Poll: Overall, how rigorous are your clients' screening processes for new translators?
Thread poster: ProZ.com Staff
ProZ.com Staff
ProZ.com Staff
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Feb 7, 2017

This forum topic is for the discussion of the poll question "Overall, how rigorous are your clients' screening processes for new translators?".

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Michael Harris
Michael Harris  Identity Verified
Germany
Local time: 13:24
Member (2006)
German to English
How Feb 7, 2017

on earth am I supposed to know that?

I fortunately have long-standing customers and we both respect each other.

Just noticed it is an anonymous poll again....

[Edited at 2017-02-07 14:04 GMT]


 
EvaVer (X)
EvaVer (X)  Identity Verified
Local time: 13:24
Czech to French
+ ...
Depends Feb 7, 2017

Not enough in some cases (how could certain people whose translations I am asked to proofread pass ANY test?), extreme in others. Some have very elaborated and laborious proceses and then offer you ridiculous rates.

 
Maria Teresa Borges de Almeida
Maria Teresa Borges de Almeida  Identity Verified
Portugal
Local time: 12:24
Member (2007)
English to Portuguese
+ ...
Other Feb 7, 2017

Some seem very rigorous, but let’s say that my experience so far has been that having to fill out lengthy forms and sign endless NDAs usually translates to no assignments at all. I have been working with a few long-standing clients (more than 20 years) with no written contract, no NDA and no PO: they just send the file, ask if I am available and propose a deadline.

P.S. The same que
... See more
Some seem very rigorous, but let’s say that my experience so far has been that having to fill out lengthy forms and sign endless NDAs usually translates to no assignments at all. I have been working with a few long-standing clients (more than 20 years) with no written contract, no NDA and no PO: they just send the file, ask if I am available and propose a deadline.

P.S. The same question was asked 5 years ago...

http://www.proz.com/forum/poll_discussion/225436-poll_in_general_how_rigorous_are_your_clients_screening_processes_for_new_translators.html?print=1

[Edited at 2017-02-07 17:07 GMT]
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Christopher Schröder
Christopher Schröder
United Kingdom
Member (2011)
Swedish to English
+ ...
Dunno Feb 7, 2017

But it seems to me that the more forms you have to fill out, the less they actually care about quality.

 
John Cutler
John Cutler  Identity Verified
Spain
Local time: 13:24
Spanish to English
+ ...
Exactly Feb 7, 2017

Michael Harris wrote:

How on earth am I supposed to know that?


Thank you Michael for saving me the time of having to write that myself.


 
José Henrique Lamensdorf
José Henrique Lamensdorf  Identity Verified
Brazil
Local time: 09:24
English to Portuguese
+ ...
In memoriam
I don't know Feb 7, 2017

The question is about my clients.
As they are my clients, they like what I do, the way I do it, and are satisfied that my rates represent a good cost/benefit ratio.
They keep coming back all the time.

My prospects play a different game.
I'd say 80% of them require:
a) Trados, and they don't seem to care about anything else, ever!
b) and/o
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The question is about my clients.
As they are my clients, they like what I do, the way I do it, and are satisfied that my rates represent a good cost/benefit ratio.
They keep coming back all the time.

My prospects play a different game.
I'd say 80% of them require:
a) Trados, and they don't seem to care about anything else, ever!
b) and/or low rates.
As I offer neither, they will remain prospects forever.
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Christine Andersen
Christine Andersen  Identity Verified
Denmark
Local time: 13:24
Member (2003)
Danish to English
+ ...
It varies Feb 7, 2017

I know one at least looks at their credentials and then has their worked checked by one of the translators the client already works with - sometimes me, if I know enough about the subject area and terminology.

Others also rely on tests, some go for recommendations, but I really don't know about most of them.

A few say they have found me in the CIoL register, which is screened, of course, but the client leaves the actual screening to the CIoL.

Naturally, I
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I know one at least looks at their credentials and then has their worked checked by one of the translators the client already works with - sometimes me, if I know enough about the subject area and terminology.

Others also rely on tests, some go for recommendations, but I really don't know about most of them.

A few say they have found me in the CIoL register, which is screened, of course, but the client leaves the actual screening to the CIoL.

Naturally, I like the low-hassle ones best - the kind that ask a few relevant questions about my training, check my exam certificates and/or the CIoL register, and then send me work!
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Angie Garbarino
Angie Garbarino  Identity Verified
Local time: 13:24
Member (2003)
French to Italian
+ ...
Yes, same opinion Feb 7, 2017

Michael Harris wrote:

on earth am I supposed to know that?

I fortunately have long-standing customers and we both respect each other.

Just noticed it is an anonymous poll again....

[Edited at 2017-02-07 09:39 GMT]


Same here


 
Ventnai
Ventnai  Identity Verified
Spain
Local time: 13:24
German to English
+ ...
rigorous :-) Feb 7, 2017

One client asked me to proofread prospective freelancers' translations on many occasions in the past. Unfortunately, the standard was not very high. Only a few people ever produced anything remotely near what is required. The worst ones even had spelling mistakes, an unforgivable sin in the days of spellcheckers.

 
JaneTranslates
JaneTranslates  Identity Verified
Puerto Rico
Local time: 08:24
Spanish to English
+ ...
Word of mouth Feb 8, 2017

From what little I know of their process, I would say that most of my clients find new translators the same way they found me: They ask for recommendations. All of my recurring clients first approached me because someone gave them my name. Now, when they need a translator and I can't do the job for whatever reason (i.e., wrong language pair, usually), they ask me to recommend someone.

In 20 years of professional translating, I've been asked for a translation test only once. I don't
... See more
From what little I know of their process, I would say that most of my clients find new translators the same way they found me: They ask for recommendations. All of my recurring clients first approached me because someone gave them my name. Now, when they need a translator and I can't do the job for whatever reason (i.e., wrong language pair, usually), they ask me to recommend someone.

In 20 years of professional translating, I've been asked for a translation test only once. I don't think most of my clients have staff members who are qualified to evaluate a translation test.

--Jane
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Mario Freitas
Mario Freitas  Identity Verified
Brazil
Local time: 09:24
Member (2014)
English to Portuguese
+ ...
Rigorous, but not enough Feb 10, 2017

As the years go by, I'm dealing with clients that are increasingly better in all aspects. That, of course, includes an increased level of restraints for new engagements. However, when I'm asked to review translations of newcomers, I often see things that would not allow these people to even call themselves translators. So, I'm not sure if the clients don't have an effective screening method or if it's really hard to find enough good translators in my pair to meet the demand. I know there are man... See more
As the years go by, I'm dealing with clients that are increasingly better in all aspects. That, of course, includes an increased level of restraints for new engagements. However, when I'm asked to review translations of newcomers, I often see things that would not allow these people to even call themselves translators. So, I'm not sure if the clients don't have an effective screening method or if it's really hard to find enough good translators in my pair to meet the demand. I know there are many; a lot more than required. But I think if you filter the group and separate the ripe from the rotten, the latter portion will be a lot larger.Collapse


 


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Poll: Overall, how rigorous are your clients' screening processes for new translators?






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