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Do you begin a translation before it's confirmed?
Thread poster: Bethany Kachura
Laurent Mercky
Laurent Mercky
France
Local time: 08:45
Chinese to French
+ ...
it depends Oct 24, 2019

It depends on the client.
If your client is used to give you confirmed jobs, why not, there is high probability to get the job anyway.
But for new clients, it is not your best choice.

Tom in London
 
Kuochoe Nikoi-Kotei
Kuochoe Nikoi-Kotei  Identity Verified
Ghana
Local time: 07:45
Japanese to English
Double-check before starting Oct 24, 2019

Like others in this thread, I've been burned before by starting before final confirmation and by clearing my schedule for a job that never came through. If you're really eager to start, email or call the client/project manager and get a firm go ahead first. Don't start without that confirmation, no matter how certain you are. Unless you like working for free.

writeaway
Josephine Cassar
Tom in London
 
conejo
conejo  Identity Verified
United States
Local time: 01:45
Japanese to English
+ ...
Don't start without confirmation Mar 7, 2020

If the client says "I will check with the end client", this is not in any way any type of confirmation. Agencies are fickle and are often sending emails out to 10+ translators to see who has the best rates or who responds the most quickly. If you start, you are just looking to waste your time and not get paid anything.

Even if it is a known client, it is best to wait for an official purchase order before starting.
Make sure you get paid for your work. If you don't get paid it... See more
If the client says "I will check with the end client", this is not in any way any type of confirmation. Agencies are fickle and are often sending emails out to 10+ translators to see who has the best rates or who responds the most quickly. If you start, you are just looking to waste your time and not get paid anything.

Even if it is a known client, it is best to wait for an official purchase order before starting.
Make sure you get paid for your work. If you don't get paid it would have been better to just watch TV instead of translate.

[Edited at 2020-03-07 05:00 GMT] ▲ Collapse


Kuochoe Nikoi-Kotei
Tom in London
 
Tom in London
Tom in London
United Kingdom
Local time: 07:45
Member (2008)
Italian to English
Estimates Mar 12, 2020

Very often one of my regular agency clients may email me to ask if I'm available for a job, and attaching the text so that I can take a look at it and confirm how much time I'll need to do it.

That is NOT confirmation of the job. The agency still needs to negotiate a deal with the end user. These deals often fall through - so it's advisable to wait for final confirmation.
 
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Do you begin a translation before it's confirmed?







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