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I *think* this post is on topic, but if it is not, can someone point me to
better sources of information?
I'm looking for information on the *business* aspects of hiring, working
with, and paying free-lance translators (or one-person translation
"agencies"). I am a lone techwriter that will be managing the translation of
online help and a small manual into 6 languages. I think I've learned what I
need to know about the writing/communicating aspects of working with
translators, but I've never been a businessman and I need to find the
answers to questions like these:
Where do you advertise for free-lance translators? How much detail should
the ad contain?
How do they bid?
Will the translators need any material from me in order to formulate a bid?
Are translator's bids made in terms of hours-worked, or words-translated, or
some third method?
Is there a written contract, and if so how detailed is it? Should it specify
everything I will send to them (e.g. current English text, translation of
previous version of text, translation memory, if any, etc.) Should it
specify all deliverables from the translator? Should it specify an absolute
due date?
Will I know the exact, final cost when the translator starts work, or will I
have only an estimate until the job is complete?
Will the translator send an invoice? (What is an invoice, anyway? Just a
fancy word for "bill"? See I told you I know nothing about business!)
How is the translator's work double-checked? Should I plan on hiring a
second translator in each language to proof read?
IPCC 01, the IEEE International Professional Communication Conference,
October 24-27, 2001 at historic La Fonda in Santa Fe, New Mexico, USA.
CALL FOR PAPERS OPEN UNTIL MARCH 15. http://ieeepcs.org/2001/
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