Job posts and privacy Thread poster: Silvia Barra (X)
|
|---|
Silvia Barra (X) 
Italy
Local time: 01:10
English to Italian
+ ...
Hallo to all. I'm new both as a freelance translator and in this forum. I'd like to share with you my issue regarding privacy. I'm a full-time translator since few months, even if I have an extensive experience in this work. For this reason I've started working with a VAT number only this year. In many cases the job posters require me a proof of my job, by means of invoices, orders, and the like. Apart that I'd prefer they value me with a translation test, it does not seem right to me that other... See more Hallo to all. I'm new both as a freelance translator and in this forum. I'd like to share with you my issue regarding privacy. I'm a full-time translator since few months, even if I have an extensive experience in this work. For this reason I've started working with a VAT number only this year. In many cases the job posters require me a proof of my job, by means of invoices, orders, and the like. Apart that I'd prefer they value me with a translation test, it does not seem right to me that other people can pry in my affairs! With these posters I'm honest and I say just what I've written here, and I try to provide other proofs of my work, but all time I'm rejected. I'm going to be a little bit frustrated. I think that the value of a translator should be demonstrated by a proof or a sample of his/her previous work. What do you think? If the request of the invoices is so common, well, I'll try to resign myself...
Thank you and bye for now
Silvia ▲ Collapse
| | | |
| Which agencies? | Oct 20, 2008 |
Ciao Silvia,
Silvia Barra wrote:
In many cases the job posters require me a proof of my job, by means of invoices, orders, and the like.
This is strange and I never heard of it.
Which kind of agencies and where ? Do they have special fields or want to participate in tenders?
It sounds more like a kind of proof that you are working independently, making sure that there is no "Scheinselbständigkeit" (colleagues please help me).
I'm curious if others had the same experience.
Saluti dall'Olanda
Stefania
[Editado a las 2008-10-20 19:23]
| | | |
| Your clients' privacy | Oct 20, 2008 |
Silvia Barra wrote:
it does not seem right to me that other people can pry in my affairs!
Silvia
The problem is that the these are not only your affairs; they are your clients' ones too. It would be against translators' code of ethics to disclose information about your clients, and if you are signed NDAs you could be sued.
| | | |
| None of their business! | Oct 20, 2008 |
Hi Silvia,
that's the first time I've ever heard of a potential client making a similar request!
You could of course send a "censored" invoice, removing all sensible data (name of client, rate, total...), but frankly, I can't see what they'd need it for.
Mirella
Silvia Barra wrote:
If the request of the invoices is so common, well, I'll try to resign myself...
| | |
|
|
|
| |
I have never had such an inquiry. But some of my clients have asked whether I issue invoices with VAT, and the agencies for which I work have asked for my VAT-number.
This is an information which I am willing to give, but not copies of anything else.
Kind regards
Birgitte
| | | |
| Credentials and a test are enough | Oct 21, 2008 |
Unfortunately this is normal. Every new agency we work for asks for such information. They are just curious I reckon. But we must resist that and explain that our credentials and a translation test should be enough to start working for them.
And if they don't like it... they are free to go to some other translator...
| | | |
Silvia Barra (X)
Italy
Local time: 01:10
English to Italian
+ ...
TOPIC STARTER | I'm cheered up | Oct 21, 2008 |
Thank you all, by reading your comments I feel cheered up. In fact some of the agencies were joining a tender but as I can see it's not normal to ask copies of invoices. I done well not to send them! It is normal that agencies ask you if you have a VAT number and the VAT number, it is necessary to make the invoices, but I don't think it's right to ask seeing my affairs (and the affairs of other agencies).
Bye for now
Silvia
| | |
|
|
|
canaria
United Kingdom
Local time: 00:10
French to English
+ ...
| It is quite normal if the agency is bidding for an EU translation contract | Oct 21, 2008 |
Silvia Barra wrote:
Thank you all, by reading your comments I feel cheered up. In fact some of the agencies were joining a tender but as I can see it's not normal to ask copies of invoices. I done well not to send them! It is normal that agencies ask you if you have a VAT number and the VAT number, it is necessary to make the invoices, but I don't think it's right to ask seeing my affairs (and the affairs of other agencies).
Bye for now
Silvia
When bidding for an EU contract, agencies have to submit all kinds of evidence regarding the translators they are going to use if successful, including invoices, certificates, references. If they are then successful, no other translators can be used on the jobs under those contracts.
| | | |
Login to reply/comment 
Translation news
