| Pages in topic: [1 2] > | Poll: Have you ever submitted a translation test and received no reply? 投稿者: ProZ.com Staff
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This forum topic is for the discussion of the poll question "Have you ever submitted a translation test and received no reply?".
This poll was originally submitted by Osama El Alwany. View the poll results »
| | | | | Yes, several times | Apr 4, 2018 |
Yes, it happened with the very first test translation I ever did and several times since then. I know now that there are dishonest agencies out there who split up texts to be translated between several translators under the guise of them being translation tests on order to get work for which they are charging their end customers a fee done by translators for free. I imagine that the end result must be like a patchwork since there will be serious issues with consistency in terms of terminology an... See more Yes, it happened with the very first test translation I ever did and several times since then. I know now that there are dishonest agencies out there who split up texts to be translated between several translators under the guise of them being translation tests on order to get work for which they are charging their end customers a fee done by translators for free. I imagine that the end result must be like a patchwork since there will be serious issues with consistency in terms of terminology and style, but that is their problem. In any event, it is the reason I set a cap on the maximum length of a test translation that I am prepared to do. ▲ Collapse
| | | | | You are not walking alone Mr. Stewart. The same problem is happening here in MENA. | Apr 4, 2018 |
Angus Stewart wrote:
Yes, it happened with the very first test translation I ever did and several times since then. I know now that there are dishonest agencies out there who split up texts to be translated between several translators under the guise of them being translation tests on order to get work for which they are charging their end customers a fee done by translators for free. I imagine that the end result must be like a patchwork since there will be serious issues with consistency in terms of terminology and style, but that is their problem. In any event, it is the reason I set a cap on the maximum length of a test translation that I am prepared to do.
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Now and then, though I have received an e-mail saying that my test was approved, work never materialized. Some translation tests seem to be doomed to the same fate as NDAs…
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| The exact same words! | Apr 4, 2018 |
Angus Stewart wrote:
Yes, it happened with the very first test translation I ever did and several times since then. I know now that there are dishonest agencies out there who split up texts to be translated between several translators under the guise of them being translation tests on order to get work for which they are charging their end customers a fee done by translators for free. I imagine that the end result must be like a patchwork since there will be serious issues with consistency in terms of terminology and style, but that is their problem. In any event, it is the reason I set a cap on the maximum length of a test translation that I am prepared to do.
Indeed, this is an act of unprofessionalism and some even extend their game up to NDA's, MSA's.
[Edited at 2018-04-04 08:51 GMT]
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I dislike taking translation tests and/or going through endless forms because they rarely turn into actual work. It is usually just a big waste of time.
| | | | | I don't think so | Apr 4, 2018 |
I don't remember ever sending a translation test with no reply at all, although sometimes the only reply was a confirmation of receipt. I do like tests as a way to evaluate my translation skills, although I have also had quite a few cases where a test has received a good score and then seems to have disappeared in the agency's paperwork and work has never materialised.
| | | | Anna Herbst 
オーストラリア
Local time: 01:45
英語 から スウェーデン語
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モデレーター SITE LOCALIZER
I sent in a few "tests" many years ago, but I can't recall a "test" ever leading to an actual job, but my memory may be failing me.
I no longer accept work for agencies/clients who demand tests. As a professional T/I practitioner I expect to be trusted to have the skills necessary to complete any assignment I express an interest in to the full satisfaction of the end client.
I wonder if I could ask a dentist to give me a free filling as a "test" before deciding whether... See more I sent in a few "tests" many years ago, but I can't recall a "test" ever leading to an actual job, but my memory may be failing me.
I no longer accept work for agencies/clients who demand tests. As a professional T/I practitioner I expect to be trusted to have the skills necessary to complete any assignment I express an interest in to the full satisfaction of the end client.
I wonder if I could ask a dentist to give me a free filling as a "test" before deciding whether to pay for any future dental work I might need? ▲ Collapse
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Jasa Pipan
スロベニア
Local time: 17:45
フランス語 から スロヴェニア語
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...like many of you already said, in my experience, the agencies who go through great lengths to set you up with complicated translation tests and make you jump through hoops are often the same agencies that never send you work after that. I find myself more and more reluctant to perform any translation tests ...
| | | | | What's the point in testing? | Apr 4, 2018 |
Nilton Junior wrote:
I dislike taking translation tests and/or going through endless forms because they rarely turn into actual work. It is usually just a big waste of time.
Dead right, Nilton! I see it as a translation agency falling into the famous 'activity trap'.
At the end of the day, the folks there will be exhausted.
Today we processed 342 new translator applications, and sent them tests. We also had translators grading 209 translation tests we received from applicants in 22 different language pairs. We filed 195 NDAs we received, and added these translators' data to our database.
Q: Did you get any new orders?
No.
Q: Did you receive any finished jobs from translators?
No.
Q: Did you deliver any finished jobs and bill the end-client?
No.
Q: Did you follow-up on any jobs under way?
No, we don't have any jobs under way.
Q: Did you prospect/contact any potential clients?
No, we were too busy with other things.
Q: Did you make any money today?
Not a penny, but we've been quite busy for the past couple of weeks. We can pride ourselves that all translators in our database have been thoroughly tested. They only translate into their native language, and every one of them owns a Trados license, whatever that means. We are headed for success!
Q Are you really?
How/why do translation tests backfire? (all based on real cases I've seen)
- Butcher / Shyster - a top-flight medical translator fails the 'legal' translation test and gets dumped
- Cyrano de Bergerac - a fledgling amateur 'tranzlater' gets his/her test done by a skilled friend or relative
- Black pot/kettle - test is graded by someone less competent than the applicant
- Tortoise/hare - an amateur passes, though it takes him/her three days to translate those 250 words; a pro delivers the test one hour later, and is flunked on account of two minor typos
- Kudoz - the same test has been used for so long, that all the tricky parts of it have already been answered on Proz
- Scriptures - that text is easily found translated into umpteen languages via Google
| | | | | You know, the same happened. I received a sample test from a global brand, a week later replied!! | Apr 4, 2018 |
Teresa Borges wrote:
Now and then, though I have received an e-mail saying that my test was approved, work never materialized. Some translation tests seem to be doomed to the same fate as NDAs…
| | | | | Sometimes I ask them to check my profile and feedback from other companies! But they adore tests hah | Apr 4, 2018 |
Nilton Junior wrote:
I dislike taking translation tests and/or going through endless forms because they rarely turn into actual work. It is usually just a big waste of time.
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| The last sentence kill me laughing hahaha you are completely right. | Apr 4, 2018 |
Anna Herbst wrote:
I sent in a few "tests" many years ago, but I can't recall a "test" ever leading to an actual job, but my memory may be failing me.
I no longer accept work for agencies/clients who demand tests. As a professional T/I practitioner I expect to be trusted to have the skills necessary to complete any assignment I express an interest in to the full satisfaction of the end client.
I wonder if I could ask a dentist to give me a free filling as a "test" before deciding whether to pay for any future dental work I might need?
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Actually not, and several of them lead to good work.
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Over the years, I have taken several short translation tests and many of them have led to regular work (I cannot say the same about filling out endless NDAs and other paperwork which, as other colleagues said above, has hardly ever led to anything, so that I now refuse filling out piles of documents ahead of time).
However, it did happen once that an agency did not contact me after I had taken their test, not even to confirm receipt. At the time, I found that behavior incredibly rud... See more Over the years, I have taken several short translation tests and many of them have led to regular work (I cannot say the same about filling out endless NDAs and other paperwork which, as other colleagues said above, has hardly ever led to anything, so that I now refuse filling out piles of documents ahead of time).
However, it did happen once that an agency did not contact me after I had taken their test, not even to confirm receipt. At the time, I found that behavior incredibly rude and followed up with several emails to coax an answer out of them. After many weeks had gone by, they did eventually reply that they liked my test and would be sending work shortly. In retrospect, I should have just let it be though, since their business manners during the test phase pretty much carried over into their attitude regarding paid work: Mainly mass emails stipulating rates considerably below my quoted rates, tedious projects and months to get paid. So after a few small projects, the relationship basically fizzled out. ▲ Collapse
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