| Pages in topic: [1 2] > | Poll: Was your first job related to languages? Thread poster: ProZ.com Staff
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This forum topic is for the discussion of the poll question "Was your first job related to languages?".
View the poll results »
| | | | neilmac
Španija
Local time: 07:33
Spanish to English
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After university, yes. But I had jobs before that.
| | | | Iulia Parvu 
Rumunija
Local time: 08:33
Member (2022)
English to Romanian
+ ...
Before working as a translator for the first time in 2008 (when I was 25), I held various roles, including quality assurance inspector in textile manufacturing, goods distribution worker, CD/cassette tape labeler, advertising sales representative, secretary, and light accounting assistant.
I hated every one of those roles.
[Editat la 2025-04-15 08:21 GMT]
| | | | Emily Scott
Ujedinjeno Kraljevstvo
Local time: 06:33
Member (2018)
French to English
+ ...
Same as neilmac. I worked as a French-speaking credit controller straight after university but my first job was working as a part-time cleaner while doing my A levels (UK).
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Before finishing university, my first job was at Starbucks. It was different after I graduated, however.
| | | | Sandra Boca
Italija
Local time: 07:33
Member (2024)
English to Italian
+ ...
I started working as an in-house translator in a translation agency (internship, then contract).
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I didn't start out my career as a translator. I worked as a secretary during my university studies and after I graduated, I had a lot of different jobs (civil servant, hotel manager, public relations officer, advertising account executive, vocational trainer). I do not regret at all this intricate weaving as it gave me a valuable insight of different areas of business. Translation found me rather late in life: part-time for a few years followed by 20 years as staff translator (retired now). Let'... See more I didn't start out my career as a translator. I worked as a secretary during my university studies and after I graduated, I had a lot of different jobs (civil servant, hotel manager, public relations officer, advertising account executive, vocational trainer). I do not regret at all this intricate weaving as it gave me a valuable insight of different areas of business. Translation found me rather late in life: part-time for a few years followed by 20 years as staff translator (retired now). Let's say that I am (I was?) adaptable and I love learning… ▲ Collapse
| | | | Kay Denney
Francuska
Local time: 07:33
French to English
My first job was a Saturday job at a bakery. Then I worked at what was then called an old people's home as a care assistant.
My first "real" full-time job was as an ESL teacher.
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B&B FinTrans
Njemačka
Local time: 07:33
Member
English to German
Back in the '90s, while I was still at university, I decided to take a shot at a translation test for a game and publishing company (aside from finance, I was all about RPGs at the time). I did it just for fun, and somehow ended up getting the gig. I translated an entire combat board game, complete with background lore, rulebooks, marketing materials, and more. Took me months. It was an incredible experience, especially leveraging the budding internet for research back then, but the pay was hila... See more Back in the '90s, while I was still at university, I decided to take a shot at a translation test for a game and publishing company (aside from finance, I was all about RPGs at the time). I did it just for fun, and somehow ended up getting the gig. I translated an entire combat board game, complete with background lore, rulebooks, marketing materials, and more. Took me months. It was an incredible experience, especially leveraging the budding internet for research back then, but the pay was hilariously bad!
[Edited at 2025-04-15 10:40 GMT] ▲ Collapse
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I worked for a wine merchant... 
| | | | | No, though it was multilingual | Apr 15 |
My first job was in crop protection regulatory affairs. I spoke, read and wrote Dutch, English and Swedish on a daily or at least a weekly basis, and the seeds for my career as a freelance translator were sown back then
| | | | Helena Chavarria
Španija
Local time: 07:33
Member (2011)
Spanish to English
+ ...
| My first job wasn't language-related | Apr 15 |
When I was 14 and 15, I was a 'babe' (a young dancer) in two Christmas pantomimes (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pantomime) and I worked in a fruit and vegetable shop during the summer holidays when I was 14.
Off topic: I wanted to vote on this poll but I can't because it says that I have already voted. That's the second time that's happened to me. The first time I thought that there... See more When I was 14 and 15, I was a 'babe' (a young dancer) in two Christmas pantomimes (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pantomime) and I worked in a fruit and vegetable shop during the summer holidays when I was 14.
Off topic: I wanted to vote on this poll but I can't because it says that I have already voted. That's the second time that's happened to me. The first time I thought that there might be something wrong with my memory but this time, I'm sure I haven't voted. ▲ Collapse
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| Yes, but not on translation | Apr 15 |
I learned English and Portuguese in high school, so I started to work with languages a decade before I decided to study translation.
I worked like 5 years on several call/contact centers as a customer support, help/service desk, or backup agent for different outsourcing companies. Sometimes in English only, sometimes in Portuguese Brazilian only, and sometimes in both languages, plus Spanish (all variants, since people used to call from all LATAM and Spain).
After that ... See more I learned English and Portuguese in high school, so I started to work with languages a decade before I decided to study translation.
I worked like 5 years on several call/contact centers as a customer support, help/service desk, or backup agent for different outsourcing companies. Sometimes in English only, sometimes in Portuguese Brazilian only, and sometimes in both languages, plus Spanish (all variants, since people used to call from all LATAM and Spain).
After that period, I worked a few years traveling a lot every single weekend, and while I didn't have time to study anything, the will to study translation was growing. Eventually, I left this job and started studying for my translation degree.
I'm sure that I didn't vote for this poll, and that this isn't the first time Proz's AI says the opposite. I think it's just another bug of the many the site has. ▲ Collapse
| | | | Baran Keki
Turska
Local time: 08:33
Member
English to Turkish
| It's all very interesting | Apr 15 |
but I'd like to see if there are any former doctors, nurses, lawyers, engineers, etc., whose love for 'playing with words' got the better of them and who now rue the day they got into translation.
We can all appreciate that freelance translation, despite the AI, is a better career choice than working at Starbucks or in a bleeding kebab shop.
| | | | | yes but not translating | Apr 15 |
My first real job after Uni was as a language teacher in Italy, but I never enjoyed teaching. The school also did translations and I gradually drifted into that.
While at Uni I had a Christmas job in a department store selling towels, then in a bookshop in the foreign languages section.
After giving up teaching I also worked with 2 companies where I did all the English correspondence, one was a flower importer, the other produced high-pressure cleaners, so I translated all the user ... See more My first real job after Uni was as a language teacher in Italy, but I never enjoyed teaching. The school also did translations and I gradually drifted into that.
While at Uni I had a Christmas job in a department store selling towels, then in a bookshop in the foreign languages section.
After giving up teaching I also worked with 2 companies where I did all the English correspondence, one was a flower importer, the other produced high-pressure cleaners, so I translated all the user manuals. ▲ Collapse
| | | | | Pages in topic: [1 2] > | To report site rules violations or get help, contact a site moderator: You can also contact site staff by submitting a support request » Poll: Was your first job related to languages? | Pastey |
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