| Pages in topic: [1 2] > | Should we accept any rate? Thread poster: Alicia Mateos
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Some days ago I saw a translation offer. They wanted a translation for the next day, but it was a very short one and at a really low rate (even for what I was willing to accept), so low that I would actually have lost money shall I have accepted it.
I'm just starting as a professional translator and I get that I am not earning too much money at the beginning or even no money at all but should I accept anything I get, just for the sake of getting started? should I have taken this translatio... See more Some days ago I saw a translation offer. They wanted a translation for the next day, but it was a very short one and at a really low rate (even for what I was willing to accept), so low that I would actually have lost money shall I have accepted it.
I'm just starting as a professional translator and I get that I am not earning too much money at the beginning or even no money at all but should I accept anything I get, just for the sake of getting started? should I have taken this translation?
Thank you all! ▲ Collapse
| | | | Samuel Murray 
Netherlands
Local time: 21:53
Member (2006)
English to Afrikaans
+ ...
Yes. For a beginner, real-world experience is worth paying for.
| | | | Tom in London
United Kingdom
Local time: 20:53
Member (2008)
Italian to English
| no such thing | Nov 17, 2021 |
Alicia Mateos wrote:
Some days ago I saw a translation offer. They wanted a translation for the next day, but it was a very short one and at a really low rate (even for what I was willing to accept), so low that I would actually have lost money shall I have accepted it.
I'm just starting as a professional translator and I get that I am not earning too much money at the beginning or even no money at all but should I accept anything I get, just for the sake of getting started? should I have taken this translation?
Thank you all!
In terms of the quality of your translation work and your professionalism, which should be the very best right from the start, there is no such thing as a "beginner"- so there should be no such thing as a "beginner"'s rate. You should charge the full going rate for the language pair.
[Edited at 2021-11-17 08:01 GMT]
| | | | | Yes, why not, in your position | Nov 17, 2021 |
How could you lose money? Was it a negative rate?!
At the very beginning, yes I would take what I could get for the experience as Samuel says. But then rapidly work your way up the ladder.
Being cheap is your only competitive advantage and is how you get your foot in the door.
Starting out at average rates is only for those with some other USP. Or a trust fund.
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How much a freelance translator charges is a never-ending negotiation between the translator and the client (translation agency or end client). If you accept a very low rate from a client just to get started it means that you will not be able to ask that client to pay a higher rate later on. When you start at a low rate, you will be stuck with it for as long as you work with that agency. Have you ... See more How much a freelance translator charges is a never-ending negotiation between the translator and the client (translation agency or end client). If you accept a very low rate from a client just to get started it means that you will not be able to ask that client to pay a higher rate later on. When you start at a low rate, you will be stuck with it for as long as you work with that agency. Have you looked at this? https://www.proz.com/pages/getting_started/starter ▲ Collapse
| | | | Mr. Satan (X)
English to Indonesian
| IMHO, you shouldn't unless you got no other choice | Nov 17, 2021 |
I generally agree with Tom, but here's one thing to keep in mind. You are competing with senior translators with decades of experiences and networking. Lower price might be your only leverage. On the other hand, by accepting such a low rate, you are throwing a wrench into the market. From what I understand, this seems to affect several senior translators as well. I might be exaggerating here, as I always do. But in the long run, you would make things worse for everyone.
Work experie... See more I generally agree with Tom, but here's one thing to keep in mind. You are competing with senior translators with decades of experiences and networking. Lower price might be your only leverage. On the other hand, by accepting such a low rate, you are throwing a wrench into the market. From what I understand, this seems to affect several senior translators as well. I might be exaggerating here, as I always do. But in the long run, you would make things worse for everyone.
Work experiences are indeed important... sort of. But there is a better way. If you are going to get paid so low doing those jobs, you might as well do volunteer works. Not for some random agencies, mind you. I'm talking about TWB or even the UN (yes, that UN) if you could. Ted Talks is also a good choice if you are into subtitling. My point is, these volunteer works should make your resume look rather interesting.
Then you can apply standard rates afterwards.
[Edited at 2021-11-17 10:20 GMT] ▲ Collapse
| | | | | Charge the full going rate | Nov 17, 2021 |
Tom in London wrote:
In terms of the quality of your translation work and your professionalism, which should be the very best right from the start, there is no such thing as a "beginner"- so there should be no such thing as a "beginner's rate".
If you offer translation services for remuneration, you must be a professional. No client wants a beginner to practice translation at his or her expense. So if you are confident that you can deliver a polished translation, charge the full going rate for your language pairs.
| | | | | Guiding principle and exceptions | Nov 17, 2021 |
The guiding principle when you are starting out is to aim to provide the best service you can. When starting out in anything new, you will take longer. That already has the effect of reducing the amount you earn in a certain time. Do not penalise yourself further by adding a low rate into that equation, not on a regular basis.
Other factors will slow you down and take time at the beginning, such as business management. Whatever the size of your business, your activity is still a bu... See more The guiding principle when you are starting out is to aim to provide the best service you can. When starting out in anything new, you will take longer. That already has the effect of reducing the amount you earn in a certain time. Do not penalise yourself further by adding a low rate into that equation, not on a regular basis.
Other factors will slow you down and take time at the beginning, such as business management. Whatever the size of your business, your activity is still a business. It takes time to gain the experience needed to run that efficiently: national administration obligations, organisation, terms and conditions, contracts, rates, penalties and interest for late payment, chasing bad debts, etc. If you are doing all of that usual stuff for crap rates, you'll have a hard time getting off the ground. You know a restaurant doing decent food but that it really well run and managed will do better than a restaurant serving exceptional meals if the business is run like an amateur show. On top of aiming for quality, aim to understand how to run the business and administrative aspects well.
Exceptions. You can always make exceptions but if it is to gain regular low-paying clients, you are shooting yourself in the foot. Keep exceptions just that. Exceptions. If it enables you to gain some experience, why not, but don't make it a regular thing and particularly not with one particular client. You will not be able to increase your rate. After all, why should he pay more? You are paving your way into a poverty trap. I usually have direct clients. I had one agency paying dreadful rates able to provide me more and more work. When I refused to work almost full-time for them, they were offended when I explained that I'd have to work 60 hours a week on half my usual rate to make a decent living. The collaboration ended. I'd pointed out that the office cleaner was better off as she had her minimum wage and a ton of social protection that I would not have for the same price. End of story.
Some jobs will be more profitable that others anyway. That is true for any business. Know your worth and charge for it.
[Edited at 2021-11-17 10:21 GMT] ▲ Collapse
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| Don't accept low rates without protest | Nov 17, 2021 |
I know I am at the opposite end of my career, but I have often told clients what a realistic rate would be. A few go along with it, and sometimes you lose the job that way, so there is a risk. But as long as someone is desperate enough to accept the low rates, agencies will keep pressing them down.
End clients who have no idea how long a translation takes will never learn to expect realistic prices, and the competition puts pressure on agencies who still try to pay fair rates.
... See more I know I am at the opposite end of my career, but I have often told clients what a realistic rate would be. A few go along with it, and sometimes you lose the job that way, so there is a risk. But as long as someone is desperate enough to accept the low rates, agencies will keep pressing them down.
End clients who have no idea how long a translation takes will never learn to expect realistic prices, and the competition puts pressure on agencies who still try to pay fair rates.
Anyone can say ´I am cheap´. It is harder for a beginner to get a foot in the door, but as soon as you can, market yourself on what you are good at. That is not necessarily long experience - a fresh approach, all the latest from the university, or knowledge about whatever you do when you are not translating are all advantages that beginners can use to market themselves.
Good luck! ▲ Collapse
| | | | | True! Wise advice! | Nov 17, 2021 |
Christine Andersen wrote:
... market yourself on what you are good at. That is not necessarily long experience - a fresh approach, all the latest from the university, or knowledge about whatever you do when you are not translating are all advantages that beginners can use to market themselves.
Absolutely true at the start and throughout!
| | | | Alicia Mateos
Spain
Local time: 21:53
French to Spanish
+ ...
TOPIC STARTER
Thank you for posting here.
I couldn’t negotiate the rates, so that wasn’t an option here. And I also understand that I haven’t got the experience to ask for high rates, but this was just too low and I was also waiting for details for another translation. I didn’t take this one, but I couldn’t get it out of my head.
Thank you for your advice on volunteer work, Novian! I have already done some, but I will check TWB and the UN, as well as the link Teresa posted. I wil... See more Thank you for posting here.
I couldn’t negotiate the rates, so that wasn’t an option here. And I also understand that I haven’t got the experience to ask for high rates, but this was just too low and I was also waiting for details for another translation. I didn’t take this one, but I couldn’t get it out of my head.
Thank you for your advice on volunteer work, Novian! I have already done some, but I will check TWB and the UN, as well as the link Teresa posted. I will keep in mind everything you have said here, specially that I am a professional and what Christine have said about marketing myself, it has been really helpful!
Thank you!! ▲ Collapse
| | | | Kevin Fulton
United States
Local time: 15:53
German to English
| Yes but no rush jobs | Nov 17, 2021 |
Ice Scream wrote:
How could you lose money? Was it a negative rate?!
At the very beginning, yes I would take what I could get for the experience as Samuel says. But then rapidly work your way up the ladder.
Being cheap is your only competitive advantage and is how you get your foot in the door.
Starting out at average rates is only for those with some other USP. Or a trust fund.
Taking rush jobs at a low rate will put you on a hamster wheel from which there is little escape.
A half-dozen or so low-paying jobs may convince you that translation isn't really for you. The jobs won't get better in the short run, but the pay will in the long run if you manage to stick it out for a year or two.
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[quote]Tom in London wrote:
Alicia Mateos wrote:
Some days ago I saw a translation offer. They wanted a translation for the next day, but it was a very short one and at a really low rate (even for what I was willing to accept), so low that I would actually have lost money shall I have accepted it.
I'm just starting as a professional translator and I get that I am not earning too much money at the beginning or even no money at all but should I accept anything I get, just for the sake of getting started? should I have taken this translation?
Thank you all!
Of course there's such a thing as a beginner. Unless you're suggesting people are born as translators.
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Hi Alicia,
You have a degree in Translation and a Master's in Interpreting. This makes you a highly qualified professional - not a beginner!
I don't personally subscribe to the 'do it for experience' school of thought ... accepting really low paid jobs just breaks your spirit and trains you not to care about your work (your client doesn't care, after all, or they would be paying a decent rate).
I'd suggest that working on your marketing strategy would be a ... See more Hi Alicia,
You have a degree in Translation and a Master's in Interpreting. This makes you a highly qualified professional - not a beginner!
I don't personally subscribe to the 'do it for experience' school of thought ... accepting really low paid jobs just breaks your spirit and trains you not to care about your work (your client doesn't care, after all, or they would be paying a decent rate).
I'd suggest that working on your marketing strategy would be a better use of your time. For example, putting some well-written content on your profile to show potential customers what you have to offer.
[Edited at 2021-11-17 16:27 GMT] ▲ Collapse
| | | | | No escape? There are no bars on the windows... | Nov 17, 2021 |
Kevin Fulton wrote:
Taking rush jobs at a low rate will put you on a hamster wheel from which there is little escape.
It worked for me. Work for peanuts and/or evenings and weekends to get your foot in the door. They see your brilliance. You put your prices up. They either run with them or they don't. Either way you've gained experience and earned a bit of cash.
There is nothing to stop you continuing to try to get well-paid jobs the whole time you're doing the ones for peanuts. And in the meantime you can pay your bills.
It really doesn't make sense to sit at home doing nothing, waiting for Perfect Client to come along.
It's exactly the same now when I'm at the peak of my career. If I have gaps between well-paid jobs I will take some agency work at lower rates if it looks interesting, because something is better than nothing.
And for the record, I currently charge one global agency twice what I originally charged them, so it really is possible to put your rates up, whatever some people say.
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