Q: Amanda, how long have you worked for Apex Translations?
AH: It will be eleven years this November.
Q: You probably come in contact with most Apex’ clients. What is the most requested target language by far? Second place?
AH: Spanish is, by far, number one. French is the second most requested.
Q: Can you elaborate what you have learned most from the translation business so far?
AH: No one project is the same. They are not always cut and dried as one might expect.
Q: When you were first hired by Apex, what were your initial thoughts? What did you think working for a translation company would be like?
AH: When I started with Apex, I had no idea what it would be like to work with a translation agency. However, I quickly found out how interesting this type of business can be. I am able to interact with a variety of different people on a daily basis. Not only do I have colleagues in the same office as I am, but some are all over the world.
Q: You must have great communication skills. You have ongoing coordination with the translator/client relationship, including conversations with your management as the work project continues and develops. Have there been any challenges?
AH: Yes, I have found that phrases or slang that is used in North Carolina can offend or not be portrayed in the same way as in other cultures. One has to be careful with what is said to various translators across the globe.
Q: Without being specific, could you illustrate an example of a particular job which posed quite a few hurdles, unrealistic deadlines, or ups and downs?
AH: Desktop Publishing projects with multiple languages are always the most difficult. They tend to cause more headaches than others. We often underestimate the time needed to format such projects and make several rounds of corrections that are usually necessary.
Q: Can you briefly describe a routine day for yourself at Apex?
AH: Our day always starts with sorting through the many emails that come in since we last left the office, followed by responding to linguists, clients, and assigning projects to the appropriate proofreaders.
Q: What has surprised you the most since working for Apex Translations?
AH: The variety of people I come in contact with on a daily basis and how much need there is for translations. Before starting to work with Apex, I received pamphlets and instructions in multiple languages and never thought much of it until I started working here. Now, I see products, and I can say, “We translated that.”
Q: What do your family and friends think of your work at Apex?
AH: They think that working for a translation agency is interesting and still, after all these years, do not understand how much work goes into a day at the office. It is not your standard answer-the-phone-and-respond-to-clients kind of job.
Q: What is the most memorable conversation you’ve had with a client? Any special requests that seemed unusual?
AH: The project that sticks out in my mind the most are love letters we translated. The conversations with the client and the content of the letters were naturally quite discreet, touching, and personal. The client was impressed with our confidentiality compact that every client expects and receives at Apex!
