Need ideas for careers in languages

bhz-2

Can anyone pls suggest careers using languages that don't involve teaching or full-time translating/interpreting?

Also, I don't really want to work at the same office full-time, as I've done it for a long time and feel a bit claustrophobic. I would be ok with working in an office a few days a week, then elsewhere (at home, visiting clients, other offices, etc) the rest of the week.

I'm fine with travelling as well (UK or overseas), even though it often involves long hours and hard work.

Any genuine ideas pls? Thanks

Savvy_Sue

Had you thought of getting into advice work / advocacy with clients speaking 'your' languages? Depending on what your languages are, there can be a lot of work out there, and it would be very varied. There would be translating / interpreting, but not full time, sometimes you might be using your skills in English.

bhz-2

Savvy_Sue wrote: »

Had you thought of getting into advice work / advocacy with clients speaking 'your' languages? Depending on what your languages are, there can be a lot of work out there, and it would be very varied. There would be translating / interpreting, but not full time, sometimes you might be using your skills in English.

I've never thought of advice work / advocacy, but would be interested to find out more about it. What does it involve exactly? Do you need any special training/certificates?

What kind of organisations employ such workers? Can you earn a living working full-time?

Owain_Moneysaver

Part-time translating - the Police and courts may need interpreters. Other tribunals similarly.

Foreign language tour guide / travel rep.

getmore4less

International host in the tourist industry.

More languages the better more choice.

Thiis could be holiday resorts, cruise ships, Airport/port checkins/help desks

Hotels with international mix of customers.

Translator for courts/imigration.

Savvy_Sue

bhz-2 wrote: »

I've never thought of advice work / advocacy, but would be interested to find out more about it. What does it involve exactly? Do you need any special training/certificates?

What kind of organisations employ such workers? Can you earn a living working full-time?

I'm thinking of the kinds of organisations which offer advice and advocacy in areas where a significant number of the client group don't have English as a first language (or at all).

eg the local advice centre has long queues of Somali families most days, in other areas different languages would be useful. Support groups for women / those with mental health problems / refugees might all need advice and advocacy, as well as the languages.

Yes, you'd need training. Yes, there are some full-time jobs. And it's not necessarily an easy field to break into, but your languages would help in some areas.

What ARE your languages? Just out of interest.

Oldernotwiser

Agree with the above re needing to know what your languages are.

There won't be much opportunity for advice work if they're French and German, whereas Gujerati and Polish might have more possibilities.

Also, do you have a degree in these and/or what is your written and spoken standard?

Amara

You'll need qualifications to work for police or a courts, Diploma in Public Services Interpreting for example. Also many translating agencies need qualified people, although if your languages are rare you may to get jobs anyway. Also some experience is also needed, even voluntary one, for friends. And you need to besigned to as many agencies as possible in order to get assigments. Hard work, not always stable income, but very satisfying and £20/hour is not bad either :j

BusyLizzie_3

I work in English Language Teaching (ELT) publishing. My company sells its products more or less throughout the world and employs people as editors, production managers, marketers, sales reps, rights managers etc in many different countries. I use my languages frequently in one way or another, though I am mostly office-based.

bhz-2

Many thanks for all your replies. I'm fully fluent in French and have a diploma in advanced French (DALF).

Lizzie, your job seems quite interesting. Is the pay ok? What's the best way to get a job in publishing?

Savvy_Sue

Ah well, if it's 'only' French there's probably not that much call for advice and advocacy - it obviously can be better than English for some people, but the ideal would be to find someone who could interpret into their first language.

Finding secretarial work might be your best hope, is there any call for freelance / virtual secretaries who also offer French? That would get over the 'stuck in the same office all the time' problem.