Contracts Hiring

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Contracts Hiring

• Dr. Gregory M. Shreve / Amanda Ennis
• Kent State University
• Institute for Applied Linguistics

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Finding Resources

• How do project managers find out about
  translators?
• word-of-mouth
• resumes (submitted on paper or via company Web
  site)
• conferences
• on-line resources (ATA Online Directory,
  Aquarius directory, ProZ)

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Resource Pool Description

• The combination of any or all of these
  information sources results in a resource pool
  description that provides information on the pool
  of freelance translators a particular agency
  works with
• previously Rolodex-type system or paper list
• now computer database (Excel, GoldMine, ACT!)

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What is a match? (1)

• How does the project manager choose the right
  resources for the job?
• ? Combination of TANGIBLE (concrete) and
  INTANGIBLE (subjective) factors

? Combination of TANGIBLE (concrete) and
INTANGIBLE (subjective) factors
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What is a match? (2)

• Tangible factors
• language combination
• subject specialty
• equipment (software)
• speed (daily output)
• price

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What is a match? (3)

• Intangible factors
• Established relationship, previous jobs done for
  the PMis this person a known quantity?
• Handling of transactions with PMis this person
  friendly, yet professional? Can he/she roll with
  the punches?

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Understanding PM Behavior

• Project managers are risk-averse. They will stick
  to the people they know when possible. They live
  by If it aint broke, dont fix it.

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Hiring a Translator (1)

• Before you pick up the phone or start typing your
  e-mail
• All contacts with your freelancers should carry
  a tone of professional respect. You need your
  freelancers just as much as they need you!
• Have all information about the job ready and
  handy.

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Hiring a Translator (2)

• If the translator you call does not answer
• Listen to the answering machine/voice mail
  message to see if you are given another number to
  call (cell phone, pager, etc.). If so, call the
  secondary number. If not, leave a brief and clear
  message with your name, company, phone number,
  and the most important details about the job.

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Hiring a Translator (3)

• Sample phone message
• This message is for Jacques Traducteur. Jacques,
  this is Amanda Ennis calling from the Kent
  Translation Agency. Its 215 on Tuesday
  afternoon. I have a 1000-word French-to-English
  memo on sales forecasts that I need by 500 PM
  tomorrow. Please give me a call at 330-555-1234
  and let me know if youre available. Again, this
  is Gregory Shreve from the Kent Translation
  Agency, and my number is 330-555-1234. I look
  forward to speaking with you. Thank you!

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Hiring a Translator (4)

• How long should you wait for someone to return
  your call or respond to an e-mail?
• It depends on a) how quickly the job needs to be
  done and b) how much you want this particular
  person to do the job. In non-urgent situations,
  you should give someone at least 1-2 hours to
  respond.

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Hiring a Translator (4)

• If the translator answers when you call
• If the translator does not know you, give your
  name, company name, and location, and tell
  him/her where you got his/her name Hi, Jacques,
  this is Amanda Ennis, and Im calling from the
  Kent Translation Agency in Kent, Ohio. I got your
  name from Cecile Clavel.

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Hiring a Translator (5)

• Regardless of whether the translator knows you
  or not, indulge his/her need for social contact
  and small talk for a minute or two before getting
  down to business Yes, weve had a lot of snow
  this winter too. Well, Jacques, Im calling you
  to ask if youre really busy right now, because I
  have this French memo that I need to have
  translated into English

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Hiring a Translator (6)

• Describe the job, the deadline, and the pay
  rate, and offer the work to the translator Does
  that sound like something youd be interested
  in? If the translator asks more questions or
  seems uncertain, do not ever get pushy or
  belittle the translator! Answer any questions as
  best as you can.

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Hiring a Translator (7)

• If the translator says no, do not try to bully
  or guilt-trip the translator into accepting
  anyway. Stress the possibility of working
  together in the future Youre busy through next
  week? Oh, thats too bad, but Id love to work
  with you in the future. Maybe next time, then.
• If you need a recommendation, ask for one
  Well, Jacques, if you cant do it, could you
  recommend someone to mesomeone just like you,
  only not as busy?

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Hiring a Translator (8)

• If the translator wants to negotiate the price
  or deadline, it is up to you (or sometimes, your
  supervisor) to decide if you can pay more or
  extend the deadline. If you cant budge, say
  Gee, Im sorry, Jacques, Id really like to pay
  you more/extend the deadline, but my
  budget/schedule is really tight on this job.
  Would you like the job anyway, or should I go
  ahead and look for someone else?

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Hiring a Translator (9)

• If the translator accepts the job, rejoice!
  Before you hang up, make sure he/she has all of
  your contact information. Then confirm the
  translators contact information (spelling of
  name, phone/fax, e-mail address, etc.).
• Tell the translator what (s)he will receive from
  you, how (s)he will receive it, when (s)he should
  expect it, and what (s)he should do if (s)he
  doesnt receive it at the proper time.

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Translators Agreement/ Contract/Job
Order/Purchase Order

• Just as the quotation is a kind of contract
  between the translation company and the client,
  the translators agreement is a kind of contract
  between a freelance translator and a translation
  company. It should clearly specify what is
  expected by both parties and leave no
  ambiguities.
• What information should be included?

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Translators Agreement (2)

• A translators agreement should include
• contact information for company and translator
• scope of job to be performed
• secondary job information
• other provisions/assumptions/conditions
• payment terms/information
• space for both parties to sign and date agreement

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Other Documents

• Some companies send a translator/editor/
  proofreader checklist so each person knows what
  (s)he must do before returning the file.
• Some companies send a style sheet telling
  freelancers how to handle certain items in
  specific jobs.
• Many companies require new freelancers to sign a
  confidentiality agreement and fill out and return
  a W-9 form.

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Hiring Editors and Proofreaders (1)

• Project managers usually hear about editors and
  proofreaders in the same ways they hear about
  translators. However, there are two alternatives
  to a traditional search for an editor that you
  should be aware of
• a captive editor (when a translator has an
  employee who edits all work produced by that
  translator)
• a freelance editor specifically recommended or
  even requested by a translator

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Hiring Editors and Proofreaders (2)

• The same tangible and intangible factors that
  applied to hiring a translator also apply to
  hiring an editor (and a proofreader, if needed).
  In addition, you need to consider if the people
  in question have worked well together in the past
  and whether or not you want to encourage direct
  contact between the translator and editor.
  Translators/editors in different language pairs
  tend to act differently

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German Translators/Editors

• tend to work well together, even with new people
• are generally good at working out disagreements
  about terminology and style without getting
  personal
• can almost always contact each other directly
  and send files to each other without you as a
  go-between

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French Translators/Editors

• work best with people they know and will
  sometimes categorically refuse to work with
  certain people
• tend to express their disagreements very
  personally and very globally (My dog writes
  better French than so-and-so!)
• can sometimes send items to each other directly
  without you as a go-between

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Spanish/Italian/Portuguese Translators/Editors

• tend to work well together, even with new people
• can be passionate about disagreements, but do
  not usually make it personal
• can almost always contact each other directly
  and send files to each other without you as a
  go-between

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Japanese/Chinese/Korean Translators/Editors

• often prefer to remain anonymous
• can express dissatisfaction so politely and
  vaguely that you have difficulty figuring out the
  problem (although there are exceptions to this!)
• refuse to contact each other directly to talk or
  exchange files and would find it embarrassing if
  the project manager asked them to do so

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Paying Editors and Proofreaders By the Word or
by the Hour?

• By the word
• Good (from a cost standpoint) if the
  editor/proofreader works slowly or if the
  translation requires extensive editing
• If you use source-word accounting, you will know
  the cost immediately when the job is assigned

• By the hour
• Good (from a cost standpoint) if the
  editor/proofreader works quickly or if the
  translation requires very little editing
• You have to estimate the cost using the number
  of words and the Activity Duration Estimating
  guideline.

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Desktop Publishing Options

• You have several hiring options when it comes to
  the DTP portion of your job
• get the translator/editor to do the DTP as they
  translate/edit the job
• have your in-house DTP Department do it
• hire an additional freelancer to do it
• you (i.e., the project manager) do it yourself

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Option 1 Translator/editor does DTP as (s)he
translates/edits the job

• Advantages
• No need to hire extra person or shuttle files
  back and forth
• Freelancer is already familiar with the text
  content

• Disadvantages
• Freelancer may not be very skilled/fast at doing
  DTP if it is not a large percentage of his/her
  work
• Freelancer might not have desired program/
  version

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Option 2 In-house DTP department

• Advantages
• Communication is fast and easythe people doing
  the work are your colleagues
• Full-time DTP employees are usually very skilled

• Disadvantages
• Careful scheduling is required to ensure
  availability when you need DTP
• DTP employees may have no knowledge of the
  target language

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Option 3 Hire an additional freelancer

• Advantages
• You can ensure the FL has proper lang. skills
  and desired program/version (incl. exotic fonts)
  before hiring
• New eyes are more likely to find typos, etc.

• Disadvantages
• Hiring an extra person means more PM time, more
  paperwork
• Project completion may take longer due to extra
  person

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Option 4 Do it yourself!

• Advantages
• Great for jobs where only minor work is needed
• Quick and easyno hassle of hiring or
  communicating with anyone else while formatting

• Disadvantages
• This option obviously wont work if you have no
  knowledge of the target language, or if you know
  nothing about the program the file is in

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Post-DTP Proofreading Options

• After the DTP is complete, you need a proofreader
  to do a final check of the document. Your hiring
  options are similar, with many of the same
  advantages and disadvantages as before
• original translator/editor
• in-house DTP Department
• additional freelancer
• you (i.e., the project manager) do it yourself