Maja
Jelčić is a Senior Translator at Ciklopea Ltd and she has been with us for five
years. You can read more about her experience and career in this week’s
interview with a translator.
Why did you
become a translator and what path did you take to get to this point in your
career?
Becoming a
translator was an alternative to being a teacher. Although I tried that path,
too, it was clear to me from early on that teaching was not for me. Teaching
others was interesting and rewarding but also quite stressful. On the other
hand, a translator gets the chance to learn.
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| Maja Jelčić, Senior Translator @ Ciklopea |
How did you
land your first translation job?
After graduating, I was freelancing and teaching English part-time. As I
was looking for something more concrete than that, I applied for the position
of a secretary/translator in a law firm. I got the job and the relatively short
time I spent there actually directed my career. Being a lawyer is quite
stressful but translating law-related texts keeps you close to justice but away
from the stress. This was the closest I got to realising what I wanted to do in
my life. So I took the court interpreter test and became a full-fledged
full-time translator/court interpreter for English.
What has
been your biggest professional challenge?
Three days consecutive interpretation with no preparation, no partner and
little or no prior experience. It was on the island of Brač, I worked from 8:00
AM to 8:00 PM. Talked my brains out. It turned out the job required at least
two interpreters. Who knew what they were doing. I did well, nevertheless. And
ended up feeling even better.
On that
note, what has been your biggest professional reward?
My greatest
award is being commended by my colleagues and peers.
What advice
would you give to an up and coming translator?
Make sure you do all the moving, walking and exercising before you start
translating. Because there’s going to be a loooooot of sitting from then on.
Are there
any pitfalls to avoid in the translation business?
The way you translate depends on your client, the type of text and your
resources. It also depends on the weather outside… Make sure you consider all
of the above and do it right.
What are the
personal qualities or skills that make a successful translator?
A successful translator is well educated, experienced, intelligent,
analytic, organized, fast-typing, fast-thinking and knows his languages well.
What is your
funniest translation story?
As a PM, I once got a translation submitted by a translator (just in time
to submit it to the client) saying that he just couldn’t finish it entirely,
that he had left some blanks… It was a bulky job, some 20 or 30 pages. I was
hoping a word or two were missing. I started scrolling and then, after the
first page, there was NOTHING.
What do you
do when you are not working?
I walk, think and spend time with my children.
Write the
first 10 words that first pop into your head
Now, never, ever, me,
you, past, present, future, if, not
