Perhaps one of the most successful methods to gain new interpreting clients in the US market is networking. I for one have benefited tremendously from socializing with fellow interpreters and translators, be it in Whatsapp groups or on LinkedIn, among other social media platforms.

I usually tend to pay it forward, referring colleagues to all sorts of different assignments for all languages. I also happen to be admin in a Whatsapp group that serves strictly as a job board, and so whenever a new job post is shared, and I happen to know the perfect fit for said job (as I have so many connections in this field), I immediately contact the hiring party and send them the contact details of said interpreter(s).

I have had colleagues do the same and recommend me for jobs. I am always appreciative when they do so.

Now that I have a few years of experience in referring and recommending language professionals, I find myself able to come up with a list of no-brainer rules for referring and recommending colleagues.

Below is what I like to call Interpreter Referral 101:

1- Don’t have a Cliquey Mentality and just recommend colleagues because they’re your friends. This is, after all, still a business move, and therefore you ought to recommend the right person for the job. They need to be of high caliber and have the exact requirements of the assignment at hand, from their working languages, to their location and, most importantly, their area of expertise. I can’t stress the latter enough.

2- Pay it Forward: If you want colleagues to recommend you to agencies they work with, do so first. When you set out to help others, you will be helping yourself on the long run. It will be so rewarding, just trust the process.

3- Give them the Fine Print: when recommending a colleague with whom you share working languages, let them know the minimum they should charge to avoid them undercutting and harming the profession. If they end up undercutting and charging low fees, you’d still have done your part.

One thing I do when I am recommended is I always charge more than my colleague does. I’d be filling in for them. Their client would still be hiring them for future assignments but only resorting to me due to their unavailability, and I’d be making good money. Now if I can get my colleagues to charge more in the process, then Hallelujah.
It’s a win-win for everyone.

4- Be Smart About It: Sometimes, you have to protect your own pocket. Yes, you read that correctly. If I come across a job I cannot cover myself but I know that the hiring party has easy access to many other colleagues who can in fact cover said assignment, I won’t go out of my way to send them a list of colleagues. In these circumstances, being neutral is totally okay.

5- Be Courteous: When a colleague recommends you to a very good agency, don’t forget to thank them, especially when they recommend you without even running it through you first (You’d think it’s a no brainer and thanking colleagues shouldn’t be on this list since it’s you just being an overall good person, but it’s shocking how some colleagues don’t know proper networking etiquette)

This was a basic, pretty straightforward list of things to do and avoid when networking with colleagues. Let me know what other recommendation rules you think of.