10 job hunting tips to find the best jobs in the translation industry

Hunting for the dream job in the translation industry can feel like navigating a maze – each turn brings its own set of challenges and opportunities.

Luckily, Michele Cerioni, a seasoned professional headhunter with a talent for uncovering hidden talent, is here to provide you with his insights and a set of invaluable job-hunting tips.

Whether you're a recent graduate starting out or a seasoned pro looking for an in-house position, these 10 tips will help light the way to your dream job in the language services field.

Table of contents

1. Get your priorities straight

2. Get a professional headshot

3. Polish your LinkedIn profile

4. Forget cover letters

5. Stick to the facts

6. Do your homework

7. Connect with the interviewer

8. Know the selection process

9. Learn the art of negotiation

10. Consider job hunting a job in itself

Get your priorities straight

As a fresh graduate with a language degree, you're very likely to enter the translation industry as an internal translator or a project manager.

“For internal translators or linguists, there are not many career progression opportunities. But on the project management side, you are very more likely to grow in a senior position and earn more money”, explains Michele Cerioni, Headhunter for the Language Services Industry at Adaptive.

In a nutshell, applying to a project management position (or moving into one after working as an internal translator for a while) could help you grow professionally, eventually becoming a localization manager and then an operations or localization director, two of the best-paid positions in the language industry.

Spoiler alert! Michele will be one of the instructors of our brand-new Localization Management Academy starting in October!

Broaden your horizons and seize the most promising career opportunities in the industry with this 4-week online program.

Join the new generation of Project and Localization Managers here!

2. Get a professional headshot

According to Cerioni, getting a professional headshot is the best way to spend your money and get a return from it.

“Professional photos show that you are really serious about finding a job and getting hired, or that you are serious about your career in general because you literally invest in it”, says the expert.

3. Polish your LinkedIn profile

“Creating a LinkedIn profile is absolutely crucial at the moment in the job market, primarily because it is the most widely used social network in the industry”, states Cerioni.

In addition to taking your professional photo, the expert recommends writing a compelling headline and fully filling out all the profile sections.

“Create your LinkedIn profile just as you would create your resume. Include your professional experience, the languages you speak, and the tools you use, because most recruiters, including myself, are looking for people who can use specific tools or have very specific skills”, explains Cerioni.

Pro tip: Learn how to put together a LinkedIn profile that will convince potential employers that you’re the most qualified professional to work with.

Join Mariann Makrai, copywriter and LinkedIn mentor, on this path to becoming a confident and recognizable personality on Linkedin attending her course “Master the LinkedIn Stage”.

4. Forget cover letters

Unless it’s explicitly required in the job offer, don’t waste time writing cover letters.

“As a recruiter, honestly, and I hope I won't get too many critics about it, I almost never look at cover letters. All the information I need should be in your CV and in the email”, says Cerioni.

5. Stick to the facts

When writing to a recruiter, stick to the facts.

“If you say ‘I'm applying for this job and I think I'm a good candidate because I have a few years of experience in project management with a translation agency’ then I would say yes, spot on. But if you tell me ‘I'm applying for the job and I think I would be a good candidate because I'm a fast learner or because I work hard’, these are very subjective criteria that I cannot measure”, explains Cerioni.

6. Do your homework

Study for the selection process as you would do for a university exam.

“Take the time to look at the website of an employer to get a better understanding of what they do, their specializations, and what makes them unique. Then look up the LinkedIn profiles of the people you will speak with during the interview. This is one of the smartest and easiest ways to actually reduce stress for an interview because you will be more familiar with their faces and what they do”, says Cerioni.

7. Connect with the interviewer

If you want to really impress an interviewer, don’t stop at the headline.

“Impress them with the knowledge that you have about them. Browsing their LinkedIn profile you might find out you went to the same university or you're from the same city. Use this information to connect with them on a more personal level”, suggests Cerioni.

8. Know the selection process

The selection process usually consists of three phases.

“The first one is the so-called prescreen, which might be done by a headhunter like me, for example, or by the internal recruiter of the company”, explains Cerioni.

Most of the time, a prescreen is a 20-minute, half-hour call where you discuss your experience and motivation, as well as some of the points you mentioned on your resume.

Then, "the first interview will either be with the company's recruiter or with your potential direct supervisor within the company. They will ask more technical questions, and go a little bit deeper into the details of the job itself", says Cerioni.

The final stage is an in-person meeting, often accompanied by a practical test.

“The in-person interview is both an opportunity to get to know you as a person and to assess your technical abilities. If you're in project management, you're very likely put into a situation where, for example, there is a client with a complaint or a technical issue”, explains the expert.

If you have survived all 3 stages, congratulations! The company will make you an offer and you'll start negotiating your new salary.

9. Learn the art of negotiation

If you get the chance, always make the first offer. Why?

“Making the first offer is very advantageous. It will put you in a better position in getting what you want since you will say to the person in front of you what you’re really looking for”, advocates Cerioni.

Pro tip: Want to get to know how much you can earn as a Project or Localization manager?

Read 10 positions in the translation industry to boost your career, our latest blog post including salary ranges from their 2022 Salary report by Adaptive, providing a realistic glimpse into the rewards that await you in this dynamic industry.

10. Consider job hunting a job in itself

Job hunting is never a waste of time. If taken seriously, it can be an opportunity to grow personally and professionally.

"Consider job hunting as a job in itself. The time and effort you will invest in getting the job you want will undoubtedly pay off, both in terms of the eventual job you secure and the reputation you establish within the market", concludes Cerioni.

Pro tip: Want more advice from Michele? Catch up on our interview with him on our YouTube channel.

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