ProZ.com Translation Forums

Failed Translation Test | the years when young

William Yang — Tue, 28 Dec 2021 18:05:00 +0000

Forum: Getting established
Topic: Failed Translation Test
Poster: William Yang
Post title: the years when young

[quote]Christine Andersen wrote:

[quote]William Yang wrote:

Similar to you, I've been trying to get established but so far the marketing part doesn't seem to work well. So I need advice too.
By interacting in this forum takes courage because you're surrounded with experts and every move you make can make you feel nervous or naïve, but I decide to try and learn more. I will allocate some time everyday to answer questions and write a little.
Tests for me is part of selling, a success or a failure, is an incremental added value. [/quote]

I really respect people who have the courage to start now. It is a different profession from when I started, back in the last century. The younger generation know things that we older hands have not kept up with - don´t underrate yourselves!

[/quote]
Thanks Christine for comments and I'm not young either. Proz.com is not new to me. Looking back nearly two decades ago when I was determined to start my translation career here, a brawl and blows from a serial failure sank me into nearly 15 years in depression.
I do not want to complain or blame anyone, what I want to do now is digging deeper and live meaningful as a translator.

Failed Translation Test | a late starter

William Yang — Tue, 28 Dec 2021 17:52:00 +0000

Forum: Getting established
Topic: Failed Translation Test
Poster: William Yang
Post title: a late starter

[quote]Jorge Rodríguez Rodríguez wrote:
I don't know if William has started his career right now, but I can only say "Bravo!". [/quote]

Hello Jorge, tonight I made a step forward and started as a paid member, which will make me more engaged and Proz.com is surely an asset to mine.

So it's a new day and a new world for me.

Failed Translation Test | Starting a career as a translator/interpreter during the pandemic

Jorge Rodríguez Rodríguez — Tue, 28 Dec 2021 16:03:00 +0000

Forum: Getting established
Topic: Failed Translation Test
Poster: Jorge Rodríguez Rodríguez
Post title: Starting a career as a translator/interpreter during the pandemic

[quote]Christine Andersen wrote:

I really respect people who have the courage to start now. It is a different profession from when I started, back in the last century. The younger generation know things that we older hands have not kept up with - don´t underrate yourselves!

I think there will always be a need for adaptable human translators - the machines and computers are always a step behind the real thing! Keep trying, and you will pass some tests, or find clients who are interested in your experience too.
[/quote]

Thank you so much for your comment, Christine. I would like to add to your comment that it is even more difficult to start a career as a freelance translator or interpreter now because of the pandemic. I was told by a fellow translator who advised me how to start and how this job is that these weren't good times to start as a freelancer, in her opinion.

I was told about that in the middle or beginning of 2020, if I remember right, but things turned out different for me and I had to give it a try in March, 2021 because I realized I love working at home and the flexibility it provides with and because I was suffering from health problems with my voice and I couldn't keep on working as IT Helpdesk Technician speaking hours and hours over the phone every day.

Apart from that, I have realized I love being a translator (unlike my opinion when I was studying Translation and Interpreting at university 8 years ago).

I don't know if William has started his career right now, but I can only say "Bravo!".

Failed Translation Test | We have all been beginners...

Christine Andersen — Tue, 28 Dec 2021 15:47:00 +0000

Forum: Getting established
Topic: Failed Translation Test
Poster: Christine Andersen
Post title: We have all been beginners...

[quote]William Yang wrote:

Similar to you, I've been trying to get established but so far the marketing part doesn't seem to work well. So I need advice too.
By interacting in this forum takes courage because you're surrounded with experts and every move you make can make you feel nervous or naïve, but I decide to try and learn more. I will allocate some time everyday to answer questions and write a little.
Tests for me is part of selling, a success or a failure, is an incremental added value. [/quote]

I really respect people who have the courage to start now. It is a different profession from when I started, back in the last century. The younger generation know things that we older hands have not kept up with - don´t underrate yourselves!

I think there will always be a need for adaptable human translators - the machines and computers are always a step behind the real thing! Keep trying, and you will pass some tests, or find clients who are interested in your experience too.

Failed Translation Test | failure in tests is a part of selling, so don't worry!

William Yang — Tue, 28 Dec 2021 10:26:00 +0000

Forum: Getting established
Topic: Failed Translation Test
Poster: William Yang
Post title: failure in tests is a part of selling, so don't worry!

Similar to you, I've been trying to get established but so far the marketing part doesn't seem to work well. So I need advice too.
By interacting in this forum takes courage because you're surrounded with experts and every move you make can make you feel nervous or naïve, but I decide to try and learn more. I will allocate some time everyday to answer questions and write a little.
Tests for me is part of selling, a success or a failure, is an incremental added value.

Failed Translation Test | Lots of agencies, lots of tests

Siobhán Fulton — Fri, 24 Dec 2021 14:56:00 +0000

Forum: Getting established
Topic: Failed Translation Test
Poster: Siobhán Fulton
Post title: Lots of agencies, lots of tests

There is a surfeit of agencies*, many of which pay decent rates and respect translators. Sometimes you will be asked to take a test, and with luck you will pass most of them. Stay focused.
Ignore most of the advice you get, including this.

*and as far as I know, there are still fewer agencies than translators – so far

Failed Translation Test | @Jorge

Maria Teresa Borges de Almeida — Fri, 24 Dec 2021 12:15:00 +0000

Forum: Getting established
Topic: Failed Translation Test
Poster: Maria Teresa Borges de Almeida
Post title: @Jorge

Don’t be disheartened: a test is just a test! As I’ve been translating full-time since 1985 I always find amusing when I’m asked for a test, though I understand that sometimes it might be useful to see how a translator treats this or that particular sentence (in literature or journalism, for instance). If I’m really interested in that job or in that client I'll be happy to do a short translation test (300/400 words maximum), providing we have already agreed on price and payment and there is no deadline set for the test, so I can do it at my own pace. I would rather do a translation test for free than sending diplomas, references and the like and having to fill endless forms. Over the years I must have failed a few tests because I’ve never heard from the potential client again….

Failed Translation Test | Even if you pass, you might not get the job...

Christine Andersen — Thu, 23 Dec 2021 16:20:00 +0000

Forum: Getting established
Topic: Failed Translation Test
Poster: Christine Andersen
Post title: Even if you pass, you might not get the job...

Don't be too worried if no job materialises after a test. There may be a number of reasons - as others have said, just keep trying. And certainly try a good client again when you have more experience, or if they have another subject area that you are confident about.

I was very annoyed some years back, when I failed a test because I 'rearranged the word order' in a sentence or two! My source language, Danish, has a rule like German about the position of the verb, which does not apply in the target language. So I regularly rearrange the word order, if it sounds better in English. That particular client came back later, but I finally dropped them for other reasons. It happens!

I have also assessed tests for a client, and they seemed to come in bunches - sometimes there would be two or three out of five that were excellent, and on other occasions there would be none that were really up to standard. They can't all get the real job!

In a normal assignment, if the source text is poorly written or unclear, I would ask the client to check and clarify whether I have understood it correctly. Although tests deliberately contain challenges, to see how you handle them, I would not expect an ambiguous text to be chosen deliberately. Again, you never know.

Best of luck!

Failed Translation Test | Evaluators

Jorge Rodríguez Rodríguez — Thu, 23 Dec 2021 12:25:00 +0000

Forum: Getting established
Topic: Failed Translation Test
Poster: Jorge Rodríguez Rodríguez
Post title: Evaluators

Do you ask the agency whether your test will be evaluated by an external assessor who doesn't work with that agency as a translator? Conflict of interest, rather than your incompetence as a translator, may play a very significant role in 'failed tests'.

I had never thought about that possibility, @Baran Keki. I assume that tests are always evaluated by the reviewers' team.

Don't be too disheartened by it!.

Thank you, @Matthew MUIR. I'm not disheartened any more. I will try with them in 1 or 2 years. I know it's part of our jobs to have this ups and downs.

I'm working hard to improve my skills.

[Edited at 2021-12-23 12:26 GMT]

[Edited at 2021-12-23 12:27 GMT]

Failed Translation Test | To those who take tests

Baran Keki — Thu, 23 Dec 2021 12:18:00 +0000

Forum: Getting established
Topic: Failed Translation Test
Poster: Baran Keki
Post title: To those who take tests

Do you ask the agency whether your test will be evaluated by an external assessor who doesn't work with that agency as a translator? Conflict of interest, rather than your incompetence as a translator, may play a very significant role in 'failed tests'.

Failed Translation Test | Don't be too disheartened by it!

Matthew Muir (X) — Thu, 23 Dec 2021 12:10:00 +0000

Forum: Getting established
Topic: Failed Translation Test
Poster: Matthew Muir (X)
Post title: Don't be too disheartened by it!

I am fairly new to this too, and I failed a test with a rather lucrative Swiss agency a couple of months ago. I was genuinely shocked because I didn't think I had made as much of a mess of the text as I did. The test was paid, so I didn't really lose out on anything ultimately, and I managed to move on pretty quickly. I think we just have to remember there will be ups and downs in this job and tests not going our way is just a part of it.

However, the one thing that did annoy me a little was the marker did point out that the German text they chose for my test was "poorly written and unclear", which prompted me to ask if I could try again with a different text but they said no.

Live and learn!

Failed Translation Test | Failed tests

Vladimir Pochinov — Thu, 23 Dec 2021 12:00:00 +0000

Forum: Getting established
Topic: Failed Translation Test
Poster: Vladimir Pochinov
Post title: Failed tests

Back to the topic… I did fail some tests throughout my career (for unknown reasons that were never explained to me). Yet, I did succeed with other tests for the same companies on other occasions.

I agree that you just need to keep trying while workin hard to improve your skills.

Failed Translation Test | Single language pair vs multiple ones

Vladimir Pochinov — Thu, 23 Dec 2021 11:56:00 +0000

Forum: Getting established
Topic: Failed Translation Test
Poster: Vladimir Pochinov
Post title: Single language pair vs multiple ones

Upon graduation, I immediately decided to focus on the EnglishRussian language pair (I studied German for 3 years as a minor language).

I opted for adding areas of specialization instead by lengthy employments (4 to 8 years) with very different companies and firms (IT, aviation, air defense, automotive, legal).

After 34 years in the translation industry I have a unique mix of subject matter domains under my belt, combined with intimate knowledge of translation-related technologies. This helps secure cushy long-term translation projects at good rates, especially from interested direct clients.

Failed Translation Test | Black list

Jorge Rodríguez Rodríguez — Thu, 23 Dec 2021 10:27:00 +0000

Forum: Getting established
Topic: Failed Translation Test
Poster: Jorge Rodríguez Rodríguez
Post title: Black list

@Samuel Murray, @Michael Newton, thank you for sharing your opinions.

@Samuel Murray, I guess they never tell you that you are on their black list.

It was a test adapted to my area of expertise (IT) and, although there are only two mistakes corrected by the reviewer, she realized that I don't fully understand the text. (Sometimes I have problems to understand a text in German because it's my second source language and it was about searching engines on the internet and there were a couple of words that are translated the same way into Spanish. No problems with these terms, in spite of that).

In the feedback's comment, the reviewer explains that the translation looks fine, but she has got a feeling that I didn't understand the text completely (what it's partially true).

That is why I am learning more and more vocabulary in German every day and learning Dutch at the same time because it will helps me to add new passive vocabulary (is it said this way in English?) to my German vocabulary.

I think that learning Dutch in addition to German every day will provide me with double benefits (adding a new language pair and learning a language I have been wanting to learn since many years ago) and acquiring more vocabulary in German (being aware of the false friends, of course).

Thank you,
Jorge

Failed Translation Test | failed translation test

Michael Newton — Thu, 23 Dec 2021 10:02:00 +0000

Forum: Getting established
Topic: Failed Translation Test
Poster: Michael Newton
Post title: failed translation test

Jorge: do not be spooked by a failed translation test. We have all been through this. The important thing is to keep on trying. Sometimes the test proctor may not be competent in the language or is just having a bad day. Keep on building and accumulating experience and keeping up with the latest news in your areas of competency. There is a Japanese proverb: Nanakorobi, yaoki (Stumble seven times, get up the eighth).

Failed Translation Test | Yes, certainly

Samuel Murray — Thu, 23 Dec 2021 09:56:00 +0000

Forum: Getting established
Topic: Failed Translation Test
Poster: Samuel Murray
Post title: Yes, certainly

[quote]Jorge Rodríguez Rodríguez wrote:
If you fail the translation test of a very interesting agency with high rates and a 5 LWA in Proz because of your lack of experience, do you try to contact with the same agency (without mentioning you have already done a translation test for them, of course) long time later? [/quote]

This depends on the type of test. Some agencies have a general test that they send to all translators. If you failed such a test, retry after a year or two. Quietly forget to mention that you had failed their test previously. Perhaps the PM won't remember you.

Some agencies give a test for large projects or because the client requested it. In such a case, you often deal with a specific PM who deals with a specific test, and if you fail such a test, it may simply be because of some client preference. I sometimes write tests for existing agency clients which I FAIL (through no fault of my own) but the agency still contacts me for future work.

[quote]I have always believed that agencies have kind of "black list" and they don't ever give a second chance to the same translator but... [/quote]

They do have black lists, but it often takes a very bad experience for you to get on that list. Failing a test won't affect you unless it is their policy to let it affect you. Heck, even making language mistakes in your own language in an e-mail may not necessarily count against you, as new PMs quickly get used to the quirks of dealing with non-native speakers.

It's good to remain fearful of the black list, but do not assume that you're on it unless you are told that you're on it.

[Edited at 2021-12-23 09:57 GMT]

Failed Translation Test

Jorge Rodríguez Rodríguez — Thu, 23 Dec 2021 09:44:00 +0000

Forum: Getting established
Topic: Failed Translation Test
Poster: Jorge Rodríguez Rodríguez

Dear colleagues,

I am still getting established in the translation market and I would like to read your opinions about this topic.

If you fail the translation test of a very interesting agency with high rates and a 5 LWA in Proz because of your lack of experience, do you try to contact with the same agency (without mentioning you have already done a translation test for them, of course) long time later?

I mean, for instance, 1 or 2 years later. I had been contacted by a German agency in May and the contact person didn't answer my second e-mail (probably because I was in a hurry and I made some mistakes in the e-mail in German) but the same person answered another e-mail from mine quoting to a job posted 1 week ago. The rates were the same all the time. It seems they don't have a well-organizaded database to register the contacts. It seemed she didn't know we had already exchanged e-mails with each other in May. I have failed their translation test with a few mistakes because of my lack of experience.

I have always believed that agencies have kind of "black list" and they don't ever give a second chance to the same translator but, after long time (1 or 2 years, for instance), you should have wider knowledge about the source language, about the areas of expertise and so, be able to translate better.

Best regards,
Jorge