Today it is easy to find a Chinese translator on the Internet. But how do you know the translator you have found has the capacity to deliver what you want? If you have advanced Chinese skills or if quality is not your top concern, this will not be a problem because you shall be able to judge the work or willing to accept a piece work that is not so satisfactory.
But what if you, having limited Chinese abilities, are looking for a veteran Chinese translator you can trust and rely on? Below is a detailed answer which can be of help.
The first question you may ask is, of course, where can I find a Chinese translator. Just run a Google search and you will get many relevant results: upwork.com, peopleperhour.com, guru.com, freelancer.com, and gengo.com, just to name a few. These are all platforms for freelancers, including freelancing translators, but they are not good to start with, especially if the document you need to have translated is important.
This is not because you cannot find good translators out there but that whether you can succeed in selecting a right person depends a lot on your luck.
I will explain why this is the case.
Firstly, as a professional who has been translating since 2009, I know for a fact that veteran translators stay away from these sites because they cannot accept the low rates there, nor can they afford the time bidding against tens of competitors for a project worth just a few bucks.
Secondly, if your document is specialised, because lack of information on specialisations in most of the freelancing translators’ profile pages, you may end up entrusting your document with someone having little knowledge of its subject matter.
It is worth mentioning that this is also partially due to the design of such sites. Few job posters want their documents to be accessible to a lot of people so many freelancing platforms are so designed that bidding translators are unable to see the content of your document until the project is awarded to them. This causes a problem. If the winning bidder, after being awarded the project, finds that the document is too difficult, he or she may be forced to bite the bullet and go through with it because declining the project after having accepted it will severely hurt his or her ranking.
Such things are unfortunate but they do happen. And when they do, they often lead to translations containing appalling mistakes.
So where should you look at? I recommend these places.
1. Professional translators’ associations, notably the American Translators Association (ATA), the Chartered Institute of Linguists(CIOL), the Institute of Translation and Interpreting (ITI), National Accreditation Authority for Translators and Interpreters (NAATI), and the Australian Institute of Interpreters and Translators (AUSIT)
These sites have a translators and interpreters database which can be easily accessed using their translator/interpreter finder featured on their homepages. Almost all of the members listed on the above sites are either certified professionals or veterans who have been working in translation for many years.
Another highlight of these sites is that with just a few clicks, you can view any member’s profile which often provides very detailed information, including the member’s education background, translation/interpreting-related experience and credentials, services, specialty areas, software, contact information, and even accepted payment methods and resumes/CVs. This will help you make a better decision.
2. ProZ
ProZ.com is the largest translators’ community on the Internet. According to its official figure, as of October 2018, its registered users had reached more than 960,000, spanning more than 200 countries and territories worldwide. Unlike the above sites, ProZ is open to professionals, as well as semi-professionals and amateur translators. It also features a translators directory and a powerful filter to help you find the best translator that suits your needs.
With the aid of this filter, you will be able to find many relevant translators. View their profiles, make a shortlist of those translators that interest you, and put them in an order based on their profile information. You can then try to contact them one by one in that order as veteran translators are often busy and the first translator you contact may already has a full schedule.
It is worth noting that many veterans may include in their profile their translation samples, resume/CV, and blog/website link. Do check them out as they can help you make a decision.
3. Referrals or Recommendations by Professional Translators Who Translate from or into Chinese
If you have a translator friend who translates from Chinese, it is very likely that he or she knows of good Chinese translators. Ask him or her to recommend one. If you have managed to find a Chinese translator on your own but he or she turns out to be busy, do not worry; you can ask him or her to give you a referral to another experienced professional.
Into Good Chinese 