| Pages in topic: < [1 2 3 4] > | 1 Euro per 100 words-Fair price? Thread poster: Translatorprof
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Thayenga 
Germany
Local time: 04:45
Member (2009)
English to German
+ ...
accents_ie wrote:
Be real
There no need to blame customers and agencies
[Edited at 2014-06-15 09:01 GMT]
There is definately no blame put on customers or agencies at all. They are businesses that need to make a profit. So do translators.
| | | | Thayenga
Germany
Local time: 04:45
Member (2009)
English to German
+ ...
| The EUR 0.10 | Jun 15, 2014 |
Michelle Kusuda wrote:
Working for EUR 0.01 per word - and I've seen less being offered! - means that you would have to work 24/7 to be able to even pay your rent (unless you own a house, and even that generates costs).
As understable as it is that you are eager to secure your first job, don't . never! - sell yourself short.
This is the email I received, I think we are talking about the same offer:
Estimada Michelle:
¡Muchas gracias por su mensaje! ¡Su currículo es muy bueno!
Es la página en facebook de nuestro blog en español https://www.facebook.com/MejorConSalud?ref=ts&fref=ts. Actualmente es uno de los blogs más populares sobre salud hasta el momento tenemos sus versiones en portugués, francés, alemán e italiano. Y pronto sacamos una versión en inglés.
Nuestra tarifa es 1 EUR (o sea, 1,35 dólares) por 100 palabras
Si le parece bien, póngase en contacto conmigo, le envío una prueba.
[/quote]
The typo lies in the EUR 0.10. And yes, I received the same offer: 100 words for EUR 0.01, which was filed in the appropriate folder: File 13.
| | | | | Typo? What typo? | Jun 15, 2014 |
Translatorprof wrote:
I'm new to freelance translation and have a prospective first client offering 1 Euro per 100 words, judging by most of the standard rates on-line (EUR 0.10 per source word) this is ridiculously low, would anyone outright advise me to refuse to work for such a low price?
Which means:
1 euro/100 words is the rate offered (0.01/word), which is "ridiculously low"
0.10 is the "standard rate on-line"
| | | | | So in reply to topic 1 Euro per 100 words is abusive! | Jun 15, 2014 |
No, it is not a fair price, in fact, it is abusive!
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| educating clients is everyone's responsibility | Jun 15, 2014 |
Andy Lemminger wrote:
When someone offers such a ridiculous rate there's no point in bartering, you just say no.
Just say no AND educate them (one sentence is enough). I consider it everyone's responsibility to raise people's awareness and make them understand that we, translators, are not rats. As Vladimir showed, a bit of math is enough to prove how unsustainable (and disrespectful) such a rate is. Granted, bottom feeders won't become ready to pay tenfold what they bid but it's a matter of policy. Dripping water will hollow out stone: if bottom feeders become aware that what they do is too disgusting, they may accept to pay a bit higher and thus the whole industry could follow suit...
As for filling your CV, you better work for non-profit organizations or translate dummy texts/samples... No money but at least you won't feel exploited and won't damage your self-esteem!
[Edited at 2014-06-15 11:12 GMT]
| | | | | One Euro per 100 words? | Jun 15, 2014 |
A totally ridiculous rate that only predatory companies might offer. One Euro per ten words is more like it, although even that is not the highest, or totally fair rate.
[Edited at 2014-06-15 15:05 GMT]
| | | | Sheila Wilson
Spain
Local time: 03:45
Member (2007)
English
+ ...
| I, for one, believe I know what the reality is | Jun 15, 2014 |
accents_ie wrote:
There are a plenty offers from translators as low as USD 0.01 in the USA, and GBP 0.02 in the UK, Euro 0.03 in France, Spain, Italy etc. That is not always a bad/poor quality work either.
Alternative - if somebody have no money to live... please advice, how they can survive?
And I suppose the client, knowing full well what the going rate is, feels as though it's being really charitable paying one-tenth of what's due to this translator, just because they're too poor to refuse?
I just hope the client can sleep with a clear conscience. I certainly couldn't.
Some have no rights for a social welfare either and, if just for Ireland, nearly half of population have an income less than 100 euro per week per person it is about 5000 euro per year or 4000 GBP per year. Is it better to be without any income at all?
If they are good translators they have a right to the correct pay for the job. If they aren't, they should be encouraged to do something else - a manual, unskilled job rather than an intellectual one that requires skills.
To get rich at the expense of disadvantaged members of our society (whether they're just young and naive or have other problems) is just despicable, IMHO.
| | | | DLyons
Ireland
Local time: 03:45
Spanish to English
+ ...
| What's your source? | Jun 16, 2014 |
accents_ie wrote:
... if just for Ireland, nearly half of population have an income less than 100 euro per week per person it is about 5000 euro per year or 4000 GBP per year. [Edited at 2014-06-15 09:01 GMT]
There's something wrong with those figures. Over the whole population, the figure is more like €15,000 than €5,000.
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Don't bother replying to the client. Just sent them a link to this thread.
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accents_ie wrote:
There are many people willing to work in the UK just for GBP 2.00 per hour and agree for any paid job at that rates. That is about GBP 8.00 per 4 hours or about 1 euro cent per word.
Be real.
I doubt these people are in a position to maintain their professional skills at the minimum required level, because they are too busy sweating it out at € 0.01
| | | | Loise
France
Local time: 04:45
French to Chinese
+ ...
| Working at McDonald's HK for about 3 GBP/hour | Jun 16, 2014 |
accents_ie wrote:
There are many people willing to work in the UK just for GBP 2.00 per hour and agree for any paid job at that rates. That is about GBP 8.00 per 4 hours or about 1 euro cent per word.
Be real.
People working at McDonald's HK make 33% more money per hour than so many translators working for UK agencies?
Sad reality.
| | | | jyuan_us
United States
Local time: 22:45
Member (2005)
English to Chinese
+ ...
| This is weird. | Jun 16, 2014 |
accents_ie wrote:
There are many people willing to work in the UK just for GBP 2.00 per hour and agree for any paid job at that rates. That is about GBP 8.00 per 4 hours or about 1 euro cent per word.
Be real.
[Edited at 2014-06-15 09:01 GMT]
This is weird. Does UK have a minimum wage law in place?
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jyuan_us
United States
Local time: 22:45
Member (2005)
English to Chinese
+ ...
| haha, it think it is not a reality | Jun 16, 2014 |
Loise wrote: accents_ie wrote:
There are many people willing to work in the UK just for GBP 2.00 per hour and agree for any paid job at that rates. That is about GBP 8.00 per 4 hours or about 1 euro cent per word.
Be real. People working at McDonald's HK make 33% more money per hour than so many translators working for UK agencies? Sad reality.
There are people who choose to beg in New York who could make less than $1 an hour but they are not in the main stream. The people described in the post to which you have commented is weird.
[Edited at 2014-06-16 08:38 GMT]
[Edited at 2014-06-16 08:39 GMT]
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Sheila Wilson wrote: accents_ie wrote:
There are a plenty offers from translators as low as USD 0.01 in the USA, and GBP 0.02 in the UK, Euro 0.03 in France, Spain, Italy etc. That is not always a bad/poor quality work either. And I suppose the client, knowing full well what the going rate is, feels as though it's being really charitable paying one-tenth of what's due to this translator, just because they're too poor to refuse? I just hope the client can sleep with a clear conscience. I certainly couldn't. Is it better to be without any income at all? If they are good translators they have a right to the correct pay for the job. If they aren't, they should be encouraged to do something else - a manual, unskilled job rather than an intellectual one that requires skills. To get rich at the expense of disadvantaged members of our society (whether they're just young and naive or have other problems) is just despicable, IMHO.
Well done, Sheila! This very posting is a concise and to-the-point summary of my own philosophy I have adhered to at all times in my multiple roles as a salaried in-house translator, PM with a translation agency, independent language professional, and, hopefully, an ambitious owner of a boutique translation agency in the not-so-distant future.
I can only add as a separate note that one should never underestimate the value of frankness, openness and integrity in any business relationship.
On one occasion involving a job interview carried out by an HR manager representing a high-profile Russian corporation, I was bold enough to speak my mind on this matter quite frankly (of course, I had been confident by that time that this particular girl was likely to appreciate both my frankness and my message per se).
The message was to the effect that "I have always positioned myself as a highly skilled, tech savvy, and very well paid, language professional. If you are prepared to pay me what you think I deserve ... and if I am happy with the offered compensation package, i.e. I find that it meets or, better still, exceeds my expectations ... then you can count on my utmost loyalty to your company, as well as on my knowledge, expertise and professional skills, pro-active approach, attention to detail, ability to meet very tight deadlines, willingness to learn (and adapt), preparedness to work (paid) overtime, if and when necessary, etc.
I don't think any of my previous employers might have any complaint as to my failure to deliver on this promise... which is confirmed by the fact that I have been often offered promotions (e.g. translator -> senior translator -> head of translation department)... in the latter case I tended to decline the offer by reiterating my message above, adding that "... I've preferred to be a practicing highly skilled language professional rather than a deskbound mid-level manager."
The underlying rationale, which I might frankly mention in some cases, was quite simple and very practical: the additional burden would heavily outweigh the benefits offered.
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philgoddard wrote:
Don't bother replying to the client. Just sent them a link to this thread.
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