1 Linguist, 3 Questions with Nicole Y. Adams

14 Sep 2012 | 2 Comments | posted by Megan Onions | in 1 Linguist, 3 Questions, Colleagues

I am delighted to share a mini interview with Nicole Y. Adams today. Nicole is bilingual in German and English and lives in Adelaide, Australia, where she runs her translation, language services and consulting business.

Here are Nicole’s thoughts on her career:

1. If you could change one thing about your freelance translation career up to this point, what would it be?

I would probably try to specialise a bit sooner. It took me a few years to establish exactly which fields I’m most comfortable with and what sort of text I definitely don’t want to touch ever again. Other than that, I wouldn’t change a thing.

2. What is the best piece of advice that you have been given by a fellow translator, or about business in general?

The best advice I’ve ever read was in the book ‘The Wealthy Freelancer’. It doesn’t just focus on ‘wealth’ in monetary terms but contains great information on how to maintain a healthy work/life balance and lead exactly the life you envisaged when you set out to become a freelancer. This includes choosing the right clients and saying no to projects that you simply wouldn’t enjoy, no matter how good the pay.

3. If you weren’t working in the language services industry, what would you be doing?

In my dreams, I’d be an air traffic controller (yes, really!), but realistically probably a journalist or magazine editor. Definitely something related to language or linguistics.

Thanks, Nicole!

Nicole Y. Adams runs NYA Communications, offering translations between German and English, language consultancy, translation workshops and mentoring sessions. Translation-wise, she specialises in marketing, PR and communications.

NYA Communications website: http://www.nyacommunications.com

Twitter: @NYAcomm