Poll: Do professional associations still add real value today? Autor vlákna: ProZ.com Staff
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This forum topic is for the discussion of the poll question "Do professional associations still add real value today?".
View the poll results »
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How many times has this question be asked, although this time with a slightly different twist?
Anyway, lately I have had more jobs from professional associations than from Proz…
| | | | Daryo
Local time: 03:13
srbština -> angličtina
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| They certainly do ... | Mar 5 |
for other professions.
As for translators, probably some still do. Wouldn't know, never felt the need to join any.
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Depends what you mean by professional associations. I still find good use in Proz.Com and to some degree Translators Cafe. Otherwise none other.
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I still think it is worth being a member of the Chartered Institute of Linguists. A few jobs come specifically because I am also a Chartered Linguist and do my best to keep my qualifications up to date, so I can certify translations.
| | | | Michael Newton 
Spojené státy americké
Local time: 22:13
japonština -> angličtina
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| Professional associations | Mar 6 |
An ATA certification will not necessarily garner projects. But it's nice to look at on the wall.
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For me, they still have some value thanks to the free webinars, the networking, the events they may organize to bring together new perspectives and new skills...
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I had a new client through the ITI website last year that brought in several weeks' work. So, it's still worth it for me from the point of view of finding work.
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Mario Chávez
Spojené státy americké
Local time: 22:13
angličtina -> španělština
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| Some do, some no longer doing it | Mar 6 |
I haven't seen this question before, so it's worth my time.
As a translator, I enthusiastically joined the ATA (American Translator Association) in 1991 and attended the New York City chapter for years while I was getting established as an independent translator, with success, I might add. We would use these monthly meetings to discuss professional issues and challenges, exchange the occasional job listing and sociali... See more I haven't seen this question before, so it's worth my time.
As a translator, I enthusiastically joined the ATA (American Translator Association) in 1991 and attended the New York City chapter for years while I was getting established as an independent translator, with success, I might add. We would use these monthly meetings to discuss professional issues and challenges, exchange the occasional job listing and socialize. We also communicated via a CompuServe online forum. I did get many job leads that way.
My first ATA conference took place in 1993, in Philadelphia. I thoroughly enjoyed it, everything was new and challenging to me. I recall a discussion about markup languages (XML, HTML, etc.) led by some IBM representative. I almost fell asleep.
Over the years, ATA started to lose its way and transitioned from an educational and professional institution to a marketing-led organization interested in touristy cities to hold its conferences and in charging more for conferences and other services, such as certification exams.
Does it still hold value for us translators? Yes, but not as in decades before.
I've been a member of other professional organizations, such as AIGA (for graphic designers) and the now defunct STC (Society for Technical Communication). Let's remember that professional associations are a reflection of its members, who are human beings. They are born, they prosper, grow, stagnate and then die.
Mario Chávez
Daryo wrote:
for other professions.
As for translators, probably some still do. Wouldn't know, never felt the need to join any. ▲ Collapse
| | | | Gary Smith Lawson
Španělsko
Local time: 04:13
Člen (2007)
španělština -> angličtina
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| Depends on the association | Mar 10 |
First, there are associations related to specializations, or else to a particular region or language(s) of the world, so that would depend if it's relevant to you.
Then, to be honest, associations can change depending on who's in charge (if anybody), their true aims, etc. In my country of residence, sadly they have become bogged down in bureaucracy and debating matters that hardly affect the day-to-day lives of professional translators, giving in to AI (hence destroying our future and supp... See more First, there are associations related to specializations, or else to a particular region or language(s) of the world, so that would depend if it's relevant to you.
Then, to be honest, associations can change depending on who's in charge (if anybody), their true aims, etc. In my country of residence, sadly they have become bogged down in bureaucracy and debating matters that hardly affect the day-to-day lives of professional translators, giving in to AI (hence destroying our future and supporting massive plagiarism, antiethical uses, labour abuse and environmental damage), making money instead of investing it, and also having too much influence from academia (i.e. people who don't make a living out of translation, but teach it with a safe income). Again, this is all in my personal opinion.
On the other hand, there are associations that give practical workshops and congresses (online or not) and the opportunity to truly get to know other professionals to exchange expertise and work.
Proz still has its uses, though its aims are different from professional associations (which is how it should be as a private company). It's a shame they don't do in-person congresses any longer. ▲ Collapse
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