| Pages in topic: [1 2] > | Translation rates Thread poster: Mathew Smee
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Mathew Smee 
United Kingdom
Local time: 05:40
French to English
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I'm a new member and have spent some time today
updating my profile ready to start thinking about putting in my first
quote for a translation job on the proz website...
I have a question regarding the Financial section. What is Default
rate per word/hour (ex 0.12) and Turnkey translations default rate per
word (ex 0.10) and what are Turnkey assignments ?
Also What is a realistic minimum and target rate in GBP ?
I got laid off in december and it's really ... See more I'm a new member and have spent some time today
updating my profile ready to start thinking about putting in my first
quote for a translation job on the proz website...
I have a question regarding the Financial section. What is Default
rate per word/hour (ex 0.12) and Turnkey translations default rate per
word (ex 0.10) and what are Turnkey assignments ?
Also What is a realistic minimum and target rate in GBP ?
I got laid off in december and it's really hard getting started in a
new career so thank you very much for advice you can offer me
Kind regards
Mathew Smee ▲ Collapse
| | | | Sheila Wilson
Spain
Local time: 05:40
Member (2007)
English
+ ...
Hello Mathew,
Welcome to ProZ and your new career!
Have you found the FAQ in the "About" drop-down? The FAQ on ProZ is enormous and covers very many of the questions you're likely to have. The one drawback is that the search function is lousy! The main section on rates is here:http://www.proz.com/faq/746#746
I have to say that I find the entering of rates very confusing, with default rates in one place and then rates associated with each language and servic... See more Hello Mathew,
Welcome to ProZ and your new career!
Have you found the FAQ in the "About" drop-down? The FAQ on ProZ is enormous and covers very many of the questions you're likely to have. The one drawback is that the search function is lousy! The main section on rates is here:http://www.proz.com/faq/746#746
I have to say that I find the entering of rates very confusing, with default rates in one place and then rates associated with each language and service elsewhere, then there are minimum charges, surcharges, discounts, target rates and rates for Turnkey translations. The best thing I find is to play with it and then force visitor view of the profile to see what the effect has been.
For turnkey translations, look here: http://www.proz.com/faq/5570#5570. I'm not entirely sure they actually exist - I've never seen them unless that's what I receive for my pro-bono work with TWB - but perhaps others know better.
For "average" rates, there is statistical information available within the rates section of ProZ and you can probably get info from translator organisations in the UK. Of course, many translators post their rates on their profiles so have a good nose around! Please don't put your rates too low and don't accept jobs that are way below your rates, and/or with ridiculous timescales - there's a lot of exploitation going on at the moment and it's not good for anyone in the end.
A comment about your CV if I may? Remember you are now acting as a self-employed businessman providing language services. I'm afraid your CV is great for a salaried gardening job but not at all suitable for what you want to do.
Good luck and don't rely on ProZ to get you work - cast your net a lot wider!
Sheila ▲ Collapse
| | | | | Wise words from Sheila | Feb 5, 2011 |
I think she's hit on a good point, which is that you should change the focus of the CV you have on view. You can mention the reason for your expertise in horticultural and specialist machinery matters etc, but need to give more prominence to telling potential clients about your translation experience.
Cheers
Noni
| | | | Mathew Smee
United Kingdom
Local time: 05:40
French to English
+ ...
TOPIC STARTER | With a little help from my friends | Feb 5, 2011 |
Thanx for the good advice, and above all kind words... checked out the how do I enter my rates vid and the Turn-key translation FAQ's... just need to do a bit of C.V. tweaking and I'm there...
Happy translating,
Mathew
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Peter Linton (X)
Local time: 05:40
Swedish to English
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| Your language combinations | Feb 5, 2011 |
Let me slip in another point that may affect your job opportunities – you claim French and Spanish Translations as source and target Languages. You clearly have a very strong language background, but claiming to work in both directions is often regarded with suspicion by outsourcers (translation agencies and companies). Indeed some will rule you out for that reason alone. Others may rule you out because your prices are, in my experience, somewhat ambitious for what you offer.
What... See more Let me slip in another point that may affect your job opportunities – you claim French and Spanish Translations as source and target Languages. You clearly have a very strong language background, but claiming to work in both directions is often regarded with suspicion by outsourcers (translation agencies and companies). Indeed some will rule you out for that reason alone. Others may rule you out because your prices are, in my experience, somewhat ambitious for what you offer.
What matters is not so much what languages you speak, but in which language you can produce your best written work. I am guessing, but in your case probably English.
I would go further and say that there is a lot to be said for concentrating on a single language combination, say French to English, and studying them in depth. Some outsourcers are more impressed by the quality rather than the quantity of languages. Better a master of one than a jack of several. ▲ Collapse
| | | | Laurent KRAULAND (X)
France
Local time: 06:40
French to German
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| Ambitious prices? | Feb 5, 2011 |
I am wondering right now: what are ambitious prices? Some colleagues - admittedly rather great players in their league - would say that any rates/prices for which the number after the decimal separator is 0 are not professional rates.
I will not raise the issues of what the market can bear, experience(1) but £ 0.05 to £ 0.08 for good PR/marketing translations is too low. And here as everywhere else, there is no such thing like approximative work: either you ... See more I am wondering right now: what are ambitious prices? Some colleagues - admittedly rather great players in their league - would say that any rates/prices for which the number after the decimal separator is 0 are not professional rates.
I will not raise the issues of what the market can bear, experience(1) but £ 0.05 to £ 0.08 for good PR/marketing translations is too low. And here as everywhere else, there is no such thing like approximative work: either you can do it, or you cannot.
And if you can do it, fine. If you cannot, well... then even £ 0.01 per word is too much!
(1) Has anybody ever noticed that, even with 10+ years of professional experience, one can still be seen as a beginner by some? Strange way of discarding not strictly "translation-related" jobs, diplomas etc. on the one hand when hands-on experience in the subject of the translation job is mandatory on the other hand.
ETA: as per not trying to be a jack of all trades, I agree with Peter. But then, avoid generalist agencies: they are jacks of all trades too (any language combo, any deadline, 10K translators in their database etc. - really?)... Just my 2 € cents sweeping statement for today.
[Edited at 2011-02-05 20:22 GMT] ▲ Collapse
| | | | Sheila Wilson
Spain
Local time: 05:40
Member (2007)
English
+ ...
| Do what you do best | Feb 5, 2011 |
Peter Linton wrote:
What matters is not so much what languages you speak, but in which language you can produce your best written work. I am guessing, but in your case probably English.
I certainly think translating out of your native language is likely to give a negative impression in some cases. But you have actually spent time living in the countries so perhaps you can justify it. What worries me more is when people have simply learnt a foreign language in a classroom, albeit to a high level, then consider themselves capable of translating into it. That must worry outsourcers too. If the foreign language is something obscure then OK, you would probably find work, but there are so many Spanish and French native speakers who have a high level of English and they are probably better placed to do the work.
I would go further and say that there is a lot to be said for concentrating on a single language combination, say French to English, and studying them in depth.
I'm not sure I'd go that far, though.
Edited to add that I'm really surprised that Peter considers you rates rather high. I would personally see them as being on the low side of average and therefore probably spot on for someone who doesn't have much experience - better to put them up next year than reduce them! But then I'm not an outsourcer!
[Edited at 2011-02-05 20:16 GMT]
| | | | Peter Linton (X)
Local time: 05:40
Swedish to English
+ ...
| Ambitious rates revisited | Feb 6, 2011 |
Sheila Wilson wrote:
I'm really surprised that Peter considers you rates rather high.
In his ProZ profile, Mathew quotes Rates: 0.05 - 0.08 GBP per word.
That strikes me as achievable.
In his question, he asks about 0.10 to 0.12.
That strikes me as ambitions for a relative newcomer in overpopulated language combinations.
But happy to be proved wrong.
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Mathew Smee
United Kingdom
Local time: 05:40
French to English
+ ...
TOPIC STARTER | fair rates for an ambitious translator | Feb 6, 2011 |
Yes exactly, in my proz profile I have quoted rates of 0.05 - 0.08 GBP per word,
and then asked if these rates are fair ?
In my original question I asked ¿ What is Default rate per word/hour (ex 0.12) and Turnkey translations default rate per word (ex 0.10) ? Please explain...
Also ¿ What is a realistic minimum and target rate in GBP ?
I never suggested 0.10 to 0.12 to be a fair rate for a "relative newcomer"
¿ Does anyone specialize in Chine... See more Yes exactly, in my proz profile I have quoted rates of 0.05 - 0.08 GBP per word,
and then asked if these rates are fair ?
In my original question I asked ¿ What is Default rate per word/hour (ex 0.12) and Turnkey translations default rate per word (ex 0.10) ? Please explain...
Also ¿ What is a realistic minimum and target rate in GBP ?
I never suggested 0.10 to 0.12 to be a fair rate for a "relative newcomer"
¿ Does anyone specialize in Chinese whispers ?
Thanks again for any friendly advice,
Kind regards... ▲ Collapse
| | | | Giles Watson
Italy
Local time: 06:40
Italian to English
In memoriam | Don't bother quoting for jobs on Proz | Feb 6, 2011 |
Sounds negative, doesn't it?
But consider the following:
1) Outsourcers who post jobs on Proz generally have budget thresholds already in place: they're not interested in your rate and only want to know if you are willing to work for theirs.
2) Many Proz members happily pay a hundred-odd dollars a year knowing full well that they are very unlikely to find work by being contacted directly through Proz (I'm one of them).
3) Proz helps translators... See more Sounds negative, doesn't it?
But consider the following:
1) Outsourcers who post jobs on Proz generally have budget thresholds already in place: they're not interested in your rate and only want to know if you are willing to work for theirs.
2) Many Proz members happily pay a hundred-odd dollars a year knowing full well that they are very unlikely to find work by being contacted directly through Proz (I'm one of them).
3) Proz helps translators make themselves - and their specialisations - visible to a large number of other translators.
4) Sometimes those other translators want to help out clients they can't handle themselves and pass work on to colleagues they heard about through Proz.
5) At that point the colleague, not the client, sets the rate and the colleague's Proz membership begins to look like an investment.
FWIW ▲ Collapse
| | | | Sheila Wilson
Spain
Local time: 05:40
Member (2007)
English
+ ...
| Ah! I see the confusion | Feb 6, 2011 |
Peter Linton wrote:
Sheila Wilson wrote:
I'm really surprised that Peter considers you rates rather high.
In his ProZ profile, Mathew quotes Rates: 0.05 - 0.08 GBP per word.
That strikes me as achievable.
In his question, he asks about 0.10 to 0.12.
That strikes me as ambitions for a relative newcomer in overpopulated language combinations.
But happy to be proved wrong.
I was going by the rates in Mathew's profile and was considering the others as a simple example of what can be seen on the site. I would agree that those would perhaps be ambitious except for niche markets.
| | | | Peter Linton (X)
Local time: 05:40
Swedish to English
+ ...
| Please explain | Feb 7, 2011 |
Mathew Smee wrote:
In my original question I asked ¿ What is Default rate per word/hour (ex 0.12) and Turnkey translations default rate per word (ex 0.10) ? Please explain...
Please explain what you mean. I have never heard of Default rates or Turnkey rates.
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Mathew Smee
United Kingdom
Local time: 05:40
French to English
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TOPIC STARTER | edit your profile and you'll see for yourself | Feb 7, 2011 |
I had never heard of Default rates or Turnkey rates either, hence my original question in the forum. I had been finding it hard to establish a fair translation rate whilst editing my profile...
Default rate per word/hour (ex 0.12) and Turnkey translations default rate per word (ex 0.10) are examples in the required rates section...
| | | | | Avoid generalizations | Feb 7, 2011 |
Giles Watson wrote:
Don't bother quoting for jobs on Proz
Sounds negative, doesn't it?
But consider the following:
1) Outsourcers who post jobs on Proz generally have budget thresholds already in place: they're not interested in your rate and only want to know if you are willing to work for theirs.
Pareto's Law applies. The above statement indeed applies to 80% of the jobs posted on Proz. The remanining 20% are a gold mine. Btw, how much plain earth must one move to mine gold?
Conversely, there is another such site, completely free, which recently set a lower limit of EUR 0.04/word for job posts. Now, 98% of the jobs there are offered at EUR 4¢/w (and no longer less than that). It's like 'mining' for gold in a gold smelting plant's effluents. Yet some people do it!
Giles Watson wrote:
2) Many Proz members happily pay a hundred-odd dollars a year knowing full well that they are very unlikely to find work by being contacted directly through Proz (I'm one of them).
Likelihood is vague; while probability is usually expressed in numbers. If one such job covers those hundred-odd bucks, the translator will be above breakeven. My average so far on Proz has been 4-5 such jobs per year.
Giles Watson wrote:
3) Proz helps translators make themselves - and their specialisations - visible to a large number of other translators.
4) Sometimes those other translators want to help out clients they can't handle themselves and pass work on to colleagues they heard about through Proz.
5) At that point the colleague, not the client, sets the rate and the colleague's Proz membership begins to look like an investment.
Maybe. I wouldn't know about other language pairs, however for my specific one (EN-PT), I'm fairly well networked outside Proz (on Yahoogroups). In addition to personally knowing and being known maybe one or two hundred translators in my pair, I can instantly get a message to maybe 3-4 thousand of them.
| | | | Laurent KRAULAND (X)
France
Local time: 06:40
French to German
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| Just for the sake of information | Feb 7, 2011 |
José Henrique Lamensdorf wrote:
Conversely, there is another such site, completely free, which recently set a lower limit of EUR 0.04/word for job posts. Now, 98% of the jobs there are offered at EUR 4¢/w (and no longer less than that). It's like 'mining' for gold in a gold smelting plant's effluents. Yet some people do it!
Just for the sake of information: this lower limit never prevented any low-rates outsourcer from contacting me through my profile. A recent example is this offer for 3K words (DE to FR, medical) within 24 hours and @ USD 0.0275 per source word.
Need I say more? To this outsourcer, their rate is certainly "fair".
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