Jessica Smith
Journalist/translator
E-mail: translation.editorial@hotmail.com
Nationality: British citizen
Date of birth: 15/08/1978
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
January 2012 – Current
Translator
Europolitics, Brussels, Belgium
- Translating news articles from French to English for a daily newspaper on
European affairs
- Developing a working knowledge of all areas of EU policy
- Producing accurate translations while working to tight deadlines within a small
team of translators
- Liaising with journalists and editors
- Occasional page-editing duties (using In Design)
September 2009 - Current
Freelance journalist and translator
Brussels, Belgium
- Writing reports on conferences and drafting policy documents for the European
Commission
- Writing and translating specialist features for newspapers and magazines
- Translating literary texts, including children’s books
- Editing and proofreading, including academic documents
September 2007 – August 2009
Brussels correspondent
Agra Europe, Brussels, Belgium
- Specialist reporting on EU agriculture and fisheries news
- Covering key ministerial meetings, as well as Parliamentary committees and
plenary sessions, and daily news from the European Commission
- Writing the trade publications Agra Europe (weekly) and Worldfish Report
(fortnightly)
- Writing and uploading news for the web to daily deadlines
July 2005 – August 2007
Trainee to senior reporter
The East London Advertiser, London, United Kingdom
- Specialist reporting on crime and education
- Reporting on a range of other subjects including the arts, health, housing, and
local and national government
- Writing for daily web deadlines, and for the weekly print issue
2003 – 2005
Bilingual assistant
Appointments Bi-language, London, United Kingdom
- Temporary assignments for various Francophone companies in London
2002 – 2003
Private English and French tutor
Nice, France
- Teaching English and French to children and adults
EDUCATION
2009 – 2012
Royal Conservatory of Brussels
Transitional Baccalaureate: Jazz violin
- Instrument, jazz ensemble, rhythm, harmony, piano, ear training, sight-reading,
history of classical music and jazz
2006
National Certificate in Education: News Reporting
(Professional qualification)
- Media law, journalism, and interview techniques
- Submission of a portfolio of articles
2006
Shorthand 100 words per minute
2004 – 2005
National Council for the Training of Journalists (NCTJ) post-graduate diploma:
Newspaper Journalism
Harlow College, Essex, United Kingdom
- Media law, public affairs, journalism, shorthand, and photo-journalism
1998 – 2002
BA Honours French Studies
The University of Warwick, Coventry, United Kingdom
- Inter-disciplinary study of the French language; oral and aural skills, essaywriting in French, and translation
- Study of French literature, history and politics
LANGUAGES
English: Mother tongue
French: Professional standard