Reasonable for client to ask for a copy of my Certified Translator certificate? Thread poster: Heather Howey
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Heather Howey 
Canada
Local time: 04:06
Member (2007)
Swedish to English
So I did this certified translation for agency. Everything seems fine, end-client happy
Then, after the fact, I am told end-client wants a colour scan of my Certified Translator certificate. I declined, pointing out that the website of the professional association on which I am listed, exists partly so that people can look us up and verify or prove to a third party that we are certified. Client did not like this, implored me to send a scan of the certificate. I said No (partly because ge... See more So I did this certified translation for agency. Everything seems fine, end-client happy
Then, after the fact, I am told end-client wants a colour scan of my Certified Translator certificate. I declined, pointing out that the website of the professional association on which I am listed, exists partly so that people can look us up and verify or prove to a third party that we are certified. Client did not like this, implored me to send a scan of the certificate. I said No (partly because getting it out of the picture frame would be a major bother). Anyone else been asked for this? Am I being unreasonable? ▲ Collapse
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You could scan the certificate using any scanner app for your mobile phone. There are plenty of these apps on the Apple Store/Play Store.
And then you could convert it to PDF and send it to the client. No need to open the frame and the client will be happy. Problem solved
| | | | Dan Lucas
United Kingdom
Local time: 09:06
Member (2014)
Japanese to English
| On balance I think it's a reasonable request | Oct 19, 2023 |
Heather Howey wrote:
Anyone else been asked for this? Am I being unreasonable?
For a bona fide client, yes, I think you are being a bit unreasonable. If one of my clients asked me for my JLPT N1 certificate or my university degree transcript I would send them a copy without hesitation. As for the actual acquisition of the image, well, it is 2023... It's no big deal to get something scanned, either on a cheap flatbed, or something like a ScanSnap or, as the previous poster suggests, a smartphone app. I scan this sort of thing routinely, on a just-in-case basis. But then again, my stuff is filed not framed.
The devil's advocate position is that if this is a client who is unlikely to send you any future work, not sending it is unlikely to cause you a problem.
Regards,
Dan
| | | | Samuel Murray
Netherlands
Local time: 10:06
Member (2006)
English to Afrikaans
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| Take a photo | Oct 19, 2023 |
Heather Howey wrote:
Then, after the fact, I am told end-client wants a colour scan of my Certified Translator certificate.
I don't see anything wrong with this. The certificate is, after all, not for you but for your clients. So why hide it from your clients?
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Marjolein Snippe
Netherlands
Local time: 10:06
Member (2012)
English to Dutch
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| Certification | Oct 19, 2023 |
As Samuel said, the whole point of diplomas, certifications etc is to be able to prove to others that you passed whatever requirements they state. I would take a photo or scan it, and save a digital copy as it is a reasonable request future clients may very well make too.
| | | | Jean Lachaud
United States
Local time: 04:06
English to French
+ ...
| No, it is not | Oct 19, 2023 |
The American Translators Association does maintain a list of certified translators on its web site. That web site is the ultimate proof of certification. So, IN THEORY, there is no need for these shenanigans.
However, arguing with imbeciles is like wrestling with a pig: it will drag you into mud, and beat you with experience.
Take a photo, save it, and be done with it.
| | | | Heather Howey
Canada
Local time: 04:06
Member (2007)
Swedish to English
TOPIC STARTER | Thanks everyone for your replies. But I still have misgivings... | Oct 19, 2023 |
Thank-you all. I guess it would be normal to send the customer the certificate. BUT, I am still feeling hesitant about it because...
Well, yes, I know how to take a photo of something or shove it into my scanner. The 'how' was not really my question.
And yes, future clients might ask for it. But I've done thousands of jobs so far and never been asked for it.
My association stresses that we need to be careful with our stamp, and digital images of the stamp -... See more Thank-you all. I guess it would be normal to send the customer the certificate. BUT, I am still feeling hesitant about it because...
Well, yes, I know how to take a photo of something or shove it into my scanner. The 'how' was not really my question.
And yes, future clients might ask for it. But I've done thousands of jobs so far and never been asked for it.
My association stresses that we need to be careful with our stamp, and digital images of the stamp - e.g., they advise to always scrawl your signature over the stamp to make it harder to photoshop. So surely this warning would apply to a certificate?
The stamp is intended to show the client you've passed the test, yada yada, but I was already hired by the agency, delivered my stamped certified translation - they KNOW I'm bona fide...so why? Moreover, I would feel more ok about giving it to the agency, my client, but as an after-the-fact request from their client, who is anonymous to me? ▲ Collapse
| | | | Heather Howey
Canada
Local time: 04:06
Member (2007)
Swedish to English
TOPIC STARTER | What my professional association said | Oct 19, 2023 |
They said, no, don't give it to clients, because, from their point of view,
1) I could have stopped paying my dues or been "disbarred" or something - so being listed on the association's website proves to the client that I'm certified and in good standing, but a scan of a piece of paper doesn't.
2) They consider my certificate, my stamp and my membership card as THEIR property, to be returned to the association when I leave it.
3) It would be easy to digita... See more They said, no, don't give it to clients, because, from their point of view,
1) I could have stopped paying my dues or been "disbarred" or something - so being listed on the association's website proves to the client that I'm certified and in good standing, but a scan of a piece of paper doesn't.
2) They consider my certificate, my stamp and my membership card as THEIR property, to be returned to the association when I leave it.
3) It would be easy to digitally alter it, e.g. put a new name on it - and then...fraud. This also applies to the stamp, of course, which is why they advise to scribble your signature all over the thing to make it harder to digitally alter and to never put anything with your stamp on it on the Internet, e.g. Facebook. ... And, they tell me, new digital stamps less vulnerable to this kind of shenanigans are coming.
Well, number 1) and number 3) would apply anywhere, I would think; number 2) applies maybe only to my professional association.
[Edited at 2023-10-19 16:32 GMT] ▲ Collapse
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Dan Lucas
United Kingdom
Local time: 09:06
Member (2014)
Japanese to English
| Then why bother? | Oct 19, 2023 |
Heather Howey wrote:
They said, no, don't give it to clients, because, from their point of view, blah blah
So what's the point in having a certificate at all then? If you abided by these rules, you would never be able to show the certificate to clients except when you visited in person. That may have been routine in, say, the 1970s, but these days is probably extremely rare.
And frankly, if people are going to photoshop, they're going to photoshop. That horse bolted long ago, but your association is still advising people to keep the stable door closed. Why? Do they think the horse is going to magically teleport back in there? Provided there's an image of a single certificate from your association somewhere on the dark web - and there will be - all the scammer has to do is use that as a base and edit it to remove the existing name and add somebody else's, such as their own. Not difficult with modern tools and a semi-skilled operator.
But anyway, in my limited experience this is just how translation associations are. Lots of outdated rules, pointless bureaucracy, and gatekeeping, but very little business (or common) sense. I'm not sure they can even justify their existence.
Dan
| | | | | Good(ish) point | Oct 20, 2023 |
Heather Howey wrote:
1) I could have stopped paying my dues or been "disbarred" or something - so being listed on the association's website proves to the client that I'm certified and in good standing, but a scan of a piece of paper doesn't.
Maybe try that argument - seems reasonable.
And assuming you've provided them with a link to your actual current profile, and not just blithely said "ah, you can look me up if you want to". Make it easy for them
If the certificate is framed, and you're worried about it being copied, maybe take a pic of it that would make that more difficult, or give sub-optimal results. Include some of the frame, say, or maybe a bit of glare somewhere that doesn't obscure any details, but would make it rubbish to copy and put another name on.
Thirdly, if you'd've been happy to give it to the agency - who could then have passed it on to absolutely anyone - well, maybe it's not such a big deal? If the end client had asked the agency and the agency had asked you for it, without mentioning the end client, you'd have shoved it along to them anyway by the sounds of things. Same end result, just you wouldn't know
| | | | Lingua 5B
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Local time: 10:06
Member (2009)
English to Croatian
+ ...
| They may use it | Oct 20, 2023 |
They may use it in a tender documentation without your knowledge, to win a tender.
Who is the client? Do they deal with government grants, projects and alike?
| | | | Jean Lachaud
United States
Local time: 04:06
English to French
+ ...
That has happened to me at least a few times.
I use a full-page diagonal watermark stating "unauthorized and reproduction prohibited" on an image of my résumé, making re-use difficult and OCR impossible.
That is about as much as a civilian can do.
Don't forget that ATA certifications are public, anyway.
Lingua 5B wrote:
They may use it in a tender documentation without your knowledge, to win a tender.
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Liviu-Lee Roth
United States
Local time: 04:06
Romanian to English
+ ...
| What about language pairs where there is no certification? | Oct 21, 2023 |
I have been translating for the US. Government for over 25 years and I have no certificate to show.
Is this bad?
| | | | S_G_C
Romania
Local time: 11:06
English to Romanian
I have been asked to provide such a copy and I did. Not by the end client, though, but by the agency.
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