Freelance Translation

[everthepessimist]

I'm considering changing careers and becoming a translator. Could anyone working in the field help me out with some information?

My Bachelor's degree is in Spanish and business. I'm thinking about doing the Open University MA Translation.

Has anyone done this course? How did you find it?

How much could I expect to earn once established as a Freelance translator? Spanish to English would be my only language pair to begin with but over time I could potentially add French and Portuguese to English - i'd need to improve both of these first! I don't think I'd be able to do anything particularly specialist / technical which I know would be more lucrative.

Does anyone combine this with language tutoring? Does that work well for you? I'm based in a city in the UK.

TIA

I've done translation work. If you do freelance, you usually get paid by word / page via agency. You can earn a living if you are good & fast. But it will be slow until you are established. Just having one language is also very limiting. You need at least offer Spanish - English & English - Spanish. Speaking / writing to a native level will get you better paid work.
You should invest in special computer program developed for translation work. Most companies will give you a free trail - see what works for you.
If you are serious, start reading Spanish books and watch Spanish TV (documentaries are very good.) Get a feel for the grammar and the use of words.
Also, try out Google translate... it's an eye opener! 😂