ad peter and aybee77: You are welcome. I’m more than happy to answer any questions you may have with regard to translating and/or interpreting (even though it may take some time before I can respond). As for proz.com I’d like to add that sometimes translators post jobs there as well (because they may not be able to handle an assignment all by themselves due to the volume of the job or a really tight deadline). My experience has been that these jobs are mostly better paid than those coming from translation agencies. But, of course, you will also find honest and fair people who run their own agencies. I have been working a lot for agencies but I have never gotten into contact with any of them through proz.com or translatorscafe.com etc.
In my opinion proz.com is one of the more reliable sites with many experienced and helpful translators. Whether they are all on the site to get jobs or are focusing on establishing contacts with colleagues I cannot tell. I used to be a member maybe 10 or 12 years ago. And I still use that site from time to time to look up specific terms and/or translations. Of course, I also try to offer help to other translators there. As I said, it might be a good idea to have a look at the site to get some understanding of what is required to become a translator. Just know what to expect and you should be fine.