Since its inception in 2013, the German collaboration pool has evolved significantly. A major revamp in 2021 marked a turning point, and its transformation was further solidified with a new name in 2022.
Although there are currently 124 members in the pool, there has not been much activity in the group in the past year. However, between May 2023 and September 2024, over 30 new members joined the collaboration pool, which shows growth and the potential for additional collaborations to take place.
We hope to continue building this group and believe that bringing awareness to it, as well as discussing and defining what else we can collaborate on, could allow for a fruitful and prosperous group.
Currently, the collaboration pool is described as:
“A group of colleagues among which you can find a proofreader or translator to work with on your English <> German translation project” and a place to “engage in interesting discussions related to translation and interpreting.”
While these are great jumping-off points, the group has the capacity for further utilization and expansion beyond its current offerings. By expanding the purpose of the collaboration pool, we could help create a more dynamic and supportive environment where members feel encouraged to grow and broaden their businesses.
These are just some brainstormed ideas, and the list is by no means extensive. There are countless possibilities to explore and consider;
- Website Translation Exchange: Members can trade services by translating each other’s websites, allowing their business to reach a broader audience. This can help participants build portfolios and showcase their skills in different domains.
- Marketing and SEO collaborations: Specialties that work well together could collaborate on a marketing campaign. These partners may reach a larger audience, enter new markets, and offer their clients more complete services by pooling their skills.
- Referral Networks: Expand or refine our current system so that members can refer projects they can’t handle (e.g., due to volume or specialization). This will improve relationships and ensure that no one needs to turn away clients entirely.
- Glossary/Termbase Creation: Members can work together to develop customized glossaries or termbases for particular fields or specializations. This helps streamline translation efforts and improves consistency for clients across various projects.
- Workshops & Knowledge Sharing: Organize frequent workshops (in partnership with the GLD Digital Event Coordinators) where participants can exchange knowledge on certain technologies (such as CAT software) or best practices in the business. Everyone benefits from staying current and developing their skill sets as a result.
- Collaborative Projects: Partner on large projects where several translators contribute to various areas. Having a reviewer or proofreader in the group promotes consistency and quality control.
- Guest Blogging & Article Exchange: Collaborate on guest blogs or articles for each other’s websites. This benefits everyone by increasing reach, displaying competence, and fortifying community links.
- Expand Communication Channels: Utilize additional forms of communication, such as a listserv, concurrently with the existing LinkedIn group.
- Tracking Specializations: Create a member spotlight area to track other pool members’ specializations to simplify collaborations.
These ideas could help create a more dynamic and supportive environment where members feel encouraged to grow and broaden their businesses. The GLD hopes to cultivate this environment by organizing regular networking events where members can exchange ideas, collaborate, and form partnerships.
We would love to discuss this more, and we look forward to hearing your feedback and ideas at ATA65. We will also incorporate some time to discuss the collaboration pool at the ATA65 Recap digital event on November 15th. To those unable to attend, please feel free to email me or post in the GLD listserv.
Megan Falk is a German to English translator based in River Falls, WI. She recently graduated from UW-Milwaukee with an MA in Translation and opened a freelance translation business. She specializes in translating old German script (Kurrentschrift and Sütterlin), historical documents, and textbooks. In her free time, Megan enjoys spending time outdoors, reading, writing, traveling, and cooking. She is currently learning Spanish and ASL and plans to continue learning additional languages.