What’s one piece of advice you wish someone had given you before your first paid translation assignment?

In hindsight, which preparation steps—client briefing, terminology building, or rate negotiation—would you emphasize to a newcomer?

Client briefing, hands down: before touching the text, confirm audience, tone, file format/markup, reference material, and what’s out of scope; request a short sample (200-300 words) to gauge effort and spot terminology traps. That single exchange often surfaces a starter glossary and gives you solid grounds to set or adjust your rate with no surprises.

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