‘Cold email’ from another translator, beginning ‘Hello’ (without my name), offering services, enquiring about my ‘specialisms’, offering 20% off his book (on how to improve one’s translation sales!), and ending with a link to ‘unsubscribe’.
Also advertising a ‘manually vetted translator database and project management system (under development, open for applications that will be processed in October – feel free to browse the site in its current state)’.
I seem out of line with some colleagues once again, although the author’s website quotes only part of Isabel Hurtado de Mendoza’s review in the ITI Bulletin but omits the following:
…I’m sorry to say that The translation sales handbook felt to me like a ‘work in progress’. …I believe that its potential is not fully developed. …A professional editor could possibly spot typos, detect repetitions, indicate the lack of relevance of certain sections …
It looks as if the email was sent to many ITI translators. Reactions varied but were on the whole not positive.
Recently, I have recruited some translators for future cooperation during my maternity leave. One of my main requirements was an ability to use CAT software (preferably Studio or memoQ). Many e-mails from interested translators started like this: Hi, my name is… I translate but unfortunately I have no experience with CAT software/I don’t use CAT software/I don’t find CAT software necessary to be a translator. Well, at least I didn’t have to read any further or even open an attached CV ;)
Well, I use Transit, and I can create projects compatible with Trados, but I only use it for myself. I don’t know why you need it for cooperation. Is it because you work for agencies that require CAT software? Or do you want to review their work yourself?
Trados makes easy to review and correct a project, instead correct the same thing or modify to suit the preferences of a clients many times, or which is time consuming you correct the segment one time and make the program to do the same thing over the whole project. Time saving which let you concentrate in render a good translation.
This is such an old post – it took me a while to understand it, and why I queried the need for CAT I can’t imagine.