Categories: professional-development
Tags: Professional development
Date: 02 December 2008 22:41:36
This post is more for my own benefit than anything! I might write something which could be useful in the future.
The weekend before last I trundled up to the Big Smoke for a translators' conference. It was a very useful weekend from a professional point of view if only for the following reason: translators' software is not the be all and end all it is cracked up to be. Well, my regular readers may recall that I periodically have a whinge about software and technology. I find it of little benefit to me but agencies more or less insist you use it because it has some benefit to them - i.e they can screw down prices. The marketing bods at software companies have done a good job selling the benefits to the end-clients (lower prices) and the agencies (lower prices) and now these parties are convinced. But hallelujah! for the first time, I heard someone on the platform voicing my opinion. I am not a lone prophet calling in the wilderness - someone actually agrees with me. The speaker was not a representative of an agency or an end-client, he was a translator, but one who reviews lots of packages and who gave the impression of being less than impressed with the benefits from his point of view.
Another good thing was that I had the opportunity to speak to reps from the two professional bodies representing translators. One was clearly more impressive than the other (of which I have been a member) and so I think I shall change my allegiance.
I also met a couple of pleasant colleagues. They do not handle German but one lady sitting right next to me lives in the Ancient Roman City. We are going to meet up for a moan top level summit to exchange ideas. The other was an unusual specimen as she also owns a chocolate shop in Glasgow! Jack the Lass has already been informed by special despatch and I am expecting an exclusive report any time soon.
The conference also gave me a few ideas on how to develop my work. I am not going to blog about this in detail - or even at all - for the time being - just on the off-chance that this mighty work is read by other translators (I can dream...). I don't want them stealing a march on my plans for world domination business development.
It also gave me the opportunity to stay overnight with my friend, L, and catch up on a few months' worth of gossip.