What is translator recruitment? It’s an exercise of identifying job applicants to build a pool of qualified individuals. This process is made up of several related stages which are:
- Planning
- Strategy development
- Searching
- Evaluating and control
A proper recruitment strategy should attract a high number of qualified applicants who can survive the screening process and accept the positions offered. Recruiters can miss the best fit if they fail to attract the right pool of applicants.
Now, hiring a translator that meets your criteria can be challenging. As such, recruiters must be careful during the selection process. Remember that the translator that you choose will play a big role in the success of your projects. The hired individual will be tasked with maintaining clear communication between you and foreign clients. And any mistake can damage your reputation.
How to Go About the Task of Translator Recruitment
Use Recruitment Software
Before we discuss the things you have to know when hiring a translator, it is necessary that you have the right recruitment tools to make the process efficient. Businesses need recruitment software, especially if they do several hiring batches during the year. This tool can help organizations sort out qualified applicants.
It also makes applicant tracking easier by plotting the recruitment stages. This way, organizations can save on time and other resources by creating a smoother recruitment process.
Key Components When Hiring a Translator
The main role of a translator is to convert a piece of information into a language understandable by the audience. A good translator should be able to convert the same message or information as the original piece.
Let’s now find out what the key components are in the recruitment of translators.
Verify the Qualifications of the Translator
To get the right translator, you need to check if their background meets your specific needs. The more conversant they are in the language you need them for, the better the results will be for your projects.
Your translators must have a general understanding of your language and the one you need them for. They should know the cultural and contextual differences between a variety of languages.
You may not be looking for a bilingual but a linguist. A bilingual speaks two languages fluently while a linguist speaks multiple languages. Any organization will be better off with someone specialized in multiple languages. That’s because it leads to more work with other countries in the future.
Check Their Experience
Knowing how to speak a language is one thing but the experience in doing so is another.
The thing with language is that it is not as simple as black and white. Those written in textbooks may still vary as several factors affect how a population speaks a language. That is why it is important that your translator is experienced enough to understand a language like it is their native one.
An experienced translator can quickly identify slang or the use of informal words and phrases and still effectively translate it to a different language. You can minimize translation errors with an experienced pro.
Find Out How Quickly the Translator Can Accomplish Tasks
One of the challenges when recruiting a translator is determining how quickly they can complete tasks. They may speak a certain language fluently but may need more time to do so in written form. Thus, you must find out how long your project will take to complete. Then ask the candidate how long their turnaround time is.
This element may vary among options based on what the candidate usually translates. If you can’t offer more flexibility in time, give the candidate a test to get a good idea of how much time they can take.
You can make a comparison of how smoothly they translate over the phone to their process through the web. That way you’ll see what situation suits them best.
Find Out if the Translator Is Comfortable Using a Translation Software
Translation software comes with many benefits including speeding up the translation process. So when selecting a translator, it is an advantage if they can work with translation platforms.
It would also be an added advantage if they have experience working with your platform. The translator needs to have a standard level of technical proficiency. And be ready to learn the software you’ll choose to use.
Verification of Documents
Verifying documents will help you determine whether the applicant’s background aligns with your needs. The process is important as it will help to protect your organization from scammers. It will also help avoid wasting your time with underqualified individuals.
Verifying degree certificates requires that you have an understanding of degree equivalencies. You’ll also be required to have the resources to verify any target language documents.
Note that carrying out a language test is controversial in the language industry. But at the same time, you cannot judge a linguist’s capabilities based on their resume. Conducting a test will help you evaluate their skill level. The test is also beneficial to new linguists. That’s because they get the opportunity to showcase their talent and get the job.
A short test of about 450 words is acceptable by linguists. The test can be generic or subject-specific. It must also be evaluated by experienced translators.
The Cost of Translation Projects
Budget plays a role in choosing a translation and localization service provider. Thus, you must understand how the interviewee scopes the cost of projects. For instance, what’s their rate per word? Does the applicant offer reductions in price for redundant translations?
It’s also important that you find out about fees for factors like:
- Technical content
- Image selection
- Graphic design
- Client meetings
- Reviews
- Premium creative content
Depending on the budget agreed upon, ask the translator to outline a time frame. And, explore whether premium pricing would be charged for expedited projects.
Conclusion
A translation service determines the success of your business. So be careful when selecting a professional translation service or a translator. That’s because it can make or break you in the international market.
The translation industry is wide, which makes it difficult to find the right company to work with. But with research, you should be able to make the right choice.