Why Your Company Should Hire a Translator: 10 Tips and 5 Reasons
Posted on April 13th, 2015 in Translation
The need for translation services in the U.S. and Canada have been increasing dramatically in the past five years. In the United States, over 41.3 million immigrants have come to live in the country. According to U.S. Census Bureau information from 2013, this group accounted for 13% of the overall U.S. population that year. As early as 2011, the tremendous influx of new foreign residents in North America was becoming notably apparent.
Among the G8 countries, Canada had the largest foreign-born population at the time, at 20.6 %, which was followed by the United States at 12.9 %. With the Asian market still expanding in 2015, the ever-growing need for global translation services has fueled the shortage and the demand in the business world for proficient translators.
Why do I need to hire a translator?
It bridges the gap
Translation services provide a business with an effective, locally ethnic, and globally oriented communication system. This enhances a business’s ability to compete in a growingly cross-cultural and multi-lingual business environment. With 2015’s brighter outlook on business opportunities worldwide, markets around the globe are steadily emerging in more and more remote places, which unfortunately for Western companies, usually speak little or no English.
It’s instantaneous
Outsourcing your translation needs is an efficient and cost effective business practice. Outsourcing provides instant access to the expertise and technical resources that are needed in order to perform translations, without the costly and time-consuming chore of having to constantly hire and properly train an in-house translation staff.
Statistically, it makes sense
Brazil, Russia, India and China, the (BRIC), together account for more than 40 percent of the world’s population. It is predicted that in the not too distant future, the BRIC economies might eventually overtake even today’s top world list of economically rich countries.
Why shouldn’t I do my own translation work?
You’ll waste time
Doing one’s own translation services is economically inefficient and time consuming; it includes a lot of extensive research finding out precise terminologies. It also eats up valuable time and resources by having to look up online information about the subject language, or purchasing and having to exhaustively look through expensive “How To” books.
You’ll lack inside knowledge
Hiring a professional translation firm will automatically keep track of important industry tactics and standards, like your style of linguistic preferences and exact terminology in order to ensure that no matter what human resource circumstances change in the workplace, the quality of your language interpretation services remain the same for your clients, and current or potential customers.
Top 10 Tips for hiring a Translator:
1. Make sure when hiring a translator, that they have an in-depth knowledge of the languages that are to be used, and that they also have an experienced working knowledge of the cultures that are to be involved. Don’t assume that being multi-lingual makes one a suitable translator.
2. Be specific about your needs – what do you need translated? Will it be primarily on paper, brochures, a website, or all three? Are your needs regional, global, or dialect specific? What deadlines and time frames do you need adhered to? The translator needs to interview you as much as you need to interview them. If they are well experienced, they will know of, and utilize this fact to both your advantages.
3. Always make sure to ask how much it is going to cost for translation services, what is provided, and how long it will take for the translation services to be provided to you, along with the availability of future services.
4. Be willing to pay a reasonable fee for good translation services. This is one of those situations where you get what you pay for. The quality of a translation is a must; the business risks of being cheap are not financially worth it.
5. Ask about what services the translator specializes in. They might turn out to be good at one aspect of your translation needs, but not proficient in another. Don’t wait to find this out until it’s too late.
6. Make sure to ask about what kind of assurances are in place about the quality of the translations to be provided. What resolution processes are going to be employed if you are unsatisfied with the outcome of the service, or services that were provided?
7. Foreign language services are not normally performed by in-house teams. The work is far too specialized to be efficiently performed onsite. It is highly recommended to use outsourcing instead, this is the preferred method most businesses use when hiring a translator.
8. If you are thinking of hiring a professional translating company, ask about the criteria they use for hiring their translators. For example, their certifications, whether they’re native tongue speakers, their experience, etc.
9. It is also recommended that if you are going to use an outsourced translation service, that you pick a fairly large professional translation agency. This way you will have access to a wider range of tools for managing your translation projects. They also have a larger pool of translators, and more service options to offer you.
10. Build a lasting and productive working relationship with a preferred chosen translator who has proven themselves trustworthy.
Statistics on the growing opportunities available to North American corporations, businesses, and associations do not lie. Now is the perfect time to join the global marketplace and promote your brand, product, service, or association’s mission statement worldwide. Let the experienced professionals at Translation Central provide you with the best translation services in the industry. Contact Us in order to get started on entering the new world market today!