Resume

Jill R. Sommer
Translation Ger→Eng, Internet Research
2642 Hampshire Road • Cleveland Heights, Ohio 44106
Phone: +1-330-421-0057 • eFax: +1-334-460-9159
E-mail: gertoeng@jill-sommer.com • Back-up e-mail: jill.sommer@gmail.com
Web site: www.jill-sommer.com

SUMMARY OF QUALIFICATIONS

Masters of Arts in Translation from Kent State University
Freelance translator and Internet researcher since 1995
Former resident of Germany (1995-2001) and Austria (1988-1989)
Native language is U.S. English
Areas of specialization: website localization, IT, Internet technologies, software documentation (user guides, software strings, help files), game localization, medical (medical reports, medical invoices, clinical drug trials), telecommunication, travel and tourism, entertainment (television and film), and business texts (including contracts)
Proven quality control, high level of attention to detail
Extremely high comfort level adapting to new applications and technologies
Comfortable working in HTML and XML
TEnT/CAT tools: SDL Trados 2007 and Star Transit NXT

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

2/1997 - present	Freelance translator/proofreader
	Consistently produce quality work for many German and US-based translation agencies and direct clients; some for many years now Valued by my clients for my formatting and PDF conversion skills
8/2003 - present	Adjunct faculty member - Institute for Applied Linguistics, Kent State University.
	Past courses include
	GER 31231 (Translation Practice: German) at the undergraduate level GER 61010 (German Translation Practice) MCLS 60009 (Documents in Multilingual Contexts) MCLS 60011 (Terminology and Computer Applications) at the graduate level
9/2003 - 9/2008	Contract linguist
	Federal Bureau of Investigation, Cleveland office, authorized for top secret security clearance
2/1997 - 1/2001	Internet researcher - Online Information Services, Königswinter, Germany
	Analyzed and summarized research topics online for large German company that specializes in pharmaceuticals, genetic engineering and pesticides Developed and maintained the password-protected web site
6/1996 - 10/1997	Freelance translator, proofreader, HTML programmer
	tops.net online publishing services GmbH, 53175 Bonn, Germany
1/1996 - 10/1996	Proofreader, software tester
	Translingua Gesellschaft für Softwarelokalisierung und Dokumentation mbH, Bonn, Germany Proofread and tested Microsoft software and databases
6/1995 - 10/1996	Terminologist, freelance translator- Translingua Übersetzungsdienst GmbH, Bonn, Germany
	Translated and proofread a variety of texts in various subject areas Compared existing translations to create multilingual glossaries (including languages that are not my working languages)

EDUCATION

Master of Arts, German Translation, Kent State University (Institute of Applied Linguistics), 1995
Bachelor of Arts in German and Russian (minor in Political Science), graduated Cum laude, Bowling Green State University, 1992
Academic Year Abroad, University of Salzburg, Austria, 1989-1990

LANGUAGES

English (native speaker)
German (fluent in all areas - including an excellent grasp of the German culture and mindset)
Russian (basic understanding)

EQUIPMENT

Platform: Microsoft XP
Translation-relevant software: SDL TRADOS 2007 (Translator's Workbench 8.2.0.835 and MultiTerm 2007), Transit NXT, ABBYY Fine Reader 8.0, PractiCount, Time Stamp, TextCount for Windows, Adobe Acrobat, eFax Messenger Plus
High-speed Internet connection (cable modem)

PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS AND ACTIVITIES

Active Member of American Translators Association, 2001-present (member of the German Language Division, Medical Division, and Language Technology Division)
Member of the Northeast Ohio Translators Association, 1994-95, 2001-present, President from 2002-2010
Member of the Bonner Übersetzer- und DolmetscherForum, Bonn, Germany, 1997-present
Volunteer translator, German News (international German news service that is read all over the world by German and English-speaking subscribers via e-mail), 1996-2008

PRESENTATIONS AND PUBLICATIONS

“Working with PDF Files: Tools, Tips, and Techniques” preconference seminar with Tuomas S. Kostiainen, 51st Annual ATA Conference in Denver
“Making Portable Document Format Files Work for You” presentation with Tuomas S. Kostiainen, 50th Annual ATA Conference in New York
"Getting Started as a Freelance Translator" preconference seminar with Corinne McKay, 48th Annual ATA conference in San Francisco
"Selling yourself short? Counting Tools and Word Count Standards" presentation with Marita Marcano, and Clove Lynch (LISA), 48th Annual ATA conference in San Francisco
"First Time Attendees" presentation with Amanda Ennis, 47th Annual ATA conference in New Orleans, 48th Annual ATA Conference in San Francisco, 49th Annual ATA Conference in Orlando, 50th Annual ATA Conference in New York
Organized the ATA Medical Division conference in Cleveland, Ohio, May 2007
"What's in a Word?" with Marita Marcano, ATA Chronicle, August 2006
“Searching and Researching on the Internet,” presentation with Anne Chemali at the 46th Annual ATA Conference in Seattle, Washington, November 2005
“A Little Paranoia Goes A Long Way,” published in ATA Chronicle, May 2005
"Internet Privacy for the Small Office or Home Office Environment," presentation with Roland Grefer at the 45th Annual ATA Conference in Toronto, Canada, October 2004; published in ATA Chronicle, March 2004
"Web Design Made Simple for Language Professionals," solo presentation at the 45th Annual ATA Conference in Toronto, Canada, October 2004
"Translating and Interpreting for the Federal Government," published in ATA Chronicle, July 2004
2-day professional seminar on Trados translation tools (Workbench, TagEditor, WinAlign, MultiTerm) for freelance translators at Kent State University, January 2004 and January 2005
"The Etiquette of E-Mail," published in NOTA BENE, January 2004
"Web Design Made Simple for Language Professionals," presentation with Anne Chemali at the 44th Annual ATA Conference and published in the ATA Chronicle, July 2004