"test" of 5 minutes audio transcription
Thread poster: Louise Lecourt
Louise Lecourt
Louise Lecourt
United Kingdom
Local time: 12:45
French to English
+ ...
Aug 3, 2019

I was asked to do a "test" of 5 minutes audio transcription for this agency. They stated that they would not pay for this. I do wonder if they aren't simply collecting "tests" to cover their project?

I refused... I don't work for free. Wouldn't it be nice if we all refused to do this and forced them to pay at least a token fee? Who is with me?


Farzad Akmali
Marco Belcastro Bara
Morano El-Kholy
rachelsipasulta
 
Farzad Akmali
Farzad Akmali  Identity Verified
Member
English to Persian (Farsi)
+ ...
SITE LOCALIZER
The right thing Aug 3, 2019

I think that was the right thing to do. On the other hand 5 minutes is too big for a test.

Louise Lecourt
Marco Belcastro Bara
Morano El-Kholy
Daniel Fernandes
Oriana Bonan
 
Louise Lecourt
Louise Lecourt
United Kingdom
Local time: 12:45
French to English
+ ...
TOPIC STARTER
Short test OK Aug 3, 2019

Thanks...

From what I've read, a short test should be OK for free, around 200-400 words, but this still takes around 30-60 minutes of a translator's time. I have heard of agencies cobbling together work from "tests" and it is out of order.

I will refuse in the future, but I have a fixed job so can afford to.

I wonder how often this happens?


 
Thayenga
Thayenga  Identity Verified
Germany
Local time: 13:45
Member (2009)
English to German
+ ...
Free tests Aug 4, 2019

They happen quite often, unfortunately. For as long as colleagues are willing to perform free tests, agencies will keep asking for them (a nicer way of saying, demanding them).

That agency keeps contacting and I keep ignoring their emails because of the low rates they offer.


 
Samuel Murray
Samuel Murray  Identity Verified
Netherlands
Local time: 13:45
Member (2006)
English to Afrikaans
+ ...
@Louise Aug 4, 2019

Louise Lecourt wrote:
I refused... I don't work for free. Wouldn't it be nice if we all refused to do this and forced them to pay at least a token fee? Who is with me?


I would be more offended by a token fee (by which I assume you mean, say, an 80% discount) than by a request to do it for free.

I do wonder if they aren't simply collecting "tests" to cover their project?


That is unlikely. It's simply not a sustainable model of business. Remember, it takes a lot more resources to get clients than to keep clients, and to keep clients, you (or: the agency) need to be able to provide consistent quality. End-clients do talk to oneanother.


Kay-Viktor Stegemann
Oriana Bonan
 
Louise Lecourt
Louise Lecourt
United Kingdom
Local time: 12:45
French to English
+ ...
TOPIC STARTER
Not offended Aug 4, 2019

I'm not offended, I just don't work for free. If everyone refused, they wouldn't be able to demand free "tests".

I'd rather be paid a small amount for a test translation than nothing at all. It also shows the agency will actually pay.


 


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"test" of 5 minutes audio transcription







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