Poll: How often do you outsource work to other translators? Thread poster: ProZ.com Staff
|
|---|
This forum topic is for the discussion of the poll question "How often do you outsource work to other translators?".
View the poll results »
| | | | neilmac
Spain
Local time: 12:33
Spanish to English
+ ...
I don't usually "outsource" work to other translators. However, if I'm offered work which I don't want to accept for whatever reason (too busy, wrong format, rush deadline...) and I think I know someone who might be interested, I usually pass it on to them, or tell them about it, or give the client their details.
Two or three years ago one of my clients asked me to translate something which was in a more literary, archaic style than I usually work with, and I knew someone who I thought wo... See more I don't usually "outsource" work to other translators. However, if I'm offered work which I don't want to accept for whatever reason (too busy, wrong format, rush deadline...) and I think I know someone who might be interested, I usually pass it on to them, or tell them about it, or give the client their details.
Two or three years ago one of my clients asked me to translate something which was in a more literary, archaic style than I usually work with, and I knew someone who I thought would be good at that sort of thing, and enjoy it, so I "outsourced" it to her, and she did a really good job. In that case, I accepted the work, passed it onto her, then revised/proofread her draft before delivering it, and paid her myself upfront, which I wouldn't normally do. But that was a one-off occasion.
PS: I also explained the whole process to the client and they had no problem with that, simply assuming that the translator was "part of my team",
[Edited at 2018-11-10 09:33 GMT] ▲ Collapse
| | | |
And lost the client! Never again.
| | | |
BPT started life in 1985 in Brussels in the wake of Portugal’s adhesion to the European Community in 1986 as a small cooperative of 4 freelance translators (3 Portuguese and 1 Belgian) who translated exclusively from or into European Portuguese. So, we did outsource when we had requests for languages we didn't cover. More than 30 years later, we are no longer a cooperative, some of my colleagues left to work for the EU Institutions and I decided to move back to Lisbon for family reasons. Now w... See more BPT started life in 1985 in Brussels in the wake of Portugal’s adhesion to the European Community in 1986 as a small cooperative of 4 freelance translators (3 Portuguese and 1 Belgian) who translated exclusively from or into European Portuguese. So, we did outsource when we had requests for languages we didn't cover. More than 30 years later, we are no longer a cooperative, some of my colleagues left to work for the EU Institutions and I decided to move back to Lisbon for family reasons. Now we are just two, I’m the “front of the house” and my associate deals with the “back of the house”. I never outsource work from English, French, Spanish and Italian into European Portuguese (my work languages), but I do outsource work when I have requests for languages I don't cover and I have been working with the same tested, approved and trusted translators for ages (some are Prozians). I should add that we still only work from and into European Portuguese though quite recently one of my long-standing customers asked for a FR-ES translator because their regular was not available… ▲ Collapse
| | |
|
|
|
Rebecca Garber 
Local time: 06:33
Member (2005)
German to English
+ ...
| I don't outsource per se | Nov 10, 2018 |
But I will direct agencies to specific translators at ProZ.
| | | |
I have never outsourced but will recommend somebody if necessary.
| | | | Ricki Farn
Germany
Local time: 12:33
English to German
I don't outsource because I don't feel like taking either the praise or the blame for someone else's work.
I do recommend colleagues and have helped create some long-standing business relationships with that. I will take the praise for that in a pinch ;)
| | | | Jessica Noyes
United States
Local time: 06:33
Member
Spanish to English
+ ...
I sometimes "farm out" the formatting for non-confidential jobs, such as annual accounts, to my trusted and talented daughter. She creates the tables, types in numbers, and so forth. She knows enough of the languages I work in to make intelligent decisions about what sorts of things might correctly go here or there.
| | |
|
|
|
Mario Freitas
Brazil
Local time: 07:33
Member (2014)
English to Portuguese
+ ...
| Not actually outsourcing | Nov 10, 2018 |
Outsourcing is very rare. Perhaps once or twice a year. But indicating colleagues when I'm not able to take the entire project is very common.
| | | | To report site rules violations or get help, contact a site moderator: You can also contact site staff by submitting a support request » Poll: How often do you outsource work to other translators? | 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 » |
| | Trados Business Manager Lite | Create customer quotes and invoices from within Trados Studio
Trados Business Manager Lite helps to simplify and speed up some of the daily tasks, such as invoicing and reporting, associated with running your freelance translation business.
More info » |
|
| | | | X Sign in to your ProZ.com account... | | | | | |
Login to reply/comment 
