| Pages in topic: < [1 2] | Poll: Have you ever submitted a translation test and received no reply? Thread poster: ProZ.com Staff
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Once I had such an experience. I would not mention it if the same agency hasn't placed a potential job announcement here on ProZ, offering a free test. When I checked them in my email history, I saw I've already sent them a test a year ago or so and got no reply and I thought: "Never again".
| | | | Tina Vonhof (X)
Canada
Local time: 20:26
Dutch to English
+ ...
| Once or twice | Apr 4, 2018 |
Test approved and never heard from them again. Now I refer people to my proz profile and if that isn't good enough, so be it.
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and that is why I don't do test translations.
I have been a translator for over 40 years, and I am not so short of work that I have to send tests to agencies who spot me on Proz and try to recruit me.
| | | | Ledja 
United Kingdom
Local time: 03:26
English to Albanian
+ ...
| Twice – and I remember both cases to detail | Apr 4, 2018 |
The first was the translation of a material safety data sheet. I filled in forms prior to undertaking the test, gave personal information away, including a scanned copy of my passport, and didn’t hear back from them for over a month. Upon being prompted for an answer, they replied shortly with something along the lines of “yes, thank you, test received and accepted” and… they were never to get back in touch again.
That experience led to me be sceptical when approached with... See more The first was the translation of a material safety data sheet. I filled in forms prior to undertaking the test, gave personal information away, including a scanned copy of my passport, and didn’t hear back from them for over a month. Upon being prompted for an answer, they replied shortly with something along the lines of “yes, thank you, test received and accepted” and… they were never to get back in touch again.
That experience led to me be sceptical when approached with offers of projects that would require a test to begin with and, as advised here on proz.com when I raised the issue once, I started replying to agencies that I was fine taking a test as long as it was a paid one. Those who were serious actually agreed to do just that, and those who weren’t went silent.
There was one other time, however, where I got cajoled into taking a test again, because it was a new and interesting direction: transcreation and adverts. I spent the better part of the day coming up with three different translation versions for two separate adverts, checking and re-checking and even running the slogans and other lines by people around me to test the reaction and reception, and finally emailed the work back, fully confident that it was going to fare well. They sent a short email to confirm receipt and that was it. After two months of no further reply, I decided they must have not liked my style and that I should be an adult, swallow my hurt pride, not kick a fuss, not pursue it further – all of that “be the better professional” kind of stuff.
And then I heard from then again. A different member of staff, with two different adverts to translate… as a test. So I forwarded the first test back again, asking that they rate that one first and let me know what they think of it. The reply came back within a minute, a good three paragraphs copied and pasted from their first ever email instructing me to “think out of the box” and “be creative”, and “we regret to inform you” – you know the rest.
Ever since, I’ve stuck to directing those who request taking a test to my portfolio, or demanding payment for my time. I have never felt I’ve lost worthy work through putting my foot down. ▲ Collapse
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| Aha, so I was right. | Apr 6, 2018 |
Melanie Meyer wrote:
However, it did happen once that an agency did not contact me after I had taken their test, not even to confirm receipt. At the time, I found that behavior incredibly rude and followed up with several emails to coax an answer out of them.
I had a similar experience except I gave up after one email. If they can't be bothered to send a one-line "Test received" email, they'll be a nightmare to deal with when a real project comes around. That's what I told myself at the time, and based on your experience I was probably right.
| | | | Mario Freitas
Brazil
Local time: 23:26
Member (2014)
English to Portuguese
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I'm sitting here wondering how come so many people answered "no"...
You mean you have always received replies to every single test you ever submitted?
There must be somethng wrong with my e-mail provider.
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