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Poll: Do your prospective clients generally ask for (a) letter(s) of recommendation?
Thread poster: ProZ.com Staff
ProZ.com Staff
ProZ.com Staff
SITE STAFF
Mar 19, 2011

This forum topic is for the discussion of the poll question "Do your prospective clients generally ask for (a) letter(s) of recommendation?".

This poll was originally submitted by Witold Chocholski. View the poll results »
 
Gianluca Marras
Gianluca Marras  Identity Verified
Italy
Local time: 22:51
English to Italian
only Mar 19, 2011

twice in 10 years
 
Mary Worby
Mary Worby  Identity Verified
United Kingdom
Local time: 21:51
German to English
+ ...
No Mar 19, 2011

I've never been asked. I've occasionally been asked for references but have never provided them as I don't really like to ask my customers. I tend to point them at my profile here for 'references'.
 
neilmac
neilmac
Spain
Local time: 22:51
Spanish to English
+ ...
No Mar 19, 2011

Most of my direct clients have come to me by word-of-mouth recommendation. So I must be doing something right...
 
Adnan Özdemir
Adnan Özdemir  Identity Verified
Türkiye
Local time: 23:51
Member (2007)
German to Turkish
+ ...
No Mar 19, 2011

In my case; quality, experience, visiting international customers are very important for me.


Saludos desde Anatolia
Anadolu'dan selamlar
 
Mark Hamlen
Mark Hamlen  Identity Verified
France
Local time: 22:51
French to English
+ ...
I don't take this very seriously Mar 19, 2011

I've had some lesser known agencies demand references, however I do not agree to give my contacts to agencies I don't know. First, if I did so, my poor clients would be pestered unnecessarily. Second, I have some references on my profile (and intend to ask for more). It that's not enough.... bye, bye....
 
Interlangue (X)
Interlangue (X)
Angola
Local time: 22:51
English to French
+ ...
Not generally Mar 19, 2011

But the call for tenders of (inter)national organisations ask them, usually in terms of number of pages translated in the specific field - some of them accept copies of your invoices instead!
 
Noni Gilbert Riley
Noni Gilbert Riley
Spain
Local time: 22:51
Spanish to English
+ ...
When I'm looking to employ someone... Mar 19, 2011

... I rely quite heavily on colleagues in the field giving me truthful references, and take these into account along with the CV/work samples I'm looking at and, in the case of taking on teaching staff, the interview.

So I think it's fair enough to be expected to provide some kind of reference for a prospective client. But the concept of reference is relative: for a product such as a device, reviews and general reputation are often enough. In my case, almost all of my customers have... See more
... I rely quite heavily on colleagues in the field giving me truthful references, and take these into account along with the CV/work samples I'm looking at and, in the case of taking on teaching staff, the interview.

So I think it's fair enough to be expected to provide some kind of reference for a prospective client. But the concept of reference is relative: for a product such as a device, reviews and general reputation are often enough. In my case, almost all of my customers have come to me on personal recommendation (thanks once again to my colleagues who passed work on to me). And that makes me work even harder to provide the perfect translation - I hate to let myself down, but I would hate it even more to let a colleague who has recommended me down

Noni ▲ Collapse
 


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Poll: Do your prospective clients generally ask for (a) letter(s) of recommendation?






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