We all may need at some point of a translator. Okay, surely your cousin’s English is excellent or your brother’s German is acceptable, and you want to ask for help for a translation. but when the document to translate really matters to you, the best option is to hire a serious translator. But then the questions arise where? How to?
Well, there are translation professionals who can help you with the best treatment and the best quality; Freelancer translators and companies offer various services, but how can you know if it is safe to trust them? What things do you have to know before hiring?
What you need:
You must be clear about what service you are looking for. Maybe you need the German to English translation of an official document for paperwork abroad and it must be a certified translation, or maybe you are an organizer of an event that will receive a speaker from another country and you need an interpreter to help understand the non-speaking audience of your language.
Define to what audience will go what you need or if it is something private, if it is legal, personal, for your website … in short, specify the service you are looking for and investigate if the company offers it.
They are experts:
In the translation the look of a single person is valid, but it is even better if the company has a group of specialists. In the quality standards the translation necessarily goes to review and also to editing, for which, apart from a translator, a copywriter and style editor are also important for this procedure. And although these specializations can have the same person, the filter of an external eye is quite useful, because it will grant greater cleanliness to the work.
You should also know the company’s policy on the confidentiality agreement of your documents if needed.
They are rigorous:
A quality translation service does not use machines, but humans. Good companies do not trust an automatic translator for the job, as some translator with little experience could do it. On the contrary, they should have native translators of the language that you require, which means that the translations “do not sound like the translation”, but rather to an original full document e.g. if you need English to German translation the translation should be like native German. Then the Germans’ can really understood they feel as it their own.
In addition, ensuring that a professional will make your translation inspires confidence because he knows the precise terminology and format necessary for your document, and if you do not know it, you have the commitment and ethics of contacting a specialist in that field.
They have experience:
Check that the translator or the company have sufficient experience is a paramount point. Yes, an amateur can do a good job, but perhaps neglects important details.
You may feel more secure also if you request a job-sample from the company. This will allow you to observe your performance before paying for the service. And even if you do not understand all the translated content, just to appreciate the format and cleanliness of such insurance will inspire confidence!
You can communicate:
Communication is the most important thing to consider. Make sure you can be in direct contact with the service provider. This will allow you to express your needs, provide the translator with references on the context of the document to be translated, clarify doubts, request changes to the text once translated, and so on. Timely and efficient communication is important so that you are satisfied with the service you hire.
Time:
Define the term in which you need your translation. All filigree work requires your time and translating is not the exception. Do not sacrifice quality for speed. And anticipate your needs as long as possible.
Worth:
When hiring a translation service, looking for the lowest price is not recommended. Should not it be the important things? No. Imagine that someone wants to sell you a Ferrari in a thousand USD. Sure you would suspect the worst. A good translation is worth its price because it ensures that your document works for what you need and, in the case of an interpreter, that the audience leaves the meeting comprising everything the speaker wanted to convey.
The cost of the translation varies since it depends on many things: the complexity of the document, extension by pages (not by pages), special format (as in the case of a certified translation), among others.
Remember: your translation will be worth it if you do not pay attention mainly to the cost but in that…
- The translator or the company can perform the service you need
- Who you are going to hire be a specialist and/or have a group of experts for their quality control
- You can communicate your needs and provide feedback
- Whoever offers the service has enough experience in the area
Translating is a complex task that cannot yet be consigned to a machine. A human-quality translation needs expert hands and eyes that are committed to excellent delivery. Yes, a friend can help you translate some phrases or messages into another language, but when a foreign speaker’s visit or a document really matters to you, there are people who dedicate their lives to it and translation is their passion. So take into account the previous points and allow the real professionals to serve you.
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