You need to hire someone for your translation project, but you don’t know who to choose. You certainly don’t want to hire a poor translator, someone without the necessary qualifications or who does not deliver accurate translations on time. Any one of these scenarios could spell disaster in both time and money for your company. So what do you do?

One option is to use a website (http://www.cheatingtranslators.com/blacklist) that allows you to enter the name of a specific translator you are planning on hiring or someone you suspect of doing poor quality work in the past to determine if they have been added to the list of translators who have received negative reviews. Users also have the opportunity to add a translator to this list. To do this, all you have to do is enter their name, gender, languages they translate, and answer a few questions about their past performance.

At first glance, this website might seem like a great idea. It is a resource that can assist businesses determine if a particular translator has submitted machine translations in the past, provided poor quality translations, or failed to deliver translations on time (or even at all). This could help you (possibly) avoid hiring an incompetent translator. No one wants to waste time and money on an employee who can’t do the job well or on time. On the other hand, however, there are several problems with this website that can not be ignored:

• No list is comprehensive and in this case, you still run the risk of hiring a poor translator.
• The website does not take any responsibility for the accuracy of the content provided.
• Anyone can easily (and anonymously) add the name of any translator to this list without providing proof to back up their claims.
• There is potential to ruin careers and reputations

Importantly, there are better ways to determine if the translator you are planning on hiring is up to the task. The use of a peer-reviewed vetting process is an excellent way to determine if you will receive high quality translations from a particular translator. For example, translators who desire to work with wintranslation go through a series of tests to ensure their work is of the highest quality:

• They write a test (translate a piece of work) and other translators who have previously been vetted review the translation and provide feedback.
• If a translator is successful in the first stage, receiving positive feedback from other translators who affirm their translation is accurate, wintranslation continues to monitor and evaluate their performance and the quality of their work as they are given small assignments and then larger ones. During this stage, wintranslation also determines how easy the translator is to work with as well as whether or not they are reliable in handing their work in on time.

Wintranslation’s vetting process therefore saves clients’ time and money. Further, hiring a translation company with several years of experience with project management and an excellent record of facilitating impeccable translation projects will allow you to focus on the important task of running your business while leaving the job of selecting high-quality translators to people who know exactly what to look for.

As for this website that allows you to “blacklist” translators: Is this a great resource that you would use? Or is it potentially dangerous and unethical? While businesses have the right to information that will allow them to hire the most highly qualified translators, is this website really the best source of information? Or does it have the potential to ruin people’s careers without cause? What do you think?