Business: Sample translations

qmc wrote:

When does a sample translation begin to look suspiciously like you are actually doing the job gratis? How many words would be considered a sample?

[Edited at 2007-11-30 07:40]

Jenny Forbes wrote:
The general consensus at Proz seems to be that sample translations (I presume you mean unpaid tests) should not be more than 350 words.

qmc wrote:

When does a sample translation begin to look suspiciously like you are actually doing the job gratis? How many words would be considered a sample?

[Edited at 2007-11-30 07:40]

Paul Merriam wrote:
This represents an investment in time that you could be using for something else. However, it is going to someone who has expressed interest in your services.

Marcelo Silveyra wrote:



And if they're asking for more than 500, that should be a dead giveaway. Also look for other hints, such as:

- Is the test a fragment of something or a whole document ? (i.e., can it be sold as is after you translate it?)

- Is it on the Internet? Has it been translated into your target language yet? (i.e. that -might- be a hint that your "test" is actually going to be sold as a translation)

- Is this an agency/individual who can be traced? Or did you just get this information from [email protected] in broken English, [email protected] in broken Spanish, [email protected] in broken German, etc.?

And always do the following before accepting a test translation:

- Before even accepting a test translation, make sure that the agency is willing to pay your rates in the event that you pass their test. I learned this the hard way. The story goes something like this:

Agency: Dear translator, we would be interested in learning more about you, can you send us some info?

Translator: Sure thing. Here's my long e-mail, my CV, etc. And my rates are such and such (clearly stated in order to avoid any misunderstandings).

Agency: Oh, wow, that looks great! Will you accept a short, unpaid test translation (300 words or so)?

Translator: Sure, no problem. (Sends translation a day or two later.)

Agency: (A week later.) We looked at your translation and it's great! We would be extremely interested in using your services at (50% of your rate) per word.

Translator: Sorry, I can't accept anything less than my standard rates. (Inside (fuming): thanks for making me waste 15 mins-1/2 an hour of my precious time. If you had just told me that you were offering that rate, none of this would have been necessary in the first place.)

Or the following slight variation:

Agency: (A week later.) We looked at your translation and it's great! Can you tell us what your rates are?

Translator: Of course! My rates are .....

- Agency never replies again -

Since then, I have received a bunch of similar "will you do a test translation for us?" messages, and only one of the senders was actually mature enough to let me know that my rates were too high for them before trying to coax me into doing the translation (this, of course, after I told them that I would be willing to do it, but that I first had to make sure that they could afford my rates - which are not stratospheric by any means).

-Also check their method of payment, payment terms, the country in which they're located, etc. The more info you have, the easier it will be to make a decision.

-Finally, and like Jenny mentions, I am also under the distinct impression that most test translations lead nowhere, although two of them did lead to regular (and very good) clients and I was assigned a book translation due to a third one.

PLEASE NOTE that this applies mainly to agencies and translation professionals. Individuals and "real" companies that are interested in your services might just be clueless when it comes to test translations, and a polite message explaining that the standard practice is to do sample translations of up to xxx words should do the trick.

[Edited at 2007-11-30 09:10]

andyhiggs wrote:

Hi everyone, here's a new one for you.

Some time ago I was asked to complete a paid test translation for an agency for whom I have worked for many years. I have done many projects for them, most were okay although their rates were - and are - low and payment was always late, but I put that down to a lack of efficiency rather than wilful late payment. Annoying all the same, and unnecessary.

Anyway, the test was highly technical (truck repair manuals) and I pointed this out along with the fact that it was not my main language pair (it was Swedish rather than Norwegian to English) but I gave it my best shot, which is what I told the agency. Time passed and every now and again I asked for a progress report. Finally I heard that the end client was not satisfied with my translation, which was probably as well because evidently I would have struggled with more of the same. The agency contact was very rude in telling me this but I let it go and sent an invoice. I heard nothing more and the due date passed. This is not, as I said, unusual.

Then when the invoice was around 2-3 weeks overdue I asked what was happening (politely) to be told that "there were so many errors I'm surprised you want payment". I wasn't too bothered at this point as the amount was not high, but I would have appreciated being told this before this point and questioned why a paid test was now unpaid.

To make an already long story a little shorter the agency contact became extremely rude, criticized my previous work (although I had never heard any complaints before and he continued to use my services) and said that he would take legal action to reclaim money from me because they did not get the contract for which I provided a test. He since claims that he has a team of translators for this work so why he didn't send their tests I do not know.

This, in my mind, is a ridiculous case and he does not know what he is talking about legally here.

Are we now financially liable for test translations? If so who wants to do them now? I have no written agreement with him, no PO or anything. Surely the point of the test was to ensure that he had the necessary resources for the project, and it turned out that he didn't. Is that MY fault? This is an outrageous idea and I am interested in what everyone else thinks about this.

He is also extremely upset about me posting a comment about his attitude, low rates and delays in payments on the Blue Board, but I am not going to be threatened, bullied and pushed around by arrogant agencies.

What is happening to some people in this industry?

Andrew Higgs wrote:

Hi again, thanks for the feedback. The agency contact won't let it lie!

Check this and his attitude to Proz.com and our right to post:

"Your hard luck story on ProZ is the worst sort of half truth. Again, you just love to be the victim Andy, don't you.

I'll spell my position out in another way, so perhaps you'll understand finally where I am coming from: I could propose to write on a very public forum that 'Andrew Pierre Higgs is an out and out liar. Avoid him at all costs.'

This is perfectly true"..."However what is so obnoxious about this posting and yours is that it is designed purely to damage a reputation, and it really has nothing to do with telling the truth.

This is why I take excpetion to your posting and this is why I am not inclined to treat you leniently when it comes to damages.

I could also make one of my own to all European agencies warning them that ProZ is being used by you to hold agencies to ransom over money.
The deal is you make a mistake, they pay or or else you post a load of out of context half truths about them with the sole intention of stopping others from working for them"

Unbelievable...