Starting off as a unqualified freelance translator

by Christa
(Dettingen an der Iller, Baden Württemberg, Germany)

Hi Joanna,

I'd like to begin by thanking you for your website. I've scoured countless sites for info and since coming across yours, I feel far more positive. The site is informative and user-friendly.

I moved to Germany from South-Africa in February 2015. I've always used language in my line of jobs and this journey has brought me to where I want to build a reputation as a good German/English translator.

I am not qualified but have been doing translations for a company near me. They seem very happy with my work but I feel like I need to market myself; I just have no idea how and where to start. I am not sure what you know ito registering as a freelancer in Germany; taxation, health care etc. Any info would be helpful.

This same company I do work for are of the opinion that I don't need to qualify, but since Germany puts tremendous emphasis on accredited qualification, I'm starting to wonder whether this is true. As your website rightly says, once you start surfing the web, you are inundated with info and you end up feeling demotivated and suffering from information overload.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Kind regards
Christa