|
Our vendor application webform includes 6 Steps. Among them, Step 4 is critical, because it indicates expertise. Regarding fields of expertise, we adopted 3-tiers categorization: Professional, Training and Interest Levels. However, we did not give any description for them. And, translators consult their own parameters in handling Step 4, which may lead to confusions. For example, a considerable number of freelance translators interpret Professional Level in a broader sense, claiming to meet Professional Level requirements in a wide range of the technical fields. |
At this point, I'd like to clarify the distinction between Professional and Training Levels under our vendor management system.
▮Training Level - familiarity to the subject matter
Thanks to the relatively recent technological advances in translators' editing environments, the modern translators take advantage of "leverage effects" in translating performance in terms of quality and speed. For example, if a frequent kind of translation project is positively packed with a project kit including sizable tm, termlist, reference materials or expert support, it may be convenient for most translators to extend their professional translating capacity to more challenging or rare technical fields, particularly in end-user documents.
I think of this kind of projects as Training Level, which does not mean that they are easy, because taking care of codes, editing on CAT tool environment and adhering to term list, TM, understanding localization requirements, adapting to teamwork, complex instructions, as well as sensitive quality standards require professional discipline, experience, skillset and familiarity to the subject.