What is the difference between freelance translators and translation agencies?

What is the difference between freelance translators and translation agencies?

Translation is an investment, and it’s your right to know exactly what service you’re paying for. There are two main ways to buy translations; you either buy services directly from the source (i.e. a freelance translator), or you buy from an outsourcer or translation agency. Each of these options provide a different level of service – each with its own benefits and drawbacks.

If you don’t already know this, I work as both a freelancer translator, and a Project Manager for a couple of translation agencies, so I see things from both sides of the coin.

Knowing what kind of service you need

It really depends. The world of translation is never straightforward and there are a lot of variables that affect the translation output. One thing I can tell you, is that if you want a good quality translation, the following boxes need to be ticked:

✔️ It needs to be done by a professional human translator

✔️ The subject matter of the source text needs to align with the translator’s subject of expertise

✔️ You need to allow an adequate amount of time for the translation project

✔️ The file needs to be in workable format for the linguist

Realistically, you can get this service from either a freelance translator or a translation agency. What’s the difference? A translation agency can add value to translations by providing additional services. They manage their customers’ translation projects from start to finish. This is complex, and good agencies are perfectly positioned and streamlined in their technology and processes to do so. They are a big help when you need to have something translated into several languages, or your translation needs multiple workflow processes (like Editing, Proofreading, or DTP). Agencies have access to lots of translation partners, so they are well-equipped to find the most suitable linguist for a project for you within the desired timeframe. They also add value to freelancers as well because they deal with the client side and file preparation and formatting, which takes up quite a bit of time.

That’s not to say that a freelancer isn’t just as good at streamlining their own process, or using up-to-date translation technology, or capable of adding value.

Reeling you in

Money makes the world go round. You have to pay a premium for translation agencies compared to working directly with freelancers, because they add on additional service(s). However, freelancers often charge direct clients more compared to their agency rates. Fair enough really, because if they have to handle everything, it’s more work for them.

If you scan the internet, you’ll find plenty of ‘How to expand your global market by buying our services’ blogs written by translation agencies.

Without looking at them all, I can probably guess what they’ll say. It’ll be something along the lines of:

Up-to-date. We use top of the range translation technology designed to streamline your translation process bla bla, improve efficiently and accuracy, bla bla.
All-in-one service. We manage all of your translation workflow processes – from Translation, through to Editing and Proofreading, and DTP/Subtitling services etc, etc.
We have a network of over (insert big number here) trusted professional translation partners.
The multilingual thing. We can translate your document into over 70 billion languages (ok, maybe that’s a slight exaggeration 😏)

What’s the truth behind the sales pitches?

Up-to-date technology? Depends on the individual. Most translators use CAT tools these days and have the ability to save you money on repetitions and fuzzy match discounts. Agencies tend to use a slightly different system of Translation Management platforms or systems, which as well as having CAT tool technology, also offer project management solutions and workflow processes, which streamline everything. Again, there’s no hard and fast rule that says only agencies can own this kind of system, but they’re expensive and only worth investing in if you’re going to fully utilise it. In many cases, it’s another added value of an agency. BUT, depending on your project, it might not be a technology you would benefit from.

All-in-one service? There are multiple steps in the translation process, and lots of people need to be involved. Agencies are a one-stop shop. I personally think that it’s safer to have a different pair of eyes on each stage of the process, and that’s a big plus to using a translation agency. If you don’t have the capacity or ability to check purchased translations in-house before you use them, then I would strongly recommend having them checked by a second, sometimes third linguist – particularly if the work is going to be published publicly. This process can be organised quite easily for you by an agency. However, talking about quality…yes, if you use an agency, you might have multiple pairs of eyes poised to spot a typo, BUT, who’s to say there would be mistakes from a professional translator who has access to spellcheck and pays due diligence anyway?

The network of over (insert big number here) translation partners? Well, this is really a question of individual processes. Some agencies have a VERY strict onboarding process whereby you have to do a brain-busting test translation and sign away your left kidney before getting on to their books. And this is good, it means they’re strict about quality, and that they really have vetted their translators. But a less scrupulous agency could just have loads of CVs of translators they’ve never used before in their ‘network’, or they could have completely made the number up (It’s always around 2,000 – who knows why? 🤡). A freelancer might be able to recommend trusted colleagues to you to work with, and some work in teams together to provide this added value. This is awesome, and you’re probably going to get a good recommendation from them, but you might need to deal with the admin and payments yourself, as opposed to a single purchase.

The multilingual thing? You can place one order with one agency for more than one language. Having the ability to get one document translated into let’s say 20 languages? To be fair, that’s a lot of work that your average freelancer couldn’t help you with directly.

Different types of translation agency

You have tiny ones: maybe an individual that has grown so much business that it was a choice of turning business down or start outsourcing to colleagues, and grew from there.

You have small ones with a team of less than 10. These kinds of teams are very personal, you can probably get to know them quite well if you work together regularly.

There are the medium sized ones. They’ve expanded enough to require more job roles. You’ll have your Project Managers, but also In-house Linguists, Vendor Managers, Account Managers, and most likely a Business Development Manager to keep the sales coming in.

The large ones. Won’t ever have an ‘About the team’ on their website because there’s just so many of them.

The giants. Market leaders. Undercut smaller agencies, and drive down the price of translations because they’re only willing to pay translators a third of an acceptable rate. No real screening process. Don’t always pay for work done because of ‘quality issues’. Churn out lots of work quickly. They’re not all bad. They provide a lot of jobs, work very efficiently, and some lead investments in translation technology – but proceed with caution here.

Deciding what kind of service is right for you.

Do you prefer to shop small? When I see translation job adverts posted online, I often see ‘no agencies!’. I get it, and I love the idea of supporting individuals. But to play the devil’s advocate…there are many, many translation agencies out there that DO support individuals. That pay their rates without question (and sometimes then some). That send regular work, provide valuable support to translators, provide added value to end clients, AND pay on time. You’re also supporting the jobs of the many people that work within agencies.

And that’s the good thing about agencies. They provide an extra service. If you have a complex job on your hands, don’t know much about translation, need multiple languages translated, or need someone else to deal with all of the work from start to finish, then I would recommend using an agency. *

You might prefer working with freelancers directly if you prefer to take a hands-on approach to your translations. It’s great to have to opportunity to work with someone at first hand, and it might be that the work you need is quite straightforward, and there’s no need to involve a middle party. Definitely only do this if you pay due diligence in finding the right candidate. The ability to speak another language doesn’t make someone a translator. The ability to translate doesn’t make someone able to translate every subject matter well.

The good thing about both freelancers and agencies, is that they both would be more than happy to help and advise if you’re not sure what you need. Do you need a professional translation? Feel free to contact me and let me know what you need. I can point you in the right direction whatever the case. 😊

*PLEASE do me a favour though? Do some research on your agency partner first, because they are not all built the same. To be quite honest, some of them don’t give two hoots about the quality of output, nor do they pay people properly for their work. If you’re really unlucky, you might get hoodwinked and end up with something translated by a machine when you paid for a human to do it. If in doubt, check the Proz blueboard to see if they’re legit.

Loan words, diversity, and the evolution of language

Loan words, diversity, and the evolution of language

I heard the expression ‘raison d’être’ the other day. It’s a nice reminder of how interesting and diverse our language is. It literally means ‘reason for being’. ‘Raison d’être’ is a lexical borrowing (or loan word)- an example of a word that we’ve borrowed from another language (in this case French), and we use now as our own.

How do loan words get there?

There are two main ways that loan words enter into language:

Need – if a word doesn’t translate into the language being used, over time speakers may borrow one from a different language – for example from new inventions (particularly in technological advancements) where there isn’t an existing word for the invention already.
Prestige – sometimes foreign words enter into our everyday use because speakers think they add a certain ‘je ne sais quoi’ to the conversation.

Attitudes towards loan words

There’s a bit of a split in attitudes towards loan words, code-switching, and linguistic diversity. Most recently, France has been in the news for banning English gaming jargon like ‘streaming’ and ‘eGaming’ in an attempt to maintain language purity. Whilst there are a lot of English loanwords in French, the Académie Française (the official body for matters relating to the French language) keeps a close eye on Anglicisms that come creeping in, offering official translations and alternate terms for some, in a bid to preserve the French language. Once added to the official journal, these ‘pure’ terms must be used by government workers over the borrowed equivalents.

The evolution of language

I understand the desire to protect language, and I appreciate that I’m never going to understand how it feels to not be an English speaker from birth. It’s a privilege to be offered almost all communication in my first language. But I still see language as an evolutionary process – though it evolves much faster, and spreads more easily and quickly nowadays with the ease of technology.

English speakers, do you talk like Shakespeare? I highly doubt it. And if you don’t (I suspect you don’t), have you ever used a loan word before? If you’ve ever had a feeling of déjà vu, created art, moaned about the government, drank lager (or gin, or tea, or coffee…), gone skiing (or gone commando), believed in karma, shampooed your hair, lived in a bungalow or played chess – I could go on, but you get the picture – then you’ve used a loan word from another language.

Embracing diversity in language

In the UK, MLE (Multicultural London English) always seems to be under fire. MLE started emerging in London in the 1980s – based on the Cockney dialect of the East End, mixed in and influenced by some of the 300ish languages spoken in London. MLE features a high number of borrowings, mainly from Jamaican English and other African-Caribbean communities, such as ‘bredren’, ‘mandem’, ‘bare’ and ‘wasteman’. It isn’t just teenage slang, nor can it be attributed to a particular ethnic group. I don’t live in London, in fact where I am it’s about as rural as it can get, but you can still hear MLE influence in some speakers due to exposure in music and media. It’s diverse, inclusive, growing and evolving.

To promote diversity and social equality, we need to understand and be aware of linguistic changes, and not stigmatise dialects or its speakers. I saw a social media post recently of someone criticising the way teenagers speak nowadays, and I was happy to see that many people were helpfully sharing information on MLE and its history. If you have a teenager that comes home speaking slightly different from you, be happy that they are embracing change and inclusion – if everybody did, then certain social groups couldn’t be stigmatised.

What’s next for our language?

Whilst being widespread, MLE isn’t spoken or understood by the entire British population, but I can’t help but wonder which words will make it into our mainstream dialect over the coming years. Maybe the words that have been shunned or apportioned to a particular social group will be used by everyone as prestige in future.

Have you got a favourite loan word? Do you prefer to use loan words for prestige in your writing/translation over alternate terms? I’d love to hear your POV in the comments below 🙂

Dynamic and Formal equivalence: putting translation theory into practice.

Dynamic and Formal equivalence: putting translation theory into practice.

When you’re starting a translation, always plan your approach first. Are you going to faithfully stick to what the original writer said, or are you going to go off-piste? This isn’t a trick question. There’s no right or wrong answer. Take a look at the text, its purpose, and the target audience, and then you can build a translation approach that works for you and your client.

Dynamic and Formal Equivalence

It was Eugene Nida that developed the terms ‘Dynamic Equivalence’ and ‘Formal Equivalence’.

He was an American linguist who developed many of the modern translation theories. If you’re studying translation, I bet you’ve heard of him. He specialised a lot in theories of Bible translation.

Simply put, they’re two different translation approaches.

Dynamic Equivalence = sense for sense

Looking at sentences or phrases as a whole.
Focussing on meaning and naturalness of expression.
The text should have the same effect on the target reader as the source reader.
The translation is adjusted to the reader’s cultural expectations and linguistic needs.

Formal Equivalence = word-for-word

A more literal approach.
Aims at reproducing everything from the source text into the target text.
Main concern is that the message in the target language matches the different elements in the source language as closely as possible.
Pay close attention to the source text structure

Which strategy do you think is better?

Some people think that translating by meaning (Dynamic Equivalence) is better, as it’s more focussed on readability and sounds a bit more natural. However, the benefits of being more literal and following a Formal Equivalence translation strategy are that there’s no risk that the target text will become contaminated by the translator’s influence. That’s the reason why the Bible is a bit hard to read in some versions. Some translators believed that a more literal approach would help preserve the meaning of the source text.

Enough theory Gill! How does this help us in a real-life scenario?

There isn’t really a right or wrong answer to this, but knowing a bit of theory can help you choose your translation approach. I’ve had some feedback in the past that I can afford to be a bit more creative (aka Dynamic) in my translation choices, which was good to know for that client, and something I’m working on. I’ve worked with more ‘Formal’ clients before as a Project Manager that have insisted we keep the translations as close to the meaning of the text to preserve their message, and that’s fine too if we know that’s what they want.

Choosing your approach

If you translate completely freely, then you might as well call that re-writing and skip the translation part. If you’re too literal your client would have been better off using a Machine Translation tool. Our job is to look at the text and make a judgement call based on our knowledge of translation, to decide exactly how ‘faithful’ to the original you need to be.

Have a look at the source text first, and the translation brief. Do they give you any clues?

If your brief includes the application of gender-inclusive language, and you’re translating into a gendered-language, then you’ll find it hard to take a ‘word-for-word’ approach to the translation. Things are going to have to be shuffled around a bit to avoid gender-marking nouns.

If the text contains a lot of idioms and expressions, it probably wouldn’t make sense to translate these literally. It reads better to find the equivalent expression in your language.

What is the purpose of the document? Is it instructional? A technical manual could result in a catastrophe if you decide to go off-piste and change some of the instructions because it would read better. But also, you can’t be too literal for something like this, otherwise you won’t be understood.

Does your translation have the same purpose as the original text? If you’re translating marketing material, your main goal is for the translation to have the same effect on the target audience, as it did in the original version. If you’re translating something for information purposes, then you probably need to be more direct.

Case study

I came across a scenario where I had to make a choice between keeping the source document authentic/not losing the message of the translation. It was a newsletter with a purpose to be informative, but also entertain people. I translated from French.

Source text: le pyjama trempé

Literal meaning: soaked pyjamas

I decided to change this sentence to ‘I’m sweating right through my PJs’. Why? Despite knowing from the context what the author meant, I didn’t want to be too literal on this occasion and run the risk of the audience thinking that the pyjamas were wet for any other reason. Maybe I should have added ‘Do you want to avoid completely embarrassing your client?’ to my list above.

I was happy with the approach I took, because the meaning (that they were suffering from a fever and not incontinence) was plainly translated, and it sounded pretty natural in English. It was a fun translation because I was given the green light to be creative in my translation choices. I appreciate that’s not for everyone, but that’s how I translate best.

Finalising your approach

Be tactical. Your approach to translation might be a complete juggling act between author/client, audience, meaning, and readability.

Translation isn’t just about going from A to B. It’s a sliding scale between several factors: Making sense/getting the writer’s message across; writing in the same tone and manner of the original writer, and having the same effect on the target audience; producing a natural, easy-to-read text.

If you’re buying a translation: don’t be alarmed if you look at your professional translation and noticed that things haven’t been translated word-for-word.

If you’re producing a translation: think about the type of material you’re translating, and the end audience:

Would they benefit from a literal approach, or would the target text sound better if you use a bit of creative licence?
How natural does it need to be? It depends on the text. Legal translations are black-and-white. Newsletters are always better received if the reader can imagine the writer speaking to them directly in their own language.
Does the same tone of voice work in your culture? Being from a culture that says ‘sorry’ to someone when they bump into you, I’ve found myself making adjustments in the past, so that the writer’s tone of voice feels less ‘blunt’ to a UK audience.
Are you writing to persuade, or inform? Marketing texts need to be well, more persuasive. Informative texts need the information to be clearly translated in a way that the reader can come to their own conclusions about the topic.

Have you had to make a decision on whether to stay faithful recently? Leave me a comment below, or come and find me on LinkedIn, I’d love to hear from you.

What is Project Management really like?

What is Project Management really like?

Hello, hello! It’s month four of blog ownership and I’ve already fallen into the trap of letting it fall to the wayside. I must get better at keeping a stock of blogs ready to go during the quieter periods 😊.

If you wondered where I went, the answer is mostly Project Managing, with a bit of localising, translation, and revision as well. It’s been a busy month!

And now my head is truly back in Project Manager (PM) mode (I’m still also translating by the way), so I thought this blog would be a great opportunity to write something down about the job (sometimes called Account Management, sometimes called other things).

If you’re wondering what it’s like to work as a PM, or you’re curious to know what we do all day, then this blog is for you….

We tend to get a bit of a bad rep amongst some translators. Sometimes we’re met with suspicion:

Are you working with a Project Manager to achieve a high-class translation with added value, or are you simply being squeezed as much as possible in terms of time and money so that someone else can reap the rewards?

I can confidently say that we’re not all that bad, despite all the talk on social media about the bottom feeders slashing down the rates and piling on the pressure. It’s very frustrating, but I also sympathise with the Project Managers working for those agencies, who aren’t the ones setting the rates, and will be being pressured from the top. The market rate is also different in other countries, so what’s unfair to you really might not be in a different market. That being said, this week’s work offer was a record low at £0.02/word ⭐.

From the outside, it can seem like the Project Managers are holding all of the power, when in reality, we’re just in the middle – committed to providing an excellent service at a fair price for everyone. I’ve made a point in my freelance career to only work with companies as a Project Manager if I would work with them as a linguist. I want to make sure that everyone I work with is paid fairly and treated respectfully.

Here’s some of my main observations from almost 8.5 years of service in the job:

It’s a high-pressure environment, and it’s go go go from start to finish. There’s SO much to remember, with so many balls in the air. Everything is a constant juggle to keep things up and moving.

Jobs are rarely the same, or simple. We’ve got complex workflow processes and file formats to deal with.

We’ve got to make sure that we’ve got all of the correct information from the client, and communicated that properly with the linguists.

We’ve got to find the right people (and their specialisms) in the right languages (and the right variant) at the right time. Time management is everything.

We overcome translation issues with linguists; helping them find solutions, relaying that information to the client.

Some clients can underestimate how long it can take a human to translate something, and not give us enough time, which can lead to extra (more complex) processes like file splitting.

We’re also pretty good at Quality Assurance. I’ve never tried, but I could probably check for typos and double spaces in my sleep by now.

Formatting = the gift that keeps on giving. There’s plenty of work in tidying up files so that they look like the original, and it’s especially fun when you’re dealing with languages that expand.

There is almost always something that can go wrong throughout a process, and it’s our job first and foremost to not let that happen, but secondly, to get things back on track and not delay a project if something does go wrong.

I’m aware that this isn’t painting a rosy picture for a career in Project Management, but the reality is that it isn’t always easy, and that’s why agencies add value. Project Managers take away a lot of the work from both ends.

BUT, it’s also highly rewarding! Kind of like doing a puzzle. It’s so satisfying when you start off with a jumble of pieces, and at the end of the day you’ve managed to slot everything into place.

It’s a good opportunity to keep up with industry trends and developments, and learn how to use different translation management systems and CAT tools.

I really value the relationships that I’ve built with suppliers and clients over the years, however long or short they’ve been. It’s also so satisfying to see some published material out in the world and secretly know that you had a part in getting it out there.

I’ve also really enjoyed seeing people progress in their career over the years. Finding a translator that’s a perfect fit for your client. Giving a newbie their first ever translation job. Helping a new client understand how the process works, and how they can best reach their target overseas markets.

To all other Project Managers out there, you rock! It’s a tough job, but you’re absolutely worth it.

What’s the difference between translation and interpretation?

What’s the difference between translation and interpretation?

Over the last few months I’ve had a couple of job requests that turned out to be for interpreters. If people ask me about my job, often they assume that I’m an interpreter when I say that I’m a translator. Who can blame them for not knowing the difference, when the terms are used interchangeably all the time, especially in films or on TV.

Translators and Interpreters are professional linguists. Both jobs require an in-depth knowledge of their working languages and cultures, but different skill sets are involved.

What’s the difference?

Plainly, translation is writing, and interpretation is speaking. Interpreters work on the spot to orally communicate one language to another, a translator does it in writing.

Here’s a quick breakdown of the main skill requirements for each job.

Interpreters

Work quickly on the spot
Must have good listening skills and the ability to understand and reconvey idioms/jokes into another language
Have the ability to adjust the tone of their language to adapt to the setting (formal/informal etc.)

There are loads of different types of interpreting.

Simultaneous is when interpreters listen to a speech and interpret what the speaker is saying into a different language or sign at the same time. Consecutive interpreters deliver their speech after each sentence or so – normally the original speaker will adjust their pace to allow for this. Whispered interpreters work discretely at close range with one or two listeners in a room. Liaison interpreters ping pong between two languages to help the speakers converse freely.

Interpretation is a forward-facing job, so confidence is important. It’s a different lifestyle. It can be done over the phone or via video call, but interpretation jobs more often involve travelling, sometimes at the very last minute. It’s a varied and exciting job, involving lots of different people and places. Although the work is very much ‘on the spot’, professionals may have had to do prep work beforehand, to understand the company they are working for.

Interpreters can sometimes charge per hour, per half day, or per full day, plus travel, preparation time and accommodation costs.

I’ve seen a lot of interpreters working in the news recently, and I’m in absolute awe of them and their ability to think so fast on the spot. It takes real skill to do that!

Translators

Are good at writing, and use this ability to reproduce the same message and style of the source text into their native language
Are incredibly accurate, as nothing in the source text should be missing from the translation. Whilst interpreters are accurate, sometimes when they are interpreting very fast speech, the most important thing is to get the key message across
Work with CAT tools or other translation tools. Being tech-savvy is a must. There’s a responsibility to keep client documents safe on your system, so security is important
Should only translate into their native language, unless working in a rare language pair
Have to do a fair bit of research to make sure that the translation is accurate and uses the correct terminology. We can’t know everything, but it’s our duty to find out

Most translators work from home, so it can be a solitary position. The good news is that places like LinkedIn and professional associations are a great way of connecting with colleagues. Freelance translation is quite a flexible career, making it ideal if you need to work around other commitments.

We rarely get to meet clients or colleagues in person or speak to them on the phone. The correspondence is normally done via email, although I have had a few initial video calls before, when onboarding.

Translators normally charge a rate per word, or per hour, and this rate normally depends on the complexity of the source text. From experience, I can bash some translations straight out, others have me scratching my head for much longer. Editing and Proofreading is like a box of chocolates, you never know what kind of translation you’re going to get. That’s why an hourly rate is normally applied.

If you’re a French – English interpreter, please connect with me so that I have some names to pass on when I get requests! Otherwise, my first ports of call for interpreters would be the National Register of Public Service Interpreters or the ITI (Institute of Translation and Interpreting) directory.

Can you ask people for work?

Can you ask people for work?

February was a strange month. On paper it was the best month yet, but there was quite a bit of time in the middle of it all where I was twiddling my thumbs, waiting for a job to come in.

So, sometime during the middle of the last week, I decided to be brave and tell one of my clients that I was available. Guess what? They came back with some work for me to do within two hours.

That was an important lesson for me. I’m a freelancer, my clients aren’t tracking my every move, so keeping them vaguely abreast of my movements and schedule isn’t a bad plan.

This is a slightly unusual situation, as I’m talking about a direct client with our own agreement, but it got me wondering whether I should be contacting the agencies I’m registered with more often. I asked my LinkedIn network what they thought, and the general consensus from more experienced translators was that it’s not a bad idea to contact agency clients once in a while to let them know what you’ve been up to and that you’re now available to work on projects.

It makes perfect sense to me, as I know it’s easy to get forgotten by Project Managers who are juggling lots of jobs and working with loads of people. I’ve had translators touch base with me in the same way in the past and it was a good reminder of their existence, plus, it’s always nice to hear from people that want to work with you again.

I think it’s important not to overdo this though, because a reasonable reason not to be contacted by your clients might be that there’s no suitable work available.

It looks like communicating availability is a bit of a balance, between sending clients semi-regular updates to remind them that you’re available and what you specialise in, but not going overboard and pestering them.

I’m thinking about experimenting with a ‘catch-up’ email to my agency clients next week to see if it leads anywhere. What do you think?

Are test translations worth the effort?

Are test translations worth the effort?

If you’re relatively new to freelancing like me, you’re probably spending some your working time doing test translations for agencies. I’ve seen a bit of discussion about them on LinkedIn recently – you seem to tolerate them or despise them. Reading people’s opinions has given me a chance to re-evaluate what I think about them.

If you’re not sure what I’m talking about, test translations are normally sent out by translation agencies as part of their onboarding process for hiring new freelance linguists. Sometimes they’re paid, but mostly you’ll be asked to do it for free. It really depends on what type of agency you’re working with, but the fact is most people can get away with asking for a free test, so they will.

From the other side of the fence, most agencies will have a policy that they can’t use translators they don’t know, or sign off work by someone new until it’s been checked by a separate linguist beforehand. For this reason, it’s easier to use a linguist straight off the database. Using an unknown for a job could jeopardise delivery (and be costly) if the translation isn’t up to standard and has to be repaired by someone else.

Once you’re on an agency’s books, they might sometimes offer translation samples by different translators when trying to land a client. This way, the client can choose their preferred writing style. Up to you, but in this scenario I would want to be paid for that kind of test, which should be factored into their marketing or job budget.

When it comes to doing tests for potential new agency clients, I don’t mind doing them for free if they’re less than 400 words. That’s because I enjoy the opportunity to try out translating new texts or subjects, and you also get free feedback on your work from another linguist, which can be very helpful.

Of course, there are some downsides to test translations. They are by definition testing. They can be gruelling and time consuming. There’s nearly always a red herring thrown in, and when there isn’t, I always find myself spending extra time looking for something that isn’t there. Like with all translation, it’s subjective, and in the hands of whoever is checking it. I like to think that agencies will either do the checking in house, or only ask a linguist that they completely trust to avoid any bias. There is of course also the risk of spending precious time taking a test and not getting much work in return. It’s a legitimate concern, and the reason why I tend to do tests in my own time, so that they don’t get in the way of paid work. I haven’t had it happen to me, but I’ve heard some horror stories about scammers sending out unpaid ‘tests’ to several people, then stitching them together and sending them on to paying clients. To avoid falling into this trap, do a background check of the person or agency you’re in contact with, and don’t translate anything too long. The ProZ scams forum is useful for double checking before investing. If you’re not keen on doing free tests, you could suggest sending over sample translations or references instead – it’s better than cutting off any potential for collaboration outright, anyway.

I look on these tests as a dry run of a real job – for both parties. You can tell how you’re going to work together, in terms of professional conduct and punctuality. There’s not normally strict deadlines for tests, but getting it done quickly, or pre-warning that you’re busy for X amount of days and will do it after then is a good indicator of how you would treat a real job. If you take a long time to deliver the test, it could imply that you’re not that bothered about their custom. It works the other way too. Quick deadlines are unreasonable when you have to prioritise paid work, and indicate how they might operate in a real job scenario. Taking too long to get back to you with feedback is also poor.

So, what do you think about taking test translations? I don’t mind them, as I can understand why they’re sometimes necessary. Hopefully they can lead to a long and fruitful collaboration. If you’re looking for a French – English translator to work with, and you think my profile fits the bill, send me a test! I’d love to show you what I can do.

Let’s talk about rates, baby.

Well, this issue has cropped up a few times this week as I’ve been meeting with lots of new and potential clients.

Blast from the past.

I had an email clear out on Monday and found an email from a decade ago. A translation agency had contacted me when I was a student, told me how great my profile looked, and asked me what I charged for translation. My rate didn’t go down well with them. How ludicrous of me for wanting to charge double what they were paying freelancers! I was easy prey, as an unexperienced translator. I did wonder, on balance, whether being paid dirt cheap rates was the easiest way to get that translation experience that most reputable agencies ask for. This is the main reason why I went in another direction and got a job as a Project Manager, because I couldn’t afford to work for next to nothing.

Nothing’s changed.

Since going freelance at the end of last year, it’s happened again, but I’m tougher now. My bills are higher, and I need to pay them. This week, I was in contact with someone who wanted to pay me the equivalent of £10 per hour for translation. To be fair to them, it’s above the National Minimum wage. Unfortunately for me it doesn’t include Income Tax and National Insurance contributions, cost of equipment and software, allowances for heating and powering my place of work, pension contributions, professional indemnity insurance, and membership to associations, so no, I don’t feel guilty in any way about charging more.

If someone tells me I’m too expensive, I move on. I know I’m not too expensive, they just don’t want to pay me.

Hold your nerve.

If it’s not worth your time, honestly you’re better off without them. Better payers do exist, and they want you. There are plenty of agencies that can afford the going rate and make a healthy markup (which I’m 100% here for by the way, those Project Managers work hard for the money). From a Project Manager’s perspective: yes, some translators did charge more than I could afford to pay them, but these people were probably more used to dealing with direct clients, and to be honest, didn’t really need work from me.

Nope, I’m not going to tell you what to charge.

Lots of people will tell you to work out your rates based on what you want to earn in relation to your productivity, remembering that you won’t be getting work all of the time. This is good advice. Bear in mind though that there will be a price range that others in your language combination charge, and you really need to sit within that range. Too low = not sustainable, and unhelpful as it contributes to driving down industry rates altogether, which is not good for anyone. Too high = go for it, but you might find that your work comes from direct clients rather than agencies, so you have to do extra work to get then and maintain them as a result, so it’s fair that you charge more.

You’ll find it hard to find translator’s rate on the internet, if that’s what you’re looking for. It really depends on the language combination, and the country they live in.

If you’re here to find out how much I charge, I’ve got no problem telling you in an email or DM. It’s not a dirty little secret. I just don’t want to profess it publicly and have it come back to bite me later when someone comes to me with an incredibly complex translation that requires extra research and time. I reserve the right to charge a bit extra for that.

So in summary, this is your business, and it’s your decision to charge whatever you want for your services. Don’t let people take advantage of you, there are some good agencies out there that will pay you properly. You’re worth it.

I took Memsource’s Certified User test. Here’s what I thought of it.

I took Memsource’s Certified User test. Here’s what I thought of it.

Last year, I decided to take Memsource’s Certified User test because I wanted to refresh my skills. I’d noticed a few new small features had been added, and wanted to make sure that I was making the most of its functionality.

The training materials were four videos, about an hour long each, covering a range of areas. Some of the areas of training were quite complex. I had to watch one part of a training video several times to fully understand one of the concepts.

It took me about a day and an evening of watching the training videos and running practices in Memsource to feel ready to take the test. Once you take the test, you have 45 minutes to complete it. The pass rate is quite high, and if you’re not successful you have to wait 6 months before attempting to re-take it.

I found that the test covered some of the basics that a proficient Memsource User would already know (before taking the training). Everything else had been covered by the training videos. Annoyingly, there was only one question on the concept I spent ages studying for, but thankfully it wasn’t a waste of time, as I used this new knowledge a couple of weeks later at work when I was setting up a new project.

Overall, I found it nice and straightforward. It was multiple choice, which is the kind of format that suits me well. It’s not the kind of multiple-choice test answers you can breeze through – you have to know your stuff to get it right.

Once completed, I received an email back almost straightaway with my test results. I was feeling a bit less than averagely confident, as I knew that a couple of the questions had stumped me, so all of the rest I had to get right.

Ta da! I was genuinely so pleased to read that I’d successfully passed the test with a score of 87.9% that I immediately downloaded and printed off the certificate and sent a picture of it to my family, who immediately said, “Well done! What is it though?!”.

As well as the snazzy certificate, you also have the opportunity to be listed on their website, with a Certified User profile and location pin on their Certified Users and Trainers Map. There’s also an official badge which you can download and use on your CV and social media profiles.

Was it worth it?

I would say absolutely, yes. The free training was a great opportunity to refresh my Memsource skills. Having the Certified User status has already been beneficial to me in my freelance career. Several clients have noticed the badge on my LinkedIn profile or CV, and having proof of my competence has been a bit of a crowd-puller. They also offer a Student Certification program, which I haven’t tried, but I wish I’d had access to when I was studying.

I’ve signed up to the Certified Trainer program for Spring 2022 with a hope that I can learn more about advanced Memsource functionality, and maybe offer my training services to others in future.

Has anybody else taken the test? Let me know what you thought of it.

How to get in with translation agencies

How to get in with translation agencies

Are you looking to expand your potential agency client base? Don’t make the mistake of firing off CVs to hundreds of general email addresses – in my experience it has quite a low success rate. If your CV does reach the project management team, you have to hope that it’s memorable, or they are looking for a translator in your exact combination and specialism the moment they receive it. Lots of translation agencies have boxes on their websites, where you can fill in your details and attach a CV to be added to their database. This again isn’t always very fruitful, as they will get hundreds of these requests. One of the best things you can do is market yourself to be visible for when a project manager is actively looking for someone.

LinkedIn is a brilliant networking tool, and as a project manager I get requests to connect from translators every day. This isn’t a bad idea – many professionals put their specialisms and language combinations in their bio, which makes it easy for me to scan through my contacts when I’m looking for a linguist. I would advise against calling yourself a student or an aspiring translator, because to me that just translates as inexperienced. I will say though, of the hundreds of translators that have requested to connect with me, I have been much more likely to connect with those that write a personalised message with their request to explain who they are, and the ones that I remember are the ones that are regularly posting on LinkedIn, marketing themselves. LinkedIn is also a great way to get recommended by translation colleagues, who might put your name forward if they are contacted for work that they are unable to take on.

Project managers also look for people on sites like ProZ.com. Get your online profile out there as much as possible, so that you can be reached on various platforms. Fill out as much information as possible. Outsourcers won’t always have time to ask you questions back and forth for time-sensitive jobs, so if they can tell from your profile that you would be a good candidate, it would be a good start. Professional bodies such as the ITI and the CIOL also have member profiles – very useful to show that you are a committed professional, as some other sites are not regulated. Again, fill out your profile as completely as possible, so that your client can find you if they’re looking for you.

Many agencies will ask you to do a test translation before officially signing you up. Some will pay for this, others will ask it to be done for free. If you’re comfortable to do it for free, take care to make sure that it’s not too long – under 300 words should be about right. Always ask for feedback, it shows that you are committed to collaborating with them. Get the conversations about prices over with beforehand. If they won’t pay your rates, it’s better to know this before wasting any more time.

Hurrah! You’ve got over all of the hurdles, and been given some work by a reputable agency. It goes without saying that you should take extra care to research and proofread your work, and don’t let these standards slip if you become a regular. Make sure that your end work is polished, and you deliver work in the same format it was given to you. Follow all of the client’s procedures for delivering files, and most importantly, deliver by the agreed time. If you prove yourself to be good quality and reliable, they will come back.

Good luck!