5 Things to Know Before Hiring a Freelance Translator

Accessing various media worldwide has become as easy as a few clicks on the internet. Consequently, communication between people from different countries or exchanging intriguing information in different languages is not uncommon. This often leads to language barriers during work, necessitating translation services. Hiring freelance translators has become increasingly popular. However, how can you determine who is truly skilled and professional? Here are some tips for choosing a translator before using their services.

1. Ask the applicant for their work experience (Resume or CV):

You may inquire about the translator's work experience to comprehend the field of study they graduated from, thus gaining insight into their educational background. Additionally, exploring the professional content and occupational fields they have translated can provide a better understanding of their expertise and specialization in translating specific fields.

2. Copy the most challenging part of the text

such as specialized industry terminology, approximately 200-400 words, and send it to translators interested in taking a test to assess their knowledge and proficiency in interpreting. This facilitates assessing their language structure to gauge the level of natural language usage or the presence of foreign language influences.

3. You must provide translators with a Style Guide before confirming the translation work

Each client may have different preferences for the translation style, and individual translators may have varied idiomatic expressions or linguistic knowledge. Therefore, you must inform the translators about the type of translation work you want, which keywords should not be translated, or which words should be replaced directly. This saves time for both you and the translators when reviewing and rectifying numerous translations.

4. Providing a suitable translation time frame

The average translation output for a translator is around 2,000 words per day or approximately 5 pages (Angsana font 16). Therefore, it's essential to allocate an appropriate timeframe for the translators. If you require urgent and expedited work, you may need to enlist additional translators to assist in the translation process. Furthermore, a final review is necessary to ensure consistency among the translators. For larger projects requiring multiple translators, you may consider using CAT Tools to expedite the completion and ensure stability in translating the same meanings from identical words.

5. Payment Duration

You must agree with the translator on the payment terms. Freelance translators usually request payment immediately upon delivering the completed work. However, discussing payment conditions may be easier if you utilize translation services through a company and your company has specific payment cycles.

If you don't want the hassle of selecting translators, using a language translation company service is another option that can make your work easier, save time, and provide confidence in the quality of translations. There are many translation companies available in Thailand nowadays. You can contact them to inquire and get an initial price estimation beforehand.