Q. What was the most critical or challenging situation as a translator and how did you manage it?
A. Switching from in-house to free-lance was very challenging. The "shock" was
compounded by the fact that I also had to move to another country.
Fortunately I got involved with a translation company which served as a sort
of half-way house: Although I was technically a free-lance, this company
provided me with a reliable source of jobs, and the transition was not as
traumatic as it could have been.
Q. What was the funniest event in your career as a translator?
A. I think that one of the most amusing event was when I was interpreting for
some technicians in the shop floor of a large electromechanical
manufacturer. The place was quite dirty and I was wearing overalls, safety
boots and a hard hat. All of a sudden the Management realised that the CEO
of a large company client of theirs had showed up at the gate and they did
not have an interpreter, so I was summoned from the shop floor, given 10
minutes to wash my hands and, overalls and safety boots and all, got whisked
to a restaurant by a company car with driver, and sat next to the CEOs who,
unlike me, were wearing Armani. Quite a contrast. Good job I left the yellow
safety hat in the car. |
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