TradOnline has been working with memoQ, a translation tool developed by Kilgray, for the past 5 years, now. We are quite well versed in the basic features of their program; however, as a new version is launched every 6 months, it’s important that we keep up to date! And that is where Anna comes in 
TradOnline: You have been a memoQ trainer for several years. Can you explain what this work entails?
Anna: I am a university professor currently based out of Alsace, but I am equally passionate about memoQ. That’s why I travel all over France to run memoQ training sessions for a very diverse audience.
My training sessions can also be reimbursed by the OPCA or the FIF-PL, which is always a little bonus for my clients!
TradOnline: What is memoQ, exactly?
Anna: In my opinion, it is the best CAT in the world! MemoQ was designed to facilitate the work of translators, proof readers, editors, and to gather all resources (old translated text, reference documents, glossaries, etc.) on one single platform. Everything is on memoQ. No need to open Word documents or PDF’s along with memoQ!
MemoQ is also the ideal solution for collaborating on a single project and guaranteeing rapidity while maintaining harmony in the terminology. What I appreciate especially with memoQ us that it is easy to get started, but at the same time the advanced features allow the user to change all of the options (or nearly) for a tool that meets the specific needs of a client or a translation agency.
TradOnline: You told me that you were there for the launch of the first version of memoQ. Can you tell us a bit about the birth of this project?
Anna: The creators of memoQ are three young and very creative linguist/developers whom I met through my thesis: Balázs Kis, István Lengyel and Gábor Ugray. Their last names were used in the company name, Kilgray. At first, they worked out of an office adjacent to a very trendy restaurant in Budapest; there was always a great atmosphere there. I started running memoQ training sessions in 2006, but the program was launched in 2004.
TradOnline: How does this software (memoQ) position itself against the competition?
Anna: MemoQ is a major player in the translation market. One of the assets of Kilgray is their customer service: they are always listening to the needs and ideas of their users, and they, themselves, regularly do translations; this allowed them to create a very performant tool that really corresponds to the needs of translation professionals.
MemoQFest, which has been held in Budapest every year for the last 10 years, is a platform for discussions around the software with training and best practice presentations. But, it is also a convivial moment that is very appreciated by translators, who often stay out into the wee hours of the morning! The Kilgray team is very professional and dynamic, and the work space atmosphere is very relaxed and friendly. When you get to memoQFest, you instantly feel like you’re at home and have the impressions you’ve known the others a long time, because we all share that same passion for translation.
TradOnline: What types of clients contact you for training?
Anna: I have a very diverse audience: I run training sessions for universities, I travel to give training to teams of project managers in translation agencies, but I also have a lot of requests from independent translators. My training sessions are always personalized; I do my best to adapt to meet my clients.
Before preparing for my session, I do an interview to learn about my client’s work methods and how they function. Then, I identify their level and put together a training session that is targeted and adapted to the needs of the client.
For independent translators, I also offer distance-learning via Skype in three 2-hour sessions. This provides them with the chance to dig deeper and to practice what we learned in a session between sessions.
TradOnline: Can you tell us what you do for TradOnline?
Anna: TradOnline is one of my favourite clients (TradOnline: Thanks, Anna!).
To start, I led a training session on site in November 2017. It was a intense but great day with an extraordinary and motivated team. Since then, we’ve stayed in contact and I remain available for any questions concerning memoQ.
A few months ago, we ran another training session (this time, a distance-learning session) on the Customer Portal and QTerm, which are advanced features of memoQ.
TradOnline: Your work leads you to travel all across France. Does this make it hard to reconcile your work and personal life?
Anna: In my household, the entire family loves travelling and we are passionate about discovering France. If I can, I try to organize it so the entire family can join me during my travels so that we can spend the weekend discovering the area. During the training sessions, my husband takes care of our four children; it’s a special moment for everyone and they take full advantage of it!
A big thank you to Anna for sharing your experiences.
If you are a translator and have need of, or would like, training in memoQ, we strongly recommend Anna’s service. Her professionalism and her ability to listen make her an unparalleled trainer!
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