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Translation Buying Guide

Overview | How It Works | What it costs
Choosing | Advantages | Disadvantages | Things to Watch

Choosing an appropriate translator

There are three types of translators, translation companies, translation agencies and freelancers.

A translation company has fully employed staff, mostly native speakers. Translators are experts in their respective fields and languages. This ensures continuously high quality work and control. We recommend engaging a translation company if you have long-term projects requiring translations with high professional standards.

Agencies usually have great network of freelancers and tap on them as needed and appropriate. Agencies tend to be more flexible and cover a wide range of your needs. Good agencies work with native speakers and have experts proofread the final version of your document. Freelancers are individuals who offer translation services. They often charge lower prices than translation companies or agencies.

Freelancers offer only limited services (e.g. only one or two languages) but are less likely to charge a minimum fee for smaller documents. One-to-one relationships with Freelancers whose work you like can be a cost-effective way to manage some of your translating needs.

Choose a translation company (or an agency) if you have:

  • Large projects
  • Tight deadlines
  • Top quality requirements
  • Various forms of documents or
  • Need a long-term relationship

Choose a freelancer if you have:

  • Small projects
  • Strict cost budgets
  • Lower quality requirements or
  • One-time translation needs.

When choosing the translator you should always address the following aspects (see also Things to watch out for):

  • Is the translator a native speaker of the target language?
    Only a native speaker is familiar with the cultural specialities of a language. Thus, if you need a top standard translation make sure that a native speaker is working for you.

  • What references does the translator have?
    Client references give you indications of the quality that will be provide. If the translator has some large industry clients you can be fairly sure that the work is professional.

  • What certifications does the translator have?
    Another indication for quality: UK based translators should have an ISO 9002 certification or be a member of the Association of Translators.

  • How experienced is the translator?
    There is hardly any substitute for experience, in particular if you have a tight deadline.

  • Is the translator specialised in your particular industry?
    Each industry segment has its own specialised and technical terms. Knowledge of such terms is critical for providing a high quality translation work.


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