Experienced translators often work as proofreaders.  The idea behind proofreading is to check that the translated document did present the source ideas well and accurately, within the confines of structural norms of different languages, and that the document is grammatically sound while the text and sentences read naturally.

As it is essentially a checking process, for any properly translated document, the proofreader’s task should be relatively straightforward, the fees most of us get for proofreading are usually much lower than our translation rates; this is the industry norm.

Sadly, there are pathetic agencies who tried to exploit this.  Here are two of these pathetic practices:

1. Get a poorly qualified translator to translate and then get a qualified translator to proofread.  Most of us take pride in our work, when charged with a lousy translation, we would not ignore it, we would try our best as proofreaders to improve it.  Moreover, many of us have signed the agreements with Agencies, committing to a certain level of standard which we”ll try to keep up.  I have ever encountered an instance where I have to re-translate all 40 pages of the document, needless to say, I no longer accept proofreading jobs from that project manager.
2. Machine translate the document, then get a qualified translator to “proofread”.  This is a total scam where they try to get a translation at proofreading rates.

In addition, I was asked to take on a proofreading job and the instructions to me were “to make the language more fashionable and cool.”  I did a quick check on the translator’s work and thought it was not bad, after all, this was a technical white paper and he/she translated the contents faithfully.
But to turn this “faithful” translation into something more “fashionable and cool” should be a copy-writer’s job and if they want me to do it, I felt that they should pay me the market rates for a copy-writer.  Anyway, I did not take up the job, they decided to give it to someone else when I mentioned I do not see how I am able to make this translated document “fashionable and cool” at the rate they offered me.

Nowadays, I will review both the original and translated documents before I will accept any proofreading job.  And I make sure the project co-ordinator understands what I can/cannot deliver.