Is it hard to become a Japanese translator?

If you’ve been thinking about becoming a Japanese > English translator there a few things you need to know. The first being that this is hard work. Many translators are either freelancers or work for third-party employers, so being able to manage and dedicate enough time to get large jobs done is essential.

Is translator job hard?

– never stop learning. All these skills require thorough preparation, talent and inspiration along with hard work and daily self-criticism. Being translator is a difficult job, but it is interesting and rewarding, though underestimated.

What does it take to be a Japanese translator?

To become a Japanese translator, you need a bachelor’s degree and fluency in both Japanese and English. Your fluency must be in both the spoken and written languages. You should take courses that focus on grammar and kanji and spend some time immersed in the language.

How much does it pay to be a Japanese translator?

How much does a Japanese Translator make? The national average salary for a Japanese Translator is $53,572 in United States.

Are translators paid well in Japan?

The first two years of experience is the period where the earnings are the lowest. This translator earns approximately 298.000yen/year….Project-Based Translators.

LANGUAGE PAIR	YEN/WORD	YEN/HOUR
Japanese-Spanish	¥11,60	¥3.620
Japanese-French	¥11,60	¥3,464
Japanese-Swedish	¥14,74	¥4.540
Japanese-Korean	¥9,49	¥3.394

How hard is it to become a fully fluent Japanese translator?

The amount of fully fluent Japanese translators is a much smaller pool than most other languages, especially when it comes to English native translators (there are exponentially more native Japanese translators). It can be hard in the beginning, with a lot of competition.

Why is it so hard to find translation jobs?

These jobs are usually acquired through bidding (you make a bid against other translators, stating your price per word count). Because of this, people will often try to win a bid by giving a cheap rate, making it hard to find work unless you either have the reputation or try to undercut yourself.

What skills do you need to be a translator?

Translators working in-house don’t have this issue so much but they still need extra skills like project management, logistics, good communication (experience working in an office). People who jump right into translation without a secondary field of expertise and without knowing the business process seem to really struggle *.

Why do people who go directly into translation struggle to succeed?

It seems to me that people who go directly into translation (especially freelance), without experience or training in another field, or without experience working in Japan, tend to struggle to succeed as translators. Translation isn’t just about knowing 2 languages. It’s about understanding them both to a near native level.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZMIIrGEi0Fg