The translation industry, like many other fields, thrives on the collective support and collaboration of its members. For women in this sector, building a nurturing community can greatly benefit both their personal and professional development.
In honor of Women in Translation Month (#WITMonth), which focuses on celebrating and advancing the contributions of female translators and the works of women in translation, this article explores how women can create a supportive network to uplift and promote each other’s achievements.
Here are some strategies for women to strengthen their connections and enhance each other’s success in this dynamic field:
The power of honest praise
Women in translation are the majority in the line of work, but (maybe not so?) surprisingly, the most visible and heard voices still relatively stay the domain of male colleagues. Women in the workplace need more positive encouragement to step into the spotlight than male colleagues. By being supportive and encouraging colleagues to each other, women can hope to see more women step up and shine.
To do this, female linguists can openly and honestly praise each other for their achievements. Some women rarely receive positive feedback as a “cog in the machine” of the language services providers’ world. Women can do it for each other, though!
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