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Are you an established translator or interpreter looking to take your business to the next level? You’re the reason we’re here!

Next Level supports translators and interpreters with five or more years of experience as they seek to achieve their business goals. We provide information for both freelancers and company owners to use in all aspects of their careers, from improving their privacy protections to planning for retirement.

Have a question or want to suggest an author or pitch an article? Drop us a note at atabizpractices@4dian8.com!

Recent Independent Contractor Classification Rule Changes and What They Mean for Translators and Interpreters

By Next Level | February 19, 2024
response-to-independent-contractor-rule-changes

Insights from the Advocacy and Business Practices Education Committees of the American Translators Association on the DOL’s final rule on worker classification under the FLSA. Employee or independent contractor? In recent years, many professions that include a high number of independent contractors, the language services industry included, have been rocked by the passage of oftentimes problematic legislation aimed at imposing rules to determine whether workers are truly independent contractors or whether they should be classified as employees. Worker classification is a key area of ATA’s advocacy, as well as an important consideration for running a language services business. Our goal…

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Protect Your Career by Protecting Your Eyes

By Next Level | August 10, 2022
Protect Your Career by Protecting Your Eyes

How much time do you spend each day looking at some type of screen? Do you work on a computer, use a tablet to look up terms while interpreting, or spend long amounts of time staring at your phone? Have you ever noticed a headache coming on while you work, or have your eyes started to feel dry and irritated?…

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“I’ve Always Done It That Way!” – Breaking Out of Old Habits

By Next Level | July 20, 2022
I've Always Done It That Way! Breaking Out of Bad Habits

This post is a reblog, originally published in the Tool Box Journal Newsletter, Issue 22-6-338 on June 15, 2022. It is reposted with permission from the author. Our brains are wired to resort to tried-and-true recipes in times of uncertainty, but old approaches are not always the most productive choice. The work of Nobel laureate Daniel Kahneman has helped us understand…

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Mental Health in Freelance Translation: Setting Boundaries

By Next Level | June 22, 2022
Mental Health in Freelance Translation: Setting Boundaries

This post is a reblog, originally published by Zingword on November 5, 2020. It is reposted with permission from the author. I recently had a brief discussion on mental health with an acquaintance who also works as a freelance translator, and they said something that really stuck with me: “No one ever taught me that you can say no to…

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Increasing Rates for Your Existing Clients

By Next Level | June 8, 2022
Increasing Rates for Your Existing Clients

Wherever you live and wherever you do business in the world, you will have noticed a major uptick in inflation in 2021 and especially in the recent months of 2022. In an industry with very high added value and with limited direct costs like translation and interpreting, it is not immediately self-evident that some of us may need or want…

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7 Ways to Grow Your Freelance Business With Client Referrals

By Next Level | May 25, 2022
7 Ways to Grow Your Freelance Business with Client Referrals

This post is a reblog, originally published on Marketing Tips for Translators. It is reposted with permission from the author. Do you know what the easiest way to grow your business exponentially is? Yes, you guessed it, through referrals. Think about how you shop for services yourself. If you are looking for a new hairdresser, for example, many of us…

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Next Level Interviews: Jost Zetzsche

By Next Level | May 11, 2022
Next Level Interviews Jost Zetzsche

In December 2021, Next Level had the opportunity to interview English to German translator Jost Zetzsche. Jost is known in the industry for his expertise with technology, but he spoke with us about his thoughts on the business side of being a translator. Please leave a comment with your thoughts on our discussion and ideas for other translators you would…

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Bilingual Review Files: A Productivity Aid or a Waste of Time?

By Next Level | April 27, 2022
Bilingual review files: a productivity aid or a waste of time?

This post is a reblog, originally published on Andrew Bell’s blog. It is reposted with permission from the author. Bilingual review files come in many shapes and sizes, but they all have one thing in common, and that is that they’re meant to facilitate the revision stage of a translation project. As you can see in the image above, the…

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Can Clients Find You? Help Them With Google My Business

By Next Level | April 6, 2022
Can Clients Find You? Help Them With Google My Business

I am willing to bet that marketing your translation or interpreting services to potential clients is not something you look forward to. Most of us usually dread or postpone this task. Wouldn’t it be nice if clients came to you instead? Well, it is possible to get closer to that goal with a Google My Business (GMB) listing. In this…

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How to Keep Working While the Ground Is Shifting

By Next Level | March 23, 2022
How to Keep Working While the Ground Is Shifting

This post is a reblog, originally published in the Tool Box Journal Newsletter, Issue 22-3-335 on March 15, 2022. It is reposted with permission from the author. Maintaining a normal work pace can be difficult in challenging times. If you are like me, you’ve spent way too much time following the news on the horrible war in Ukraine over the…

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Volume Discounts: Should I or Should I Not?

By Next Level | March 9, 2022
Volume Discounts: Should I or Should I Not?

When was the last time you were asked to provide a volume discount? My guess is not too long ago. Did you say “yes” to the request? Do you have a strict policy in general? Do you decide ad hoc, based on your workload that day? Do you feel like there is pressure from the market (i.e., from your colleagues…

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