| Pages in topic: < [1 2] | Agency will not discuss fees before test is done! Thread poster: Louise Dupont (X)
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Kirill Semenov 
Ukraine
Local time: 23:15
Member (2004)
English to Russian
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| Once upon a time... | May 13, 2005 |
... but quite recently, in fact.
I've did a test translation for an agency. THey apologized for the delay since `there was a lot of other test translations incoming, but we promise you a feedback'. The test was not suspicious, about 200-250 words. In a week they sent me a "Congratulation, you've passed the test!" standard email -- but at the end of it they stated: "Please take into account that our price for *this* language pair is *xxx*". The price was much lower than I stated in m... See more ... but quite recently, in fact.
I've did a test translation for an agency. THey apologized for the delay since `there was a lot of other test translations incoming, but we promise you a feedback'. The test was not suspicious, about 200-250 words. In a week they sent me a "Congratulation, you've passed the test!" standard email -- but at the end of it they stated: "Please take into account that our price for *this* language pair is *xxx*". The price was much lower than I stated in my initial bidding email. A waste of time!
To give an opposite example: once I did a very long (about 1000 words) test, but I noticed at once why it is so long. It was a tricky one, and they tried to cover different subfields within an area they were specializing in. I did it, and I've got several nice jobs from the agency after this.
You never know. ▲ Collapse
| | | | Javier Herrera (X)
Spanish
Fine. It "may" be acceptable to do a long test. It "may" be acceptable not to discuss rates before a test. But put both things together and it's outrageous.
P.S: And I also refused to do the test.
[Edited at 2005-05-13 19:21]
[Edited at 2005-05-13 19:52]
| | | | Brandis (X)
Local time: 22:15
English to German
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| I normally send various excerpts from former translations | May 13, 2005 |
Hi ! that is what I do to demonstrate how varying the quality can be, sometimes I also write the price charged below the translation like €0.06 or €0.08 etc., so that they know what to expect.Or I used to request them to compress the length as their part of the duty to 200 words or so, such that it is within my free translation (test) limit or offer to translate any 200words from the total test volume, at random of my choice. Sometimes when I am in a good mood and have done good amount of ma... See more Hi ! that is what I do to demonstrate how varying the quality can be, sometimes I also write the price charged below the translation like €0.06 or €0.08 etc., so that they know what to expect.Or I used to request them to compress the length as their part of the duty to 200 words or so, such that it is within my free translation (test) limit or offer to translate any 200words from the total test volume, at random of my choice. Sometimes when I am in a good mood and have done good amount of market research about the agency I just might also do the translation test, if not fully (1000 words is absurd) but most of it. Rgds, Brandis ▲ Collapse
| | | | | Impossibile... | May 14, 2005 |
to survive at those rates if you live in Canada. Even if you are interested in their projects, you will lose money by working at 0.02 cents/word. It's not commercially viable. I'm surprised Federica is working for them, because Italy ain't cheap anymore... If you calculate carefully your costs (rent/mortgage, food, bills, PC, software, dictionaries, professional development, probably childcare - as I can see form your photo), unless you have a rich husband, you will realise that you are making a... See more to survive at those rates if you live in Canada. Even if you are interested in their projects, you will lose money by working at 0.02 cents/word. It's not commercially viable. I'm surprised Federica is working for them, because Italy ain't cheap anymore... If you calculate carefully your costs (rent/mortgage, food, bills, PC, software, dictionaries, professional development, probably childcare - as I can see form your photo), unless you have a rich husband, you will realise that you are making a loss, not even breaking even.
Apart from the length of the test, wholly unacceptable, as far as not disclosing their rates, this is simply ludicrous. It's like asking a cabinet maker to make a sample cabinet for your kitchen and telling him after he complets the job that you are only going to pay a third of his rate to make the whole kitchen. Do you think he would be happy?
Giovanni
[Edited at 2005-05-14 09:11] ▲ Collapse
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| My experience | May 14, 2005 |
A local agency asked me to come to their office for discussing a long term project involving English to French translation.
As soon as I was seated facing the client, he gave me a small booklet and asked me to translate the first chapter in his presence. I was taken aback and told him that I do not have time to sit that long with him. He told me that he wanted to test my proficiency in French. I switched over to French and asked him politely whether he could speak French. (In the f... See more A local agency asked me to come to their office for discussing a long term project involving English to French translation.
As soon as I was seated facing the client, he gave me a small booklet and asked me to translate the first chapter in his presence. I was taken aback and told him that I do not have time to sit that long with him. He told me that he wanted to test my proficiency in French. I switched over to French and asked him politely whether he could speak French. (In the first place, his English was horrible!!). He looked uncomprehendly at me and asked me what I was saying. I then switched over to Hindi and told him that as he obviously did not know French, how hw was supposed to test my translation. He smirked and told me that he had expert aid in evaluating a translation afterwards.
I told him point blank that I will not write a single line without knowing the price he offered. He told me that he wanted to see whether it was worth his while to hire me before discussing the rates! I was ready for him and told him politely that I too had to know whether his rates are interesting enough for me to even take the strain of attempting the test translation. And in any case there was no question of doing the test on the spot as my time schedule did not permit that. I just rose to go after wishing him luck. He then took out a sheaf of papers and asked me to atleast check the translation of another translator, who did the test! So this was the expert aid he was referring to. I just laughed in his face and walked out.
Regards,
N.Raghavan ▲ Collapse
| | | | Javier Herrera (X)
Spanish
Giovanni Guarnieri MITI, MIL wrote:
...unless you have a rich husband, you will realise that you are making a loss,...
In which case you would find it more gratifying to work for a commendable charity for free.
I'm not being sarcastic, or not only sarcastic. So many beginners think they'll have to work for those rates if they want to get started. Voluntary work is experience at the end of the day. But you can always prefer that somebody takes advantage of you.
| | | | | waste of time | May 14, 2005 |
Javier Herrera wrote:
But you can always prefer that somebody takes advantage of you.
I don't think it's matter of somebody taking advantage, it's sheer ignorance of the market laws. Why contact somebody in Canada when it's obvious that the rates offered are laughable for that market? They are wasting everybody's time. It happened to me once with a Spanish agency. They tried to convince me to accept their offer because of the high volume. I replied: why should I work twice as much to earn exactly the same money? They counter offer was an increase of 0.02 cent per word! Obviously I said, no thank you. They couldn't believe I was turning down such a good offer! Well, we are not all beginners looking for work. I'm fortunate to be in my position, I know, but we are not all here begging for work. I decide what to take on and at what rate! Thank you very much.
Giovanni
| | | | | Reply to Giovanni's remark | May 15, 2005 |
I'm surprised Federica is working for them, because Italy ain't cheap anymore...
Hi Giovanni,
Well, why should you be surprised? I know Italy is not cheap and rest assured that I know exactly how to make a decent living out of my work!! As I said before, I have been working for them because they offer really interesting projects (no way are they my one and only client though!!) and I can afford to because -thank goodness- I have other clients who pay me really w... See more I'm surprised Federica is working for them, because Italy ain't cheap anymore...
Hi Giovanni,
Well, why should you be surprised? I know Italy is not cheap and rest assured that I know exactly how to make a decent living out of my work!! As I said before, I have been working for them because they offer really interesting projects (no way are they my one and only client though!!) and I can afford to because -thank goodness- I have other clients who pay me really well and give me regular jobs!! In any case, live and let live, it's a free world and everyone is free to make their own choices and decide which projects to take on and at what rate.
Happy translating to all
Federica ▲ Collapse
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| decent living... | May 16, 2005 |
Federica Masante wrote:
I can afford to because -thank goodness- I have other clients who pay me really well and give me regular jobs!! In any case, live and let live, it's a free world and everyone is free to make their own choices and decide which projects to take on and at what rate.
Sure, but you could make an even better living replacing that client with one which pays three times as much...
Giovanni
| | | | Schwabamädle
Canada
Local time: 16:15
English to German
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| Some people love their work | Jun 15, 2005 |
Giovanni Guarnieri MITI, MIL wrote: Federica Masante wrote:
I can afford to because -thank goodness- I have other clients who pay me really well and give me regular jobs!! In any case, live and let live, it's a free world and everyone is free to make their own choices and decide which projects to take on and at what rate.
Sure, but you could make an even better living replacing that client with one which pays three times as much... Giovanni
Federica is very devoted and truly works out of passion. It is not just translating which reflects in her outstanding work.
She is actually one of the lucky ones being able to choose what she likes.
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