Off topic: how to choose an agency
Thread poster: Manjeet
Manjeet
Manjeet
Local time: 13:17
English to Hindi
+ ...
Feb 6, 2021

Hi,
How many times has it happened that you have been approached by a translation agency for a new project, asked to sign a non-disclosure agreement and then you don't get a reply. In the past one year, I have been contacted by 3 different agency and still waiting for their response.

How should we decide, its a serious approach?

Kindly guide me.

Thanks.


Yaotl Altan
 
Samuel Murray
Samuel Murray  Identity Verified
Netherlands
Local time: 09:47
Member (2006)
English to Afrikaans
+ ...
@Manjeet Feb 6, 2021

Manjeet Hundal wrote:
How many times has it happened that you have been approached by a translation agency for a new project, asked to sign a non-disclosure agreement and then you don't get a reply.


It happens often.


Philip Lees
Eduardo Davi Geraldo
Mr. Satan (X)
 
matt robinson
matt robinson  Identity Verified
Spain
Local time: 09:47
Member (2010)
Spanish to English
All the time Feb 7, 2021

If you are approached regarding a project, but there is no project proposal, then the reality is that the agency is going through a quite period, and the line manager of the PMs has asked them to increase the numbers of freelancers on their database with a view to the future.
When large rush projects come in, they often do not have time for all the paperwork of NDAs. privacy policy, etc. documentation that they have signed up to in order to pay for and display their ISO certifications, et
... See more
If you are approached regarding a project, but there is no project proposal, then the reality is that the agency is going through a quite period, and the line manager of the PMs has asked them to increase the numbers of freelancers on their database with a view to the future.
When large rush projects come in, they often do not have time for all the paperwork of NDAs. privacy policy, etc. documentation that they have signed up to in order to pay for and display their ISO certifications, etc. so they prefer to do it in advance.
If they said they wanted you to do all this preparation in advance but there was as yet no project, then a lot of translators would either ignore the request or not give the matter priority and the forget about it.
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Arianne Farah
Adieu
 
Michael Newton
Michael Newton  Identity Verified
United States
Local time: 03:47
Japanese to English
+ ...
Choosing an agency Feb 7, 2021

Recently I have been approached by several agencies telling me that they have such and such a project and they will tell me more about the project after I sign an NDA. This is not exactly a scam but really why should I do this? How do I know how they will use the signed NDA? email deleted.

 
Mr. Satan (X)
Mr. Satan (X)
English to Indonesian
Read carefully... Feb 7, 2021

Michael Newton wrote:

Recently I have been approached by several agencies telling me that they have such and such a project and they will tell me more about the project after I sign an NDA. This is not exactly a scam but really why should I do this? How do I know how they will use the signed NDA? email deleted.


This is why I always read the fine print. And if there's something I couldn't grasp by myself, I'll ask my family members who actually scan work contracts for their living.


 
Yaotl Altan
Yaotl Altan  Identity Verified
Mexico
Local time: 01:47
Member (2006)
English to Spanish
+ ...
Many times. Feb 11, 2021

Manjeet Hundal wrote:

Hi,
How many times has it happened that you have been approached by a translation agency for a new project, asked to sign a non-disclosure agreement and then you don't get a reply. In the past one year, I have been contacted by 3 different agency and still waiting for their response.

How should we decide, its a serious approach?

Kindly guide me.

Thanks.


Many times. Another typical situation is the translation tests: you do them and then they tell you that you failed "OK, no problem. Could you show me where I "fail", please?". No, they don't show you anything, so you just have to belive them, but of you have already signed NDAs, this is a must:

"Please destroy the NDA document. It's not valid anymore, and I am free to get all the clients I want out there in the translation market".


 
Manjeet
Manjeet
Local time: 13:17
English to Hindi
+ ...
TOPIC STARTER
What should our next step be? Feb 12, 2021

It's true that by signing an agreement we build a hope that in couple of months there might be some project. The other factor is, companies also ask you to provide relevant documents regarding education which makes me give a double thought while signing the NDA.

However, proz has many ways of approaching clients like quoting on a job post, agencies approaching freelancers, taking a membership but if all these attempts fail in finding us a proper client then what should our next step
... See more
It's true that by signing an agreement we build a hope that in couple of months there might be some project. The other factor is, companies also ask you to provide relevant documents regarding education which makes me give a double thought while signing the NDA.

However, proz has many ways of approaching clients like quoting on a job post, agencies approaching freelancers, taking a membership but if all these attempts fail in finding us a proper client then what should our next step be?
Collapse


 
Antonia D'Elia
Antonia D'Elia  Identity Verified
Canada
Local time: 03:47
French to English
+ ...
Yes Feb 12, 2021

Manjeet Hundal wrote:

Hi,
How many times has it happened that you have been approached by a translation agency for a new project, asked to sign a non-disclosure agreement and then you don't get a reply. In the past one year, I have been contacted by 3 different agency and still waiting for their response.

How should we decide, its a serious approach?

Kindly guide me.

Thanks.


Yes, it's very annoying...


 
Adieu
Adieu  Identity Verified
Ukrainian to English
+ ...
That's NOT what an NDA is Feb 14, 2021

Yaotl Altan wrote:

Manjeet Hundal wrote:

Hi,
How many times has it happened that you have been approached by a translation agency for a new project, asked to sign a non-disclosure agreement and then you don't get a reply. In the past one year, I have been contacted by 3 different agency and still waiting for their response.

How should we decide, its a serious approach?

Kindly guide me.

Thanks.


Many times. Another typical situation is the translation tests: you do them and then they tell you that you failed "OK, no problem. Could you show me where I "fail", please?". No, they don't show you anything, so you just have to belive them, but of you have already signed NDAs, this is a must:

"Please destroy the NDA document. It's not valid anymore, and I am free to get all the clients I want out there in the translation market".


NDA = Non Disclosure Agreement

Prohibits you from sharing your translations done for them and their internal documents, may also prohibit you from telling people what exactly you did for them / which of their clients you worked with / other details depending on the text of the contract

Another thing to note: most NDAs have blatantly illegal sections for many jurisdictions. Many clauses are legally unenforceable and just exist to pressure you to "never talk about fight club".

As to PRACTICAL enforcement... we're little people. There's almost no situation in which anybody will ever get sued over breach of NDA.

The only realistic cases where you can have NDA problems:
1) you write a tell-all book telling things you're not allowed to tell
2) you're a big enough presence on social media and talk waaaaay too much
3) you try to sue THEM over something, but the NDA prevents you from making your case

And, of course:
4) makes it easy to terminate people (more relevant for jobs, not contractor relationships); they don't actually take you to court, just fire you over an offense real or imaginary, and threaten to sue you for NDA breach if you try to make a fuss to keep you quiet

[Edited at 2021-02-14 08:07 GMT]


 


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how to choose an agency






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