I was just wondering if any of you have used their local Chamber of Commerce to promote their business, and, if so, how does it work? Did you join any local networking groups and were they useful?
Thanks. I, too, don't want to continue teaching and thought of translating or office services as I think I can only find something viable using internet etc as where I live is quite remote.
All worth a go! Yes, I was at the CCI in Aurillac for a while as a vacataire but there was hardly any work at all! then moved to the CCI in Rodez and worked pretty much full time (as a vacataire/indépendant) and was even called back to help out when they had too much on and they had/have an army of vacataire and three salarié...! As you say, it really is a simple supply and demand situation which varied so much from area to area. I too will never teach in Lycée or Collège again, despite being offered contracts! I've said in other posts that I'm in the process of moving on and leaving teaching and translating but I'll pass on anything I can and wish you the best of luck ;-)
Our Chamber of Commerce is very small and they only need one teacher, I did cover this post when the present teacher was sick. The problem with teaching here is there just aren't enough pupils and not enough demand in the private sector. I did work in schools but no longer want to continue. However our Chamber of Commerce has started a female networking group and I was wondering whether to try this or perhaps contacting the local tourist office.
Hi Louise,
Any promotion I've had from the CCI has been through the fact that I taught for them for a number of years and so if they needed any translations doing or if clients did, then they came to me. On the whole there has been very little work from/via them over the years apart from a wopping 250,000 word translation when the Aveyron updated their entire touriste office website, including all the descriptions of every gîte, camping, chambre d'hôte, hôtel... gave me 9 months work!
Nearly all my translation work over the years has been with contacts at various agencies across Europe, built up over the years. These were often first found when quoting for jobs posted on Proz.com and translators café etc. I do very very little work locally and nearly all bad payments, just two in fact, have been with French clients, never a problem with agencies across the globe! Others prefer to do the rounds of all the local companies, send out fliers etc, depends what you're after and what demand there is in the area. I've only ever taught in establishments CCI and IUT and schools because there's a fixed rate (40€/hour) which is usually way above the going rate for private lessons (15-20€/hour) but I know of teachers who prefer doing everything privately, no bureaucracy or hassle etc. and do every thing on word of mouth and fliers.
Bonne chance ;-)