We all know the industry is going through a difficult phase. In my eyes, this is essentially due to clients, agencies and freelancers all having different views on how the technological advances should be put to good use, and who should benefit from them.
In this context of having slightly more time on my hands than I’d like, I’ve launched myself into something I’ve dreaded for years, as an introvert. I’ve started “putting myself out there” and networking.
Various not-so-pretty facial expressions and feelings later, I’m bluffed. By myself, for going far beyond my comfort zone (usually in my bedroom with a cat and my laptop), but also by the effects of my coming out of my shell.
The initial push
When I became a paying member of ProZ, I joined the Facebook group that’s included in the membership: Translation Mastermind. At first, I watched for a while, evaluating the atmosphere. The person then moderating, Andrew Morris, created a space that was encouraging and felt safe, so I started interacting with my colleagues. Now under the direction of Susan Ring, the group seems to have become even more lively and strongly encourages members to be active, which I enjoy.
Volunteering my skills
I then joined ProZ Pro Bono because it was advertised on the group and why not? Work was slow. I’ve been volunteering ever since, and seeing my name on the statistics page with the number of words I’ve donated makes me happy, every time I look.
Gaining confidence and under coaxing from Susan, our new and excellent leader of Translation Mastermind and the ProZ Facebook group, I authored a very simple series presenting different CAT tools to our colleagues. The feedback I got was excellent, and were it not for a bout of burnout, I might be still going.
For a bit more than a month now, I’ve been a member of Women in Translation, and it’s a new adventure I’m truly looking forward to.
Networking with the right people makes me better
Thanks to all the enthusiastic colleagues out there on the internet, I’ve built my website, written articles on a topic I like but didn’t think I deserved to be called an authority on, and am planning an in-person meeting of translators at the first conference I feel confident enough to attend.
All these seemingly small changes combined are how networking has allowed me to grow into a better professional. I’m still not drowning in work, but my mental health, my self-esteem, my motivation have all improved dramatically. Not everything is money. Some things are worth so much more. Networking is one of those.
Picture by my talented sister Eryl Dausse.
This guest blog post was written by a Yuna Guillamot, member of the Women in Translation initiative and the Pro bono project.
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