Are you a new translation client? Then you will not have a clear picture about the overall process that you are about to go through. Due to the same reason, there is a high possibility for you to make mistakes when you are hiring the translation services available out there as well. Even if you pick a reputed translation service, you need to be aware of some important tips, which can help you to get the maximum results out of your efforts.

Following are the most prominent tips that all the translation clients will need to keep in mind. You need to make sure that you are adhering to these tips, even if you are getting the assistance of a freelance translator. Then you can end up with receiving maximum results out of your translation efforts.

Format the original document to be translated 

Before you handover the document for translation, you need to make sure that you are formatting it accordingly. Then you will be able to make the life easy for the translator to go ahead and offer the service. In fact, translators generally prefer to get their hands on an editable copy of the document. Therefore, you should not provide a PDF document. On the other hand, it is better if you can refrain from sending images or photos to the translator as well. You should get the document to a Word Format or Text format. Then you can pass the editable document and get a better service from the translator.

If you don’t provide the source document in editable format, some of the translators will have to spend extra time and effort to get that to editable format as well. This will be an overhead to them. As a result, you will be able to see how the translators are requesting additional amounts of money to get the job done. In general, you should practice the habit of sending editable documents to the translators.

Format the completed translation 

Similar to formatting the source document, you need to be mindful about formatting the completed translation as well. If you wish to receive the final translated document in a specific format, you should clearly communicate it to the translator. That’s because the translator will not have a clear understanding about your preferences. It is up to you to tell your preferences to the translator and make sure that you are receiving an appropriate output as preferred. 

For example, you might prefer to get a hard copy of the translation or a PDF. You just need to tell it and you will be able to get the output as preferred. Even if you want to get the translated document emailed to another person, you should tell. The translator will happily accommodate your requirement. 

Language pair 

Before going for a translation, you need to understand what language pair is associated with the translation. This includes the source language and the target language. The language of the source document that you have will be the source language. Likewise, the language of the translated document you receive will be the target language. You should keep this terminology in mind, so that you can avoid confusions while you are working along with the translator to get your work done.

Additional services needed 

People who go for the services offered by translators often come across the need to get additional services. Before you hire a translator, you need to be clear of what additional services are required by you. 

For example, assume that you have a legal document to be translated. After the translation is completed, it should be certified. You should ask for the help of the translator to assist you in this. However, you should also keep in mind that the translator will request you to make an additional payment for the service that you require. In the meantime, it is also important to note that some of the translators will not be able to deliver the specific additional services that you need. Therefore, you must clearly ask for them before you handover the job. This will help you to stay away from surprises at the end of the project. Moreover, it can also assist you to refrain from hiring multiple service providers to get the job done.

Deadline of translation 

You will have to adhere to a timeline when getting your documents translated. Therefore, you should clearly communicate the deadlines that you have to meet to the translator. It is better if you can be realistic about the deadlines. 

A translator will usually be able to translate around 3000 words per day. Based on that, you can get a quick understanding of the amount of time that will be taken to get your translation job. Along with that, you need to set up a deadline and agree to it with the translator. You should not rush the translator to deliver the project before the deadline as well. This will create a major negative impact on the quality of work that you are receiving. It will also make you spend a lot of extra money unnecessarily.

Reference materials 

If you have any specialized document to be translated, you can think about providing reference materials to the translator. This becomes a must when you are trying to get legal documents or medical documents translated. That’s because the reference materials can help the translator to get a better understanding of the text that is being translated. As a result, the translator will be able to use the correct terminology and complete the translation job as well.

Final words

These are all the important tips that the translation clients should keep in mind. If you can stick to these tips, you can make sure that you are getting outstanding returns with your translation job. Hence, you can enjoy going through a smooth translation process as well.

This article first appeared on Harry Clark blog