The ATA Chronicle - November/December 2021 - 13

y Choose potential providers
according to a specific type
of ATA membership.
y Filter according to
certification and other
professional credentials,
areas of specialization,
and more.
Users are not required
to make selections for all
options. The fewer fields
they specify, the wider their
search results will be, and
the more they choose, the
narrower their results will
be. In language combinations
with many practitioners,
such as English<>Spanish
and English<>French,
when less specific searches
return a large number of
listings, users may add
additional filters to limit
the number of profiles they
need to review to choose
a supplier to contact. You
can take advantage of this
fact by filling out as much
information as possible about
your background, skills, and
services. It's interesting to
note that unless the user
clicks the box for " Sort
Results by Last Name, "
the results provided will
be randomized and not in
alphabetical order.
Within the directory,
there are some search
fields specific to either
translators or interpreters.
The " Translator Search "
section focuses on translation
services, including translating,
editing, proofreading, and
localization. This area of the
directory also allows users to
specify a translation tool they
require (e.g., Across, Passolo,
WordFast, etc.). Users can also
specify if they're seeking an
ATA-certified translator in a
specific (or any) language pair.
www.ata-chronicle.online
The " Interpreter Search "
section of the directory
allows users to select the
type of interpreting mode
they prefer (consecutive,
sight, or simultaneous)
or see results containing
interpreters who offer any
mode. Potential clients
can also specify a specific
interpreting method, such as
in-person, over-the-phone,
or remote simultaneous,
among others. Those
seeking interpreters can
also specify if they prefer
a community, conference,
educational, health care, or
court interpreter. The type of
interpreter credential sought
can also be selected.
Areas of specialization
can also be designated
when searching for both
translators and interpreters.
For interpreters, examples of
these include business/trade,
government/diplomatic,
and immigration. For both
translators and interpreters,
these include arts and
humanities, business, social
sciences, and medicine. Each
area offers a list of related
sub-topics as well.
Creating an Effective
Profile that Works
Paying attention to your ATA
directory listing will pay
you back. To begin creating
an effective profile, go to
the Members Only section
of ATA's website1
and log in
with your member number
and password. Under the ATA
Membership Information
section, click on " Update
Your Online Directory Profile "
to begin. You will be taken to
the main Language Services
Directory profile page. You
should begin by reviewing
and editing your contact
information. As you create or
edit your profile, be sure to
save each section before you
continue to the next.
Contact Information
Always verify that your
contact information is up to
date. Potential clients can't
get in touch with you about
possible projects if an email
bounces or you have not
removed the landline number
that's been dropped in favor
of your mobile number.
Within the address
section when editing your
profile contact information,
it's important to note
that to enable geographic
searches (used when a client
seeks a provider in a specific
geographic area), you
should enter your physical
address even if you don't
want it displayed in the
directory for public view.
This way, your profile will
appear in the search results
when you match a specific
geographic area.
If you don't want your full
address (or other contact
information) displayed, you
can choose this option when
setting up or modifying your
profile by clicking on the
" View/Update Your Published
Profile " section and then
checking the appropriate
boxes under " Please do not
include the following items
in my directory profile. "
You may also completely
hide your entire profile by
selecting the " Please do NOT
list my directory profile "
option. However, be aware
that selecting this option
prevents potential clients
from seeing your profile.
Also, under the " Edit
Your Contact Information "
section, be sure to specify
your native language so that
your profile will appear when
potential clients are seeking
a match to that specific field.
Availability Dates
Another feature of the
directory is the ability to
let potential clients know
when you'll be unavailable.
This feature can be selected
by clicking on the " View/
Update Your Published
Profile " section. However,
if, for various reasons,
you don't want to inform
potential clients of your
out-of-the-office dates,
you can simply leave the
dates fields blank.
Language Information
You must manually add
the language combinations
you would like to include
in your profile. You may
add up to seven language
combinations using ATA's
dropdown list. If you would
like to add additional
languages or dialects, you
may do so in the related
searchable free-form field.
Make sure to list only those
language pairs in which
you work professionally to
avoid diluting the power of
your profile. Your goal is to
receive work in the languages
where your expertise and
knowledge will positively
impress your clients. You
should avoid listing " all "
languages you know if
they're not languages for
which you offer professional
services. Note that you can
also set the order in which
you would like multiple
language pairs to appear.
The default setting is
alphabetical, but you can
modify this to emphasize one
language pair over another.
American Translators Association 13
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The ATA Chronicle - November/December 2021

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