This month, we’re featuring reader Giada Gerotto, whose job as Customer Excellence Champion at Creative Words involves designing and implementing strategies and initiatives to improve customer satisfaction, retention, and loyalty. Here, she discusses her journey from freelancer to manager, what drives her to continue learning, and why she believes passion is key to a fulfilling career.

Why do you enjoy reading MultiLingual magazine?

I thrive on learning from the experiences of others rather than sitting through lengthy courses or formal trainings. Real-life stories, especially those shared by individuals I’ve personally met or connected with online, hold far more appeal for me. MultiLingual magazine serves as my go-to resource for staying up-to-date with industry developments, often igniting fresh ideas or inspiring new projects within Creative Words.

How did you get involved in the translation business?

I went on my first study holiday in the UK at the age of 13, and there I found my passion for cross-cultural communication. How could I make this a lifelong purpose? You know how it ended, I guess — with a high school curriculum focused on foreign languages and translation studies. After some months freelancing, I landed my first role at a top-30 multiple-language vendor (MLV), where I spent seven transformative years in various positions.

I then joined Creative Words, which was a big leap in my career. There, I’ve immersed myself in various areas: sales, account management, vendor management, and quality. In my fairly new leadership role, I’m learning every day and shaping my ongoing commitment to communicating across language barriers.

Since you entered the translation industry, how has the business landscape changed?

Answering this question always poses a challenge for me. While the rapid evolution of technology is an obvious factor shaping our industry, delving deeper reveals a more nuanced perspective. Since joining Creative Words, I’ve experienced profound professional growth and gained exposure to various industry facets to which I had not had access in the past. In many cases, it’s very difficult for me to distinguish new things from what has always been there, because I just could not see everything from my previous standpoint.

Could you share your experience working with your first client or on your first project?

My journey into the language services world kicked off with a small, family-run language service provider (LSP) in my hometown. I was keen for experience, so I applied for an unpaid internship, but they didn’t offer those. Instead, they suggested I take a translation test to join their freelancer pool. After passing, I landed my first gig. Sounds very good, right?

But here’s the kicker — I couldn’t open the file with my Trados version, and I couldn’t understand why. It was so embarrassing. It took me a while to find out I was only using a trial version of the tool, which meant no handling lengthy projects. Not exactly the smoothest start to my career, huh?

Do you believe it’s a good time to enter the translation business?

Let’s kick off with a personal anecdote. Back when I started university, I opted for Chinese as my first language. It was 2006, and there was this prevailing notion that Chinese would be the language of the future — a must-have for any language professional. However, despite its fascinating philosophy and intricate writing system, I never quite warmed up to it. Its complexity left me frustrated; I’m more of a “see results” kind of person. After graduation, the job market did seem promising for Chinese speakers. Too bad that these many roles in commerce and trading just didn’t light my fire. So, there I was, disheartened by the prospect of a career in import-export — far from my passion for translation.

I looked back and realized I endured years of grappling with a language that failed to inspire me, only to be met with job prospects that left me indifferent. It’s a lesson I’ve carried with me: circumstances, whether favorable or not, are transient. In just a few short years, the landscape can transform entirely, and you will have different visibility over it. 

My advice? Pursue translation if it’s your passion, but remain adaptable and vigilant. Keep an eye on industry shifts, but above all stay true to your internal compass to carve out your niche in the business world.

Where do you see yourself professionally in the next 10 years?

Once, I asked my four-year-old son what he wanted to be when he grew up. His answer? “I want to play.” 

I totally get him. In the next 10 years, my goal is simple: I want to be wherever happiness finds me.

What predictions do you have for the future of the translation industry?

I don’t like predictions. They are often unnecessarily scary, and life will unfold and surprise us anyway. I like to go forward one step at a time.

That said, LangOps is now here as the next (current) big thing, blending tech and consultancy to mesh language services with the many other fields it integrates with. This makes sense to me, because translated content has become a bigger deal in products. Think about it: a badly translated fridge manual might lead to a few choice words during setup, but people will still buy refrigerators. A poorly translated app, on the other hand: that’s a one-way ticket to the uninstall button. 

So, to ride this wave, it’s all about understanding what needs to be done and teaming up with the right partners. Keep an eye on tech without falling for every new trend. And then, change is constant, right? We’ll roll with it, just like we always do in this crazy world of ours.