Continued from this post…
6. What do you find challenging about your job?
Keeping to a relatively “normal” routine. I love owning my own business and working from home, but it can be very, very hard to just switch off. I joke about lolling around in my pjs and watching daytime TV, but the reality is that I work very hard, and much longer hours than most people I know. Plus, I’m naturally a night owl and could easily work all night, every night, but then I have trouble sleeping during the day. So I have to be strict with myself and try to keep a relatively “normal” work routine, or else I’d find myself getting very isolated from the rest of the world!
7. Have there ever been times you wish you¹d picked a more “conventional” job? Or not a freelance one?
Yes! Usually when I have a lot of non-work things to do but I’m also busy with my actual “paying” work. I sometimes think, “If I worked for someone else, I could easily do my photocopying/printing, book my holiday, surf the internet, email my friends etc. on the sly, and no one would be the wiser!”. But when I’m my own boss and I get paid for the work I produce instead of the number of hours I’m sat at my desk, I see the direct effects of these kinds of non-work tasks on my bottom line and it hurts.
It’s also frustrating when friends and family think that just because I work at home, I don’t really work, and expect me to be constantly available to do these kinds of tasks!
And my office Christmas party is usually pretty dull 
8. What’s the best advice you’ ve ever been given?
Do your best, then don’t worry about it – you can’t do any more than that. My mom always used to say that to me when I was fretting over something as a child!
9. Is there anything you’ve learned during your career that you’d want to share with others?
Practical work experience is the best way to figure out what you want do and do not want in a job, try and get lots of it. If you want to do something badly enough, then go for it, no matter how far out of your reach it seems. Take advice from those who’ve gone before you, but make your own mind up – there will always be naysayers and critics. Formal education is not the only way into most careers, but it often helps. Finally, never worry about not being able to find the right job, I guarantee it’s out there somewhere – but you need to know what you’re looking for before you can find it!
10. Plans for the future/ultimate goals?
I’d like to run my own language services business in the future, but on my terms – small enough to still be flexible but big enough to allow me to try my hand at managing other people.
About the author
Sarah Dillon is a qualified, accredited and experienced professional translator originally from Co. Clare in Ireland. She specialises in producing English-language texts that don't "sound" like translations, ensuring her clients' message has the desired impact in their overseas market. She is based in Brisbane, Australia and works with corporate clients, small businesses, agencies and nonprofit organisations all over the world. In her spare time, Sarah is also Marketing Director of eCPD Webinars.
Sarah Dillon has written 252 posts for There's Something About Translation.
{ 2 comments }
Dear Sarah,
I just read your comment to my post on bloggingenglish! I’m glad you liked my blog, I hope I’ll have more time in the future to write about myself and not only to complete class tasks!! I also mean to read carefully what you have written in your blog about freelance translation ’cause I’m really interested in it! I think you’ll hear from me again soon!Love,
Viola
Dear Sarah,
it’s me again!I just wanted to ask you if you don’t know any web sites or books on translation of cultural-bound terms! I’m thinking of talking about it in my final dissertation! If you want you can answer on my blog! Thank you!
Viola