Translation Work Opportunities in Amman

A brief prelude and a personal journey inside translation services opportunities

By: Dina F. Ali Faidhy

                                                                                                

 

Brief summary - With strong competition among young graduates, and weak opportunities for other than Jordanian nationalities, jobs are still available and especially for marketing and industrial sectors, and more for constructional and real estate faculties. Rising up of living buildings and supermarkets including luxury facilities are really paving un-walked roads ahead for future work involvements and chances. Labour are the ones to have higher levels of hiring especially for workers who accept lower wages, sometimes even half of it, every month or - sometimes every two or three months.

 

Asking professionals about low hiring standards compared with past years, the reason is attached to new and fast harsh political events in Middle East and the uprising usage of Jordan as a shelter from sectarian battles in countries nearby that effected transportation and companies general well being.

Personal Journey – I was legally registered as a resident Iraqi citizen in Amman, last May, 2012, attempting to settle down and start a new life. Having my translation profession "tag" listed in my resume over more than 20 years, and a small office of computer and translation services back in Baghdad, I found myself obliged to take the overview chance of translation services strength in Amman where many leading enterprises and companies are building up larger ones for a long time and accordingly; competition is the label. All jobs including language facilities are listed in weekly advertisement posts thrown every Saturday at my apartment threshold. Addresses are well informed and translators are widely needed. Aside from upcoming demands for immigration's services of the Middle East populations to Western and European countries, to need help with filling forms and other translation services by authorised translation bureaus and offices, leading foreign companies and agencies had set their translation services dealers and especially, agencies that serve governmental issues such as banking and legal matters.

 

Coming from Iraq did not have that strong impact, or any impact at all, on people who interviewed me, keeping in mind that Iraq and unfortunately, had missed a lot of world's new technology and professional knowledge last years due to war circumstances. Other than political reasons, profession's acceptance concept is completely different and I was refused to commit to education occupations such as teaching, according to work basic legal permission rules, and lately Iraqis are not preferred to be hired in any job due to political complications of unfortunate incidents taking place every now and then, except for some rich families who managed to move their assets and accounts and started big businesses long time ago. Investors are really welcome, but once they associate Jordanian business men in joint trade or alike projects.

 

I tried not to miss any translation test, foreign organisations and companies' events, and interviews based on my application job search through websites. World organisations need for additional positioning always make sure to hire best and qualified translators regardless of their nationalities, but only those who have strong same work background and same organisational profession and previous work.

Meeting with professional translators here in Amman was the big hit for me. Some Iraqi publishing agencies and other trade companies offer job opportunities here and there but still, on the surviving level. With my humble editing obligations to some cultural networks and media, I felt overwhelmed to be known for some. The only work opportunity I had and still having, is a freelance based one. In other words a temporary translation tasks from foreign agencies and translation companies that is - and of course with low wages - and considering current situation, fair enough!

Well, I am still in Amman now, enjoying warm weather and lovely malls but with future plans ahead to travel and settle down in another place. Though some people avoid such repetitive moving from place to another issue, I find it better than waisting time and money to build a house with poor base. Future plans are drawing themselves willingly, and sometimes forcing themselves to find a way out.