Poll: How many words would you accept to translate as a test? Initiator des Themas: ProZ.com Staff
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Theo Bernards (X) 
Frankreich
Local time: 14:49
Englisch > Niederländisch
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| Up to 250 words | Sep 29, 2012 |
And only if I see the need for it, i.o.w. for specific projects where I cannot establish in advance if my skills match the project at hand. Such tests work both ways: the client can verify my skills and I can find out if the client understands why he is considering my services. For example, if a client asks me to do a short generic test about health insurance (I am pretty clued in into insurances) and the test is full of medical terms and medicine names (no-go areas for me), I can refer the clie... See more And only if I see the need for it, i.o.w. for specific projects where I cannot establish in advance if my skills match the project at hand. Such tests work both ways: the client can verify my skills and I can find out if the client understands why he is considering my services. For example, if a client asks me to do a short generic test about health insurance (I am pretty clued in into insurances) and the test is full of medical terms and medicine names (no-go areas for me), I can refer the client to a medical translator who understands insurance mechanisms, because that will reduce the risk of me working on assignments that will ultimately make the client - or their client - unhappy.
As a rule of thumb, I always ask for the feedback about my test, because it wouldn't be the first time that a competitor is asked to proof my test and return it with tons of preferential changes while spotting no error at all.
[Edited to add the following] I don't have a portfolio because I operate under a strict non-disclosure principle. I understand that direct clients want to see a bit more and although they can establish from my website (which is in fact a translation showcase) if I am the translator they are looking for, I also understand that they are holding the money so up to a point, they can request people like me to jump through hoops but, as specified above, it doesn't happen too often because I have to see the need for a translation test, too.
[Edited at 2012-09-29 10:04 GMT] ▲ Collapse
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Muriel Vasconcellos
Vereinigte Staaten
Local time: 05:49
Mitglied (2003)
Spanisch > Englisch
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| I don't have the time | Sep 29, 2012 |
I have enough trouble finding time to get my work out the door, much less take tests to work for new clients. I get plenty of new clients, anyway, without taking tests.
I fully understand that many translators are still building their client base and are willing to go the extra mile. I was just answering for myself.
[Edited at 2012-09-29 09:21 GMT]
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neilmac
Spanien
Local time: 14:49
Spanisch > Englisch
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I no longer do them as a rule, but I might be prepared to do up to 300 words on the odd occasion, if I was really interested in the job.
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neilmac wrote:
I no longer do them as a rule, but I might be prepared to do up to 300 words on the odd occasion, if I was really interested in the job.
On one occasion, I even went to 500 words because I was really (very) interested in that job and... I got it!
[Edited at 2012-09-29 19:41 GMT]
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| Question asked quite recently | Sep 29, 2012 |
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Michael Harris
Deutschland
Local time: 14:49
Mitglied (2006)
Deutsch > Englisch
neilmac wrote:
I no longer do them as a rule, but I might be prepared to do up to 300 words on the odd occasion, if I was really interested in the job.
And only if I have time to do them
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Mario Chavez (X)
Local time: 08:49
Englisch > Spanisch
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If I had to do a stats on the last 12 months, I haven't gotten more than 1 or 2 jobs from providing a free test translation.
However, I have a direct client to whom I offered a free translation sample (translation + InDesign typesetting) because I was competing with an out-of-state translation agency for the account. I won.
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Nicole Schnell
Vereinigte Staaten
Local time: 05:49
Englisch > Deutsch
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In stillem Gedenken | With Muriel: I don't have the time | Sep 30, 2012 |
Muriel Vasconcellos wrote:
I have enough trouble finding time to get my work out the door, much less take tests to work for new clients. I get plenty of new clients, anyway, without taking tests.
I have no idea why some agencies take for granted that:
- translators in general are twiddling their thumbs in boredom
- don't have any other clients
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Alexandranow
Rumänien
Local time: 15:49
Rumänisch > Englisch
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ProZ.com Staff wrote: This forum topic is for the discussion of the poll question "How many words would you accept to translate as a test?". This poll was originally submitted by Andrea Maia Beckner. View the poll r
esults »
Sometimes I do not accept tests at all, considering the fact that it is required to apply with diplomas, authorizations, references...and I think what do we ask from them in return? Almost nothing. But depends on the job and client, and on the text required.
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