MOTIVATION AND PERSONAL BRANDING ON SOCIAL MEDIA: FREELANCE TRANSLATOR IN IRAQ CONTEXT
Received: 01st August 2023; Revised: 14th December 2023, 21st December 2023; Accepted: 22nd December 2023
Keywords:
Social Media, Personal Branding, Freelance Translator, Virtual Identity, Qualitative StudyAbstract
Social media platforms offer a viable means for freelance translators to connect with a larger pool of potential clients and serve as a critical source for personal brand development. Despite its potential, the use of social media for personal branding among freelance translators remains an understudied area in literature. To address this gap, this study aims to examine the motivations behind freelance translators' use of social media platforms, utilizing the uses and gratification theory, and identify critical profile features for personal branding. This qualitative study employed a two-tier approach, involving interviews with seven seasoned freelance translators to explore their motivations for using social media and their perceptions of the key features of effective personal branding. The study's second phase entailed a thematic analysis of the top ten profiles on Upwork to identify profile features employed by successful translators and compare these with the data gleaned from the interviews. The findings suggest that establishing a professional profile is a critical factor in securing more job opportunities, with a higher likelihood of success for those with a polished profile.
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