What do you do with an undergraduate minor in French and a Ph.D. in organic chemistry? If you’re Karen Tkaczyk, you start a translation business focusing on translating chemistry and related science and technology including patents from French into English.
Tkaczyk is the self-motivated owner of her business and is responsible for state licensing, accounting, marketing, and, of course, translating content. She delights in the variety this job entails, saying, “I have always loved languages, and I enjoy the broad range of chemistry and related science and technology that I am exposed to as I translate. One of the most unexpected benefits of my career is the breadth of knowledge I have developed… I thrive on learning about something new with almost every job.”
Tkaczyk relied on her working knowledge of French, a one-year internship in a French pharmaceutical research laboratory, and her own bilingual home (she married a Frenchman) to build her business, but there are certifications in translation that can be useful. One significant translation certification exists in the US: the American Translators Association’s “Certified Translator” credential, Tkaczyk says. “I earned that after I had gained a few years’ experience,” Tkaczyk says. “For me, a niche specialization like chemistry and common-sense business practices were enough to get into the market and be earning a decent income before I was certified.”
ACS has been valuable to Tkaczyk’s career, she says. “The obvious areas where I have benefited from ACS are intellectual and interpersonal. ACS increases my subject matter knowledge and awareness of the industry as a whole. I've also made contacts over the years and enjoyed the networking.”