Interpreting rate
Thread poster: Julie FOLTZ
Julie FOLTZ
Julie FOLTZ
France
Local time: 01:50
English to French
+ ...
Dec 21, 2006

Dear interpreters,

What do you think about a rate at 25€ TTc per hour?


 
Ralf Lemster
Ralf Lemster  Identity Verified
Germany
Local time: 01:50
English to German
+ ...
Sounds extremely low to me... Dec 21, 2006

Hi Julie,
I'm not an interpreter - but taking into account that my plumber or electrician charges around 40 euros an hour, this sounds extremely low to me.

Best regards,
Ralf


 
Williamson
Williamson  Identity Verified
United Kingdom
Local time: 00:50
Flemish to English
+ ...
In a Renault garage Dec 21, 2006

Julie BEILLE wrote:

Dear interpreters,

What do you think about a rate at 25€ TTc per hour?


Are you afraid to ask more?

I went with my car to a Renault garage. Standard rate per hour : €45 HT.

Interpreting is a far smaller market niche than translation. Not everybody can become an overnight interpreter.
If you ask 500 euro for one day, nobody will say that this is too much. It's standard rate. The first time, I interpreted I asked €350 + per diem costs.
The second time €400, the last time : £350.
Payment came 14 days later, not 45 or 60 as is often the case with translation. No nagging about rates.
That said, it is an "the winner takes it all" situation. You may stumble upon a good public or a bad public with a TGV-speaker.


 
Julie FOLTZ
Julie FOLTZ
France
Local time: 01:50
English to French
+ ...
TOPIC STARTER
Rate for what ? Dec 21, 2006

You know I was asking you this because I was rather confused after sending a quote to an agency looking for an interpreter for two days (7 hours per day) between buyers and sellers.
I quoted 600€ HT per day.
They answered me that my rates were too high they had interpreters doing it for 25€TTC per hour.
It's the kind of answer quite puzzling making you wonder if they want a good job (I think yes) but quite or really badly paid.
I think in this case there is not much c
... See more
You know I was asking you this because I was rather confused after sending a quote to an agency looking for an interpreter for two days (7 hours per day) between buyers and sellers.
I quoted 600€ HT per day.
They answered me that my rates were too high they had interpreters doing it for 25€TTC per hour.
It's the kind of answer quite puzzling making you wonder if they want a good job (I think yes) but quite or really badly paid.
I think in this case there is not much consideration for interpreters.
I guess.
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EmmanuelleAn (X)
EmmanuelleAn (X)  Identity Verified
Local time: 01:50
English to French
+ ...
Remember your Spring posting Dec 21, 2006

If I remember well, you had asked that question before (some time in Spring). Some professional interpreters had already given you an answer and I think that by now you should know that 25 euro/hour is definitely inappropriate for interpreting (whatever it may be, sim or consec). The rate is definitely higher and anyway most interpreters don't charge per hour (per day). I will not say more about rates. I have realised that it can turn out to be a very touchy subject on the forum. As a "young" in... See more
If I remember well, you had asked that question before (some time in Spring). Some professional interpreters had already given you an answer and I think that by now you should know that 25 euro/hour is definitely inappropriate for interpreting (whatever it may be, sim or consec). The rate is definitely higher and anyway most interpreters don't charge per hour (per day). I will not say more about rates. I have realised that it can turn out to be a very touchy subject on the forum. As a "young" interpreter I once made a mistake by mentioning "French" rates on the forum and some French interpreters got quite crossed about that. Now I understand their point and I'm sorry about what I did. It was a stupid mistake. To sum up as you (certainly) know 25 euro is definitely too low and if you really need to work out how much you should charge, just refer to your spring posting on rates (forum).

Bonnes fêtes de fin d'année!

EmmanuelleAnn



[Edited at 2006-12-21 13:10]

[Edited at 2006-12-21 13:12]
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EmmanuelleAn (X)
EmmanuelleAn (X)  Identity Verified
Local time: 01:50
English to French
+ ...
Oups! Dec 21, 2006

Julie BEILLE wrote:

You know I was asking you this because I was rather confused after sending a quote to an agency looking for an interpreter for two days (7 hours per day) between buyers and sellers.
I quoted 600€ HT per day.
They answered me that my rates were too high they had interpreters doing it for 25€TTC per hour.
It's the kind of answer quite puzzling making you wonder if they want a good job (I think yes) but quite or really badly paid.
I think in this case there is not much consideration for interpreters.
I guess.


Sorry Julie, I read this after I had posted my answer to you. Forget about that agency! 25 euro TTC per hour, no professional interpreter will ever accept to work for that rate! It's outrageous!


 
Williamson
Williamson  Identity Verified
United Kingdom
Local time: 00:50
Flemish to English
+ ...
Why I got paid for... Dec 21, 2006

-Presentation of a new product of a multinational and guide to a Spanish director : whispering-interpreting: 350 euros.
-Simultaneous interpreting of European Works Council of a Dutch multinational from Monday-->Friday : €400 per day.
Guidance interpreting for a minister during a Road Show : £350.
---
Oh, there is consideration for well trained-interpreters, who stand a bigger chance not to fail. Those with an M.A. in Interpreting from the two top interpreter schools c
... See more
-Presentation of a new product of a multinational and guide to a Spanish director : whispering-interpreting: 350 euros.
-Simultaneous interpreting of European Works Council of a Dutch multinational from Monday-->Friday : €400 per day.
Guidance interpreting for a minister during a Road Show : £350.
---
Oh, there is consideration for well trained-interpreters, who stand a bigger chance not to fail. Those with an M.A. in Interpreting from the two top interpreter schools can easily command that rate.
It all depends what "interpreting" means to that agency.
If it is simultaneous or consecutive "conference interpreting", nobody will blink an eye if you ask €500 or 600.
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EmmanuelleAn (X)
EmmanuelleAn (X)  Identity Verified
Local time: 01:50
English to French
+ ...
I donot fully agree with you Dec 21, 2006

Williamson wrote:

-Presentation of a new product of a multinational and guide to a Spanish director : whispering-interpreting: 350 euros.
-Simultaneous interpreting of European Works Council of a Dutch multinational from Monday-->Friday : €400 per day.

Well, "standard" rates in France are higher than that. (EmmanuelleAnn)
---
Oh, there is consideration for well trained-interpreters, who stand a bigger chance not to fail. I disagree with you. (EmmanuelleAnn)Those with an M.A. in Interpreting from the two top interpreter schools can easily command that rate.
It all depends what "interpreting" means to that agency.
If it is simultaneous or consecutive "conference interpreting", nobody will blink an eye if you ask €500 or 600.



Although I have a diploma in conference interpreting, I don't think that having a degree makes you a better interpreter. After I graduated I started working with people who had learnt from scratch and were much better than me. They taught me a lot and their years of experience were more rewarding than my 2 year studies. Noone of these people came from the top schools. As I said before, having a diploma in conference interpreting is like passing your driving test. Having a driving licence does not mean that you "can" drive. Après le permis, on ne sait pas conduire. You know how to drive from a theorical point of view. After years of driving (3-4) your start gaining the right driving skills. It's exactly the same learning process with interpreting. After I obtained my diploma, I considered myself as a conference interpreter in theory then I started to learn the job on the field and I am still going through that learning process today. I have been working as an interpreter for 4 years and today I can work on assignments that I would have never been able to deal with after my graduation.

[Edited at 2006-12-21 19:22]


 
Williamson
Williamson  Identity Verified
United Kingdom
Local time: 00:50
Flemish to English
+ ...
Practise makes perfect. Dec 22, 2006

Depends where you were trained and who your teachers were, how strict they were and the duration of the progamme.
I have known programmes that were taught by linguists, PhD in Germanic or Romanic languages, who did not earn their living by interpreting.
They may or may not have been good teachers, but they lacked practise.
I think that professors who work as a freelance at international institutions know the ropes better than somebody who was hired by a school without any kno
... See more
Depends where you were trained and who your teachers were, how strict they were and the duration of the progamme.
I have known programmes that were taught by linguists, PhD in Germanic or Romanic languages, who did not earn their living by interpreting.
They may or may not have been good teachers, but they lacked practise.
I think that professors who work as a freelance at international institutions know the ropes better than somebody who was hired by a school without any knowledge of interpreting, althought that type of professor is slowly retiring.
I know of a programme (gets 85% AIIC-rate), where the first two months "they drag you through the mud". You can't do anything right. And to quote the trainer (freelancer at the EU): "Whoever graduates here much be ready for the booth". That year, there were 12 people attending the course, 2 graduated. I agree that after graduation, practise makes perfect.


[Edited at 2006-12-22 10:04]
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EmmanuelleAn (X)
EmmanuelleAn (X)  Identity Verified
Local time: 01:50
English to French
+ ...
Training Dec 22, 2006

I was also trained by professional conference interpreters who were allowed to bring some conferences recordings for us to work on. I think that's the best training you can get.

Happy Xmas!

EA


 


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