In an ideal world, one can rely on professional integrity and common decency to be sure that the services received would be of an acceptable quality. However, a somber truth all must face is that everyone must take their own precautions in their dealings with others. This is the case as well in the field of certified document translation services in Singapore, where client and freelancer alike must exercise care while translator and translation company weigh options and interactions. Fortunately, if an individual takes the time to safeguard themselves and their own interests, whether they seek to employ or be employed, their efforts can be well-rewarded.
On the part of clients, there are plenty of
intermediary companies that can verify the quality potential translators for
you, but if you are seeking out translators on your own, then you will need to
manage the risks as well. For instance, if you are employing a person or a
company for a one-time legal translation of a sizable document, and you are
uncomfortable with how you are personally unsure of their abilities, then you can
ask them to translate a few pages of the document as a trial run. A certified
translation company in Singapore can do the same, testing potential translators
with a few pages of foreign-language text that the company already knows the
meaning of.
In a similar vein, depending on the size of the
document to be translated, you could separate it into segments for the
translator or translation company to complete one at a time, who can then be
paid of each upon completion. This is to their benefit as well if they are
unfamiliar with you, as this would split the task into manageable parts and lower
the risk of a client disappearing without paying for the final product. It is
for this reason that the fee for smaller jobs is usually split into two halves:
a deposit to be paid before the translation service begins, and a final payment
before the final translated product is sent to the client. This is the case
even if only a single page is involved, such as a PR application translation
for a single birth certificate. Such a job can also become a notarized
translation, which would have the translator or translation company incur costs
during the translation process, such as the fee from the lawyer who handles the
notarization process.
