Martin Crellin Copywriting and Translation is looking for graduates of German to join the company in Ludwigsburg (15 mins by train from Stuttgart) for a one-year traineeship.

What is a traineeship?

A traineeship is a one-year, full-time employment contract designed to bridge the considerable gap between the theoretical knowledge acquired at university and the practical skills needed at the highest level of translation.

A trainee is expected to perform straightforward translation tasks – and above all LEARN, especially the ins and outs of the business world and the IT industry. The better you get, the more challenging the tasks become. The job requires frequent liaison with our clients. All trainees receive the opportunity to take on copywriting assignments – but not straight away. There may be the odd occasion when trainees are given jobs that border on the menial or secretarial, but we do not make a habit of it.

The goal is for the trainee to achieve junior translator/copywriter status and a permanent employment contract after one year, and senior status after a further one to two years. Under certain circumstances, the one-year temporary contact may be extended by a further year.

We prefer to have only one, at most two, trainees at any one time – trainees are time-consuming and, to be honest, not terribly profitable. It is also important for us to maintain a balance between more experienced staff and "raw recruits".

Over the last four years, we have had four trainees. Three were given full-time contracts at the end of the year, one was given an extension but ultimately no permanent contract. All received large salary increases during the term of their employment. However, the right kind of candidate will be more attracted by the opportunity to learn than to earn.

The key features at a glance:

• One-year full-time contract (39-hour working week)
• Gross monthly salary starting at 800 euros, rising in increments of 100 euros on achieving agreed monthly goals (don't worry, they're not that hard), ideally leading to 1900 euros in month 12 – and that should only be the beginning.
• 24 days annual holiday, increasing to 26 upon attaining junior translator status
  
• Three out of four trainees go on to permanent employment
  
• The opportunity to learn without excessive pressure to perform at a unique organisation whose work is far more varied, demanding and interesting than could be expected at most translation agencies.

A former trainee writes

Yes, I'll admit, I had my misgivings about the job. After spending four years as a poor student, I wanted someone to "show me the money" and not much else. The cartoon dollar signs were well and truly in my eyes and I turned down the offer. I applied for other big-bucks jobs, and almost ended up as a corporate banker. Which would have been the worst decision of my life, because deep down in my heart – well not that deep down – I knew all along that my skills were with words rather than numbers. It wasn't until a couple of months later that I realised I had looked a gift horse in the mouth. Anyway one thing led to another and I started as a trainee.

There is a tendency among graduates of (not just) languages to think that they know everything. This is not the case. It struck me soon after starting just how much I didn't know, and how long it would take me to reach the level of others in the company. When I look back now at the translations I did at university, I have to laugh, because even if I got a good grade back then, today, I would completely rewrite them. Translation the Crellin way demands a high level of fluency in the German language, an advanced understanding of German grammar, the ability to identify and interpret key messages from the German, and most importantly of all, to put them into good, clear English.

You also have to master the specialist subjects that we deal with, most importantly the business and IT worlds, and how they work together. So you should recognise basic terms that are used in these areas, and it helps if you have a natural interest in one or the other.

On top of that you need to be able to fit in. As a small, intimate company, we need a positive working atmosphere, this is no place for loose canons, people who flap at the sight of a deadline, or egomaniacs who think they know it all.

And while most translators have to survive on coffee-machine handbooks and computer manuals, we get all the plum jobs. Almost everything we do is connected in some way to marketing or advertising – from storyboards for TV commercials, to Websites, to glossy brochures, to speeches, to advertising slogans, the list goes on.

When you have reached a good level of proficiency in translating, you will be entrusted with copywriting projects. This involves close liaison with customers, demands a high degree of personal initiative and excellent writing skills.

For a small company, we have an incredibly impressive client list. It includes the world's leading vendor of enterprise software (SAP), Europe's number two IT service provider (T-Systems), not to mention leading publishers like Milchstrasse (Max, Amica, Fit for Fun) and Condé Nast (Glamour, GQ), numerous top ad agencies like JvM and Heye, as well as a whole host of creative companies.

You need a thick skin during the first year. It's not easy seeing your work shredded to pieces in front of your very eyes, and you have to be prepared to swallow a strong dose of criticism. But I can honestly say that no-one has ever changed my work for the worse. And if you recognise that quickly, you will also learn quickly.

You shouldn't be put off by the money. Don't forget that you'll get a lot more mileage out of your income in Germany than you would elsewhere (the UK for example). It is possible to live cheaply here – you could get a good room in a decent shared flat for around 200 euros per month, leaving you with plenty of beer money.

As you develop, as your productivity and the quality of your work increase, so too will the rewards. I was awarded three pay rises before the end of my trainee year, and even though I wasn't very profitable for the company, I still got two bonuses. Good performance and commitment are always recognised, and if you deliver the goods, you can look forward to substantial pay increases and a comprehensive benefits package.

Essentially a traineeship is about giving you the space to develop as a writer, to increase your knowledge of our core fields, and getting you to a level where you can work more independently. I'll make no bones about it, it's not easy: But then it never is at the top. And it's better to be with the best than to be 'average' or one of life's 'also-rans'. So if you want to be an excellent translator and copywriter, and if you are determined to be good at what you do, then there is no better opportunity. Don't pass it up like I so nearly did.

How to apply

Please translate the following short news items into English, and write a text of around 500 words introducing yourself and detailing why you would like to do a traineeship with us and why you wish to be a translator/copywriter. Send along your CV (plus a photo if you have one to hand) with a cover letter including potential dates. You can send your application (or any enquiries) by e-mail to recruitment@crellin.de. No applications by snail mail, please.

Please translate the following news items into English:

SAP steigert Umsatz und Gewinn – Aktie legt zu
SAP-Chef Kagermannn spricht von „herausragenden Ergebnissen“: Der Software-Konzern hat seinen Gewinn um drei Prozent gesteigert, der Umsatz legte neun Prozent zu. Die Aktie sprang heute Morgen nach oben.

Germanwings erwägt Tickets für feste Plätze
Die Lufthansa-Tochter Germanwings will in Kürze über feste Sitzplätze an Bord der Billigflieger entscheiden. Bisher gilt wie bei Easyjet & Co.: Wer zuerst kommt, sitzt am besten. Außerdem plant Germanwings den Verkauf zollfreier Waren im Flugzeug. Das geht jedoch nur außerhalb der EU.

Berlin – Die Deutsche Bahn und die Gewerkschaft Deutscher Lokomotivführer (GDL) haben nach elf Monaten erbitterten Streits ihre Tarifverhandlungen abgeschlossen. Das erklärten GDL-Chef Manfred Schell und das für Personal zuständige Vorstandsmitglied der Bahn, Margret Suckale, am Mittwochabend nach einer letzten sechsstündigen Verhandlungsrunde in Berlin.

Millionen Autofahrer müssen demnächst das extra-teure Super-Plus tanken, wenn sie keinen Motorschaden riskieren wollen – warnte der ADAC kürzlich. Denn ab Mitte 2008 wird Superbenzin mit Biosprit verschnitten. Jetzt haben die Autohersteller das Problem auf wundersame Weise gelöst.