Sharing experiences is a perfect way for one to grow professionally and as a person. Socialising is healthy and it provides us with a continuous source of learning. If we do it with people in our profession it will be even more beneficial, since we will be sharing experiences, learning from our peers and teaching a little as well.
A lonely job
Being a translator is most of the times a lonely job. We sit in our desks and our tools are our only companions. Although we have interaction with our clients, and in my particular case it is very good, as I communicate with them on a regular basis. When we are not working on a project we are basically alone.
It doesn’t have to be that way. There are plenty of ways we can meet colleagues and share our experiences with them.
Networking events
One of the best ways of meeting colleagues is through networking events. These are events organised by associations like AUSIT or forums like Proz.com. Their aim is to get translators and interpreters together, socializing and sharing ideas.
These are not only great to get us out of our offices but also to allow us to meet our peers, get ideas, solve problems and most of all feel we are not alone.
Professional development events
Professional development events may also be a great way of meeting our peers and sharing ideas. When we attend a webinar or course, there are other colleagues and of course, the speaker.
I have recently attended a great course by Virginia Katsimpiri about strategies to grow a language business. I loved the course and I signed in for a mentoring session with Virginia. It was great. It opened my mind to lots of ideas.
Our ultimate goal
These activities help us grow. At the end of the day, we all have problems, insecurities, ideas we would like to share and being able to see we are not alone will lead us to achieve our ultimate goal.
There is also the personal side of it. We meet new people and we may make lots of new friends. That will be beneficial to our mental health and our general wellbeing.