https://www.proz.com/forum/getting_established/9352-should_i_take_the_test.html
This site uses cookies. Some of these cookies are essential to the operation of the site, while others help to improve your experience by providing insights into how the site is being used. For more information, please see the ProZ.com privacy policy.
Cookie settings

Translation - art & business » Getting established »
Should I take the test?
Thread poster: Patricia Pita (X)
Patricia Pita (X)
Patricia Pita (X)
Local time: 16:10
English to Portuguese
+ ...
Mar 12, 2003

Hello all,



My name is Patricia and I\'m new here at Proz. I just moved to the UK and I’m in the process of trying to get clients. I have sent hundreds of CVs, completed the never-ending on-line forms and to be quite honest I haven’t been lucky at all.



I state in my CV that I’m willing to take “short translation tests” and today I received my first. The text is part of a computer game manual and it has 1.100 words divided in three sections: game... See more
Hello all,



My name is Patricia and I\'m new here at Proz. I just moved to the UK and I’m in the process of trying to get clients. I have sent hundreds of CVs, completed the never-ending on-line forms and to be quite honest I haven’t been lucky at all.



I state in my CV that I’m willing to take “short translation tests” and today I received my first. The text is part of a computer game manual and it has 1.100 words divided in three sections: game preview, tech. specs and an entire page of instructions.



Do you think this test is too long or is the company trying to determine the quality of the translation in different areas?



I would appreciate your input on this, since I’m a bit lost.



Thank you





 ▲ Collapse
 
Ralf Lemster
Ralf Lemster  Identity Verified
Germany
Local time: 17:10
English to German
+ ...
Search the forums Mar 12, 2003

Hi Patricia,

Leaving aside the (much discussed) issue of whether test translations really make sense, this sounds a bit much.



Search the forums for \"test translation\" - you\'ll find bundles of threads dealing with this issue.



Best regards, Ralf
 
Nina Snoj
Nina Snoj
Slovenia
Spanish to Slovenian
+ ...
I wouldnt do it.... Mar 12, 2003

...unless the project contains 40.000 words or something similar.

I have once heard of agencies that get free translations by using the test method.For example, the file has 5000 w so they look for 5 translators to which they give each one 1000 w..as a test.

Tell them that a reasonable test normaly contains 150-300 words and see what they say.

All the best,



Nina
 
Sonja Tomaskovic (X)
Sonja Tomaskovic (X)  Identity Verified
Germany
Local time: 17:10
English to German
+ ...
Too much Mar 12, 2003

Hi Patricia,



I think that 1 100 words are far too much for a test translation.



If I where you I would contact the agency and negotiate something around 300-400 words, or - if they insist on this wordcount - ask them to pay a small fee for it, since the majority of test translations are somewhere around 300-400 words, and there are only a couple of agencies that ask for more.



Kind regards,



Sonja ... See more
Hi Patricia,



I think that 1 100 words are far too much for a test translation.



If I where you I would contact the agency and negotiate something around 300-400 words, or - if they insist on this wordcount - ask them to pay a small fee for it, since the majority of test translations are somewhere around 300-400 words, and there are only a couple of agencies that ask for more.



Kind regards,



Sonja ▲ Collapse
 
Mike Osman
Mike Osman  Identity Verified
France
Local time: 16:10
Member (2013)
English to Somali
+ ...
it sounds a bit much but... Mar 12, 2003

if you have the time to spare to do it then you should just do it.

After all I know a lot of people translate much larger documents for free just to get the experience or for non-profit organisations.

If you don\'t get work out of this company after that, at least you can put this on your resume as a project you have worked on.



Good luck
 
Patricia Pita (X)
Patricia Pita (X)
Local time: 16:10
English to Portuguese
+ ...
TOPIC STARTER
Thank you all Mar 12, 2003


I have called the company and they agree the test is too long (they told me it was a mistake) and reduced it to 300 words.

Nothing like talking eh?



I\'ve been translating for 10 years now and sometimes I think I\'m still a bit naive!



Again, thank you all for your help.
 


To report site rules violations or get help, contact a site moderator:

Moderator(s) of this forum
Jorge Rodrigues[Call to this topic]
Rita Pang[Call to this topic]
James Heppe-Smith[Call to this topic]

You can also contact site staff by submitting a support request »

Should I take the test?


Translation news
» New ISO Standard 5060 Focuses on Human Evaluation to Ensure Translation Quality
(0 comments)
» No meaning lost in translation: The UN’s quirkiest contest
(0 comments)
» Google's Circle to Search feature will soon handle language translation
(0 comments)


Forum rules
Help and orientation




Trados Business Manager Lite
Create customer quotes and invoices from within Trados Studio

Trados Business Manager Lite helps to simplify and speed up some of the daily tasks, such as invoicing and reporting, associated with running your freelance translation business.

More info »
Trados Studio 2022 Freelance
The leading translation software used by over 270,000 translators.

Designed with your feedback in mind, Trados Studio 2022 delivers an unrivalled, powerful desktop and cloud solution, empowering you to work in the most efficient and cost-effective way.

More info »