Tests - how much is too much? Thread poster: formeracctus (X)
|
|---|
formeracctus (X)
United Kingdom
Local time: 17:49
French to English
+ ...
Hi everyone,
I've been applying to agencies and have been asked to do a number of tests. I've read the warnings on here about not translating too many words, but am wondering about what is considered 'too many'? Over 300?
What about transcription work? I was recently sent a file with 6 minutes of audio to transcribe and translate, which seems excessive to me. It's an interesting project, but transcribing and translating almost 6 minutes of audio is going to take a cons... See more Hi everyone,
I've been applying to agencies and have been asked to do a number of tests. I've read the warnings on here about not translating too many words, but am wondering about what is considered 'too many'? Over 300?
What about transcription work? I was recently sent a file with 6 minutes of audio to transcribe and translate, which seems excessive to me. It's an interesting project, but transcribing and translating almost 6 minutes of audio is going to take a considerable amount of time. Is this normal for a test? I would have thought 1 or 2 minutes would be sufficient for them to check out your transcription/translation skills.
Any advice appreciated! ▲ Collapse
| | | | Robert Forstag 
United States
Local time: 12:49
Spanish to English
+ ...
First, I would recommend that you determine if the agency requiring the test is willing to pay the rates you charge. If not, no point in wasting your time--or theirs.
Secondly, my own rule of thumb for unpaid tests is anything that comfortably fits under one-half hour. For me, this translates into 200-250 words.
However, if you are a beginner (and/or desperately in need of work) it might be in your interest to be more flexible. Still, I don't think you should ever do a... See more First, I would recommend that you determine if the agency requiring the test is willing to pay the rates you charge. If not, no point in wasting your time--or theirs.
Secondly, my own rule of thumb for unpaid tests is anything that comfortably fits under one-half hour. For me, this translates into 200-250 words.
However, if you are a beginner (and/or desperately in need of work) it might be in your interest to be more flexible. Still, I don't think you should ever do any test that takes much more than one hour. ▲ Collapse
| | | |
on ascertaining an agreement first on other terms prior to completing a test.
I don't mind doing tests of roughly around 300 words.
In fact, I often see people complaining about tests but I would rather work with an agency which has tested my skills before taking me on than one which takes all and sundry on.
The fact that they test generally means that they are mindful of the quality of the work they offer which is a good thing all round.
I would certain... See more on ascertaining an agreement first on other terms prior to completing a test.
I don't mind doing tests of roughly around 300 words.
In fact, I often see people complaining about tests but I would rather work with an agency which has tested my skills before taking me on than one which takes all and sundry on.
The fact that they test generally means that they are mindful of the quality of the work they offer which is a good thing all round.
I would certainly and absolutely not recommend that you do 6 minutes of audio transcription as a test. I rather mistakenly took on a transcription job at the beginning of my career that was paid based on audio minutes. I seem to remember that it was only about 20 minutes of audio but it took me well into the early hours of the morning to do. Transcription translation is MUCH MUCH harder than translation. There are unusual accents, audio issues, people talking over each other, brand names you can't hear properly and therefore can't research and spell correctly and much much more to contend with, plus the awkwardness of having to stop the audio every now and again to write, and then try to find the same spot again to carry on the sentence.
If an agency has asked you to do 6 minutes of a transcription translation as a test, I would suspect that they can't find anyone else to do the job as most translators don't want to do transcription, or they ask for higher rates than the agency is prepared to pay.
If I received a transcription request as a test, I would politely explain that I don't offer transcription as a service and that I would be willing to do a straight translation test. ▲ Collapse
| | | | formeracctus (X)
United Kingdom
Local time: 17:49
French to English
+ ...
TOPIC STARTER | Transcription | Feb 6, 2013 |
I do offer transcription and transcription-translation and am happy to take transcription tests. I was just wondering if 6 minutes of audio was excessive or not. I might just try it and see how long it ends up taking.
| | |
|
|
|
| Good clients also ask you to do tests | Feb 7, 2013 |
Over the years I have been asked to do tests by a lot of potential clients.
I used to do them without asking questions, and in fact some of the bigger ones - consisting of two or three small passages in different genres - landed me work with good clients.
Total 500 - 700 words, more in English because of the language structure, but a couple of hours' work at least after thorough proofing and so on.
However, before I start on anything like that, I do check o... See more Over the years I have been asked to do tests by a lot of potential clients.
I used to do them without asking questions, and in fact some of the bigger ones - consisting of two or three small passages in different genres - landed me work with good clients.
Total 500 - 700 words, more in English because of the language structure, but a couple of hours' work at least after thorough proofing and so on.
However, before I start on anything like that, I do check out the agency.
I have also said thanks, but no thanks to a lot of test offers and deleted them at once. Others have acknowledged receipt of the tests and never contacted me again - so you don't know in advance...
Six minutes of transcription sounds like an awful lot to me, but I would never start on it in the first place. ▲ Collapse
| | | |
to do free tests and if i did it would be less than 300 words and no more than one or two minute of audio
The exceptions i have made have been when an agency i have worked for in the past is attempting to secure a contract for some longer term work then i have been happy to do the test - this is not for the agency but the end customer - knowing that the agency will give me the job if they secure the contract I have done this three times now and they have got it every single time.<... See more to do free tests and if i did it would be less than 300 words and no more than one or two minute of audio
The exceptions i have made have been when an agency i have worked for in the past is attempting to secure a contract for some longer term work then i have been happy to do the test - this is not for the agency but the end customer - knowing that the agency will give me the job if they secure the contract I have done this three times now and they have got it every single time.
Another agency frequently does the same thing but they always pay for their tests ▲ Collapse
| | | | formeracctus (X)
United Kingdom
Local time: 17:49
French to English
+ ...
TOPIC STARTER
Thanks for your advice. I am checking the Blue Board carefully and only accepting tests from agencies with a good rating. Hopefully that should help at least a little bit.
| | | | | It is a personal choice | Feb 7, 2013 |
I personally don't do more than 150 or so, because I have an online Samples of my Translation Portfolio that I send to the client as a "screening", and I indicate in advance the total amount of words that I'm willing to do as a free sample.
If they like what they see, then they send me a sample around the size that I agreed to. I do a true free sample, because if/when I get the project, I deduct that portion from the invoice.
Good luck!
| | |
|
|
|
Sarah McDowell
Canada
Local time: 11:49
Member (2012)
Russian to English
+ ...
| How about timed tests? | Feb 7, 2013 |
I've been approached by an agency to complete a 90-minute timed test. Please give me your thoughts on this. I am not against doing tests in general, but I always say that I do them when I have time to do it because I have other paid projects that I also must do.
Or how about unpaid tests where there is a deadline? For some reason it doesn't seem right to me. I have paid work that I must do as a priority before I have time to complete any unpaid tests.
Most of the time I... See more I've been approached by an agency to complete a 90-minute timed test. Please give me your thoughts on this. I am not against doing tests in general, but I always say that I do them when I have time to do it because I have other paid projects that I also must do.
Or how about unpaid tests where there is a deadline? For some reason it doesn't seem right to me. I have paid work that I must do as a priority before I have time to complete any unpaid tests.
Most of the time I specify that I will do a test of 250-300 words, but often I get asked to complete tests of 500-1000 words. Does this seem like a lot to anyone else?
Sarah ▲ Collapse
| | | | Robert Forstag
United States
Local time: 12:49
Spanish to English
+ ...
Sarah McDowell wrote:
I've been approached by an agency to complete a 90-minute timed test. Please give me your thoughts on this. I am not against doing tests in general, but I always say that I do them when I have time to do it because I have other paid projects that I also must do.
Or how about unpaid tests where there is a deadline? For some reason it doesn't seem right to me. I have paid work that I must do as a priority before I have time to complete any unpaid tests.
Most of the time I specify that I will do a test of 250-300 words, but often I get asked to complete tests of 500-1000 words. Does this seem like a lot to anyone else?
Sarah
Please see my earlier post in this thread. I prefer not to make myself available for more than half an hour for any kind of test. If I were in dire need of work or had special interest in a particular opportunity, I might extend that to one hour, but no more.
The reason for this is that I have found that most such test-taking ends up not resulting in paid work. It therefore is a simple question of how much of my time I am willing to give for something likely to result in no payoff at all. Think of it like a trip to a casino and you'll get the picture....
| | | | Kay Denney
France
Local time: 18:49
French to English
| deadline for a test? | Feb 8, 2013 |
Sarah McDowell wrote:
Or how about unpaid tests where there is a deadline? For some reason it doesn't seem right to me. I have paid work that I must do as a priority before I have time to complete any unpaid tests.
Of course they might want to test your ability to get the job done on time, and they might be testing you because they have a big job to be assigned quickly. In which case you might want to test their ability to pay as well?
Sarah McDowell wrote:
Most of the time I specify that I will do a test of 250-300 words, but often I get asked to complete tests of 500-1000 words. Does this seem like a lot to anyone else?
If you say 300 then that's what you should do. It's a figure a lot have suggested here.
When I was teaching privately to pay my way through university, I told possible students the first lesson was free.
Nobody ever asked for more than one free lesson. Either they liked me as a teacher enough to pay for lessons, or they didn't. Why should translation be any different?
| | | |
NONE of the agencies who I currently work for have ever asked me to do a test, while none of the ones who demanded tests have come up with the promised and oh so urgent and important work which needed testing. Odd that.
In my experience agencies who ask you to do tests either have:
1. no proof reader in the native target language and wiill do a one off QC.
2. are just looking to expand their database in the hope that they will have enough work for all the ... See more NONE of the agencies who I currently work for have ever asked me to do a test, while none of the ones who demanded tests have come up with the promised and oh so urgent and important work which needed testing. Odd that.
In my experience agencies who ask you to do tests either have:
1. no proof reader in the native target language and wiill do a one off QC.
2. are just looking to expand their database in the hope that they will have enough work for all the latent tested people waiting on their database. Ive heard all sorts of stories, such as "we dont ever have enough translators, please test, we have so much work to do, and we really need translators" ... and then never heard from them again. One agency even came back after 18 months wanting an updated CV and another test for their records, with the "urgent overworked agency without enough translators" rubbish story. Stupidly, I did it. And never heard from them again. Next time I will be rude.
3. a project manager who is inexperienced and therefore sets 4-500 word tests for every genre, ie, one for marketing, tech, legal etc. You know from this that they have no experience screening applications and can't tell a dud from a skilled professional, and/or have no real idea as to what the required skills are.
4. direct clients who act out of fear having no experience in hiring translators and have no idea who is good and who isnt, and hope that this is the way to find out.
Hence are in my opinion, tests are quite bogus, especially if they do not involve the text you need to translate for the project they wish to hire you for.
If you test for every agency who contacts you, its a serious waste of your time and money. Add it up. ▲ Collapse
| | | | To report site rules violations or get help, contact a site moderator: You can also contact site staff by submitting a support request » Tests - how much is too much? | Protemos translation business management system | Create your account in minutes, and start working! 3-month trial for agencies, and free for freelancers!
The system lets you keep client/vendor database, with contacts and rates, manage projects and assign jobs to vendors, issue invoices, track payments, store and manage project files, generate business reports on turnover profit per client/manager etc.
More info » |
| | TM-Town | Manage your TMs and Terms ... and boost your translation business
Are you ready for something fresh in the industry? TM-Town is a unique new site for you -- the freelance translator -- to store, manage and share translation memories (TMs) and glossaries...and potentially meet new clients on the basis of your prior work.
More info » |
|
| | | | X Sign in to your ProZ.com account... | | | | | |
Login to reply/comment 
Translation news
