June 26, 2008
Avoiding getting stiffed as a translator
Masked Translator has a good post on how to avoid getting stiffed by clients.
I may just be lucky, but I've never been stiffed on a job. The closest I've come is when a company tried to get me to lower my invoice after the work was delivered (I agreed but never worked for them again — oh, it felt so good when they begged and pleaded…).
It might be because nearly all my clients are Japanese companies. For some reason, you don't hear about them failing to pay as often as with US/European agencies. (Long payment cycles are another thing though — about two months is common, but I've waited up to 5 months)
I do, however, practice due diligence before taking work, such as:
- Checking their website
- Getting referrals from fellow translators I trust
- Taking small jobs first
