| Pages in topic: < [1 2] | Only good translators will survive. Thread poster: Telesforo Fernandez (X)
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Laurent KRAULAND (X) 
France
Local time: 16:58
French to German
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| And to go back to the OP,... | Oct 30, 2010 |
which is 9 years old or so...
Telesforo Fernandez wrote:
I have been following the heated arguments amongst the translators, not only on this site but also in other sites. The crux of the matter is that there are too many translators and too few jobs.This where the shoe pinches.
the fact "that there are too many translators and too fews jobs" is simply not true anymore - not at least in my part of the woods.
| | | | | Not on my end either! | Oct 30, 2010 |
Laurent KRAULAND wrote: which is 9 years old or so... Telesforo Fernandez wrote:
I have been following the heated arguments amongst the translators, not only on this site but also in other sites. The crux of the matter is that there are too many translators and too few jobs.This where the shoe pinches. the fact "that there are too many translators and too fews jobs" is simply not true anymore - not at least in my part of the woods.
Indeed. I am still to meet a translator who has quit for lack of work, and there have been so many new translators in the last decade, with universities pouring them to the market!
| | | | Simone Linke
Germany
Local time: 16:58
Member (2009)
English to German
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Cécile Sellier wrote:
Do you have any advice on this?
Having earned 12 KudoZ points* since I joined ProZ (just a few days ago) and having lots of people "agreeing" with my translations, I was wondering if having another pro translator write something nice about me might be an idea??
Why don't you show some samples of your work? I've taken a quick look at your Website and it already looks quite professional and will be a nice calling card for potential clients. However, I don't see any samples (maybe I overlooked them?)
Imho, a sample is worth much more than a "testimonial". A testimonial can be made up. We all know the so-called "testimonials" for products and pyramid schemes etc. They're useless and a potential client will not be able to verify them. (Don't get me wrong, I don't want to put you into the same category as various schemes and scams - but that's the kind of product that I think of first in terms of "testimonials".)
I think if you demonstrate your fluency, your eloquence, etc. with a few samples, than you'll be much more successful.
Good luck!
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Thank you Simone!!
I have indeed been thinking about using sample translations, but am not sure what texts I should use. Are samples supposed to be texts you actually translated as part of a job for someone, or can you just use anything? Can I just pick any text as long as it reflects the fields I master best, and if so, am I running the risk of getting into trouble about copyrights?
Any advice on this will be greatly appreciated ... See more Thank you Simone!!
I have indeed been thinking about using sample translations, but am not sure what texts I should use. Are samples supposed to be texts you actually translated as part of a job for someone, or can you just use anything? Can I just pick any text as long as it reflects the fields I master best, and if so, am I running the risk of getting into trouble about copyrights?
Any advice on this will be greatly appreciated
Thanks!
Cecile ▲ Collapse
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Simone Linke
Germany
Local time: 16:58
Member (2009)
English to German
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| Examples for samples | Oct 30, 2010 |
Well, if you have some texts you're really satisfied with that you translated for real clients (as opposed to texts you did during your studies or similar), I would simply get in touch with these clients and ask them if they are ok with you using excerpts of these texts as samples. If you haven't signed any NDA, you could probably use them without asking for permission, but I'd ask anyway out of courtesy (at least if you're still in touch with these clients).
Another option would be... See more Well, if you have some texts you're really satisfied with that you translated for real clients (as opposed to texts you did during your studies or similar), I would simply get in touch with these clients and ask them if they are ok with you using excerpts of these texts as samples. If you haven't signed any NDA, you could probably use them without asking for permission, but I'd ask anyway out of courtesy (at least if you're still in touch with these clients).
Another option would be to use sample translations you did (but be careful not to violate any NDA you might have signed). I've done some samples where the client demanded ridiculously low rates after me having delivered the sample, so, I think it's just fair that I use their samples to demonstrate my skills. After all, they wasted my time with the sample (but again, only use samples not covered by NDAs).
And finally, you can always take any text you want and translate parts of it to demonstrate your particular skills. I don't think this will violate any copyrights because the right to the translation is yours (I'm not a lawyer). Be sure to properly identify the original author. And if you want to be on the safe side, you can always take open-source texts (such as articles from Wikipedia or similar). ▲ Collapse
| | | | Lingua 5B
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Local time: 16:58
Member (2009)
English to Croatian
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| About samples. | Oct 30, 2010 |
I wouldn't give such endless value to samples, because you could go on and on correcting your sample for days until it becomes flawlessly polished.
Now, in real time, with mostly very tight deadlines, the client should actually be aware of how you manage to translate and write within a short turnaround time and under pressure. The sample doesn't reflect that.
| | | | | Post removed: This post was hidden by a moderator or staff member for the following reason: As requested by poster. | | NO, No and NO | Jul 12, 2014 |
SEA-words wrote:
Any ATA member can get their credentials verified on Proz.com, both merely associate or active members. I find it VERY misleading as I thought ATA as the higher credential one can find, but apparently all you need is money to be buy an associate membership and you can claim to have your credential verified as ATA member.
This is NOT true, an ATA member if NOT certified CANNOT get his/her credentials verified BY Proz.com (correct preposition is BY not ON).
This statement of your is misleading,
Like I told you in another thread, please check before spreading false information, please.
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jyuan_us
United States
Local time: 10:58
Member (2005)
English to Chinese
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| Did you assume a sample cannot be made up? | Jul 13, 2014 |
Simone Linke wrote:
Imho, a sample is worth much more than a "testimonial". A testimonial can be made up.
My assumption is just the opposite: most translators would post the client-revised/approved translations as their sample, which can be quite different to their original drafts.
| | | | jyuan_us
United States
Local time: 10:58
Member (2005)
English to Chinese
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| This is true. I never trust samples. | Jul 13, 2014 |
Lingua 5B wrote:
I wouldn't give such endless value to samples, because you could go on and on correcting your sample for days until it becomes flawlessly polished.
Now, in real time, with mostly very tight deadlines, the client should actually be aware of how you manage to translate and write within a short turnaround time and under pressure. The sample doesn't reflect that.
| | | | jyuan_us
United States
Local time: 10:58
Member (2005)
English to Chinese
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Laurent KRAULAND wrote: which is 9 years old or so... Telesforo Fernandez wrote:
I have been following the heated arguments amongst the translators, not only on this site but also in other sites. The crux of the matter is that there are too many translators and too few jobs.This where the shoe pinches. the fact "that there are too many translators and too fews jobs" is simply not true anymore - not at least in my part of the woods.
The clients are more quality-sensitive, and the pool of good translators has expanded proportionally. There are much more jobs than the few translators can handle now.
Increase your rate. It is about time.
| | | | jyuan_us
United States
Local time: 10:58
Member (2005)
English to Chinese
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| These Brazilian outsourcers get international clients | Jul 13, 2014 |
Laurent KRAULAND wrote:
A silly question: what are in fact the needs of the Brazilian market? And why do some Brazilian outsourcers contact me for EN>FR?
[Edited at 2010-05-18 19:55 GMT]
I got Chinese to English jobs from a Brazilian client. This is just as an agency located in China could outsource any language pair you can imagine.
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Kvulgan
United States
Local time: 07:58
English to Slovak
| I can tell you where corporations are headed... | Jul 14, 2014 |
Certified translators that will be certified BY the corporation itself, eliminating agencies all together.
Upside - you will get good rates, direct communication with client, long-term client if you are good.
Downside - You will really have to be PROFESSIONAL (meaning - oh, I was born bilingual, or Oh, I lived in the country for 8 years so I can translate now) to be able to pass the certification.
| | | | | where corporations are headed... | Jul 15, 2014 |
Revolter wrote:
I can tell you where corporations are headed...
Certified translators that will be certified BY the corporation itself, eliminating agencies all together.
I hope you are not saying that currently agencies are entities that certify translators. Probably you meant to say that agencies test and qualify or disqualify translators according to their own "standards"(?), to call it somehow.
Regarding your main statement, I do not know what your reasoning is, but I think the business world is clearly going in the opposite direction to what you say. Businesses more and more are resorting to outsourcing, which, of course, includes outsourcing the management of translation services, and that is where agencies come in, whether we freelancers like it or not.
Outsourcing is much cheaper for businesses in the long term, simply because of the savings in overhead. There are no fixed costs involved, and businesses only hire the service when they need it. No need to have as permanent employees specialized people in the translation field to manage the services provided by freelancers.
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