How *Not* to Discuss Rates with a Translator.flv Video

How *Not* to Discuss Rates with a Translator!

And that's EXACTLY ...
And that's EXACTLY why you're not a translator/interpreter :) Cheers, mate!? Go clean our offices ;)?

The only words ...
The only words that? come to mind are 'f**k you!' Maybe the companies should see this, maybe the analogy would make them realize how ridiculous their rates negotiations are.

sabryndy: You ...
sabryndy: You certainly do believe at lot of utter nonsense. You should have enough cash in your accounts at all times to pay your freelancers when their bills are due. If you're such a lousy businessperson that you don't make your clients pay YOU on time, that's no one's fault but yours, and suggests you should probably get out of the business. As for rates: when you? cut-rate agencies all arrive at paying 1 cent/word & profit isn't possible, your market will crash. I can't wait.

As an agency, the ...
As an agency, the reason why I cannot pay much sooner than 30days after receipt of invoice is because the client or requestor does not pay me until at least 30days after thus the lag time can make it very difficult financially. As for translators who ask for higher rates, well, you can ask for as? much as you want, but if it is ridiculously higher than the going rate, the agencies will not request your services no matter how great you may be in your field. FYI.

I hope you can make ...
I hope you can make it some day. Try to grasp as much experience as you can, and deliver the best work possible always, so that you can go up in the? pyramid, sort of speak.

because that's the ...
because that's the way it is, that's the way agencies work and if you want to work with them you have to accept and play by their rules. I've garaduated last year, did 1 year of internships (almost for free), just started working as a freelancer.I? have no"contractual power",but in a year or so, when I have a bit more experience and will qualify as a pro I will raise my rates and have my own conditions. I know it's outrageous, but I'm not in the conditions to ask for more,unfortunately

That's outrageous! ...
That's outrageous! Now I only work for agencies that pay 30 days after the invoice is issued and? that's the best I can. Other service providers only accept payment right after completion of service. Try to find a plumber, for instance, that accepts payment 30 days after the service is done. Why should we, translators, behave differently??

are you kiddin??? ...
are you kiddin??? you're lucky! i get paid 90? days after issue of invoice!

But translation is ...
But translation is so easy, right? I mean, you already know both languages...so, you? just like, have to read in one language and write it out in the other. I mean, it's just like re-typing the same text, right? So easy...right?

I did not get it. ...
I did not get it. Nor had I read any comments at the time? of this post.

I've seen as low as ...
I've seen as low as USD 0.015 from an ATA-member company. No wonder translators'? quality is going down, we cannot continue our education on those rates!!!!

This is? great! ...
This is? great! Well made, too!!!

Spot-on. And sad.? ...
Spot-on. And sad.? Because this is reality. "Just say no."

Hilarious... !!!?
Hilarious... !!!?

Brilliant! I just ...
Brilliant! I just got a call from Translate Plus in London and they covered a number of these in one phone call. I was watching this video laughing? my balls off whilst the lady was trying to talk me down 40% off my rate. Absolutely brilliant.

hahaha,? that was ...
hahaha,? that was f**king awesome!

How very true! ...
How very true! Clients always say stuff like that! I am a freelance/salaried translator since +5 yrs now, and it's always the same: they want a certified and experienced translator, a perfect text, ready to deliver, mistake free, for the next hour please, BUT they're never willing to pay the appropriate price or salary. I've seen rates as? low as US$0.02 a word, how insulting! And then Trados 2009 crashes on me twice a week :(

omfg...Have you ...
omfg...Have you been? reading my e-mails and tapping my phone?

Unfortunately, the ...
Unfortunately, the video is not complete: how about the payment terms? Agencies usually pay 30/45/60 AFTER the invoice is issued. Cash? flow? That's on the translator!

I love it!! I? just ...
I love it!! I? just posted it in facebook for all my friends to see. When I explain to them that half of my work is getting paid what I should get paid...they don't know what I mean.

From now on i think ...
From now on i think I'll just email the link to this video to potential clients who? try to haggle over the fee!

you can expand that ...
you can expand that to all subbing and dubbing industry. If you deliver a German lipsync for that for free I will provide a professional dubbing for free! What you think...c´mon guys...you can get famous....we do not have a budget but you get a credit at the? end....it would be good for your Karma...you want MONEY? How pathetic....

hehe?
hehe?

This is so? true. ...
This is so? true. Well done!

This is so blooming ...
This is so blooming true!!! A lot of companies treat translators like 2nd class people, as if? our work wasn't worth anything.

Hahaa! This is? ...
Hahaa! This is? GREAT!

Great video, and so ...
Great video, and so true. "It is a great opportunity" (because we can offer you some work on a very regular basis ... but the regular basis is not really "regular" after all...) I recently saw ads for a Japanese > German project and another German > French project (in technical field)... Rate: 0.05 ?/word. I nearly answered the author to tell him/her it? was so offensive...