| Pages in topic: [1 2] > | Do translation agencies/LSPs accept portfolios? Thread poster: Emanuele Vacca
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Emanuele Vacca 
Italy
Local time: 14:07
Member (2020)
English to Italian
I am aware that providing a portfolio can save us a lot of time dealing with translation tests, but I was wondering: do agencies (as opposed to direct clients) accept portfolios in lieu of translation tests, or in general, will they ask you to take a translation test anyways? I do plan on creating a portfolio in the long term, but as much as the point is saving time and currently, I am marketing myself to agencies (rather than direct clients), it does not make much sense to prioritize it right n... See more I am aware that providing a portfolio can save us a lot of time dealing with translation tests, but I was wondering: do agencies (as opposed to direct clients) accept portfolios in lieu of translation tests, or in general, will they ask you to take a translation test anyways? I do plan on creating a portfolio in the long term, but as much as the point is saving time and currently, I am marketing myself to agencies (rather than direct clients), it does not make much sense to prioritize it right now if they will ask me to take a translation test anyways.
Can you share your experiences in this regard? Have portfolios ever allowed you not to take a translation test? If yes, how often does this happen? ▲ Collapse
| | | | Samuel Murray
Netherlands
Local time: 14:07
Member (2006)
English to Afrikaans
+ ...
Emanuele Vacca wrote:
Do agencies (as opposed to direct clients) accept portfolios in lieu of translation tests...?
Often, the test is a requirement by the end-client.
| | | | Emanuele Vacca
Italy
Local time: 14:07
Member (2020)
English to Italian
TOPIC STARTER
Samuel Murray wrote: Emanuele Vacca wrote:
Do agencies (as opposed to direct clients) accept portfolios in lieu of translation tests...? Often, the test is a requirement by the end-client.
Thank you, Samuel! Does that also imply that direct clients won't generally accept portfolios in lieu of translation tests either? If this is the case, I wonder what the point of creating a portfolio is...
[Edited at 2023-03-21 11:16 GMT]
| | | | Tom in London
United Kingdom
Local time: 13:07
Member (2008)
Italian to English
There is already a Portfolio section in your profile.
In my experience (I don't know if it's everyone's) potential clients study our profiles, more than anything else, and decide to contact us based on what they find there.
That's why the Portfolio section in your profile, in my opinion, is very important and should be periodically updated with new examples of your skills and breadth as a translator.
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| It depends... | Mar 21, 2023 |
Some have come to me by recommendation of an existing client or a colleague, so they already have done their homework, others have looked at the samples on my Proz profile or my website, but even so require a test. I must say also that a test goes both ways: the way it’s handled is usually a good indicator of how organized and helpful the agency is.
| | | | Baran Keki
Türkiye
Local time: 15:07
Member
English to Turkish
As a person who is totally against agency tests and believes that they can never be evaluated impartially by agency translators, I'd like to know why you're not so keen on tests and are looking for other methods. Have you had any experiences with agency tests?
| | | | Lieven Malaise
Belgium
Local time: 14:07
Member (2020)
French to Dutch
+ ...
| My experience | Mar 21, 2023 |
In my experience tests are not standard. Many of my newer clients never asked me to do a test (the first order is always a test on itself, isn't it ?), while I'm sometimes asked for a test by an established customer (mostly because the end client asks for it before placing an order).
Also in my experience clients don't give a sh*t about portfolios, whether it's a portfolio here or elsewhere. And why should they ? It's a thing from the past and it eventually proves nothing.
| | | | Emanuele Vacca
Italy
Local time: 14:07
Member (2020)
English to Italian
TOPIC STARTER | Nothing against tests | Mar 21, 2023 |
Baran Keki wrote:
As a person who is totally against agency tests and believes that they can never be evaluated impartially by agency translators, I'd like to know why you're not so keen on tests and are looking for other methods. Have you had any experiences with agency tests?
I do have a lot of experience with translation tests from agencies. Now, I don't have anything against tests myself, and I totally get why they want us to take them (this is probably another topic, however), but at the same time if I can save some time in their onboarding processes, why not. Especially considering that very often, agencies ask us to take tests just to be included in their huge databases of linguists and in most cases, they will never send us any work. Since when I started, in 2020, I probably took something like 30-40 tests and roughly passed 95% of them, but at the moment I only have 4 or 5 regular clients. Again, if I can make this process a bit more time-effective on my side, why not. But if agencies or even direct clients ask me to take a test anyways, it doesn't make much sense.
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Baran Keki
Türkiye
Local time: 15:07
Member
English to Turkish
In my opinion the best solution is to provide references, i.e. the PMs who have worked with you for a number of years and can thereby vouch for your work, performance, quality etc. I suggested this on a number of occasions, but saw that people here were vehemently against it for some reason.
As for portfolios, any smart arse can claim they've been working for Apple, Mitsubishi, Johnson & Johnson, Keki & Associates, Renault etc... just like they claim they are a native English speake... See more In my opinion the best solution is to provide references, i.e. the PMs who have worked with you for a number of years and can thereby vouch for your work, performance, quality etc. I suggested this on a number of occasions, but saw that people here were vehemently against it for some reason.
As for portfolios, any smart arse can claim they've been working for Apple, Mitsubishi, Johnson & Johnson, Keki & Associates, Renault etc... just like they claim they are a native English speaker without ever having set foot in an English speaking country in their lives.
Translation tests by agencies are an inherently flawed method of assessing one's skills. You always run the risk of having your test piece reviewed by an idiot (a freelance translator in your own pair). I'm all for test translations to be reviewed/assessed by the end clients, but not by agency translators.
[Edited at 2023-03-21 12:29 GMT]
[Edited at 2023-03-21 14:34 GMT] ▲ Collapse
| | | | IrinaN
United States
Local time: 07:07
English to Russian
+ ...
| There is no "in general" here, IMHO | Mar 21, 2023 |
It will always be on a case-to-case basis, depending both on the agency and the portfolio. I'd say that tests are more likely to be expected, and our problem is to make sure it's worth it. I am a test proponent but...
In my time major agencies did not play cheapskates with the in-house editors. Mine were superb, worked as editors only and didn't worry about competitors in a form of some new translator candidates. They cherry-picked the best to save their own sanity:-) and make sure ... See more It will always be on a case-to-case basis, depending both on the agency and the portfolio. I'd say that tests are more likely to be expected, and our problem is to make sure it's worth it. I am a test proponent but...
In my time major agencies did not play cheapskates with the in-house editors. Mine were superb, worked as editors only and didn't worry about competitors in a form of some new translator candidates. They cherry-picked the best to save their own sanity:-) and make sure that the project will not be lost to a competing agency. That was the kind of competition they worried about. Old school... With the current mess in our market I no longer trust anyone and wouldn't exclude the chance of poor reviewers grabbing on to whatever job comes their way. However, most decent agencies are not hopelessly stupid and when they see a real golden goose, they grab on tight to the rare bird.
Oh well, it's all in the past for me, thank God! But all 30 years I worked under the brilliant professional editors, whom I knew in person. I knew I was lucky but didn't realize how lucky. ▲ Collapse
| | | | Kay Denney
France
Local time: 14:07
French to English
When I worked in-house, I had to test translators we were potentially interested in working with. I devised a series of tests, mostly a couple of paragraphs each, in various specialist subjects and each containing a couple of pitfalls. I would send the same tests to several translators, and obviously I would compare them. I would first check to see whether they had used the spell check, then look to see what they did for the pitfalls, and if they passed both those stages I would then actually re... See more When I worked in-house, I had to test translators we were potentially interested in working with. I devised a series of tests, mostly a couple of paragraphs each, in various specialist subjects and each containing a couple of pitfalls. I would send the same tests to several translators, and obviously I would compare them. I would first check to see whether they had used the spell check, then look to see what they did for the pitfalls, and if they passed both those stages I would then actually read the text to check for flow etc. So it was crucial that they all did the same test.
I expect if we were looking for a translator working in a specialist field for which I had not devised a test, I might look at their portfolio, but that was very rare and I don't remember ever looking at a portfolio.
If you are targetting direct clients in a specific field, it might very well make sense to put together a portfolio and include it when sending your CV. I doubt any clients would look at it in much detail, but the sheer bulk could be impressive. ▲ Collapse
| | | | Samuel Murray
Netherlands
Local time: 14:07
Member (2006)
English to Afrikaans
+ ...
| What is a portfolio | Mar 21, 2023 |
Baran Keki wrote:
As for portfolios, any smart arse can claim they've been working for Apple, Mitsubishi, Johnson & Johnson, Keki & Associates, Renault etc... just like they claim they are a native English speaker without ever having set foot in an English speaking country in their lives.
I think a "portfolio" in the sense meant here is a collection of sample translations.
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Josep Vives (X)
Spain
Local time: 14:07
English to Spanish
+ ...
| I have a portfolio. | Mar 21, 2023 |
And I love it. I send it every single time along with my résumé. It makes me very proud and if someone asked me, "why do you have a portfolio?", I would answer, "just for the fun of it. Because nobody else does it. Because it makes me feel so empowered and professional, specially (I know, I know, it starts with an e) when it's grumpy time in happy translator's land".
So, let me tell you this: do your own portfolio! Don't be afraid to actually look professional by showing some init... See more And I love it. I send it every single time along with my résumé. It makes me very proud and if someone asked me, "why do you have a portfolio?", I would answer, "just for the fun of it. Because nobody else does it. Because it makes me feel so empowered and professional, specially (I know, I know, it starts with an e) when it's grumpy time in happy translator's land".
So, let me tell you this: do your own portfolio! Don't be afraid to actually look professional by showing some initiative for once! Go! Have fun doing it! It's a PP for God's sake, you have a myriad of funny backgrounds, and you can use that floppy typography you always love to use in your internal documents but never dared to use in front of your clients! Go ahead! Have some fun! And send it to everyone you know! It's your portfolio! ▲ Collapse
| | | | Baran Keki
Türkiye
Local time: 15:07
Member
English to Turkish
Samuel Murray wrote:
I think a "portfolio" in the sense meant here is a collection of sample translations.
That might work perhaps if you're translating into a Lingua Franca (English) that can be understood by virtually everybody in the world, but would be useless if you're translating into an exotic language.
I reckon the OP is aiming for agencies outside Italy (which I'm told are mostly paying peanuts and insisting on unconscionably long payment terms), so the chances are his translations in Italian will look Greek to a Dutch or Danish or English VM, although he stands a lot better chance than someone like me, as nobody else in the world other than those living in Turkey speaks/understands Turkish.
| | | | Samuel Murray
Netherlands
Local time: 14:07
Member (2006)
English to Afrikaans
+ ...
| A test translation | Mar 22, 2023 |
Baran Keki wrote:
That might work perhaps if you're translating into a [language] that can be understood by virtually everybody in the world, but would be useless if you're translating into an exotic language.
A test translation into an exotic language would also be useless... if the client has no way of telling whether it is a good translation. (-:
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