You likely need to hire a translator (freelance) or translation agency for translation services if your organization doesn’t have internal bilingual employees that can help with your translation needs. This is why we put together these 5 tips for how to find and hire a human translator successfully for your company.
5 Tips for Finding and Hiring a Human Translator
1. Know Where To Hire a Translator From
When you hire a human translator, you can either hire a translation agency or a freelance translator. So, when do you know which is best?
Agency vs. Individual
Translation agencies (also known as Language Service Providers or LSP) are typically ideal for large translation projects, multiple languages fast turnaround requirements.
They often have a pre-established pool of translators to draw from and the agency can manage your translation projects for you. You get project management–and if your needs are big enough–account management, too. You pay more. To find translation agencies for hire, you can search “translation agencies,” “translation services” or “language service providers” on Google.
For smaller translation projects, you can hire an individual freelance translator yourself. Typically, the price won’t be as lofty as hiring an agency. Freelance translators are ideal for organizations with sporadic needs, smaller projects and single-language needs.
You can find a linguist via websites such as ProZ, TranslatorsCafe and Upwork.
2. Find a Translator or Agency Who is Specialized in Your Field
One of the most important tips for hiring a translator or agency is to ensure you’re hiring someone who has the right experience for the project.
If the materials in need of translation require specialized knowledge, you should hire someone who has it. For instance, if your company manufactures scientific instruments, you need to hire someone who understands the terminology and related concepts otherwise you’ll likely get an inferior literal word-for-word translation with the wrong terminology.
3. Use Good Communication
Whether you hire a translator or agency, you want to give as much project detail and context as possible up front.
For example: saying you need a document translated into “Spanish” is too broad. You’ll want to be more specific and say I need a document translated into Spanish for Mexico. You’ll want to set clear expectations, timelines, and maintain good communication with your translator.
4. Know Their Credentials
Whether sourcing a human translator or an agency for your company, you want to check their credentials. If you need someone who is HIPAA compliant, accepted by USCIS or an expert in legal, it’s important to look into these during the hiring process. Ideally, you will find a translator or agency with the right credentials.
5. Hire a Translator Who Uses CAT Tools
If you have invested in a CAT tool, make sure your translator or agency knows what a CAT tool is and is familiar with the benefits of CAT tools.
More importantly, make sure they understand the importance of using them consistently and properly and are using the same CAT tool that your organization uses. One reason CAT tool investments sometimes go to waste is inconsistent or underutilization.
Here’s a concise conclusion for your piece:
Conclusion
Choosing the right translator — whether freelance or through an agency — can make the difference between a clear, accurate message and a costly misunderstanding. By knowing where to hire, selecting professionals with the right expertise, communicating clearly, verifying credentials, and ensuring proper use of CAT tools, you can secure high-quality translations that support your organization’s goals.
Source: This blog was originally published at pairaphrase.com