Self-confidence for the freelance interpreter

Every new successful assignment is a proof of concept that your gears, the level and quality of your service more than justify your rates. But others always know better than you what is rational, what is "in the market". You get an offer from nowhere, cleanly wrapped up in a short burst. Two days accompanying someone for visiting a hightech show in Tokyo. Two days, 8 hours each, accompanying (that's where they start diluting the job's meaning). The two days budget is ¥50 000, "including your travel costs and lunch". I loved the last one. The low cost air travel company syndrome is infecting the whole fabric. Next, you'll be invited to bring your bento box.

You perfectly know that someone will take it, that job. There will be someone taking it for sure. That it is around one third of your rates doesn't matter. You cannot not care and not worry. So you flip the web sites again, you check the many agencies that now display in plain figures their rates. You see that you are still "in the market", taking into account that the agencies' rates are not what the interpreter will get. You notice again that yes, even for consecutive, they suggests to hire two interpreters once the assignment goes past 3 hours in a row. It makes you smile when you remember your longest track record, alone, 14 hours was it. A fuse blew at that time in the taxi back home - and wrenched guts - so you can't exactly remember. The praises were profuse that helped reduce the fatigue (not the contentment of having delivered, although everyone's mind was starting to melt down sometimes around the 11th hour).

The freelancer interpreter in search of serenity has a hard time finding it alone against the market who knows better than you, including many individuals active in your market. "I would have done for that rate", unleashes the traitor.

Any new assignment, and they are coming, will be a new wonderful shot in the arm, a good bolus of self-confidence, until it lasts when a hole in the agenda, no assignment until ... exemplifies how short that steroid of the mind's half-life is.

Self-confidence is first and foremost obtained as a result of controlling, that is containing the feeling of shame. Self-confidence is self-assurance, aplomb, firm standing, sure footing on the ground, knowing that outside blows and insinuations will have no hold. If you think this is tepid lip service, go and read Dynamics of Power by Gershen Kaufman and Lev Raphael. It is still pristine clear after almost 30 years following the first publication. You have seen them all, the irremovable top brasses suggesting you be more flexible; what do they know about flexibility? Cynicism? Yes, they excel.

The financial crunch is the perfect justification, the high Yen tops it all. But their ground is not yours.

Firming your ground, a never ending story, starts with disengaging while keeping low the despise back. From a mere ethical point of view, why would you go into the merry-go-around bandwagon of cynicism displayed by the other side?

The situation would even justify you simply display your minimum rates on your web site, contrary to the suggestions received in the past. After all, you set yourself a limit. Wouldn't it be easier to show the wares and save time with the off-the-tracks expectations coming from the rich third world, but not only from there?

Of course, I know and I have heard about interpreters who claim to stick to limits they hardly won't tell you the limit of. But you still can guess as you too are "in the market", the bracket being more less plus minus 30%. The demanding side, part of it, is "in for the market" you don't belong to.

This should make for a simple self-justification of where you stand, firmly, and build your self-confidence on top of it. An association of peers would come handy to build such through co-optation and professional communication but you know it won't happen. You have to be your own association, your own firm ground. That is one of the purpose of this blog.