| Pages in topic: [1 2 3] > | Poll: What's the maximum acceptable number of words for a free translation test? Thread poster: ProZ.com Staff
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This forum topic is for the discussion of the poll question "What's the maximum acceptable number of words for a free translation test?".
This poll was originally submitted by Yuliya Kinash. View the poll results »
| | | | | Can't believe that | Dec 8, 2010 |
so far, nearly 90% of the people say that they are willing to do free translation test which is a total waste of time...
| | | | Adnan Özdemir 
Türkiye
Local time: 08:24
Member (2007)
German to Turkish
+ ...
I accept rarely translation tests. But if I accept 100 - 300w normal I think (imho).
Saludos desde Estambul
İstanbul'dan selamlar
[Edited at 2010-12-08 13:22 GMT]
| | | | Anna Katikhina
United States
Local time: 22:24
English to Russian
+ ...
I do accept translation tests sometimes, usually when I have time. I only accept texts up to 250 words. If the test text was chosen wisely, it will be enough to assess the translator.
I don't think I have to mention dozens of 'potential clients' with complete technical sheets/researches/other docs as 'translation tests'.
One lady sent a 750+ word text as a test. After I explained about 250 words she sent the same text where she had highlighted the most difficult words ... See more I do accept translation tests sometimes, usually when I have time. I only accept texts up to 250 words. If the test text was chosen wisely, it will be enough to assess the translator.
I don't think I have to mention dozens of 'potential clients' with complete technical sheets/researches/other docs as 'translation tests'.
One lady sent a 750+ word text as a test. After I explained about 250 words she sent the same text where she had highlighted the most difficult words and word combinations and asked me to only translate them ("now it's even less than 250!") ▲ Collapse
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Yasutomo Kanazawa wrote:
so far, nearly 90% of the people say that they are willing to do free translation test which is a total waste of time...
Maybe because it's not a total waste of time?
| | | | Anna Michlik
Poland
Local time: 07:24
Spanish to Polish
+ ...
| Urgent test translations ;) | Dec 8, 2010 |
I've done some short test translations but now I agree with Yasutomo: it was a total waste of time.
What is particularly funny is that some clients ask for so-called test translations empasizing that they are really urgent and must be done for the next morning... OMG.
| | | | | It can be long but it should not be a fraud | Dec 8, 2010 |
Test translation can be as long as it is required for employer to make his choice. The problem is not in the length of test translation but in the existence of swindlers who send out pieces of a project as test translations without any plans of employing anybody. Also I consider to be totally immoral the practice of some translation agencies which required their freelancers to do a test translation for each project. It's like, say, requiring factory workers to take a skill test each Monday to wi... See more Test translation can be as long as it is required for employer to make his choice. The problem is not in the length of test translation but in the existence of swindlers who send out pieces of a project as test translations without any plans of employing anybody. Also I consider to be totally immoral the practice of some translation agencies which required their freelancers to do a test translation for each project. It's like, say, requiring factory workers to take a skill test each Monday to win the right to work until Friday. ▲ Collapse
| | | | Anja Weggel
Local time: 07:24
Member (2007)
English to German
| positive experience with tests | Dec 8, 2010 |
When roaming the forum, I notice that translation tests do not seem to be very popular. So far, I have had quite a different experience. Yes, some tests did not yield results but the majority brought me new customers so I disagree with the "it is a total waste of time".
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Vera Schoen
Sweden
Local time: 07:24
Member (2008)
German to Swedish
+ ...
| Why the reluctance | Dec 8, 2010 |
I don’t understand the reluctance to undertake a small, free translation test...
Not everyone emerges as a translator with a full set of clients
Most of the agencies I work on a regular basis with today, first contacted me with the request to perform a short (max. 300 words) test translation free of charge. I was happy to do so and gained clients!
As long as the request for a short test translation is ... See more I don’t understand the reluctance to undertake a small, free translation test...
Not everyone emerges as a translator with a full set of clients
Most of the agencies I work on a regular basis with today, first contacted me with the request to perform a short (max. 300 words) test translation free of charge. I was happy to do so and gained clients!
As long as the request for a short test translation is addressed to me personally, includes a presentation of the agency and/or the person writing, and is within my fields of specialisation, I honestly can’t see how it could be a waste of time...
Vera ▲ Collapse
| | | | | Style and ´Schools of thought´ | Dec 8, 2010 |
I have proofread texts for colleagues who should have been working in other fields...
I particularly remember one, who was, I believe, very good at law, but could make a marketing text sound as if it was written by a legal draftsman.
I know some clients like my style, and others do not.
There are times when that sort of thing is important, and if the client and translator do not suit each other, then it is best to part before there is trouble.
There a... See more I have proofread texts for colleagues who should have been working in other fields...
I particularly remember one, who was, I believe, very good at law, but could make a marketing text sound as if it was written by a legal draftsman.
I know some clients like my style, and others do not.
There are times when that sort of thing is important, and if the client and translator do not suit each other, then it is best to part before there is trouble.
There are also ´schools of thought´ in terminology, and it is not always easy to adapt from one to another if one is an expert in the field.
Apart from that, there are translators who simply do not know the terminology in a particular subject area, and are not qualified to work in it. They are not always aware of it themselves...
I do tests, and I have actually received positive feedback and even jobs from clients. In other cases I have been quite relieved not to hear more from that client - the particular test and tone of the correspondence were enough to show me what THEY were like.
It goes both ways...
[Edited at 2010-12-08 16:43 GMT] ▲ Collapse
| | | | neilmac
Spain
Local time: 07:24
Spanish to English
+ ...
Not any more, ever since I got stung by a a couple of providers who approached me via proz. One of them, who dispùted the amount of words finally delivered after the "sample" became longer and longer, has a very good Blue Board rating so maybe my case was a one-off (I'm afraid I have very little patience when my integrity is called into question). The other putative client was from a country too far away to send the boys round so I put that down to experience also. Twice bitten, thrice shy.
... See more Not any more, ever since I got stung by a a couple of providers who approached me via proz. One of them, who dispùted the amount of words finally delivered after the "sample" became longer and longer, has a very good Blue Board rating so maybe my case was a one-off (I'm afraid I have very little patience when my integrity is called into question). The other putative client was from a country too far away to send the boys round so I put that down to experience also. Twice bitten, thrice shy.
My reaction when asked for these things nowadays tends to be "google me"... ▲ Collapse
| | | | Mark Nathan
France
Local time: 07:24
Member (2002)
French to English
+ ...
| The only tests I do | Dec 8, 2010 |
are short ones, 200 words max, for agencies with whom I have worked for a long time and who are "bidding" for a job. They always offer to pay me even if we don't get the job, which is not very often.
[Edited at 2010-12-08 10:22 GMT]
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Karin Usher
United Kingdom
Local time: 06:24
Member (2006)
English to Portuguese
+ ...
| I never ask for test translations... | Dec 8, 2010 |
As a translator I was never asked to do a test translation, but I would probably translate up to 300 words free of charge.
However, now that I run my own agency, I feel uncomfortable asking someone to do something for free, so what I do is send very small projects initially to assess the translator's abilities - but always paid.
There are some translators that translate very small senteces now and then, and even though I offer to pay, they refuse to charge me. But these... See more As a translator I was never asked to do a test translation, but I would probably translate up to 300 words free of charge.
However, now that I run my own agency, I feel uncomfortable asking someone to do something for free, so what I do is send very small projects initially to assess the translator's abilities - but always paid.
There are some translators that translate very small senteces now and then, and even though I offer to pay, they refuse to charge me. But these are translators that work regularly with us and don't mind sorting our tiny texts of 20 - 30 words now and then, which happens rarely fortunately.
▲ Collapse
| | | | Interlangue (X)
Angola
Local time: 07:24
English to French
+ ...
As far as I can remember, I've been asked to do a free translation test (3 texts actually) by one agency in the past 23 years. They were in no hurry - but they have a reputation on the market of not being in a hurry to pay either. I never sent the translation.
I sometimes do test translations (paid) and I sometimes translate for free (long time clients)... Or rather, those "free translations" are paid with a box of chocolates, a bunch of flowers, dinner out, etc.  ... See more As far as I can remember, I've been asked to do a free translation test (3 texts actually) by one agency in the past 23 years. They were in no hurry - but they have a reputation on the market of not being in a hurry to pay either. I never sent the translation.
I sometimes do test translations (paid) and I sometimes translate for free (long time clients)... Or rather, those "free translations" are paid with a box of chocolates, a bunch of flowers, dinner out, etc. ▲ Collapse
| | | | | its funny, but u r right | Dec 8, 2010 |
Anna Katikhina wrote: I do accept translation tests sometimes, usually when I have time. I only accept texts up to 250 words. If the test text was chosen wisely, it will be enough to assess the translator. I don't think I have to mention dozens of 'potential clients' with complete technical sheets/researches/other docs as 'translation tests'. One lady sent a 750+ word text as a test. After I explained about 250 words she sent the same text where she had highlighted the most difficult words and word combinations and asked me to only translate them ("now it's even less than 250!")
Dunno why but when I say I actually don't work for free, clients get offended and say I am not the person to deal with. Now that is what offends me.
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