会就译员是否能胜任这一工作提出质疑。因此，虽然没有硬性要求译员要有大学文凭，但至少先获得学士学位再开启自由译员之路确是明智之举。

 编者注：   

国内译者也可以申请加入美国翻译协会，当然，目前也有不少个人译者加入了中国翻译协会，大致的入会标准如下：

会员类型  ——

中国译协个人会员分为专家会员、会员和学生会员。

会员入会条件  ——

凡具备下列任一条件者，可申请成为会员：

● 取得中级、初级翻译专业技术资格，或获得全国翻译专业资格（水平）考试二级、三级证书者；或国际译联任一会员组织的会员；

● 在翻译行业领域有一定成就、贡献或实践经验者。

以下是会费的标准  ——

看起来是比美国翻译协会便宜，入会只要登录翻译协会的网站http://www.tac-online.org.cn/ ，有个加入协会栏目，即可进行操作：

企事业单位会员：每年1000元；

理事单位会员：每年3000元；

专家会员：每年260元；

会员：每年180元；

学生会员：每年50元。

02

# 笔译员资格认证 # 

#  原文 #

Many beginning translators wonder about the importance of being certified. Because translation is largely unregulated in the United States, there is not even a standard definition of what “certified” means. In general, when people talk about “certified translators” in the United States, they are referring to translators who are certified by the American Translators Association atanet.org, but they may also be referring to translators who have completed a university-level translation certificate program.

#  编译 #

许多初入行的笔译员想了解获得资格认证的重要性。但是美国翻译市场大都不受监管，因此甚至对 “获得资格认证”的说法也没有一个标准定义。在美国，通常人们所说的“获得资格认证的笔译员”是指获得美国翻译协会（官网：https://www.atanet.org/）资格认证的笔译员，但也可能指已完成大学水平翻译专业认证课程的笔译员。

#  原文 #

For most translators, ATA certification, if available in your language pair, is a plus but not a must. Some clients may insist on using ATA-certified translators, some may prefer to use ATA-certified translators and others may not care about certification. At the very least, a client who is browsing online to find a translator is probably more likely to contact the certified translators first. Translation agencies often have eligibility requirements for translators who want to work for them; one of the ways to meet that requirement may be ATA certification. Compensation surveys show that ATA-certified translators earn more than those who aren’t certified. ATA-certified translators can also use the initials “CT” after their names. However, the ATA offers certification exams only for certain language combinations, the exams are open only to ATA members and taking the exam is a significant financial investment. If you would like to pursue ATA certification, you must first join the Association (as of 2015, individual membership is $190 per year), then have your eligibility verified ($35), take the exam at least once ($300), and it is definitely advisable to take a practice certification exam before you take the actual exam ($80 per passage); so it’s a significant investment. With the overall ATA exam pass rate hovering around 20%, you also cannot be sure that you’ll pass on the first try. When I took the exam in 2002, I failed the practice test by a small margin and then passed the real exam on the first try, so it’s definitely possible!

#  编译 #

对大多数笔译员而言，获得ATA资格认证（若ATA设有相应语言对的资格认证）是个加分项，但不是个必选项。有些客户可能会坚持要求与获得ATA资格认证的笔译员合作，有些可能更青睐获得ATA资格认证的笔译员，而其他一些客户则可能并不在乎笔译员是否获得认证。但起码客户在网上寻找笔译员时可能更倾向于先联系获得资格认证的笔译员。翻译机构通常会对想与他们合作的笔译员设定任职要求，获得ATA资格认证可能是满足要求的一个途径。薪酬调查显示获得ATA资格认证的笔译员收入高于未获得认证的笔译员。获得ATA资格认证的笔译员还可以在自己名字的后面加上“CT”的首字母缩写字样。但是，ATA只开设某些语言对的资格认证考试，且考试仅对其会员开放，费用甚高。若想获得ATA资格认证，首先必须加入该协会（截至2015年，个人会员的年费是190美金），接着进行资格认证（费用为35美金）并至少参加一次考试（费用为300美金），且最好在实际考试前参加一次模拟考试（费用为每篇文章80美金）；由此可见费用之高。ATA资格认证考试的整体通过率徘徊在20%左右，所以也不能确定第一次考试就能通过。我在2002年参加了该考试，模拟考试时未能通过（只差一点），但实际考试时却一次就过了，所以，一切皆有可能。

03

# 口译员资格认证 # 

#  原文 #

For interpreters, the importance of certification depends on the type of interpreting you do and where you work. Court interpreters can be certified at the state level (various language-specific tests are available, check with your state court system for specifics) or at the federal level (tests are offered in Spanish, Navajo and Haitian Creole). In some states in the U.S., it is now difficult or impossible to find work as a Spanish court interpreter unless you have state or federal court interpreter certification. For other languages, there may be no certification exams at all. Medical interpreters can take certification exams offered by the Certification Commission for Healthcare Interpreters：cchicertification.org which offers the CHI and CoreCHI credentials, or the National Board of Certification for Medical Interpreters：certifiedmedicalinterpreters.org  which offers the CMI credential. Many elite-level conference interpreters are members of the International Association of Conference Interpreters aiic.net, which goes by its French acronym AIIC (pronounced eye-eek), and you can read about the US State Department’s Conference, Seminar and Liaison Interpreter exams by visiting state.gov/m/a/ols/c56573.htm.

#  编译 #

对口译员而言，资格认证的重要性取决于所从事的口译工作类型和开展口译工作的地点。法庭口译员可取得州级资格认证（可向所在州的法院系统咨询各特定语种资格认证考试的详细事宜）或联邦级资格认证（设有西班牙语、纳瓦霍语和海地克里奥语的资格认证考试）。目前，在美国某些州，没有州级或联邦级法庭口译员资格认证很难甚至无法谋得西班牙语法庭口译员的工作，而其他语种可能根本没有相应的资格认证考试。医学口译员可参加美国医疗口译认证协会Certification Commission for Healthcare Interpreters，简称CCHI，官网：https://cchicertification.org/或国家医学口译员认证委员会（The National Board of Certification for Medical Interpreters，https://www.certifiedmedicalinterpreters.org/举办的资格认证考试，分别可获得CHI和CoreCHI证书或CMI证书。许多顶尖的会议口译员是国际会议口译员协会International Association of Conference Interpreters，网址：https://aiic.org/的会员，该协会的简称AIIC 读作eye-eek，取其法语全称的首字母缩写。译员也可以访问www.state.gov/m/a/ols/c56573.htm了解美国XXX的会议、研讨会和联络口译员考试。

 编者注：   

国内认可的翻译资格证书：

1. CATTI的口笔译证书（主流）

2. 上海市中级和高级口译证书

3. 厦门大学口笔译资格证书

不过，我们也认识不少通过了CATTI同传或CATTI一口的伙伴，没有口译项目可做，这是一个需要翻译能力，经验积累，业内认可这三项都需要同时具备的工作。

04

# 客户 # 

#  原文 #

Freelance translators and interpreters generally work for two types of clients: translation or interpreting agencies and direct clients. Translation agencies take on translation projects from end clients and subcontract the work to freelance translators, in exchange for a portion (often a significant portion) of the amount paid by the end client. In a best-case scenario, translation agencies allow their clients to focus on doing business and allow their freelance translators to focus on translating because the agency handles the non-translation aspects of the project. Translation agencies vary in quality. Some translators love working with agencies because it frees them up to concentrate on translation, while other translators avoid agencies because they prefer to have direct contact with their clients and don’t mind handling marketing, billing, and collections in exchange for the higher income that direct clients offer.

#  编译 #

自由口笔译员通常与两类客户合作：笔译或口译机构及直接客户。翻译机构承接最终客人的翻译项目，再分包给自由译员，从中抽取最终客户支付的一部分（通常是很大一部分）费用。最理想的情形是得益于翻译机构处理项目中与翻译无关的事宜，客户能专注于拓展业务且自由译员能专注于翻译工作本身。翻译机构的资质参差不齐。有些译员喜欢和翻译机构合作，这样他们可以腾出时间专心处理翻译工作，但也有其他一些译员则不愿同翻译机构合作，因为他们更喜欢直接和客户联系，也不介意处理营销、计费和收款等各项事宜，以此获得与直接客户合作带来的更高收入。

#  原文 #

Direct clients are generally businesses, but might also be individuals, government agencies, universities or any other entity that needs translation services. Direct clients may choose to work with freelancers because they want a more personal relationship with their translator, a higher degree of consistency and confidentiality, or because they want to have direct contact with the person who’s working on their texts. As a translator, when you work with a direct client you handle every aspect of the project from the initial quote to the final invoicing and collections, and any issues that arise in between. Some translators enjoy this and some don’t; some are well-suited to it and some aren’t.

#  编译 #

直接客户通常是企业客户，但也可能是个人、政府机构、大学或任何其他需要翻译服务的实体。直接客户可能会选择同自由译员合作，是因为他们希望同译员的私人关系能更进一步，加强稳定性和保密性，或者想直接接触为他们提供翻译服务的译员。若译员同直接客户合作，则需处理整个项目的各方面事宜，从最初报价到最终开票和收款，并解决其间出现的任何问题。这样的模式有些译员喜欢，有些则不然；有些译员能很好地适应，有些则难以适应。

#  原文 #

Before you start your freelance business, you should have an idea of the types of clients you would like to work with. Most beginning translators start by working with agencies, because they allow you to focus on translating, and because they can help you identify specializations that you enjoy and are good at. Working with direct clients can be very stressful for a beginning translator, but it may be something to consider if you have significant translation experience (for example if you previously worked as an in-house translator), or if you want to pursue a specialization that agencies don’t generally handle.

#  编译 #

译员应该先了解想要合作的客户类型再开启自由译员之路。许多初入行的译员都是从与翻译机构合作起步，因为这样他们可以专注于翻译本身，也有助于确认自己喜欢且擅长的领域。初入行的译员与直接客户合作可能会倍感压力，但若译员翻译经验丰富（例如在此之前是全职译员），或想深耕翻译机构不常涉及的领域，则可以考虑同直接客户合作。

 编者注：   

● 在国内，自由译者如与直接客户合作，需解决开票的问题，可自行成立个体户，或个人独资企业。

● 正如上文提示，选择从翻译公司这边接单，他们可以帮你解决翻译以外的事情，比如格式处理、客户沟通、甚至包括开发客户的时间，项目反馈、收款风险等（也有不少无良公司赖账），但是，单价有时候肯定没有直接客户的价格高。

● 直接客户还有一个问题，就是项目的稳定性不高，我们手上也有不少直接客户。比如：有的客户固定在四月份开展会，五月份需要会计年审，这两个月就需要翻译产品说明书，以及会计师事务所出具的审计报告等，但是，等这几个项目做完，其他月份基本没有任何翻译项目，因此，如果可以有直接客户+翻译公司客户相结合，或许是一条更好的道路。

这本书的解读我们还将继续，希望小伙伴们会喜欢，目前第二期，第三期正在制作中。

弱弱提醒：7月期应用型高级签约笔译班正在招募中，有意加入，请扫描下方二维码咨询详情，谢谢！