In this article I discuss the professional image a technical translator should project to clients—both current and prospective. The points below apply to your communication (emails, calls), your materials (deliverables, website), and even your personal presentation.
I’m not the right person to give fashion advice, but two simple ideas are worth keeping in mind:
Aesthetics are secondary. Important, yes—but always behind core virtues such as technical competence, reliability, and accuracy. Consider two contrasting “engineer” images:
Stock photo cliché. If you search “engineer” on Google Images, you’ll find impeccably groomed models in spotless high-vis vests and hard hats. The look is attractive, but it rarely conveys credibility or hands-on experience.
Real team, real kit. Think of a small British or American engineering firm: founders photographed on the shop floor next to a cabinet they designed for tolling or power electronics. The clothes aren’t trendy and the color palette is muted—but they look smart, engaged, and proud of something that works. Any engineer knows beauty isn’t the spec; performance is.
2. Use engineering imagery that signals substance. Add meaningful visuals to your site/CV: gear trains, sectioned motors, PCB layouts, control panels. Engineers and engineering clients respond to signals of real work.
To close, here’s a technical translator who projects trust and professionalism: João Roque Dias, a full-time mechanical engineer–turned-technical translator. His photograph seems to say: “Trust me. I know what I’m doing, and I enjoy it.” I strongly recommend his website and the conference talks he often gives at translation events.