27 Oct Pros and cons of a job as a freelance medical translator

If you have ever worked as a freelance, you will have surely realised that this kind of job is very different regarding any other in the world. Nevertheless, in the case of a freelance medical translator, it is probably more special. This scenario has some pros and cons, and here are some of them:

Business days

A freelance medical translator does not work 8 hours per day from Monday to Friday. A normal week will usually include some extra hours, even on the weekends. On the other side, a freelance medical translator might organise his/her schedule for having a free business day, working at night (if preferred), or making a certain working day shorter. The only condition is to delivering the projects on time.

Holidays

A freelance medical translator does not have to ask permission for holidays to his/her boss. Why? Because the freelance medical translator is his/her own boss. So, if the worker loves travelling, that is perfect for going all over the world at any time of the year. And the tickets can be bought in a big advance, which also means cheaper prices. Nevertheless, if there is an urgent medical translation project, it is possible to work during the holidays.

Office

A freelance medical translator can work wherever he/she wants because he/she does not have an on-site work. That is to say, the options are very diverse: a freelance medical translator can work from home (all alone or with the family/flatmates/pets), work from an office (a co-working or a rented space with some colleagues), or work from any other place in the world (travelling is possible, the only requirement is to have a computer and Internet connection).

Money

A freelance medical translator is not rich. This is one of the reasons explaining the extra hours. Besides, the taxes for freelancers are usually higher than for wage earners – it depends on the taxation country. However, with a good specialisation, dedication and professionalism, good incomes may arrive. But, to be honest, they are sadly lower than other specialisation jobs working the same amount of time.

Stress

A freelance medical translator working from home will save time as there is no need to transport to an office. It means less stress (no public transport, no traffic jam…), a reduction of costs or some extra sleep, among others. But, as a freelance medical translator who owns his/her company, stress can be applied to the need of constantly improving: looking for new clients, delivering all the projects on time, managing the accounting, dealing with different medical translations at the same time…

But, is it worthy? Well, it depends on each individual. If you are a freelance medical translator up to this kind of life, you might join the Okomeds translation team.