E-ging Solutions is a world-leading Shanghai translation company with specialties in professional  translators.

      Working as a freelance translator is a profession and lifestyle that suits me perfectly, so I would recommend it to anyone with a similar mindset and the appropriate skills. In fact, I often do. However, I think a little more analysis of what makes a good, successful and happy translator would be helpful both for those considering the profession and those looking to improve their skills, income and happiness. I will divide this into three parts, released on a weekly basis. Welcome to part one.

　　What makes a good translator
　　First off, you need to be good at translation. It sounds somewhat obvious, but in my experience reviewing translation test pieces for agency clients, some people still have not got this part nailed before they start sending off these test pieces to potential clients. So what makes a good translator?
　　Source language skills
　　You should be able to understand the majority of texts without the aid of a dictionary, to the standard of an educated native-speaker. You do not have to be able to write to the same standard (particularly in terms of grammar, which few non-natives will ever fully master), but you should be able to understand concepts as well as any native.  A good translator will use a dictionary and other resources to find the precise words to express the concepts, terms and ideas in the target language, but should also remember that such tools are there to assist only, and cannot do the work for them.
　　Target language skills
　　Exceptional skills in one's target language is an area that is surprisingly often neglected. A translator's job is to communicate, so you should be able to communicate accurately, appropriately and concisely. Therefore, you should have a broad, expressive vocabulary and excellent, in-depth knowledge of the grammatical nuances, quirks and rules of your target language.
　　Specialisation
　　Specialisation is incredibly important in translation. Why? Nobody can be an expert in everything, but as a translator, you are expected to be an expert in translating each individual text you translate. If the texts are on related topics, you will have less vocabulary to learn each time. Your understanding of the field will also grow, improving your natural ability to perform a "logic check" on your translated text - i.e. you can tell whether a text works logically, not just linguistically. Put simply, specialist translators are better translators.
　　How to improve
　　Choose a specialism relevant to your academic, professional and other related experience, as well as your hobbies and interests.
　　Consider the time and research texts in your specialism will require, and charge accordingly.
　　Keep your total number of specialisms to a manageable minimum - one to four, and if more than two - it is better that these fields are closely related, e.g. Business and Finance, IT and Technology, Marketing and Journalism.
　　Keep up-to-date on the latest developments and terminology through various media in both your source and target languages.
　　Computer skills
　　Basic computer skills are a must in this job, whilst advanced computer skills are a very considerable bonus. A translator spends all day at a computer and, if freelance, will need to be capable of learning how to meet and overcome new challenges and problems on a regular basis.