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Proz Certified Pro, is it a joke?
Thread poster: Myong-Sang Lim
Myong-Sang Lim
Myong-Sang Lim  Identity Verified
South Korea
Local time: 04:16
Member (2015)
English to Korean
Dec 12, 2015

I recently applied for Certified Pro verification and started browsing the profiles of other Certified Pros in my language pair: English to Korean. Then I found some sample translations from a Certified Pro and couldn't believe my eyes!

Here are some parts of the sample translation.
이른 시간에 북 런던에 있는 킬번에서 총격에 24세의 여성이 사망하고 또 다른 부상 했다고 보도했다.
킹 카운티는 9월에 그 50세의 팍토리아 트�
... See more
I recently applied for Certified Pro verification and started browsing the profiles of other Certified Pros in my language pair: English to Korean. Then I found some sample translations from a Certified Pro and couldn't believe my eyes!

Here are some parts of the sample translation.
이른 시간에 북 런던에 있는 킬번에서 총격에 24세의 여성이 사망하고 또 다른 부상 했다고 보도했다.
킹 카운티는 9월에 그 50세의 팍토리아 트란스페르 스테이션을 새로운 재활용 및 트란스페르 스테이션으로 대체하는 작업을 시작한다.
제품 상세 정보:당신은 마음으로 완전히 강인 있다면 이러한 화려한 타탄 펑크 본디지 바지는 이상적일 것인다.

This is not much better than Google translate and I feel pity for his/her clients. If you know any native Koreans, ask them how ridiculous the above sentences sound.
I would refuse to be a Certified Pro if I were to be considered as same level of translator.
Should I cancel the application for Certified Pro?
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Sheila Wilson
Sheila Wilson  Identity Verified
Spain
Local time: 19:16
Member (2007)
English
+ ...
Call their certification into question, perhaps? Dec 12, 2015

I once submitted a support ticket concerning someone who was clearly totally unsuitable. Their certification was withdrawn. However, I did have personal messages to show staff, and this particular person was claiming to be English native, so it was pretty clear to anyone.

I do think it's flawed, yes. They are letting far too many people through who don't deserve any recognition. There are not only concerns on the quality front but also some are clearly outsourcing for peanuts, or ev
... See more
I once submitted a support ticket concerning someone who was clearly totally unsuitable. Their certification was withdrawn. However, I did have personal messages to show staff, and this particular person was claiming to be English native, so it was pretty clear to anyone.

I do think it's flawed, yes. They are letting far too many people through who don't deserve any recognition. There are not only concerns on the quality front but also some are clearly outsourcing for peanuts, or even accepting peanuts themselves.

But what system is flawless? (Almost all my local politicians have pending court cases for anything from corruption to murder - including the current mayor). I don't like the flaws in the system but I know I'm worthy of the "P" and so are a lot of others here. On the whole, I think it's worthwhile. Why not give it a try? If you're accepted, of course.
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Paula Greyling
 
Tom in London
Tom in London
United Kingdom
Local time: 19:16
Member (2008)
Italian to English
Yes Dec 12, 2015

DexterLim wrote:

Should I cancel the application for Certified Pro?


I too have noticed that some people I happen to know are not good translators who have got the P thing.

I seem to be managing very well without it. I was invited to apply for it but didn't bother (too busy translating!).

And while we're on the subject of regalia, what is that little blue plastic loop thing next to my name? I certainly don't know what it is !

[Edited at 2015-12-12 17:30 GMT]


 
Myong-Sang Lim
Myong-Sang Lim  Identity Verified
South Korea
Local time: 04:16
Member (2015)
English to Korean
TOPIC STARTER
I am going to submit a support ticket then Dec 12, 2015

This person is claiming to be a native in Korean and English but I highly doubt he/she has any Korean language skills better than high school students.
I'll just see how my verification goes, and wouldn't bother if I get rejected somehow.


 
Natalia Postrigan
Natalia Postrigan  Identity Verified
United States
Local time: 12:16
Member (2016)
English to Russian
+ ...
Don't get me started Dec 12, 2015

How often do you see a certified Pro solution offered to a Kudoz question that just doesn't make any sense? And it quickly collects agreement from others because, I suppose, people are easily impressed by the credentials and don't know an answer themselves. What to do?

Matheus Chaud
 
Michal Fabian
Michal Fabian  Identity Verified
Canada
Local time: 15:16
Dutch to Slovak
+ ...
Wha to do? Dec 12, 2015

Move to greener pastures than ProZ.

 
Natalia Postrigan
Natalia Postrigan  Identity Verified
United States
Local time: 12:16
Member (2016)
English to Russian
+ ...
Human nature Dec 12, 2015

Michal Fabian wrote:
Move to greener pastures than ProZ.


Or take it for what it is - human nature - and not take it close to heart.


 
sokolniki
sokolniki  Identity Verified
United States
Local time: 14:16
English to Russian
+ ...
Yes, it is a joke Dec 12, 2015

I lost my Certified Pro status immediately after I stopped paying for membership. The ribbon sign was removed from my profile. So, do you lose your qualifications if you prefer to become a non-paying member? No, you don't. I even sent a question about it to proz and they confirmed the above. It's worse than a joke, it's a travesty.

 
Quentina Chan
Quentina Chan
Malaysia
Local time: 03:16
Member (2015)
English to Chinese
+ ...
you are not alone Dec 13, 2015

I did notice the same thing for my language pair, and what really surprise me is that those P are actually receiving positive feedback from clients.

I would agree with Sheila, maybe you can give it a try. Otherwise, if you do feel that the P is not a necessary for you, then you probably can stop it.

And another point to add on, just my own thought, when the situation can't be changed at the moment, the best thing to do is just focusing on own what you need to do.... See more
I did notice the same thing for my language pair, and what really surprise me is that those P are actually receiving positive feedback from clients.

I would agree with Sheila, maybe you can give it a try. Otherwise, if you do feel that the P is not a necessary for you, then you probably can stop it.

And another point to add on, just my own thought, when the situation can't be changed at the moment, the best thing to do is just focusing on own what you need to do.

[Edited at 2015-12-13 01:35 GMT]
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Daryo
Daryo
United Kingdom
Local time: 19:16
Serbian to English
+ ...
A joke? Dec 13, 2015

possibly, the next question being on who is the joke? On unsuspecting clients? On other translators who couldn't be bothered to apply?

Nothing is perfect, that's true.

But it's also true that some imperfections are more imperfect than others ...


 
Max Deryagin
Max Deryagin  Identity Verified
Russian Federation
Local time: 00:16
Member (2013)
English to Russian
- Dec 13, 2015

As someone who often reviews PCP applicants' test translations, I can tell you than quite many people try to game the system. I see reverse translations presented as regular, I see source and target texts that were just copied and pasted from localized websites (or from other translators), and some of the test translations might have been just outsourced to another translator or even company. The system is flawed, and some of the conmen manage to get through.

 
Sheila Wilson
Sheila Wilson  Identity Verified
Spain
Local time: 19:16
Member (2007)
English
+ ...
That's rather different Dec 13, 2015

sokolniki wrote:
I lost my Certified Pro status immediately after I stopped paying for membership. The ribbon sign was removed from my profile. So, do you lose your qualifications if you prefer to become a non-paying member? No, you don't. I even sent a question about it to proz and they confirmed the above. It's worse than a joke, it's a travesty.

I find that totally normal. Why should ProZ.com continue to provide that certification if you aren't a paid-up member? Do organisations such as the ATA allow members to keep their certification for life, only signing on and paying for one year? I very much doubt it. AFAIK, the same applies to chartered engineers, surveyors etc. I know that certification by all those organisations is very different from the one we have here, but the same principle applies. It's also stated very clearly here that the PRO tag is dependent on membership.


Joe France
 
Paulinho Fonseca
Paulinho Fonseca  Identity Verified
Brazil
Local time: 16:16
Member (2011)
English to Portuguese
+ ...
Well said, Sheila. It concludes all. Dec 13, 2015

Sheila Wilson wrote:

sokolniki wrote:
I lost my Certified Pro status immediately after I stopped paying for membership. The ribbon sign was removed from my profile. So, do you lose your qualifications if you prefer to become a non-paying member? No, you don't. I even sent a question about it to proz and they confirmed the above. It's worse than a joke, it's a travesty.

I find that totally normal. Why should ProZ.com continue to provide that certification if you aren't a paid-up member? Do organisations such as the ATA allow members to keep their certification for life, only signing on and paying for one year? I very much doubt it. AFAIK, the same applies to chartered engineers, surveyors etc. I know that certification by all those organisations is very different from the one we have here, but the same principle applies. It's also stated very clearly here that the PRO tag is dependent on membership.


 
Samuel Murray
Samuel Murray  Identity Verified
Netherlands
Local time: 20:16
Member (2006)
English to Afrikaans
+ ...
Don't confuse the blue ribbon with the red pee Dec 13, 2015

sokolniki wrote:
I lost my Certified Pro status immediately after I stopped paying for membership.


That is to be expected. The red pee is for paying members only, so if you stop being a payment member, you also stop being a red pee member.

The ribbon sign was removed from my profile. So, do you lose your qualifications if you prefer to become a non-paying member?


The red pee means that you're a "Certified Pro" member. The blue ribbon means that you're a paying member. The black check mark means that your identify was "verified". If you stop being a paying member, you'll lose the blue ribbon, obviously, because the blue ribbon is simply a symbol that says "this is a paying member".

The fact that you lose your red pee and blue ribbon does not say anything about the value of the red pee scheme -- I believe that, if run properly, the red pee system can be of great use for helping to identify good translators.


 
jyuan_us
jyuan_us  Identity Verified
United States
Local time: 15:16
Member (2005)
English to Chinese
+ ...
Is a certified Pro required to post a sample translation on his/her profile page? Dec 13, 2015

DexterLim wrote:

This person is claiming to be a native in Korean and English but I highly doubt he/she has any Korean language skills better than high school students.
I'll just see how my verification goes, and wouldn't bother if I get rejected somehow.


If not, what is the point for you to submit a support ticket?

You may instead send the person an email reminding him or her that there are errors on his/her sample translation.


 
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