A day with Graham Jackson

So what does a typical day look like for a translator at a translation agency specialised in the agrifood sector? To give you an idea, we spent a day with Graham Jackson, our in-house English translator.

Whether he’s working at the office or at home in the Food Valley Wageningen region, the first thing Graham does in the morning is to check his inbox. Have any urgent translation projects been sent to him that need to be finished first? As he starts every morning by creating a schedule for the day ahead, it is important to check to see what needs to be prioritised. There are no urgent projects waiting today, so Graham can continue with his scheduled translation projects.

It’s Monday again, so the latest recipes will arrive today from our regular client Ekomenu. As these recipes are delivered on a weekly basis, Graham can easily factor this into his schedule. The recipes are always delicious, so he usually saves this translation project until after lunch 😉.

Sometimes, it can be difficult to predict just how much time a project requires, as they vary in terms of the amount of research that needs to be done. Yet this is what makes translating texts such engaging and rewarding work. It also means he can continuously improve his agrifood knowledge! As Graham works at the office twice a week, he can always ask his fellow translators for advice, or discuss specific terms and concepts with them.

On the days that Graham works from home, he is also busy helping clients with their translation requirements. But before he starts, he brings his youngest daughter to school and cycles back along a route overlooking the scenic Nederrijn floodplains. Once home, he makes an espresso, turns on his computer and gets started on the projects that are waiting to be translated!