References
Thread poster: Jesús Marín Mateos
Jesús Marín Mateos
Jesús Marín Mateos  Identity Verified
Local time: 20:29
English to Spanish
+ ...
May 23, 2004

I have recently seen a job offer from a translation company and one of the criteria is to provide them with the names of 3 US-based referees. I couldn't believe it... I thought this business is about breaking frontiers and globalization, but I'm defintedly wrong.
Another job offer that was recently advertised was for Spanish translators living around a specific province in Spain, if you didn't live in that province there was nothing you could do.
Then,what is e-mail/the internet for
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I have recently seen a job offer from a translation company and one of the criteria is to provide them with the names of 3 US-based referees. I couldn't believe it... I thought this business is about breaking frontiers and globalization, but I'm defintedly wrong.
Another job offer that was recently advertised was for Spanish translators living around a specific province in Spain, if you didn't live in that province there was nothing you could do.
Then,what is e-mail/the internet for? And the fax/mail???.
Please take me out of this darkness and tell me I am not the only one who thinks like this.
Regards,
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Claudia Iglesias
Claudia Iglesias  Identity Verified
Chile
Local time: 17:29
Member (2002)
Spanish to French
+ ...
The problem is... May 23, 2004

that it's not what you think or what I think that matters, but what does the outsourcer think.
There are outsourcers who don't even consider working with other supports than paper, or working with people who are in other countries, or paying in another money than theirs.

What we can do is try to convince them that we believe in another way of working, but we can't compell them to do that.
Sometimes I've written for offers that stated "living in France or Europe" asking f
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that it's not what you think or what I think that matters, but what does the outsourcer think.
There are outsourcers who don't even consider working with other supports than paper, or working with people who are in other countries, or paying in another money than theirs.

What we can do is try to convince them that we believe in another way of working, but we can't compell them to do that.
Sometimes I've written for offers that stated "living in France or Europe" asking for the reason for that. Because I believed that if the reason was just that payment could be done in a European country I could do it. Maybe there was another reason, anyway I never had an answer to that question but I don't mind. I tried to explain that maybe their request was too restrictive. They are the only ones who know.
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Javier Herrera (X)
Javier Herrera (X)
Spanish
Could be worse May 23, 2004

The whole idea about references is an unsolved mistery to me. What is that extremely important thing two people who don't know each other need to say about you on your back?
Some people will only talk to referees in their own country, it's not (or not only) that they require you to live in it. Once after doing an interview, my interviewer said her only concern was I couldn't provide "English" references. This doesn't only happen in our industry but in many others. Once somebody told me he
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The whole idea about references is an unsolved mistery to me. What is that extremely important thing two people who don't know each other need to say about you on your back?
Some people will only talk to referees in their own country, it's not (or not only) that they require you to live in it. Once after doing an interview, my interviewer said her only concern was I couldn't provide "English" references. This doesn't only happen in our industry but in many others. Once somebody told me he'd got this answer: "I'll need English references because I'm not going to XXXX to check them". It wasn't a language-barrier problem in any of these two cases.
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alexandra123
alexandra123
Local time: 21:29
English to Spanish
+ ...
Maybe there is a reason May 24, 2004

From the info I see about you under your picture you are based in England. I know that, in many cases, the way people work in europe is a bit different than in the US. Maybe the company is asking for these references not so much to see what the others' opinion is of you but more like a proof from you that you have experience working with "American" companies.

As for that other case you mentioned in Spain...maybe the translation or the work at hand demanded that the person hired to
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From the info I see about you under your picture you are based in England. I know that, in many cases, the way people work in europe is a bit different than in the US. Maybe the company is asking for these references not so much to see what the others' opinion is of you but more like a proof from you that you have experience working with "American" companies.

As for that other case you mentioned in Spain...maybe the translation or the work at hand demanded that the person hired to translate have specific knowledge of the area or tha company wanted mobility from the translator, in which case it does make more sense if they hire a "Local".

In any case, it is the company's prorogative to be selective.

On the other hand, I do however agree that in the day and age of computers, internet and globalization, it is a bit old fashioned to not use them as best as possible. But I also know that in the end the client is the one that choses and the one on whose decision we translators ultimately depend in oder to get work and an income. They have the power to decide. It matters very little what we have to say in the matter. That is simply a fact we have to live with and accept. So if company XYZ does not want me because I do not live in Spain, then some other company with a possibly better oportunity will come along and not having accepted me is company XYZ's loss.

HTH,
Alexandra
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Lucinda Hollenberg
Lucinda Hollenberg  Identity Verified
Local time: 17:29
Dutch to English
+ ...
COnfidentiality May 24, 2004

Jesus,

At times the outsourcer also looks for someone based in his or her country because the job is highly-confidential (like involves national security). Thus they prefer that the translator(s) come to their offices to work. If you go to the postings for Dutch to English you'll see a posting from a Mr. Martijn de Kroon (I hope that I do not misspel his name) of TriView with those exact requirements.

I think that some companies still send confidential material if the
... See more
Jesus,

At times the outsourcer also looks for someone based in his or her country because the job is highly-confidential (like involves national security). Thus they prefer that the translator(s) come to their offices to work. If you go to the postings for Dutch to English you'll see a posting from a Mr. Martijn de Kroon (I hope that I do not misspel his name) of TriView with those exact requirements.

I think that some companies still send confidential material if they can be sure that it is protected. I do not know too much about these things, but I think encryption.

I at times also wonder why some outsourcers are looking for people in certain countries. One outsourcers said to me that she thought I matched the job perfectly but she would not use me because she did not want to mess with transferring money to countries outside of the US. Happily, I could straighten that out quickly because I also have a bank account in the US she could use. But one cannot have an account in all countries, so that does not always work.

I agree with what was said before. Perhaps you should write to the outsourcer and explain why you would be perfect for the job and/or if not living in the country would be something that can be worked out.

Good luck!
Lucinda

[Edited at 2004-05-24 18:27]
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Fernando Toledo
Fernando Toledo  Identity Verified
Spain
Local time: 21:29
German to Spanish
Why not? May 24, 2004

Jesus Marin wrote:


Another job offer that was recently advertised was for Spanish translators living around a specific province in Spain, if you didn't live in that province there was nothing you could do.
Then,what is e-mail/the internet for? And the fax/mail???.
Please take me out of this darkness and tell me I am not the only one who thinks like this.
Regards,


What is wrong about?

I prefer to work with a translator who lives in my town, where I can meet him, as with one living in another continent.

For me, the only reason for a agency to bid a Job in a list like Proz (or the other 5 big list), is CHEAP, CHEAP CHEAP!!

Otherwise they could search inside Proz for the right one.
And when the same agency make another bid in the same category, why? what about the translator that worked before for them?
(Argentina is getting to expensive, let's try now with Paraguay).



A agency should have a translator team, and if needed, search for other specialized translators for a big project or so.

War against macroagencies!!


Toledo







[Edited at 2004-05-24 10:28]


 
Jesús Marín Mateos
Jesús Marín Mateos  Identity Verified
Local time: 20:29
English to Spanish
+ ...
TOPIC STARTER
Thank you May 24, 2004

Thank you to all of you.
I can see that I am not completely right, am I?
The only thing I can say is that, thanks god I kind of manage and get work from where I live (London) but it hurts that your own country 'refuses' you.
When I go for jobs in Spain I always mention that I have a bank account in Spain but they always want more, they want you around the corner.
I don't think it is a confidentiality issue because they never mention you have to go to their offices and i
... See more
Thank you to all of you.
I can see that I am not completely right, am I?
The only thing I can say is that, thanks god I kind of manage and get work from where I live (London) but it hurts that your own country 'refuses' you.
When I go for jobs in Spain I always mention that I have a bank account in Spain but they always want more, they want you around the corner.
I don't think it is a confidentiality issue because they never mention you have to go to their offices and if it is a rate issue they should state the rate they offer and then that would probably deter me from bidding but if they require that you live in that province it doesn't make sense.
Besides, all the agencies I work for here in London I have never seen them, I have never been to their offices and there is no problem, it works. Why can't it be like that everywhere else??
Many thanks for taking your time.
Kind regards,

[Edited at 2004-05-24 11:34]
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