Thaiaine Assumpção initially took up translation to support her undergraduate studies in Biological Sciences. After quickly realising how much she enjoyed it, she signed up for more intense translation courses, started freelancing and hasn't looked back since!
Hi, Thaiane! Where in the world are you based?
Hi! I am based in Sao Carlos, a town around 230 km away from Sao Paulo city and a tech and academic hub in Brazil.
What inspired you to go down the route of freelance translation?
I have always loved writing and had an affinity for languages other than Portuguese and for areas in which I specialise today (fashion, medicine/pharmaceutical, luxury goods...). At the beginning of my undergraduate education in Biological Sciences at the State University of Sao Paulo, Botucatu town, SP, Brazil, I needed to work in addition to studying, and I asked myself, "Why not combine pleasant with useful?". I decided to go deeper into the world of translation, taking courses and experiences to start this career in the best way. Right after the conclusion of my undergraduate education, I took a graduate course in Translation, in parallel to my doctoral studies in Cell and Structural Biology, at the State University of Campinas, Campinas city, SP, Brazil. Since then, I have been working exclusively in translation and I believe it was the best choice I could have made.
What do you feel are the keys to success when working remotely as a freelance content creator?
I believe that our obligation is to provide beyond the basics. When the customer orders a service, they already expect you to provide a high-quality service, that you meet deadlines and that you know what you are doing. Every linguist should offer this, in my opinion. So, in order to stand out and be successful, I believe that we must go further: offering not only a service, but a solution to customers' problems and issues. Something that is also essential is to show the world that you exist, through contacts, networking, actively seeking customers.
What’s the most challenging part of the translation process?
I believe that the most challenging are the factors that are not under our control, such as maintaining the supply of jobs or even predicting when we will have challenges in the industry. A good example of this is the current pandemic situation: we cannot predict how the industry will behave or even when it will end. As this is beyond our reach, I believe the best to do is to make sure that you have done your best to maintain peace of mind.
How do you stay focused when working on multiple projects at one time?
I believe there is no secret. The translator must be versatile enough to work in different relevant areas. The only important point would be to avoid external distractions, such as interruptions, social media, phone calls, kids...
What are the challenges with working on multiple types of content types e.g. legal vs. website localisation?
The translator's versatility must be enviable, in my opinion. However, we are also humans and have our limitations. To reduce these limitations I believe that the best approach is to take on the weaknesses and seek to improve them, through courses, acquisition and creation of glossaries, specific readings, contact with professionals in the area, a good relationship with clients and honesty, since it is also necessary to admit when we are not able to work in some area.
How do you manage your work-life balance?
I believe that life outside of work is extremely important. I am a person who tends to work until I finish everything in one da, so I have a need to determine my work schedules. With that, I insist on having my leisure time and I exercise quite often, I am a very active person.
What brings you the greatest satisfaction in your work?
My customers' satisfaction is my satisfaction. Whenever a client refers me to other clients or returns with more work, compliments and even tips, I believe I am on the right track. This is my thermometer. Also, I really like when my colleagues get in touch asking for help. This means that they, in some way, trust what I do.