I call myself a language professional. This all-encompassing term describes what I bring to the table. I settled on this title while closely evaluating my skillset, looking to understand what I have to offer so I can better market my services.

​You see, when a person learns a foreign language and then applies it in a professional context, they acquire a certain set of skills and habits.

Below is a fun list I created of signs you’re a language professional. I don’t recommend putting them on a CV, but they’re certainly valuable for understanding what makes us language professionals special.

They say growth hurts and change is hard. Well, I’m in the midst both of those experiences with my freelance translation business. I need to make a change, but feel limited in my options AND feel scared. Please read on to see what I'm facing and what I'm thinking of doing to effect this change/growth.

​I still depend greatly on one main translation client, the one I’ve had since I started 7 years ago. As such, there’s no room to increase my rates with them, so the majority of my income is at my old rate. Additionally, when I get work from my better-paying clients, it is infrequent.

Consequently, income is a constant stressor for me. It's not guaranteed. It fluctuates. Specifically, I do not have enough income next month to pay my bills and that is what led me to make this very public leap.

I’m sharing this publicly for a couple of reasons. One, to face my fear of admitting I’m struggling and two, to elicit responses from others, whether they relate to this post, have advice, or want to respond in any other way. Please comment on my LinkedIn post or email me with your thoughts. Thanks.