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Forum Newbie
Group: Forum Members
Last Login: 2/26/2010 4:18:58 PM
Posts: 1,
Visits: 335
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| Good morning to everybody: This happened to me yesterday. This chinese agency contacted me for my very first job, of course I was more than exited about and the project was to translate 50 words movie synopsis in which I was changing $5 dollars, yes, $5 dollars and then after she contacted me I said to myself -"I am going to do this for free". She asked me to lower the price and then I said. -"Well... I am the one who speaks Spanish and that is what they need." You can not imagine how exited I was, considering that I am new in this and they were my first clients. Any way I lower the price to $3 dollars, only $3 dollars and then she sent me an email saying that they have contacted other translator but they needed a test on me and if I would please translate the document only like a test on me. YEA, RIGHT!!!!! We get so eager to start working and earning money even a small amount of money, we must not do our work for free, we have a skill that they do not have, they need us. That is all guys, have a great weekend. Olga
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Supreme Being
Group: Forum Members
Last Login: 12/14/2009 5:25:49 AM
Posts: 96,
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Hi Olga,
I'm sorry for your experience, but I believe you have learned your first lesson. I have my own rates and don't negotiate on them. Either the clients want premium quality at average rates, or they want rubbish and in such a case they can use machine translation.
I don't even provide volume discounts: if I have twice as much work, it will take twice as long to finish. That's it. I am a freelancer and I have to clothe and feed myslef.
Also, be extremely cautious to accept jobs from unknown clients, especially if they use public e-mail service (GMail, Yahoo etc.) or if you can't travel to their location to collect any amounts due in person.
That's lesson two. 
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Forum Newbie
Group: Forum Members
Last Login: 3/17/2010 3:07:11 PM
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Dear colleagues,
Wow...thanks for the heads up.
I will be careful.
Luckily I have not meet one yet.
Rose
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Forum Newbie
Group: Forum Members
Last Login: 3/16/2010 12:17:09 AM
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| Agree with you, absolutely ! We have a speciefic skill that people need and we should stand firm and be professional about it. Translation or interpreting is not just looking into a dictionary and copy-pasting words from there.
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Forum Newbie
Group: Forum Members
Last Login: 3/18/2010 10:01:42 AM
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| It is interesting, though, to see just how ignorant people are about the value of translation (I mean people who are not translators): I just saw an ad with someone wanting a 4,200-word translation for $55! And unfortunately, because there are many people/agencies out there who will take such a terribly low offer, it thins the pool for the rest of us who are trying to make a living. Stick to your guns about price: be fair, both to the customer, and to yourself.
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Supreme Being
Group: Forum Members
Last Login: 12/14/2009 5:25:49 AM
Posts: 96,
Visits: 165
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Forum Newbie
Group: Forum Members
Last Login: 3/16/2010 9:59:28 PM
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| You are so right about that translation. I mean $55.00 and they are probably saying that because there are repetitions but what people dont understand is that just because a word is repeated does not mean it will be intepretated the same way. Just sad, so sad.
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Forum Newbie
Group: Forum Members
Last Login: 3/15/2010 9:15:01 AM
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| Hi everybody! I absolutely agree with all of you. We should stand up and fight against low price and garbage produced by people who call themselves translators. Translations is much more than managing a dicctionary!! H&K V.
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Supreme Being
Group: Forum Members
Last Login: 12/14/2009 5:25:49 AM
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I do agree, but only partially. Repetitions usually don't concern single words, but entire segments. A segment can be a word, a sentence, a clause, or a whole paragraph, depending on the segmentation rules. If a sentence repeats, it is usually translated the same way. Of course, there are exceptions but not many.
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Forum Newbie
Group: Forum Members
Last Login: 12/11/2009 6:36:00 AM
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Hi,
I am one of those translators that will accept next to nothing for a job and work myself silly (pulling many all nighters) just to earn a buck. I work for the absurd price of 0,023 ct/word translating seriously difficult technical stuff like diagnostic software.
I consider myself to be a very fine translator - native speaker of both Dutch and English - but due to the fact that I never had an official education I'm not considered to be a 'real' translator in The Netherlands.
Money is extremely tight in my neck of the woods (I can't even afford to become a member here to scout for better jobs) so lets just say I'm happy to pick up the 'cheap leftovers' that you folks won't accept.
All I want to say is that you need to be careful when judging people for their actions. My accepting of 'cheap' jobs is born out of necessity because I just don't qualify for 'better' jobs, despite being a good translator.
Trust me, I'd LOVE to be able to work for better money and be able to spend more time with my kids instead of chugging away for peanuts!
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Forum Newbie
Group: Forum Members
Last Login: 12/15/2009 4:34:22 PM
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Visits: 2
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| Yes, it also has to do with correct spelling.
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Forum Newbie
Group: Forum Members
Last Login: 3/4/2010 1:11:25 AM
Posts: 1,
Visits: 33
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| hey olga,hope you are allright now.i think what Forum Newbie said is true.you will understand the real life.Anyway good luck to us all!
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Forum Newbie
Group: Forum Members
Last Login: 3/18/2010 4:59:19 PM
Posts: 2,
Visits: 214
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| Hi, To the dutch person who says he gets the jobs nobody wants... how do you do it? I don´t find an option to contact the person responsible for the project. To the community: the due date is the date they pick a bidder or the date by which the project has to be submited? I am new and can´t find an answer to those questions. I will have more time to explore this website later on. Thank you in advance and Happy Holidays to all!
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Forum Newbie
Group: Forum Members
Last Login: 3/18/2010 3:45:33 PM
Posts: 3,
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| People who accept to do translations at ridiculously low rates are bad for the profession (and me), unless there are extenuating circumstances, such as working for a start-up, or if the file to be translated is large (such as a book). Those who expect translators at ridiculously low rates (especially translation agencies) should be refused by every translator so that they go out of business and never exploit any translator again. Not to mention that, in the end, you willl have hurt yourself, also.
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Forum Newbie
Group: Forum Members
Last Login: 2/12/2010 11:29:17 AM
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But tell me everyone
What's a 'reasonable' price? I've done stuff for 0.01$, was about 4600 words. That was my first translation job ever. Now what? Shall I skip to 0.10 already?
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Forum Newbie
Group: Forum Members
Last Login: 3/18/2010 4:59:19 PM
Posts: 2,
Visits: 214
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| I found somewhere in this website a way to know how much to charge, there are also some generous ppl here posting their experiences and sharing their knowledge with those of us who are now going freelance for the first time. Look around this website, you will find some sort of tabulator that will tell you approximately how much to charge. Good luck! and, if possible, could you tell me if you got that job from this website?
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Forum Newbie
Group: Forum Members
Last Login: 2 days ago @ 10:42:31 AM
Posts: 1,
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| Please, please do NOT work for nothing (like the Dutch translator and the one who translates for 0.01 USD per word). That only makes you AND your colleagues suffer. Whether or not you are an educated translator, as a translator you have special skills and you are doing a demanding work, remember to appreciate that. How many of your clients is really asking what qualifications you have (the Dutch translator)? I guess you must have some skills from somewhere, if you can translate. You don't need to have a degree in Mathematics to calculate how much you need to earn to make a living. What do you need a month to pay your rent, eat properly, have fun sometimes. For example you can count per hour, how much can you translate in an hour? Take into account that you dont translate all the time, say, 40 hours per week (of course you can work 60 hours per week, but what will that do to your health and the quality of your work?), but you also need to search for clients, negotiate with them etc. and still make enough money. If you make a living, you also pay taxes, like VAT, at least you should. Let's say you can charge for 20 hours of work per week if you're lucky. If you ask less than 0.15 USD per word, will you survive? I wouldn't, adding extra costs for running own business, making a living etc. I only have to support myself, and I'd say 0.18 USD is beginning to be fair, in my country, of course there are differences (but I believe not much with the Netherlands). Second thing, if they are in a horry, you might be their only chance. Use that to get better prices. Quick delivery, your expertise, your language combination etc. Imagine yourself in a bazaar, if that helps Let's cooperate, colleagues
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Forum Newbie
Group: Forum Members
Last Login: 3/3/2010 6:31:13 AM
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People will rate you by how much you charge. If you only charge $0.01 they will consider that you only produce quality that is worth $0.01. If you raise your price to $0.10 you won't get every job but you will get the jobs that need $0.10 worth of value.
Don't charge only $0.01, there is no need to sell yourself short.
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Forum Newbie
Group: Forum Members
Last Login: 3/18/2010 4:28:58 PM
Posts: 1,
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| I also agree that there is a lot of competition, and for all of us who had not finished their undergraduate degree, it becomes infinitely harder to land a job. Finally, I decided not to take the $2 jobs for large and complicated documents, and figured volunteer work is more adequate and looks better in my resume while I build my portfolio, improve my skills and can offer better quality and better paid jobs. I hope that joining this site pays me back throughout the year. Happy Bidding, everyone!
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Forum Newbie
Group: Forum Members
Last Login: 2/17/2010 6:31:19 PM
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I think we all should set a non/negotiable price, and be happy even if we do not get the job.
I am a free lance translator, educated in a different profession, but consider myself fine and professional translator. At the beginning I did many works for free, as many of you.
But we have a skill that is need it and has a value.
regards
Bea
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