Category: Client Zone

?How to Help Your Clients Achieve the Perfect Translation

Posted on by drawingboarddesign in Client Zone, Inspiration, Professionalism, Translation

The first step to helping client’s get the translation they want is good communication between translator and writer. This is important so that you, as the translator, know the unique goals of the project and ensure the best possible translation project is created! Good communication starts with the basics – listening skills, and an ability to professionally and assertively state yourself both in written and verbal ways. Most translators possess these skills, some clients may not. Here are ways to encourage your clients towards the best outcome possible.

  • Encourage specific communication about budget and timeline.
  • Have your client state their main objective for the translation
  • Encourage your client to be organized with project documents
  • Communicate your own boundaries
  • Know your limits and communicate them

Stating or negotiating prices is often difficult to discuss yet it is fundamental when kicking off a project. Some clients come with a price in mind and some don’t know where to start. Encouraging your client to name a price, start a negotiation, or discuss this part of contracting can be a challenge when they don’t. Using language that is curious, open and inviting can help this process along. Equally important is the timeline of the project. Knowing when the project needs to be completed will help you in planning, but will also help the professional relationship as expectations will be set, maintained, and managed if this is all discussed up front.

Do you know what your client is trying to achieve with their translation? Did they communicate what the goal of the project is?  Once this is clarified with the client, it allows you as the translator to better integrate their voice with yours, producing a piece of work that aligns with the client’s needs.

You need things from your client in order to be effective and efficient for them. You need contracts signed, receipts, and of course, the documents to be translated. Missing documents, incomplete work, and late add-ons can result in deadlines missed and your additional work inaccurately reflected in the negotiated fee. The more organized and complete the source content, the easier it will be to ensure success.

Some clients assume you are available for them much of the time. Some expect emails returned within a few hours and may become persistent if this isn’t the case.  It is good practice to communicate to your clients your availability, such as when you spend time responding to emails, what a reasonable turnaround time is for correspondence, and what days you work and which you do not.  You can set an out of office email reminder that tells your clients you are not actively responding to emails at the present time. Being clear on your professional boundaries not only helps the progress of the project, but it supports your personal and self-care time, as well.

It is okay to be the person who doesn’t always say “yes”. Allow yourself to turn down projects if you have taken on too much, or the project isn’t a good fit for you.  In those rare occasions, it is okay to ask for a deadline extension, within reason and with good arguments as to why you need more time. Likely, your clients with respect and honor your ability to maintain your limits and will appreciate your dedication to ongoing communication and client – translator relationship building.

6 qualities that set a translation professional apart from an amateur

Posted on by drawingboarddesign in Client Zone, Interpretation, Translation

After hours of scrolling through online profiles of prospective translators, flipping pages of portfolios and references, how do you land on a top few? Or maybe it’s your first time engaging a translator in a project, or you’re partnering up with a new person. What qualities and experiences beyond the professional platitudes found in resumes signal real professionalism?

Before committing to a candidate, get to know them and learn about their approach to translation. Try arranging an informal chat or a call to discuss the nuances of a job and determine if it’s a fit. In preparation for your first conversation, review these hallmarks that can help tell a seasoned translation professional from an amateur.

1) An adept translator will take time to understand your needs. Rather than saying yes to a project from the outset, they will take the time to delve into the details, discuss timelines, and expected outcomes. Discussing a job should look like a full-blown conversation rather than a monologue—not only will it give you reassurance that a candidate is in fact qualified, but also that they are keen on engaging with you, collecting information, and learning more about your business.

2) A professional might not be a Jack of all trades. In other words, if a legal translator is willing to take on an academic paper on trenchless technologies in engineering, they might be overly-ambitions. While a legal translator might be perfectly suited to tackle accounting documentation, if they claim a full mastery of two drastically different fields, be sure they are not exaggerating.

3) A master translator will know their approach to translation. Even though you might not know much about translation theory, ask a prospect how they go about translating a complex, heavily technical documents, where they search new terminology, and how they keep track of the jargon they specialize in. Let their personality come through as they share some of their professional challenges and successes.

4) An accomplished translator possesses specific topical knowledge. On top of fluency in at least two languages, they can hold an educated conversation on the topic of your translation project, and have a firm grasp of the topic.

5) A skillful translator takes interest in the field and is genially passionate about translation. They invest time in honing their skills, growing, and learning. They are members of professional organizations, frequent workshops, and seminars.

6) A professional asks for more context, as needed. With experience comes the confidence to admit that our knowledge is limited. An expert translator might ask for more background information on a project, additional resources, or a contact who might be able to help. They won’t shy away from sharing their concerns, doubts, or dilemmas.

While your initial search might not screen out translation dilettantes from experts, have your questions ready to make the right pick. Even though a prospect might not have the most experience in the field, they might demonstrate superb knowledge of their field, great research skills, attention to detail, a well-grounded approach to translation, professional honesty and integrity—all the key elements to translate your project right.

How to choose a translator or interpreter for life

Posted on by drawingboarddesign in Client Zone, Interpretation, Translation

Let’s be honest – a professional interpreter who knows the topic of your conference as much as you do is hard to find. An interpreter who thinks on their feet and doesn’t lose their cool when discussions start to heat up, or a translator capable of digesting your technical report can be your business supporters for life.

1) Chose a certified translator over a professional with a degree in languages. Although fluency in at least two languages is a must when it comes to translation and interpreting, there is more to the profession than language proficiency. Professional translators undergo specialized training that covers topics such as ethics, different approaches to translation based on the source text, localization and domestication, and untranslatability, along with other notions pertinent to translation studies. Linguistics is usually a heavy component of a translator’s and interpreter’s training; however, what really sets them apart from foreign language students is hands-on skills tackling various topics and genres of text.

This is especially true for interpreters as their craft requires a very unique skillset: the ability to grasp a foreign text and translate it into a different language, to rearrange sentences and juggle words all while staying on topic and on time.

2)  Pick someone with translation or interpreting experience in your field. Even better, a translator or interpreter who’s also familiar with adjacent topics. The more exposure they get to the jargon and set expressions used in your area, the more efficient and accurate they will be working with you.

If you can, request a few samples of previous work or a list references – chances are, your potential translator is storing, in hard copies or electronically, files and projects they delivered for other portfolios. When reviewing work samples, zero in on flow and precision: do the chosen words convey the intended meaning and how well do they go together?

3) Try to connect with a potential candidate beforehand. A true connection and mutual understanding are hard to beat. Working with someone you click with energizes your routine and adds more flavour to the work you do. Finding your translator or interpreter goes beyond experience and certification; it’s a feeling of trust and compatibility, topped off with a strong skillset. When it comes to interpreting, building rapport and trust will alleviate any work-related tensions and elevate the overall quality of the assignment.

3) If you can, provide the translator with as much background information as possible. Who is your target audience and what do they expect from you – and the translator or interpreter? Is there a sample document they can review? Do you have a list of specific terms and expressions that will most likely be used in a meeting or conference? Any particular jargon only you and your clients use?

4) Upon completion of the project, follow up with the translator. Whether you’re happy with the service or not, let the translator or interpreter know how they did, what you liked about the service and what they could potentially improve on for future. Just like in any relationship – professional and personal – honesty is the best policy.

 

Setting Up for Success: How to work with a translator

Posted on by drawingboarddesign in Client Zone, Field, Industry Tips, Professionalism, Translation

So, you’ve evaluated your translation needs, made a search on the ATIA membership directory or connected with a good translation agency, and assessed your candidate’s qualifications to find someone professional, trained, and deeply experienced in the exact area of translation that you need. Now, how to optimize your working relationship with this translator?

Good communication is key to any working relationship. Provide a detailed description of the services you need and a clear outline of requirements and deliverables. With a comprehensive understanding of the nature and complexity of the project, the translator will be able to not only provide you with a more accurate picture of cost and delivery time, but also flag any potential challenges or stumbling blocks.

It is important for both client and translator to set clear, agreed upon terms and conditions from the beginning. When agreeing to hire a translator, make sure that you have the answers to the following questions:

How does the translator charge? You’ve probably already considered how much the translator charges, but make sure you understand how he or she charges – per page, per target word or per source word? If the translator charges per source word, the cost will be based on the number of words in the document you provide. If the charge is based on the number of target words, or the words in the translated document, the final cost will vary depending on whether the target language tends to use more or fewer words than the source language.

Does the translator include revisions in their cost estimate? If so, how many and with what turnaround time? Revisions and comments are an expected part of any writing project, so it is best to make clear and agreed upon arrangements in advance about how comments and revisions will be handled.

What file format will the completed translation be provided in? Make sure that the translator knows how to provide the finished work to best suit your needs.

What are the translator’s confidentiality policies and practices? Translation agencies will have their own confidentiality policies in place, but a freelance translator may not. Note that all ATIA members are bound by a Code of Ethics that protects your confidentiality. When in doubt, ask for an ATIA-Certified Translator.  

Ask about discounts for large volume jobs, redundant translations or not-for-profit clients. Not all translators will provide discounts, but it is worth making inquiries about discounts at the outset of a project rather than during the course of the work or after receiving an invoice.

And finally, make sure you understand the terms of conditions of payment and pay your invoice in a timely manner!

Establishing a clear understanding of your project’s priorities and needs and your translator’s practices at the outset of the project is the best way to set yourself up for a successful working relationship!

The Right Person for the Job: Choosing a Translator

Posted on by drawingboarddesign in Client Zone, Industry Tips, Translation

A quick search online for any given language pairing could bring up pages and pages of translators working all over the world. How do you sort the true professionals from the crowd? How do you make sure that you will get the product you need? Choosing the right translator for a job can seem overwhelming at first, but there are some steps you can take to simplify the process and make a hiring decision with confidence.

Evaluate the nature of your project and identify its needs. What is the content that you need translated, and who is your target audience? You wouldn’t hire a technical writer who is proficient in writing software manuals to write snappy social media content. Like any other kind of writing, translation requires a sensitivity to the connotations and nuance of language, and some translators will be more experienced and adept at translating certain types of content than others.

Also determine whether your document is required to be translated by a Certified Translator, such as a passport, birth certificate or marriage certificate, and whether it needs to be notarized.

Consider your resources. What information and resources can you provide your translator to support them in delivering the product that you need? Previously translated materials can provide a sense of tone, style, and vocabulary. A style guide or glossary can provide a set of standards and preferred vocabulary.

Consider how you will evaluate the quality of the translation upon completion. This is a unique challenge of hiring translation services. If you need to hire a translator, you are probably in a poor position to assess the work of that translator. Before hiring a translator, find out whether they include proofreading by a second translator in the cost of their services and, if not, consider finding a second translator to provide proofreading services.

Narrow your options by using a professional association’s directory or by working with a reputable Language Services Provider. Professional associations such as the Association of Translators and Interpreters of Alberta (ATIA) have membership requirements such as a Code of Ethics and Certification exams that guarantee a level of training, experience and professionalism.

A good Language Service Provider (LSP) will act as an intermediary and match you with a translator suited to your project. They will charge a fee over the translator’s payment. Bear in mind, however, that some agencies do not necessarily work with Certified Translators so ask for an ATIA-Certified Translator to ensure quality and confidentiality.

Examine your candidates’ qualifications. Making your search through a professional association’s membership directory will connect you with professionals bound by a Code of Ethics and subject to standardized membership requirements. Beyond those credentials, also consider whether someone is a native speaker in the target language, what formal training they have as a translator, and perhaps most importantly, how experienced they are. Of course, credentials and greater experience will be reflected in a translator’s rates.