Pages in topic:   < [1 2]
Indian translation agencies
Thread poster: Michael Tovbin
Michael Tovbin
Michael Tovbin  Identity Verified
United States
Local time: 06:37
Member (2006)
Russian to English
+ ...
TOPIC STARTER
Mr. Hui Feb 5, 2020

It is not a matter of gumption or strong economic position. Presumably, becoming a translator or an interpreter requires more training and investment in terms of time and money than flipping burgers. Then, your rate becomes a simple economic calculation. How much you have invested and what it would take to repay the investment.

Being a translator with a degree and experience means that you set some sort of minimum standard based on the above regarding what you expect to earn. Otherw
... See more
It is not a matter of gumption or strong economic position. Presumably, becoming a translator or an interpreter requires more training and investment in terms of time and money than flipping burgers. Then, your rate becomes a simple economic calculation. How much you have invested and what it would take to repay the investment.

Being a translator with a degree and experience means that you set some sort of minimum standard based on the above regarding what you expect to earn. Otherwise, the reasonable economic solution would be to skip the education and the training and go directly to flipping burgers if these two occupations pay the same.

When you were in school, you were not yet a translator, at least not yet a fully trained journeyman-level professional. Therefore, you might have been justified in working at a discounted rate or even for free with the understanding that you would gain experience and your employer would save money but lose out on quality.
Collapse


 
Giovanni Guarnieri MITI, MIL
Giovanni Guarnieri MITI, MIL  Identity Verified
United Kingdom
Local time: 11:37
Member (2004)
English to Italian
But... Feb 5, 2020

Michael Tovbin wrote:

Otherwise, the reasonable economic solution would be to skip the education and the training and go directly to flipping burgers if these two occupations pay the same.



With flipping burgers, you don't get to stay at home in your pyjamas...


Laura Kingdon
Jessica Noyes
 
Michael Tovbin
Michael Tovbin  Identity Verified
United States
Local time: 06:37
Member (2006)
Russian to English
+ ...
TOPIC STARTER
Still weird Feb 5, 2020

Woodstock wrote:


It's doubtful they are targeting you, specifically, but are sending emails to anyone in the Proz directory that matches their specifications, i.e. mass emails. They must have some kind of success rate if they do it repeatedly: "As of 20 October 2018, ProZ.com reports more than 960,000 registered users, spanning more than 200 countries and territories worldwide." (Wikipedia)


That is as may be but I get the impression that my emails are coming from different agencies every time; therefore, I do not have an opinion as to their success rate. The feeling I get is that it is fashionable in India at this time to have a translation agency and that they appear and go bust at an accelerated rate.

Well, I would think that they solicit registered Proz translators for the same reason every other agency does: They don't have the resources on hand to fulfill their clients' needs, so they recruit additional translators registered at Proz who can be based anywhere in the world. I have gotten emails from various countries written in dubious English - that's normal to me. It doesn't make me think less of them. If the rate paid and BB entries are fine, I'll work with them. If not, I won't - it's that simple.


And I do think less of them. If language is your tool, you have to project a professional image, and all your i's have to be dotted and t's crossed even in a casual communication, let alone in vendor or customer solicitations.


 
Lincoln Hui
Lincoln Hui  Identity Verified
Hong Kong
Local time: 19:37
Member
Chinese to English
+ ...
. Feb 6, 2020

Michael Tovbin wrote:

It is not a matter of gumption or strong economic position. Presumably, becoming a translator or an interpreter requires more training and investment in terms of time and money than flipping burgers. Then, your rate becomes a simple economic calculation. How much you have invested and what it would take to repay the investment.

Being a translator with a degree and experience means that you set some sort of minimum standard based on the above regarding what you expect to earn. Otherwise, the reasonable economic solution would be to skip the education and the training and go directly to flipping burgers if these two occupations pay the same.

When you were in school, you were not yet a translator, at least not yet a fully trained journeyman-level professional. Therefore, you might have been justified in working at a discounted rate or even for free with the understanding that you would gain experience and your employer would save money but lose out on quality.

You presume too much.


 
Michael Tovbin
Michael Tovbin  Identity Verified
United States
Local time: 06:37
Member (2006)
Russian to English
+ ...
TOPIC STARTER
Assumptions for Mr. Hui Feb 6, 2020

My use of "presumably" is merely a figure of speech. The rest contains no assumptions. These are simple statements of fact.

 
Tom in London
Tom in London
United Kingdom
Local time: 11:37
Member (2008)
Italian to English
Hmmm Feb 6, 2020

I'm just wondering what "flipping burgers in terms of freedom and time efficiency" means.

 
Michael Tovbin
Michael Tovbin  Identity Verified
United States
Local time: 06:37
Member (2006)
Russian to English
+ ...
TOPIC STARTER
Conclusion Feb 6, 2020

Ladies and gentlemen,

Thank you for your perspectives. Those that did not provide any perspective I thank for their time and participation. I think I may have a grasp of the business model.

These agencies earn mostly in their local markets and, having those earnings as a safety net, they think "What the heck! Let's go for the big bucks in Europe and the US by trying to do their work at our rates or at rates that are a little higher than what we get locally. We have not
... See more
Ladies and gentlemen,

Thank you for your perspectives. Those that did not provide any perspective I thank for their time and participation. I think I may have a grasp of the business model.

These agencies earn mostly in their local markets and, having those earnings as a safety net, they think "What the heck! Let's go for the big bucks in Europe and the US by trying to do their work at our rates or at rates that are a little higher than what we get locally. We have nothing to lose and everything to gain. If translators over there refuse to work at our rates, fine. Our overhead is still smaller than in Europe and the US. We can still beat their agencies on the price. If we find someone willing to work at our rates, so much the better."

They are not necessarily offices with no translators at all, just management, trying to "subvert" translators in Europe and the US. They may be bona fide functional translation agencies that are highly successful and even known in local markets. The solution from our end would be to stand firm on the prices but realistically, this would never happen.

It just seemed to me at some point that there were suddenly so many trying to recruit me and, presumably, others that I was overwhelmed. However, India is, in fact, a huge market by itself which ay justify the numbers.

[Edited at 2020-02-06 14:06 GMT]
Collapse


 
Pages in topic:   < [1 2]


To report site rules violations or get help, contact a site moderator:


You can also contact site staff by submitting a support request »

Indian translation agencies







Protemos translation business management system
Create your account in minutes, and start working! 3-month trial for agencies, and free for freelancers!

The system lets you keep client/vendor database, with contacts and rates, manage projects and assign jobs to vendors, issue invoices, track payments, store and manage project files, generate business reports on turnover profit per client/manager etc.

More info »
Trados Business Manager Lite
Create customer quotes and invoices from within Trados Studio

Trados Business Manager Lite helps to simplify and speed up some of the daily tasks, such as invoicing and reporting, associated with running your freelance translation business.

More info »