I am majoring in Translation and Interpreting at the University of Melbourne, and this article is based on my personal experiences and observations completing an internship at CHIN Communications. I chose to do an internship in order to give me insight into the translation and interpreting industry in Melbourne. My thought process was the following: if I’m going to do an internship, I would like to choose the most professional and competent company in Melbourne, so I reached out to Marcus, who is the operations manager at CHIN.
There are some key aspects of the culture at CHIN which stand out to me: modesty, courtesy and professionalism. I first noticed these qualities in Marcus, then in all CHIN staff and in the company’s philosophy.
Modesty
In my first couple of days at CHIN, I was looking through videos made for clients and trying to help with Chinese subtitles. Thanks to my previous media industry background, I am very familiar with subtitling and industry best practice in China. I provided a few suggestions to Marcus and Yanhua, our graphic designer, and they very humbly adopted some of my subtle suggestions and tried them out. That’s the first time I discovered the virtue of modesty in the culture at CHIN. People are always willing to listen to you.
Courtesy
They care about clients and the quality of the translations they provide. Translation will be first assigned to a translator, then it will be sent to Marcus, the head of the language department, who will then review the translation for quality assurance. Charles will also often do a final check of the translation. They always make sure to finish the assignments before the deadline.
Professionalism
Through my internship here and based on my own observations, I have realised that “localisation” is crucial for companies that are intending to open up new markets in other countries. That is to say, in order to provide a more precise and effective translation service, you need people who understand the target market.
CHIN Communications, as one of the most professional and competent translation companies in Melbourne, has a complete and refined language service process. They have marketing and language departments, which ensure the translation is faithful but more localised. They listen to their clients to offer services that will help their clients succeed. CHIN also has more than thirty years of translation experience, so they are professionals in the field of translation.
Charles – A Role Model for Interpreters and Translators
Prof Charles Qin OAM is a most distinguished interpreter and pioneer in Australia’s translation and interpreting industry. He was the first Australian/Chinese member of AIIC (International Association of Conference Interpreters). As the managing director of CHIN, he also focuses on developing the professional language skills of all team members. The translation industry is a massive field, it involves working in legal, medical and business domains, and more, so, it is essential for a translator or interpreter to have broad knowledge, and that is why continuous learning is a crucial quality for translators and interpreters. I have found this quality to be present throughout the whole company.
Working at CHIN
The company’s atmosphere is relaxing and the team is a tight-knit group. Every day there will be a morning routine, to make sure all work is going smoothly, and to give everyone an opportunity to share interesting things that have recently happened in their lives. During the lunch break, we also sit together and chat to get to know each other. Kate is courteous and caring, always checking in on my progress. David has a fun personality, bringing lots of joy into the company. Marcus is modest and polite. Daniel is very talkative and friendly, I enjoy sharing opinions with him. Sarah is really bubbly; Yanhua is full of energy, everytime she comes to the office, she brings joy with her. Ben loves rock climbing, he has shared lots of experiences with us. SzHan, Vanessa, Gege, Fiona, Yayi and Laura are really friendly and have helped me learn a lot. Interestingly, I found out that Joy and I come from the same hometown.
I really appreciate CHIN giving me this internship opportunity, so I can learn what it is like working in the translation industry. Thanks for letting me join this big family!
If you are a student pursuing a Diploma or Master’s degree at RMIT, Monash University, or the University of Melbourne and are interested in an internship, feel free to contact info@chincommunications.com.au.