Tips for Hiring a German Translator for Your Business

Sprechen Sie Deutsch? If you do, then you know that we just asked if you speak German. If you do not, but you need to be able to communicate professionally with German audiences, then it may be time to hire a German translator.

Whether you need translation services to connect with business partners based in Germany or to create digital and offline communications that appeal to German speakers, finding a qualified, experienced translator can be critical to your business success. Just because someone is a native German speaker or fluent in German does not mean that they are qualified to provide translation services. Business language and conversations contain nuances and terminology that require an additional level of expertise than merely being able to speak a language. It is important to select a translation service that is able to apply enterprise level thinking to your content. They should be able to provide helpful feedback and guidance to ensure that your true message is not lost in translation.

Tips for Hiring German Translators

• ALWAYS hire a professional.
• Choose a firm with a well-defined quality assurance program. Know who is checking the translator’s work.
• When possible, hire a firm with access to multiple translators.
• Deliver a clean, simple version of your content. Try not to be pithy or overly complicated.
• Are there dialects that need to be considered for accurate translation for your target audience? A translator that speaks a Austrian or Swiss dialect may not be the right fit for e.g. a German audience in Hamburg.
• Create an accurate budget for your project.
• Create a realistic timeline for completion.
• Do not assume the first draft will be the final draft.

These tips should be a guideline to help you develop the final criteria to select the right translator for your project. Each project is unique and requirements may change based on the scope and the goal of the project. This need for flexibility is another key selling point for hiring a firm rather than an individual translator. A firm with deep resources will be more nimble and capable of adjusting as the process begins. Often, even the most well-planned translation requests can have contingencies arise. Having the power of a firm behind your project will help ensure that these contingencies are easily absorbed. In fact, hiring a firm with deep experience may also be beneficial because the firm can bring attention to potential issues and mitigate them before they occur.

What else should you consider when researching translation services for your business?

• Experience – select a firm with a solid track record of service.
• Recommendations – does the firm have clients who are willing to provide a recommendation based on their experience?
• Translation standards – does the firm adhere to a widely accepted set of translation standards for the industry?
• Customer Support – is the firm willing or able to supply resources that are close enough for in-person meetings if needed? If not, do they have the necessary technology tools for virtual meetings? Overall, how easy are they to reach?
• Quality Assurance – does the firm have a well-defined, transparent quality assurance process? Does it depend solely on human resources or does it include technology-based checks and balances to reduce human errors?
• Flexibility – does the firm recognize when a project is unique and make the necessary adjustments to deliver a unique solution?

With over 30,000 core vocabulary words, German can be a difficult language to translate. Selecting the right translation services firm for your German language projects can make the process of accurately completing a German language translation much easier. At Teck Language Solutions, Inc., we have over a decade of experience performing European language translations. Let our team provide a free quote for your project to show you what we can do for your business.