Interpreting for agencies Thread poster: Gabriela Luta (X)
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Gabriela Luta (X) 
Ireland
Local time: 02:40
Spanish to English
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Hello everyone,
I have a question for all of you who are more experienced in freelancing. I have recently been approached by more than one translation company to provide interpreting services for one of my language pairs (English-Romanian). Is it possible to work for more than one translation/interpreting agency? I am new at this and I could use some advice.
Thanks,
Gabriela
| | | | Edward Vreeburg
Netherlands
Local time: 01:40
Member (2008)
English to Dutch
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Yes you can work for more than one agency, you are not em;poyed by this agency, you accept an assignment each time they call you, right?
There may be some ethics involved if they send you to the same end client, in which case I would contact agency A (the one you work most for) and tell them agency B (new agency) has offered you the same job. They might have lost the contract or something but at least they now know you had nothing to do with it....
Ed
| | | | Joanna Rączka
Poland
Local time: 01:40
Member (2009)
English to Polish
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| one at a time | Oct 28, 2009 |
The only problem with working with two or more agencies is when they offer you an assingment on the same day. Unless you can be at the same time in two different places. Generally we all work for a few agencies and direct clients as well.
| | | | | I work for about three dozen agencies. | Oct 28, 2009 |
It's a common practice, to my knowledge. In fact, to stick to one agency only is rather uncommon.
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Edward Vreeburg wrote:
Yes you can work for more than one agency, you are not em;poyed by this agency, you accept an assignment each time they call you, right?
There may be some ethics involved if they send you to the same end client, in which case I would contact agency A (the one you work most for) and tell them agency B (new agency) has offered you the same job. They might have lost the contract or something but at least they now know you had nothing to do with it....
Ed
There shouldn't be an ethics issue here, as long as you set your rates and stick to them. Of course you can vary them in accordance to payment terms. An agency paying you in 60 days (if you accept that - I don't!) should pay more than one that has an envelope with cash ready to give you as soon as you are finished.
If you are in such high demand, maybe you should require a 50% payment in advance on the booking. This will ensure that you'll get compensation if they cancel. You may even state that this advance is fully refundable, say, (you decide) if the cancellation is made with at least two weeks' advance, half-refundable for cancellations made at least one week before the booking, and non-refundable thereafter.
If you don't do it, the worst that can happen is that you'll honor Agency A's booking, so you'll turn down a concomitant job for Agency B, which will have to hire someone else. Then, if A cancels on a last-moment notice, you'll have lost TWO jobs.
I don't know you, but I'm sure we have one thing in common: both of us have 24 hours per day, 7 days per week. We've gotta sell them the best way each of us can.
| | | | | | Liviu-Lee Roth
United States
Local time: 19:40
Romanian to English
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I work the same pair ENRO, but in the US. For almost fifteens years I have been working with twelve agencies, and never had a problem; most agencies have a "cancellation policy" therefore no need for me to ask for a retainer.
Being a freelancer there is no conflict of interest if you choose agency A (who pays better) over agency B for the same job. There shouldn't be any ethics problem because you can receive ONLY ONE work order(WO), that means there is no way that two agencies might send... See more I work the same pair ENRO, but in the US. For almost fifteens years I have been working with twelve agencies, and never had a problem; most agencies have a "cancellation policy" therefore no need for me to ask for a retainer.
Being a freelancer there is no conflict of interest if you choose agency A (who pays better) over agency B for the same job. There shouldn't be any ethics problem because you can receive ONLY ONE work order(WO), that means there is no way that two agencies might send you for the same job. Always confirm receiving the order from the agency.
Joanna is right: there are days (not too often for our pair) when a RO interpreter is needed in two different places: depending on how flexible they are, you may be able to make arrangements to work both cases.
Good Luck !
Liviu ▲ Collapse
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