How to pick your translators: 10 dos and don’ts
So, you’ve been given the green light to start putting together your team of freelance vendors for your localization program! What comes next? What should you do and how should you go about finding the best localization specialists for your brand, product or service?
In this blog post I’ll skip the obvious stuff (like “your translator should be a native speaker”) and I’ll jump straight to the juicy bits of information.
DON’TS:
Don’t just Google “Italian translator”, “Arabic translator” and so on in your internet browser. This will feed you back search results that are almost exclusively coming from those big translation agencies who have their SEO strategy down to a T. You’re unlikely to find your desired freelance translation partner in the first result page, which may lead you to think that agencies are your only option - but they’re not. Personally I’ve always preferred freelance translators instead of LSPs (“language service providers”, a fancy definition for “translation agency”), but I’ll explain why in an upcoming blog post. Stay tuned!
Don’t assume that just because their job title is “translator” they’ll be the best choice for your brand and content type. If you need localization for a marketing campaign, don’t choose a translator whose specialisation is medical or legal content.
Don’t settle for the cheapest freelancer out there. Ask yourself why this person’s rates are so low. Some junior translators lower their rates in an attempt to be attractive in a highly competitive market, while others will charge less if they’re based in regions where the cost of living is lower than in other areas. A low rate doesn’t necessarily mean that the output will be poor but do your due diligence before settling for the lowest bidder.
Don’t limit your search based on the translator’s geographical locale. Most people will tell you that the best translators are the ones based in their home country. Personally I disagree with this statement. I’ve worked with multiple localization specialists based in a country that is not their own and I’ve received work of outstanding quality. As long as the freelance professional is keeping abreast of what’s going on in their home country, keeping their knowledge of their language and their area of expertise fresh they can still do fantastic work.
Don’t be vague when it comes to the language variant you’re hiring for. For example, Castilian Spanish from Spain is quite different from the Spanish variants spoken in Central and South America, so you want to make sure that the first language of the vendor you’re hiring belongs to the variant you’re after. Within Central and South America themselves there are lots of differences around tone of voice, formality and vocabulary, so try and narrow down your research as much as you can. Some translators will claim to be experts in a bunch of different language variants, but I’d suggest caution in this scenario. Here’s another example: I’m a trained translator and my first language is Italian meaning that I can translate into Italian. However, my specialisation is Italian from Italy and while I could figure out some of the main differences between Italian from Italy and Italian from Switzerland, I would never take on a project that’s aimed at Swiss Italians - I’m simply not the expert.
DOS:
Do your research online and use social media. Platforms like Proz.com and LinkedIn are my favourite go-to places to find freelance collaborators. These platforms allow you to filter by keyword, specialisation, languages and so on, making the process of narrowing down your research quite smooth and straightforward. My absolute favourite though is LinkedIn as it helps me get an overview of the person. How engaged with their industry peers are they? Is their headshot visible and does it look professional (research shows that no profile picture puts potential clients off)? Are they sharing relevant content that demonstrates their expertise? Remember that LinkedIn profiles showcase personal branding and translators who curate their profile will likely come across as more connected to their area of specialisation.
Focus on their area of expertise. A translator whose area of expertise is 20 different specialisations will likely be a master of none. The more specific your search the better the quality of your localized content will be. In the past I had to turn down many legal translation projects simply because legal content is not my forte and I’d deliver a subpar job. Embrace the uniqueness of your brand and look for a collaborator who can do it justice.
Meet them for an interview/chat. Personally I find it extremely beneficial to arrange a call with the translator. This will not only give me an idea of how they approach their work but also it will tell me something about them as people. Do they come across as easy to work with? Are they asking relevant questions? Do they like my approach to our potential collaboration? Ultimately working with a freelancer is a two-way street so both parties should at least get a chance to meet (in person or via Zoom call or similar) to see if you’re a good fit for them and they’re a good fit for you.
Do ask about their rates and share what you can offer. Mind tricks are nasty and really unprofessional so I always prefer to be open about what the rates we can offer are. No mysteries or games, just be honest and ask how much they charge and how much you can pay. Being transparent shows you can both trust each other and will also help negotiations in case these are needed.
Do ask for their references or portfolio. If they’ve done localization work before, they’ll be happy to show you some of their past projects. Sometimes projects are protected by an NDA and the translator won’t be allowed to show these to you. In this case, you can ask for their references or for a short translation test.
Finding your ideal localization partner is crucial to the success of your brand outside of your core market, so don’t skimp on your research.
Build a solid collaboration with your translators, brief them properly and make them feel part of your project and you’ll have a motivated team that will add value and not just words to your content!