| Pages in topic: [1 2] > | Poll: If a potential client doesn't get back to you after a translation test, you... Thread poster: ProZ.com Staff
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This forum topic is for the discussion of the poll question "If a potential client doesn't get back to you after a translation test, you...".
This poll was originally submitted by Alicia Casal. View the poll results »
| | | | neilmac
Spain
Local time: 19:44
Spanish to English
+ ...
Like the song from Frozen. If they can't be bothered getting back to me, why should I bother pestering them?
| | | | Tom in London
United Kingdom
Local time: 18:44
Member (2008)
Italian to English
| I just forget about it and..... | Nov 9, 2021 |
....I no longer do these tests.
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These days I’m rarely asked for a test but when I’m asked for a quote some potential clients tend to disappear as quickly as they came. Once in a while, though I have received an e-mail saying that my test was approved, work never materialized. On the other hand, I have had at least one case where an agency came back a few years later offering me a project.
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Hello, I think that the translation industry, like any other business, is very much about communication. And communicating with our clients is all the more necessary since as freelance translators we often work remotely. If I have taken the time to proceed with a translation test, I find it appropriate to ask the client or the agency for their feedback at least once. If the result is not satisfactory, they will let you know anyway. In my experience, even if the result was very good (revised file... See more Hello, I think that the translation industry, like any other business, is very much about communication. And communicating with our clients is all the more necessary since as freelance translators we often work remotely. If I have taken the time to proceed with a translation test, I find it appropriate to ask the client or the agency for their feedback at least once. If the result is not satisfactory, they will let you know anyway. In my experience, even if the result was very good (revised file received) the reason why there was no follow-up was: 1. the client did not contact the agency again; 2. the agency has not yet received any actual work from the client - sometimes you just have to be patient. In summary, I would not hesitate to contact them to find out where you stand without wasting much time if there is no follow-up. By the way, I only accept free translation tests of 200 - 250 words maximum. If you ask me this should be a standard. ▲ Collapse
| | | | Baran Keki 
Türkiye
Local time: 20:44
Member
English to Turkish
| Confusing question | Nov 9, 2021 |
Who is the client? Is it a translation agency seeking new translators to expand its database or is it an end client looking to get a project done through a translation agency? If it's the latter, there is no point even asking. If it's the former, and the assessment is done by an external assessor who has no financial relationship with the agency (which never happens in my language pair), I'd ask for feedback. But if the assessment is done by the agency's own 'resources', then I don't care about ... See more Who is the client? Is it a translation agency seeking new translators to expand its database or is it an end client looking to get a project done through a translation agency? If it's the latter, there is no point even asking. If it's the former, and the assessment is done by an external assessor who has no financial relationship with the agency (which never happens in my language pair), I'd ask for feedback. But if the assessment is done by the agency's own 'resources', then I don't care about their feedback.
[Edited at 2021-11-09 10:07 GMT] ▲ Collapse
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... then I assume that they simply used it to fill a gap or to collect certain terminology they need for their databases (or for cheaper colleagues who don't understand the technical subjects and where they just can't exchange a "term" 1:1 ).
| | | | Enrico Zoffoli
Italy
Local time: 19:44
Member (2013)
German to Italian
+ ...
No tests. They should convince me to work for them, not the other way around.
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Robert Forstag
United States
Local time: 13:44
Spanish to English
+ ...
| Would that it were so | Nov 9, 2021 |
Enrico Zoffoli wrote:
No tests. They should convince me to work for them, not the other way around.
More translators need to take this attitude - and have the skills to back it up - in order for this to become the norm.
For now, it is largely a fantasy.
| | | | Baran Keki
Türkiye
Local time: 20:44
Member
English to Turkish
Robert Forstag wrote: Enrico Zoffoli wrote:
No tests. They should convince me to work for them, not the other way around. More translators need to take this attitude - and have the skills to back it up - in order for this to become the norm. For now, it is largely a fantasy.
Tests, required by agencies, would be useless (and they are indeed useless) if they (agencies) bothered to check one's references, testimonials, track record etc. in detail. Judging a person's capacity with a random 200 word piece, assessed, in most cases, by an incompetent person is hardly fair.
[Edited at 2021-11-09 14:36 GMT]
| | | | | Post removed: This post was hidden by a moderator or staff member for the following reason: Empty post. | Abba Storgen (X)
United States
Local time: 12:44
Greek to English
+ ...
| "We need people" - but they don't mean it (it's just to make them look bigger) | Nov 9, 2021 |
-- Recruiters receive bonuses on the numbers they recruit. Hence the "test" is 300 words and simple. They aim to recruit inactive names. Reviewers are existing translators, under conflict of interest. Nobody reviews the reviewer. -- This is just to claim that they have a huge pool of "qualified" translators. Large agencies won't use most of them, ever. Small agencies don't even have enough volume for more than 2-3 translators in the small languages. PM personal preferences and prices rule. It u... See more -- Recruiters receive bonuses on the numbers they recruit. Hence the "test" is 300 words and simple. They aim to recruit inactive names. Reviewers are existing translators, under conflict of interest. Nobody reviews the reviewer. -- This is just to claim that they have a huge pool of "qualified" translators. Large agencies won't use most of them, ever. Small agencies don't even have enough volume for more than 2-3 translators in the small languages. PM personal preferences and prices rule. It used to be so stable that it could qualify as career 20 years ago, now it's just an unpredictable internet gig.
-- Same happens in many other internet-based industries. Lots of signs "We need people", but they don't mean it, it's just to raise their company's profile, to make them look as if they're growing.
[Edited at 2021-11-09 16:20 GMT] ▲ Collapse
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jyuan_us
United States
Local time: 13:44
Member (2005)
English to Chinese
+ ...
| Does it really happen? | Nov 9, 2021 |
I cannot imagine a potential client would simply disappear after you have summitted your translation test. There is no reason for them to do so.
It does happen that a client never gets back to you after informing you that you have passed their translation test.
| | | | Mario Freitas
Brazil
Local time: 14:44
Member (2014)
English to Portuguese
+ ...
| Let it go, of course | Nov 10, 2021 |
It happens all the time. When a potential client needs a professional, they'll send emails to dozens of potential candidates. When they choose one, of course they're not going to reply all the others. You may thing they should, of course, but it's utopia, plus, you wouldn't do it yourself if you were the client. Let's be real. Let it go and move on.
| | | | Mario Freitas
Brazil
Local time: 14:44
Member (2014)
English to Portuguese
+ ...
| About tests... | Nov 10, 2021 |
I know many colleagues don't like the test thing, and many even refuse to do them.
However, I've been there (in the client's place), and I know how it works. Unfortunately, diplomas, courses and certificates aren't even close to being a good criterion to select your professionals. Experience may be a plus, but still not a sufficient criterion. If you have ever worked recruiting translators, you know well that a small test is the one and exclusive way to verify if their work is accurate and... See more I know many colleagues don't like the test thing, and many even refuse to do them.
However, I've been there (in the client's place), and I know how it works. Unfortunately, diplomas, courses and certificates aren't even close to being a good criterion to select your professionals. Experience may be a plus, but still not a sufficient criterion. If you have ever worked recruiting translators, you know well that a small test is the one and exclusive way to verify if their work is accurate and acceptable. So they really have no choice.
And let me add here that most of these clients that apply tests have tried to recruit translators before only using the CV/Portfolio/Etc. criterion, and they all ended up engaging undesirable professionals.
So it's OK if you don't want to take tests. It's your choice and no one can criticize that. But we should always see the other side, too. And the client's side is, the translation test is the only way to know if the translator is good or not. Period.
[Edited at 2021-11-10 12:24 GMT] ▲ Collapse
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