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Group: Forum Members
Last Login: 5/11/2011 12:00:19 AM
Posts: 1,
Visits: 1
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Hello, I´d like to start a new job as freelance translator but I do not have an idea how to start it. Is it necessary to know how to deal with software translator? ( I do not know...) All I have is my mind .(G).
Can someone help me?
Thanks a lot
Deborah
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Post #2654
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Group: Forum Members
Last Login: 11/17/2011 7:22:41 AM
Posts: 1,
Visits: 1
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deborah,r u italian (like me)?? i'd like 2 start,but i grope in the dark  i'd like 2 know if i'm obliged to make a payment for working here.... how to start??
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Post #2778
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Group: Forum Members
Last Login: 9/29/2010 5:21:39 AM
Posts: 30,
Visits: 1
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Hi all,first of all, no freelancer should be obliged to pay in order to receive work. That's the first point to start with. Second, I would recommend that you contact and send your CV to a few local translation agencies and create your own website to acquire direct clients. Third, no decent client will ever ask you to use machine translation. If he does, avoid such a client. However, clients (above all agencies) may require you to use CAT tools, such as SDL Trados, MemoQ, WordFast, Deja Vu etc. It would be a good idea to learn a little more about them. Fourth, calculate a rate that would allow you to make a decent living and refuse peanut jobs. They would virtually enslave you to bottom-feeders, web-based meat auctioning agencies. Fifth, register at renowned translation portals to receive job notifications from potential clients. Sixth, be honest with your outsourcers. HTH.
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Post #2785
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Group: Forum Members
Last Login: 6/19/2012 3:43:20 AM
Posts: 1,
Visits: 1
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thank you for sharing....
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Post #2878
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Group: Forum Members
Last Login: 6/9/2012 5:53:48 AM
Posts: 1,
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Hello,
This is a very helpful email. As I am also a starter I have a few questions re. fees. Normally, you have to submit a quote, and it is competitive (you do not know what the others are asking), and so far I do not get any reply (which leads me to question whether my bids were too high). Hence a few questions.
1) How do I establish a quote? I am translating from German or Russian into English, Finance field. I was told that someone who translates medical texts from English into French charges 0.12 US$ per word. But this seems low to me, and I do not know whether for my languages and Finance it should be higher? How much higher?
2) Is it better to quote per word or per hour? What is the common practice?
3) I understand that if you use the programs (CAT, WordFast etc.), you work faster, hence the quotes should be lower? But I am not sure what shall I enter when I submit a quote in a bidding process, as I do not have any feeling for these programs yet (never used them)? Shall I try them first before I know what I can charge?
Any guidance would be very much apprecaited.
Regards,
Andrey
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Post #2884
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Group: Forum Members
Last Login: 12/20/2011 12:52:13 AM
Posts: 1,
Visits: 1
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can you suggest me some translating agencies where i can update my cv........
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Post #2889
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Group: Forum Members
Last Login: 3/22/2012 11:35:47 PM
Posts: 1,
Visits: 1
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Hello there...!!!
I liked your tips, thanks for that, so they are clear and practical, but now Ihave this question: Which renownedtranslation portals do you recommend?, a couple may be, to visit and see theway to send Resume. Sorry for botheryou but some of us, me included, need a little more from people like you, inorder to go further. I´ll appreciateyour help and advice. Rodolfo
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Post #2893
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Group: Forum Members
Last Login: 9/29/2010 5:21:39 AM
Posts: 30,
Visits: 1
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Hi Andrey,here are a few replies for you, and hopefully you'll find them helpful: 1) How do I establish a quote? I am translating from German or Russian into English, Finance field. I was told that someone who translates medical texts from English into French charges 0.12 US$ per word. But this seems low to me, and I do not know whether for my languages and Finance it should be higher? How much higher? You know best what your costs of living are: housing (+ mortgage?), health insurance, social security etc. In my opinion $0.12 is pretty low, and I would think a rate between $0.15 and $0.20 should be a decent one. Remember that if you undersell yourself, you might attract bottom-feeders who are looking for the lowest price instead for the highest quality. Such business relationships are generally very short-lived. 2) Is it better to quote per word or per hour? What is the common practice? This depends on the type of job: for translation, a per-word rate is usual, while I'd go for an hourly-based fee for proofreading and editing. 3) I understand that if you use the programs (CAT, WordFast etc.), you work faster, hence the quotes should be lower? But I am not sure what shall I enter when I submit a quote in a bidding process, as I do not have any feeling for these programs yet (never used them)? Shall I try them first before I know what I can charge? CAT tools can be extremely useful to increase your overall productivity, yet you shouldn't lower your basic rate (Would you pay less to a courrier service if they use a faster car? I don't think so; you'd usually pay more for faster delivery!). Instead, a common practice is to offer some discounts for repetitions exact and fuzzy matches, based on a matching analysis. I hope this helps?
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Post #2896
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Group: Forum Members
Last Login: 9/29/2010 5:21:39 AM
Posts: 30,
Visits: 1
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can you suggest me some translating agencies where i can update my cv........
No; there's a plenty of them on the web. Just learn how to use Google and do your homework.
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Post #2897
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Group: Forum Members
Last Login: 6/28/2012 4:07:37 PM
Posts: 1,
Visits: 1
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thank you
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Post #2913
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