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Poll: Do translators tend to make good project managers?
Thread poster: ProZ.com Staff
ProZ.com Staff
ProZ.com Staff
SITE STAFF
Oct 26, 2022

This forum topic is for the discussion of the poll question "Do translators tend to make good project managers?".

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waismirzayee
 
Edith van der Have
Edith van der Have
Netherlands
Local time: 21:14
Member (2016)
English to Dutch
+ ...
I wouldn't know about translators in general Oct 26, 2022

Project management requires a skill set that has a certain overlap with the things you need to know and do as an independent business owner, as most of us are. But not all translators are good at this, and not all of them like it. On the other hand, if you are a translator yourself, this would be useful when becoming a project manager at a translation agency because you know what your vendors need.

Maria Teresa Borges de Almeida
Christine Andersen
Yetta Jensen Bogarde
Sebastian Witte
Thaiane Assumpção
Tantie Kustiantie
Aline Brito
 
Maria Teresa Borges de Almeida
Maria Teresa Borges de Almeida  Identity Verified
Portugal
Local time: 20:14
Member (2007)
English to Portuguese
+ ...
Not sure Oct 26, 2022

I’m not sure, as these are two completely different jobs but it might be helpful if the PM understands what translators struggle with.

Josephine Cassar
expressisverbis
Liena Vijupe
Christine Andersen
Thaiane Assumpção
Miranda Drew
Tantie Kustiantie
 
Ricardo Sandy Aries
Ricardo Sandy Aries  Identity Verified
Indonesia
Local time: 02:14
English to Indonesian
+ ...
101% Positive Oct 26, 2022

I am highly convinced that Project Managers possessing good linguistic skills, strong business acumen, and tech-savvy could deliver more satisfying results than their non-linguist counterparts. Change my mind.

Yetta Jensen Bogarde
 
Liena Vijupe
Liena Vijupe  Identity Verified
Latvia
Local time: 22:14
Member (2014)
French to Latvian
+ ...
Probably not Oct 26, 2022

While some may be good at it, my answer to whether they tend would be No. Entirely different jobs, just like translation and interpreting.
I was a PM years ago (not in translation business) and enjoyed that kind of work, but now I would find it too stressful. I believe most colleagues would agree.


[Edited at 2022-10-26 10:01 GMT]

Maria Teresa Borges de Almeida
Christopher Schröder
Lingua 5B
expressisverbis
 
Christine Andersen
Christine Andersen  Identity Verified
Denmark
Local time: 21:14
Member (2003)
Danish to English
+ ...
You're right, but ... Oct 26, 2022

Ricardo Sandy Aries wrote:

I am highly convinced that Project Managers possessing good linguistic skills, strong business acumen, and tech-savvy could deliver more satisfying results than their non-linguist counterparts. Change my mind.


I entirely agree. However, a lot of translators don´t have much business acumen, and they are not always particularly tech savvy.

I once thanked a favourite PM for doing all the boring work I don´t like doing myself and dealing with difficult clients, so I could get on with translating. `Ah,´ she said, ´but I feel just the same!´ She enjoyed the challenge of finding the right translator for each job, and persuading clients they were getting value for money. She had the language skills to deal with queries and the diplomacy to solve disagreements.
She was good at sorting Trados glitches, too - there were more in those days!

I just roll my eyes and get stroppy - I would be a hopeless PM!

[Edited at 2022-10-26 10:04 GMT]

Liena Vijupe
Maria Teresa Borges de Almeida
Dan Lucas
expressisverbis
AnnaSCHTR
 
jyuan_us
jyuan_us  Identity Verified
United States
Local time: 15:14
Member (2005)
English to Chinese
+ ...
Yes Oct 26, 2022

I think a freelance translator is managing his or her projects everyday. Sometimes they do so in a way not much different to what a full time project manager's job entails.
 


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Poll: Do translators tend to make good project managers?






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