Alternative Jobs for TEFL Teachers: Translator

TEFL teaching is a wonderful job, but sometimes we need a change.  teflhub is going to look at different occupations that TEFL teachers might consider.  Here we interview an American former TEFL teacher, Kevin, who now works as a translator in Japan.

1.  What drew you to Japan?

I was purely interested in Japan for the language at first.

2.   How did you make the transition from TEFL teacher to your new career path?

I applied to a lot of jobs. I wasn’t particularly interested in translation, but I went for it because it was the only non-teaching thing I thought I could do at the time.

3.   Was it easy to find a translating job?

Yes. In Japan these jobs are plentiful.

4.  What are the challenges of being a translator?

My experience was in-house translation.  When you're working in-house, the work is steady but you do not have the ability to plan your schedule.  Often rush jobs come to you right before you were hoping to leave the office, so you end up being either a) controlled by your work or b) developing the reputation of being unreliable.  Also, the long hours in front of the computer are quite tiring on the eyes and body.

5.   Were there any transferable skills from teaching that helped you with your translation position?

Can't think of any aside from general people skills that you need to deal with those sending you work.

6.   Any recommendations for any TEFL teachers looking at becoming a translator?

It's a good job to bridge into other fields but I would be wary considering it for long term unless you truly love it.

7.   May I ask how the pay compares?

There is a range of salaries for both, but I'd guess the average salary is similar. The high-end translator jobs probably pay more. If you do patent or legal translation you can make 7-8 million JPY a year I think [note: the standard TEFL teaching salary is 3 million JPY a year].

8.   Would you go back to being a TEFL teacher?

I considered it a year ago when I was in a really bad place professionally, hating the long hours, micro-managing boss and unsatisfying work. Luckily I got out of there before I lost my mind.

9.   Any funny or unusual stories from your time teaching in Japan?

I ran into a student at a music festival several years after teaching them and we became friends and still go to metal shows together today.

10.   Any tips for thirsty teachers or translators needing “rehydration” in Japan? 

My current favourite is a basic izakaya style place that has a BYOB policy and an incredibly well-stocked craft beer liquor store nearby. I don’t want to divulge too many details because this place is truly a hidden gem! [note: izakayas are the Japanese equivalent of bars – a little different as they usually have table service.  Recently there has been a surge in 150 JPY izakayas where everything on the menu is 150 Yen – around US$1.50.]