Can't register on client portal - why?
Thread poster: Paul Dixon
Paul Dixon
Paul Dixon  Identity Verified
Brazil
Local time: 15:59
Portuguese to English
+ ...
Jun 4, 2020

I was going to apply for a job on the jobs board and the client agency said I had to open an account on their portal to start receiving jobs. They said I had to request a confirmation code which would be sent to my mobile and then I would enter the code to open my account and start getting jobs. The problem is that I did this, but the confirmation codes never get to my mobile. The worst part is that there is no support available, no e-mail, just a telephone in China. There is what appears to be ... See more
I was going to apply for a job on the jobs board and the client agency said I had to open an account on their portal to start receiving jobs. They said I had to request a confirmation code which would be sent to my mobile and then I would enter the code to open my account and start getting jobs. The problem is that I did this, but the confirmation codes never get to my mobile. The worst part is that there is no support available, no e-mail, just a telephone in China. There is what appears to be a chat but all the instructions are in Chinese, without English translation.To make matters worse, if you try to send them an e-mail through their profile you get the message "This user does not wish to receive e-mails through his or her profile". They don't seem to have a regular e-mail. Wrote to them through FB but they never bothered to reply. I would like to warn people but apparently I can't use the BB as I have never worked for the agency.

Has anyone else had this problem? Suggestions?

I could contact them in China (or elsewhere, as they have other offices - but not in Brazil) but in this dire situation where money has run out, a call to China would be very expensive. I don't want to give up the possibility of registering on what seems to be a good agency as the financial situation here is very, very bad.
Collapse


 
Viesturs Lacis
Viesturs Lacis  Identity Verified
Latvia
Local time: 20:59
English to Latvian
How do you know it is a good agency in the first place? Jun 4, 2020

"Confusing and unfriendly onboarding process" and "good agency" sound pretty much mutually exclusive.

In this day and age, there is no way a legitimate agency, let alone one with multiple offices, does not have an e-mail they would be willing to give out to potential clients and vendors. It may not be available on whatever "client portal" they use but it must be indicated somewhere. Do they have a corporate website or any other web presence besides profiles on social networks? If no
... See more
"Confusing and unfriendly onboarding process" and "good agency" sound pretty much mutually exclusive.

In this day and age, there is no way a legitimate agency, let alone one with multiple offices, does not have an e-mail they would be willing to give out to potential clients and vendors. It may not be available on whatever "client portal" they use but it must be indicated somewhere. Do they have a corporate website or any other web presence besides profiles on social networks? If not, how are they receiving assignments and getting noticed by clients?

[Edited at 2020-06-04 13:34 GMT]
Collapse


Zibow Retailleau
 
Paul Dixon
Paul Dixon  Identity Verified
Brazil
Local time: 15:59
Portuguese to English
+ ...
TOPIC STARTER
Concept of good agency Jun 4, 2020

When I said 'it appears to be a good agency', this was based on its Blue Board rating (over 4). And it does have a site (under a different name from the portal) and a list of some ten international offices with their addresses and telephone numbers - but no mention of an e-mail. I don't want to list the offices as that would identify the company, but I did notice there was not a single office in Latin America.

 
Viesturs Lacis
Viesturs Lacis  Identity Verified
Latvia
Local time: 20:59
English to Latvian
Strange Jun 4, 2020

I don't think I've ever encountered an international agency that only wants to be contacted by phone. Would you be willing to send me the name of this agency in a private message?

Jorge Payan
 
Sheila Wilson
Sheila Wilson  Identity Verified
Spain
Local time: 18:59
Member (2007)
English
+ ...
Very little that's good about them, as far as I can see Jun 4, 2020

Paul Dixon wrote:
I don't want to give up the possibility of registering on what seems to be a good agency

I totally understand that you desperately need work, but it really sounds as though this is likely to be an appalling agency to collaborate with. Let's face it, if it's so hard to register on their site, how hard is it going to be to get any money out of them? I really do think you're better off spending the time marketing your services to other agencies and to direct clients. You have a great profile here, and loads of experience, so I'm sure you can present yourself as a strong partner for better clients.

However, if I might offer some unsolicited advice without causing offence, I do think it would be worth your while spending some time on a total rework of that CV first. I wrote a Wiki for this site on the subject and I advise you to check it out: http://wiki.proz.com/wiki/index.php/Creating_an_effective_CV_/_resume

Edited to add that the platform, which is easily found in a Google search, says of itself: "Using crowdsourcing and technology to empower underprivileged talent with fair and flexible work opportunities - China".

It isn't just for translation work, and I very much doubt that your efforts will bring you anything like a professional rate. However "fair" it promises to be, I wouldn't expect anything of the kind. But maybe I'm just cynical nowadays.

[Edited at 2020-06-04 15:30 GMT]


Jorge Payan
Zibow Retailleau
 
Paul Dixon
Paul Dixon  Identity Verified
Brazil
Local time: 15:59
Portuguese to English
+ ...
TOPIC STARTER
Thank you Jun 4, 2020

Dear Sheila,Thank you for your input. I shall definitely look through your suggested material.
Fortunately I have work for today at least, a shortish PPT presentation, obtained by recommendation.
Regarding my CV, it was written by a specialist HR buff in England, many moons ago. I regularly update it but I'll think about making wider changes.


 
Samuel Murray
Samuel Murray  Identity Verified
Netherlands
Local time: 19:59
Member (2006)
English to Afrikaans
+ ...
@Paul Jun 5, 2020

Paul Dixon wrote:
I was going to apply for a job on the jobs board, and the [job post] said I had to open an account on their portal to start receiving jobs. [It] said I had to request a confirmation code which would be sent to my mobile and then I would enter the code to open my account and start getting jobs. The problem is that I did this, but the confirmation codes never get to my mobile.


May I assume we're talking about the crowdsourcing translation platform Zuo Dao?

This is one of just many, many platforms out there trying to connect mostly cheap translators to mostly once-off clients. I'm not saying it's not worth your while to register at such portals and to accept some jobs from it, but many of these portals are not well-designed, and it can be difficult to register on those platforms if they are in "other" countries.

Zuo Dao's main site is in Chinese, but they do have an English translation of their pages. However, it's is such a poor translation that I don't think you can trust what you think you are reading there. For example, on the registration page, it says: "Registration of users outside China: Do not register with a mailbox if you are a user in China. Otherwise, you will not be able to withdraw cash." It's very confusing. I'm not sure if Brazilian residents can register at Taobao, but that may also be a potential way in, since their sign-up form accepts a Taobao login.

It may be that you never receive the codes because your mobile phone is not recognised. That said, even sites in Western countries have on occasion failed to send me codes to my phone.

I could contact them in China ... [but] a call to China would be very expensive.


And you are likely to get hold of some help desk with a guy trying to walk you step by step through the web site anyway. So, don't do it.

Sheila Wilson wrote:
I do think it would be worth your while spending some time on a total rework of that CV first.


It's true that Paul's résumé doesn't follow the typical freelance translator résumé template, but résumés don't all have to look the same. I get the impression from Paul's résumé that he is targeting a certain type of client (the snobbish British type), and that is perfectly all right. A résumé should make the reader feel good about himself. But I agree with Sheila that having a more agency-friendly résumé could be useful to have.


[Edited at 2020-06-05 08:10 GMT]


 
Paul Dixon
Paul Dixon  Identity Verified
Brazil
Local time: 15:59
Portuguese to English
+ ...
TOPIC STARTER
Snobbish British? Jun 5, 2020

Could you explain how my CV is aimed at a 'snobbish British type'? While I do target EN-GB primarily (as I am British), the gravity of the crisis in Brazil (made worse by covid-19) means I need any work I can get (in my pairs). Sheila has sent a useful article about improving my CV, and shall follow some of her recommendations.

This CV was prepared by a headhunter in the UK, and since then has been modified several times. When I ordered this CV I was living in the UK and did not hav
... See more
Could you explain how my CV is aimed at a 'snobbish British type'? While I do target EN-GB primarily (as I am British), the gravity of the crisis in Brazil (made worse by covid-19) means I need any work I can get (in my pairs). Sheila has sent a useful article about improving my CV, and shall follow some of her recommendations.

This CV was prepared by a headhunter in the UK, and since then has been modified several times. When I ordered this CV I was living in the UK and did not have translation in mind, not as a main career anyway. I planned to stay in the UK at the time but these were the dark days of the John 'Close the coal mines now' Major administration and eventually I returned to Brazil. The system of summarising my skills in the opening paragraph rather than the usual reverse-chronological format was also a suggestion of the headhunter.

Considering the agency, yes, this is the agency. It seems to be linked to the Alibaba Group. Why would Brazilian residents not be able to apply? (The only agency I know which has nationality restrictions is USAjobs - probably for security reasons, as the job I noticed involved military work). I find it strange however that a company with 10 offices does not have one in Latin America.
Collapse


 
Sheila Wilson
Sheila Wilson  Identity Verified
Spain
Local time: 18:59
Member (2007)
English
+ ...
Most clients don't have the luxury of time Jun 5, 2020

I don't get the "snobbish" angle, I must say. But head-hunters do work on the basis of introducing high-value employees to employers. It's a very individualised service and any HR manager is going to be prepared to spend more than the normal 30-or-so seconds on the suggested lead.

Unfortunately, however good you are as a freelance translator, most agencies and a good proportion of direct clients won't be willing to spend that much time winkling out the choicest morsels of informati
... See more
I don't get the "snobbish" angle, I must say. But head-hunters do work on the basis of introducing high-value employees to employers. It's a very individualised service and any HR manager is going to be prepared to spend more than the normal 30-or-so seconds on the suggested lead.

Unfortunately, however good you are as a freelance translator, most agencies and a good proportion of direct clients won't be willing to spend that much time winkling out the choicest morsels of information. In preferably just 10 seconds, they want to find someone who:
1. Translates in their pair
2. Specialises in their sector
3. Can prove experience etc.

That calls for short, formatted bullet points, 100% order of importance and absolutely zero unimportant words..
Collapse


 


To report site rules violations or get help, contact a site moderator:


You can also contact site staff by submitting a support request »

Can't register on client portal - why?







CafeTran Espresso
You've never met a CAT tool this clever!

Translate faster & easier, using a sophisticated CAT tool built by a translator / developer. Accept jobs from clients who use Trados, MemoQ, Wordfast & major CAT tools. Download and start using CafeTran Espresso -- for free

Buy now! »
Wordfast Pro
Translation Memory Software for Any Platform

Exclusive discount for ProZ.com users! Save over 13% when purchasing Wordfast Pro through ProZ.com. Wordfast is the world's #1 provider of platform-independent Translation Memory software. Consistently ranked the most user-friendly and highest value

Buy now! »