Poll: Have you ever accepted a job that was identical to a project you completed in the past?
Thread poster: ProZ.com Staff
ProZ.com Staff
ProZ.com Staff
SITE STAFF
Oct 8, 2014

This forum topic is for the discussion of the poll question "Have you ever accepted a job that was identical to a project you completed in the past?".

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Muriel Vasconcellos
Muriel Vasconcellos  Identity Verified
United States
Local time: 08:37
Member (2003)
Spanish to English
+ ...
Yes Oct 8, 2014

I called it to the client's attention, but they paid me for the second one anyway. It would have messed up their books not to pay me.

 
Mary Worby
Mary Worby  Identity Verified
United Kingdom
Local time: 15:37
German to English
+ ...
Once or twice Oct 8, 2014

On one occasion I was asked to translate a company profile by an agency and also by the company directly. As the agency one came first, I advised the direct client to look around a bit harder as the translation already existed (I couldn't send it to them directly for confidentiality reasons). Sure enough, they found it and were grateful for the money saved.

 
Christine Andersen
Christine Andersen  Identity Verified
Denmark
Local time: 16:37
Member (2003)
Danish to English
+ ...
Yes Oct 8, 2014

... Probably more than once - I have a vague memory of telling the client, but as it was pre-Trados at least the first time and I could not find the translation immediately in my archives, we agreed to translate it again - it was only a page or two.

On another occasion, the client had sent the same job a couple of years earlier. He was on my very short list for up-front payment, so I reminded him that last time it took me longer to get paid than do the job. When he quibbled, I found
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... Probably more than once - I have a vague memory of telling the client, but as it was pre-Trados at least the first time and I could not find the translation immediately in my archives, we agreed to translate it again - it was only a page or two.

On another occasion, the client had sent the same job a couple of years earlier. He was on my very short list for up-front payment, so I reminded him that last time it took me longer to get paid than do the job. When he quibbled, I found the documents!

I also found the earlier translation and sent it to him, and have never heard from him since! (I think he is banned from posting on this site if he is still in business at all!)
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neilmac
neilmac
Spain
Local time: 16:37
Spanish to English
+ ...
Other Oct 8, 2014

If the poll query means have I acted duplicitously and charged a client twice for the same text, then not as far as I can recall.
I occasionally get texts which are very similar to earlier translations, but if they are from the same client, I tell them about it. One of my direct clients has a newbie (the boss's daughter) in the marketing department and she's sent me the same thing twice on a couple of occasions but I pointed out her mistake and she now takes more care to keep a note of th
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If the poll query means have I acted duplicitously and charged a client twice for the same text, then not as far as I can recall.
I occasionally get texts which are very similar to earlier translations, but if they are from the same client, I tell them about it. One of my direct clients has a newbie (the boss's daughter) in the marketing department and she's sent me the same thing twice on a couple of occasions but I pointed out her mistake and she now takes more care to keep a note of things like that....
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Christopher Schröder
Christopher Schröder
United Kingdom
Member (2011)
Swedish to English
+ ...
Frequently Oct 8, 2014

I was once asked to do the same test translation by four different agencies bidding for the same contract, which was nice.

But when customers send me stuff I've already translated for them, I do come clean. It's worth it for the Brownie points.


 
Thayenga
Thayenga  Identity Verified
Germany
Local time: 16:37
Member (2009)
English to German
+ ...
Others Oct 8, 2014

I voted "no" because there were no identical jobs. However, there are quite a few jobs about the same, though modified or enhanced product. This happens / can happen only in 2 of my working fields.

 
Marjolein Snippe
Marjolein Snippe  Identity Verified
Netherlands
Local time: 16:37
Member (2012)
English to Dutch
+ ...
for different clients Oct 8, 2014

Chris S wrote:

I was once asked to do the same test translation by four different agencies bidding for the same contract, which was nice.

But when customers send me stuff I've already translated for them, I do come clean. It's worth it for the Brownie points.


The same thing happened to me once - apparently an end client was looking at different agencies. Two agencies both sent the (paid - for me anyway) job to me.

I have never been sent a job identical to a past project from the same client, although sometimes texts do contain a lot of text which is identical to text in earlier jobs. The client is aware of this and pays normal rates, but because of this I have accepted a relatively low rate for them.


 
DianeGM
DianeGM  Identity Verified
Local time: 17:37
Member (2006)
Dutch to English
+ ...
Yes ... once or twice Oct 8, 2014

But not for the same client.
Once I was asked to translate parts of the same tender documentation by two different agencies. Their selections were not exactly the same, but there was quite a bit of overlap.
A similar thing has happened a couple of times in the past as well.

I don't think a client has ever sent me the same document for translation twice. I would let them know if they did.


 
Rolf Kern
Rolf Kern  Identity Verified
Switzerland
Local time: 16:37
English to German
+ ...
In memoriam
Other Oct 8, 2014

I had one or two cases, when the end client had forgotten that they had this already translated by the agency. I sent this information back to the agency. In one case I found the translation in the internet and informed my direct client accordingly.

Rolf


 
Rebecca Garber
Rebecca Garber  Identity Verified
Local time: 11:37
Member (2005)
German to English
+ ...
Diplomas Oct 8, 2014

I have translated diplomas from the same college for different clients.

I have a minimum fee for translating Latin documents. I also have a discounted rate if, for example, the translation involves 2 or more diplomas from the same college or university.

I do recheck my records, and I also notify the client if the diploma is available in translation from the college website. Many, but not all, are freely available.

However, many employers apparently still
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I have translated diplomas from the same college for different clients.

I have a minimum fee for translating Latin documents. I also have a discounted rate if, for example, the translation involves 2 or more diplomas from the same college or university.

I do recheck my records, and I also notify the client if the diploma is available in translation from the college website. Many, but not all, are freely available.

However, many employers apparently still demand a translation from a certified translator.
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Chien Nguyen
Chien Nguyen  Identity Verified
Vietnam
Local time: 22:37
English to Vietnamese
+ ...
it is almost the same rether than identical: Certificates, Draft legal documents Oct 9, 2014

Yes, I did.
it is not identical but almost the same.


 


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Poll: Have you ever accepted a job that was identical to a project you completed in the past?






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