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translation unpaid test: 900 words
Thread poster: fenny1991
Vladimir Pochinov
Vladimir Pochinov  Identity Verified
Russian Federation
Local time: 13:10
English to Russian
I believe test translations are generally useful, provided that... Apr 23, 2015

MariusV wrote:

I also think that a page or two of a test translation does not show anything about quality.


As I mentioned above, I believe a short carefully selected text (150-200 words) can be a valuable tool at the preliminary stage. However, tests should be paid for, to be treated as real-life assignments by the candidates. The quality of the candidate identification, screening and short-listing process depends on the person(s) tasked with this indispensable part of translation agency business.


 
MariusV
MariusV  Identity Verified
Lithuania
Local time: 13:10
English to Lithuanian
+ ...
disagree Apr 23, 2015

Vladimir Pochinov wrote:

MariusV wrote:

I also think that a page or two of a test translation does not show anything about quality.


As I mentioned above, I believe a short carefully selected text (150-200 words) can be a valuable tool at the preliminary stage. However, tests should be paid for, to be treated as real-life assignments by the candidates. The quality of the candidate identification, screening and short-listing process depends on the person(s) tasked with this indispensable part of translation agency business.


Dear Vladimir,

I understand your point. But let me tell a real story from my practice. I was a subcontractor for one project, and some rare language combinations were needed (I did not have my "own", i.e. reliable and tested translators for those). I gave them tests (paid tests) and quite big ones. I thought these would be really enough "for the preliminary stage". One test translation was very good, almost perfect. And also the rate was quite reasonable. I was very happy and assigned the wholeg project for this "best test translator"...And all it ended in a nightmare - when I received the translation of the "real project" and started reading it, I could not believe my eyes. I was so terrible that it was even not possible to correct - translation "from scrap" was a faster and easier solution...And the trick was simple - that person probably gave the test to someone really professional to make the first impression, and the real project he tried to do himself expecting he already earned the trust...

One more and more funny story. One agency (a good client of mine) asked me to do a small test. OK, I agreed. Just some 10 minutes before finishing it, another client appeared, and again asked to do a small test for one "big potential project"...After reading their email I tried to open the source file of that test translation. But could not understand as why it did not open...After a minute or so I realized that I already opened seven identical files - 6 files were source files from that second text, and the seventh file was the source file for that first test translation I was soon to finish. ALL were identical source files, even file names were identical. OK, I did and send the first one, responded OK to the second request, copy-pasted my test text from the first file. In an hour or so got one more email, from an agency I never ever heard of. They asked me if I can evaluate a test translation into Latvian. I told them that I translate only into Lithuanian (do not know any Latvian), then explained to them that these are different languages, they realized that they actually needed to revise a translation into LITHUANIAN. And when I opened the file I had no other choice than to respond to them that I cannot take this job because revising and evaluating my OWN test translation I did an hour ago would not be fair...And now try to guess what was the feedback of those two tests? One was evaluated as very good, another was evaluated as of "unacceptable, of inferior quality" with "too many grammar mistakes". Of course, no one was able to indicate any single "grammar mistake", at least for my curiosity...











[Edited at 2015-04-23 20:58 GMT]


 
Little Woods
Little Woods  Identity Verified
Vietnam
English to Vietnamese
Marius, I agree to your disagreement Apr 24, 2015

The same thing happened to me. I completed a test in 2 fields for one company and was announced passing with good quality and added to their database. However, later when they asked me to work on a project, we didn't agree on the payment so I didn't hear from them. About 7 months later, another came with the same test, I realized they must be link together or another branch but different name. I revised my own test, fixing the small errors I didn't see the last time but this time I was announce... See more
The same thing happened to me. I completed a test in 2 fields for one company and was announced passing with good quality and added to their database. However, later when they asked me to work on a project, we didn't agree on the payment so I didn't hear from them. About 7 months later, another came with the same test, I realized they must be link together or another branch but different name. I revised my own test, fixing the small errors I didn't see the last time but this time I was announced failing with unacceptable style and terms. I checked it and saw that the reviewer changed my words with synonyms and added 2 provable mistranslation errors of their own.

The chance that I failed was very small because I study that field and always have access to the professors and practitioners of that field, whom I later asked to look at my test and check if there was any issues and wrong style with it. They came back with positive feedback and didn't change one word of my work.

Lately, I also completed a test, announced passing it but they are still waiting for the kick-off files in a few week. I don't know if that was true as they originally said it would start early this month. I gradually lose trust in the professionalism of my so-called companies and colleagues.
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Maria Ortiz Takacs
Maria Ortiz Takacs  Identity Verified
Canada
Local time: 07:10
English to Spanish
+ ...
Way too long Apr 24, 2015

fenny1991 wrote:

Hello!

I was recently offered to join a translation agency upon successful completion of a 950 word UNPAID test translation.

What do you think? Is this true or is it a scam?


Silvia


Hi Silvia,

I think it's way too long. I've been practising for 20 years and no client has ever asked me to complete such a long test. Maybe you could reply that your policy is to offer tests up to 300 (or so) words, but you would be happy to provide them with samples of your work?

Let us know how it goes!


 
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