The Relationship between Freelance Translators and Translation Agencies

Many freelancer translators see translation agencies as unnecessary to the translation process and prefer to work direct with the end clients. However in our experience agency contacts are useful for any freelancer to have and can generate lucrative revenue streams.

 Sam Bennett, Branch Manager, with Hugh Fraser, Convenor, ITI Scottish Network

It was with this in mind that Sam Bennett, Glasgow Branch Manager, gave a talk entitled “What Translation Agencies Want: Tips for new freelancers” at the Spring Workshop of the Scottish Network of the Institute of Translation and Interpreting. The aim of the talk, attended by students from the MSc course at Heriot-Watt University alongside ScotNet members with many years’ experience, was to highlight the reciprocal nature of the relationship between translator and agency.

An agency needs highly qualified and experienced freelance translators to supply their clients with the best possible translations. Equally, when a translator works through an agency, they benefit from untold investment in sales and marketing, as well as a client-base larger than their own.