| Pages in topic: [1 2] > | Free test with more than 1000 words, is it normal? Thread poster: cherrypick
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cherrypick
China
Local time: 19:04
English to Chinese
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Hi,
A client asks for a free test with more than 1000 words, is it normal? Or it is a sign they just want free translator?
To be specific, It is actually 1220 Japanese chars.
BR,
Ado
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A free test shouldn't be much more than 300 words or the equivalent for other units. If they insist on more, I would walk away.
| | | | Thayenga 
Germany
Local time: 13:04
Member (2009)
English to German
+ ...
| 200 - 300 words | Jul 29, 2022 |
Anything above this number of words (industry standard) raises the suspicion that someone is trying to get a free translation.
If your client insists on 1.000 words, then suggest that s/he pays half your normal rate for this service and also allows you sufficient delivery time to enable you to attend to your paying customers. If s/he is honest, then s/he will comply with your requests. If not, well, then you've saved yourself the time to work on a test that will never lead to any pa... See more Anything above this number of words (industry standard) raises the suspicion that someone is trying to get a free translation.
If your client insists on 1.000 words, then suggest that s/he pays half your normal rate for this service and also allows you sufficient delivery time to enable you to attend to your paying customers. If s/he is honest, then s/he will comply with your requests. If not, well, then you've saved yourself the time to work on a test that will never lead to any paid work at all.
Getting 1.000 words translated for half your normal rate might sound attractive to this potential customer, while scammers don't want to pay even one penny.
[Edited at 2022-07-29 13:08 GMT] ▲ Collapse
| | | | | Previous discussions | Jul 29, 2022 |
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Kevin Fulton
United States
Local time: 07:04
German to English
A test shouldn't take more than an hour of your time, 300–500 words maximum.
| | | | Samuel Murray
Netherlands
Local time: 13:04
Member (2006)
English to Afrikaans
+ ...
cherrypick wrote:
A client asks for a free test with more than 1000 words, is it normal?
It is unusual for a free test to be more than 300 words (i.e. 1 hour's work), but you have to evaluate each client on their merits. Do you think it's likely that you will get the job if you pass the test? If yes, and if you're not too busy, then you might as well do it.
| | | | cherrypick
China
Local time: 19:04
English to Chinese
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TOPIC STARTER | I somehow feel they just want free translation. | Jul 29, 2022 |
Samuel Murray wrote: cherrypick wrote:
A client asks for a free test with more than 1000 words, is it normal? It is unusual for a free test to be more than 300 words (i.e. 1 hour's work), but you have to evaluate each client on their merits. Do you think it's likely that you will get the job if you pass the test? If yes, and if you're not too busy, then you might as well do it.
The reason is they give me a large document and ask me to translate some specific parts of it. It looks like there are some long sentences and terms that they are not quite sure and they just, you know, want free translation. Of course, it's only my assumption.
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300 words max. (one hour of work) And if you see the text is part of a text that could be used in a commercial project, don't touch it.
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| Crystal ball not included | Jul 29, 2022 |
Samuel Murray wrote:
It is unusual for a free test to be more than 300 words (i.e. 1 hour's work), but you have to evaluate each client on their merits. Do you think it's likely that you will get the job if you pass the test? If yes, and if you're not too busy, then you might as well do it.
And how is someone supposed to judge their likelihood of receiving work based on a test?
Although there are many ways to judge a potential client on initial communication alone, asking for a 1000-word test is a massive red flag.
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How soon does the client want the translation?
If the deadline is tight, it's more likely that it's a job, not a test, and the client wants a free translation that they can sell or use for some other purpose. If there is no deadline and you can do the test at your convenience, it's more likely to be a genuine test, but I personally wouldn't agree to an unpaid test of that length.
The longest unpaid test I ever did was ~500 words. I agreed partly because there was no de... See more How soon does the client want the translation?
If the deadline is tight, it's more likely that it's a job, not a test, and the client wants a free translation that they can sell or use for some other purpose. If there is no deadline and you can do the test at your convenience, it's more likely to be a genuine test, but I personally wouldn't agree to an unpaid test of that length.
The longest unpaid test I ever did was ~500 words. I agreed partly because there was no deadline, and partly because the client seemed like a potentially good one according to my impression of them and research. I got good feedback, but it was a year ago and I've had no work from the client at all! On the other hand, I've done tests that led to lots of work. You win some, you lose some... ▲ Collapse
| | | | | Let us be careful! | Jul 29, 2022 |
Unfortunately, Proz is used as a platform by clients to send us real work disguised as "tests".
| | | | Andrew Zink
United States
Local time: 04:04
French to English
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Every translator has their own maximums and what they are/are not willing to do for free (even if it's a test for onboarding). I believe the industry standard is somewhere around 300 words.
That said, my own maximum is 200 words. I (frequently) tell new clients and agencies that, if they send a test that's over 200 words, I am happy to translate the first 200 words for free, but anything more needs to be compensated. Otherwise, I will just stop translating at the 200-word mark and s... See more Every translator has their own maximums and what they are/are not willing to do for free (even if it's a test for onboarding). I believe the industry standard is somewhere around 300 words.
That said, my own maximum is 200 words. I (frequently) tell new clients and agencies that, if they send a test that's over 200 words, I am happy to translate the first 200 words for free, but anything more needs to be compensated. Otherwise, I will just stop translating at the 200-word mark and send them what I've translated. ▲ Collapse
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Adieu
Ukrainian to English
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| Of course NOT | Jul 29, 2022 |
1 paragraph for single job bids
1 page for potential relationships = direct clients/agencies specifically looking for regular business
| | | | Michael Newton
United States
Local time: 07:04
Japanese to English
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Absolutely not! 1,000 words is roughly four output English pages. I bet they have a document, divided it up into 1,000 word increments and sent the increments to multiple translators asking for a "free test". This is how they get free translations. I'm sure translators would appreciate finding out the name of this "agency". Something else that irks me is the proz.com job page soliciting translators with a notice that "this passage must be translated".
| | | | dkfmmuc
Local time: 13:04
Member (2009)
German to English
+ ...
| Alarm bells are ringing - do you hear them? | Jul 30, 2022 |
cherrypick wrote:
The reason is they give me a large document and ask me to translate some specific parts of it. It looks like there are some long sentences and terms that they are not quite sure and they just, you know, want free translation. Of course, it's only my assumption.
Dear cherrypick,
I have a very bad feeling about that. My assumption is: The potential customer has another translator who will be willing to translate the easier parts of the document for a very low price.
Now the customer has the challenge that his translator (or even a machine of his choice) doesn't understand the more complex sentences/parts.
And guess what: He thinks about the possibility of getting the work done for free. So labels it as a test.
Best regards
Gerd
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