Post date: Jun 11, 2021 9:36:17 AM
It's pretty clear that many professional linguists have struggled during the pandemic. Adapting to the new situation has been vital. Translators, interpreters and other LSPs have had to adjust their business strategies in order to survive, whether that means working for online interpreting services, dropping on-site interpreting altogether and focusing solely on translation, taking time out to learn new skills or develop new business lines (such as producing and delivering training webinars), or simply adjusting personal lifestyles in order to spend less money while waiting for the upturn.
This is nothing new - everybody knows the phrase "adapt or die". But change isn't always fun. The most successful businesses don't complain about changing conditions - they simply identify new opportunities, and take steps to benefit from them. We're not always the best at adapting to change in our sector, but now's the time to grasp the nettle, take that opportunity, and set yourself up for the future. You don't have to do anything complex, and as I say your adaptation strategy may simply consist of adapting your lifestyle to fit your reduced income while waiting for things to get back to normal. That's a valid approach too. But whatever you do, don't forget that you have valuable expertise that society needs. Keep your head up, and your service quality high, keep thinking of new ways to do things, and we can get through this as a profession.