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I doubt that it is possible to earn an average sort of living in Spain (earning more or less 35,000 euros a year) if you choose to work for Spanish agencies. Follow the advice of Tomás an
Such private marketplaces can be seen as attempts to dehumanise translators and turn them into disposable objects that are nameless and faceless. They are marketplaces in the same way that
I recently refused a job from a local council here in Spain. The immoral aspect of the job was the fact that they could not tell me with any precision when they would be able to pay my
I use Wordfast for some jobs - and I find that I tend to use it less and less. None of my regular clients has ever asked me use Trados or any other CAT software. In fact, I would probably
The inevitable arrival of the universal ebook will enable publishers to dramatically cut their production and distribution costs. Do we believe that they will then share some of their incr
I cannot believe the low rates literary translators receive are because translations represent risky commercial ventures for the publishers. No, these publishers pay low rates because
I have always believed literary translation to be a labour of love and similar to a voluntary activity with expenses paid. In fact, I am not sure that it can really be described as a busin
[quote]Giles Watson wrote:
[quote]bergazy wrote:
How do earnings increase with experience?"
[/quote]
Some of your more budget-conscious older customers may go elsewhere b
Be warned that public health authorities are among the slowest payers in Spain. I cannot speak from experience about the speed with which they pay language service providers - but they are
Sara has expressed her case extremely well and she is describing the most intelligent approach to the translation business. However, her approach is not likely to work for a translator who
Despite globalisation and the internet most people still like to do business with local people.
Two points: firstly, when you begin the interview try and find some common interests or<
[quote]Dr Neil wrote:
[quote]John Rawlins wrote:
Thanks for the info John, it6 leads me to a few questions...
And can I ask, John, did you complete Modelo 037 (Declaracion de Alta
I sometimes wonder how legitimate businesses in Lagos manage to work with anyone outside of Nigeria. Does anyone have experience of working with a Nigerian company that was not a scam?
My understanding is that the UK is the odd man out in Europe because it has extremely simple bureaucratic procedures. Spain has a more typically European level of bureaucratic complexi
I think Timothy Barton has given you some very good advice. He also hints at something that he is probably too polite to state directly. Namely, if you are living in Spain then it is your
[quote]Nicole Schnell wrote:
I have become extremely selective, and I will only give in to this ordeal if the company has contacted me
1.) by personal email
2.) with a description of
I work in Spain and there is a very sharp difference between Spanish agencies and Spanish direct clients. Most agencies are slow to pay and often need reminding - while direct clients
I believe that Andy is right to draw attention to a fraudulent translation business in this forum. The Blueboard is an excellent place to separate the goats from the sheep among translatio
I recently received a job from a Spanish agency that I hadn't worked with for over a year.
I wrote back to tell them I would accept the work, but that I was no longer using TM programs<
I have never delivered late. But if some accident or family crisis prevented me from delivering a project then I would notify the agency immediately. However, I would not feel the slig
The violence that has been done to translators over the past 20 years reminds me of the servitude forced on European peasants from the 8th century onwards.
Today we have regal clients<
Of course, there is no way of knowing for sure what is the real situation between the scammer and the end client. The probability is that you will never be paid.
However, I believe you
Paula's suggestion does seem an excellent way of asserting your copyright.
However, you should ensure that the German end-users are immediately made aware of your intentions. Remember
Here is a thought.
You are choosing to chase a Chinese agency with a track record of not paying. That is to say, a company based on fraudulent business practices. Mmmm.
If I were in
An option would be to phone the nice German lady and tell her that you have not been paid for the translation and so the copyright remains unassigned. Tell her that you will be monitoring<
I am reminded of the words Dr. Eldon Tyrell spoke to Roy in Bladerunner.
"The candle that burns twice as bright, burns half as long, and you burned very, very brightly Roy."
Anyone
I used to use Wordfast frequently, but as I gradually abandoned working for agencies so my use of Wordfast declined. Eventually the licence expired and I decided not to renew.
Yesterday
Most of the answers above have concentrated on the translator's ability to produce words. There is another much more important factor; namely, the circumstances of the potential client. Yo
It was explained to me a few years ago that the difference between an accountant and a gestor is that a gestor will not accept responsibility if his advice is proven to be wrong.
For th
I have never worried about this point. If I am working and a client sends a small urgent job then I will probably handle it quickly. If I am not at home, then the client will have to wait.
Perhaps on a parallel social network the following posting has appeared:
Free translator based in London.
Seriously, six months credit for a foreign client is just asking for trouble
The words 'best rates' tell me that this client is not for me. In fact, I have put these words in my email filter so that I am not distracted from real work by these frivolous requests.
If you can identify some local firms that may be potential clients then I recommend that you simply visit. Go into reception and ask who is responsible for translating services. If you loo
I would not avoid a confrontation. And I would not even consider apologising.
My understanding of the law is that the agency would have to prove that your statements damaged its image a
Agencies insisting on Trados always seem to be at the lower end of the price and quality spectrum. Not using Trados, or not publishing the fact that you use it, does seem to keep these che
Paula - the answer is simple. Avoid Spanish translation agencies. Spanish agencies are generally blind to quality and pay low rates with long delays. By banging on their doors you are
[quote]Krzysztof Kajetanowicz wrote:
Well, I'd think that as taxpayers it's in our interest for the government to order quality services but pay as little and as late as possible (on pr
[quote]Luisa Ramos, CT wrote:
[quote]Samuel Murray wrote:
Do you have a URL for that?
[/quote]
Here is a link to the story: http://www.tipsfortranslators.com/ftc.asp [/quo
It should not be forgotten that in some countries (I am thinking of Spain) it is the government itself that is the slowest payer - and this arrogant attitude is jumped on by others as an
I can't help thinking that an agency generally gets the translators and clients that it deserves. Agencies that find they are receiving Google translated work should have a hard look at th
If you can find no information about the firm then simply ask for part payment in advance. Their response will tell you what you need to know about the ethical values of the individual or
Tomás points out that there are excellent agencies that use Trados. I am certain that he is right.
My point is that at the dusty bottom of the translation market there are many low-pay
[quote]philgoddard wrote:
... but they're not. I did a show-of-hands survey at the ITI conference last year, asking how many people used it, and out of 180 people around 40% said they d
This is a big industry but my experience over the past few years has been the following: low-paying and fuzzy-focussed agencies insist on Trados, while good-paying agencies and direct clie
Don't deposit the cheque because it will bounce and you will be charged the bank costs. She would have asked you to 'return' some of the money after you had told her that you had deposited
Congratulations on arriving at the point where clients start coming to you. Now you must start to drop old clients in order to make room for these better paying clients. This pesky agency
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