Candelaria Valvason wrote:
Unfortunately, my degree is not recognized in the UK as there is no agreement between both countries.
Your degree is as good as any in the world of freelance translation.
I have read on numerous posts that it is advisable to have a second job because it naturally takes many years to get established as a freelance translator. I would love to generate a second income translating, and maybe in the future, become a full-time freelancer.
It is a good idea, yes. If you can manage it in the current/future economic climate, you'll be doing well. However, try to give priority to the translation. Clients always want work done yesterday and there's a limit to the number of jobs you can turn down before losing them.
What would you recommend me to do in order to get started?
You need to have somewhere that acts as your shop window. I would advise you to have at least a basic presence on all the main translation platforms, but choose one to really promote your services by paying for membership and being really active. This site is the obvious choice as it's the biggest. You can also choose the PLUS grade to get a basket of freebies that might be useful to you at the start. The general freelancing platforms may also bring you some work, though they never brought me any joy.
Don't expect too much from any approach you make. Clients have a vast pool to choose from in your pair, and you really can't compete on price. You will need to really hone your marketing texts, do lots of networking, and send hundreds of CVs, but make sure every approach is personalised.