Networking gatherings are a great way of staying in touch with colleagues. They give us a chance to share and discuss professional issues, questions and our experience. Networking events are a great form of continuous professional development (CPD).
Over the past few years I have organised a few networking lunches with Russian translators and interpreters. We met in Peterborough, in York, Lincoln and twice in Nottingham. The two meetings this year were held in London and had a wider reach with interpreters of different languages taking part.
There is never a shortage of topics to talk about at such informal gatherings. During our networking lunches in London we could share our views on where the demand was for various languages. Some of us enjoyed written translations more than face-to-face interpreting and the other way round. We discussed the challenges of being freelance and working in isolation which the job of a translator often implies. Interpreting, on the other hand, can pose various precarious situations when you come into contact with vulnerable people or work in a high security environment. Similarly, conference interpreters mentioned that work could be quite stressful and just as responsible, however, it’s the ability to use certain techniques of simultaneous interpreting that distinguishes you from consecutive interpreters.
Networking with colleagues also gives us a chance to talk about joint projects, future cooperation and helps us to find out more about each other professionally. From the practical point of view, networking lunches can be just as educational as formal conferences. To a certain degree, networking gatherings can be organised in the same way workshops are, but they don’t need to be expensive. One thing for sure, they are very enjoyable, lively and inspirational, so that at the end of them you start planning the next one!
Interpreters meeting in London in April 2013
Networking in London in July 2013
[Tip: to book Russian translators or interpreters in other languages, contact us on 0207 043 6940 or email enquiry@talkrussian.com.]