Application
This unit applies to all translators and interpreters and to agents working on behalf of translators and interpreters in negotiating assignments.
Prerequisites
Not applicable.
Elements and Performance Criteria
ELEMENT | PERFORMANCE CRITERIA |
1. Collect and assess assignment information. | 1.1. Clarify the scope of assignments with clients, including languages, terms and conditions, and any specific requirements. 1.2. Analyse background information for details of the nature and conditions of assignments. 1.3. Provide information to clients on terms, conditions and conventions to reach an agreed approach. 1.4. Identify performance expectations and their implications for undertaking the assignment. |
2. Assess ability to complete assignment. | 2.1. Evaluate personal competence and preparedness to satisfy assignment requirements and areas for negotiation with clients. 2.2. Identify and assess limits and responsibility, and their implications. 2.3. Seek advice to inform decision-making process. |
3. Respond to assignment proposal. | 3.1. Review and maintain a record of decision-making process. 3.2. Advise client or agency of decision to accept or decline the assignment in a professional and timely manner. |
Required Skills
Required skills |
analytical skills to assess personal competence to meet task requirements communication skills to discuss translating or interpreting process, outcomes and potential difficulties interpersonal skills to: relate to people from a range of social, cultural and ethnic backgrounds and with a range of levels of communication seek advice to inform assessment of assignment make clients aware of translating and interpreting protocols and expectations convey decision to accept or decline assignment in a professional and timely manner language skills to negotiate about cross-cultural expectations language and literacy skills to read client-provided information and establish its key features numeracy skills to calculate costs and contract fees negotiation skills to clarify client requirements, performance expectations, agreement terms and conditions, and agreed approach, and to reach a mutually accepted agreement problem-solving skills to address areas of skill needs, logistics and potential ethical issues research skills to gather information to assist in negotiating assignments |
Required knowledge |
personal safety and welfare issues related to specific assignments and potential risks professional procedures, ethical practices and business standards applicable to negotiating an assignment roles and responsibilities of translators and interpreters and their associated skills relevant code of ethics source and target languages to determine scope and expectations of the project tools and equipment relevant to project |
Evidence Required
The Evidence Guide provides advice on assessment and must be read in conjunction with the performance criteria, required skills and knowledge, range statement and the Assessment Guidelines for the Training Package. | |
Critical aspects for assessment and evidence required to demonstrate competency in this unit | In addition to integrated demonstration of the elements and their related performance criteria, look for evidence that confirms the ability to clarify required approach to assignments with a range of clients to reach agreement on terms and conditions. This includes: analysing information about the nature and scope of assignment negotiating agreed approach and conditions with clients undertaking risk analysis and identifying and addressing concerns establishing preparedness and personal competence to successfully complete assignment accepting and declining assignments within required timeframe maintaining a record of agreements and preparation outcomes for future reference. |
Context of and specific resources for assessment | Assessment of this unit of competency will make use of scenarios, case studies, experiences and, where possible, examples of interactions with colleagues and clients which illustrate issues of negotiating assignments. Resources for assessment include: a range of clients and environments where assignments are clarified, negotiated, accepted and declined assignment and contractual documentation business records relevant codes of practice Assessment should be gathered to demonstrate negotiated agreements with a range of different client requirements and conditions and with examples of both accepting and declining assignments. Evidence may include examples of formal and informal contracts, and should also include evidence of decision making where there are ethical, business and professional issues influencing decisions. |
Range Statement
The range statement relates to the unit of competency as a whole. It allows for different work environments and situations that may affect performance. Bold italicised wording, if used in the performance criteria, is detailed below. Essential operating conditions that may be present with training and assessment (depending on the work situation, needs of the candidate, accessibility of the item, and local industry and regional contexts) may also be included. | |
Scope of assignments may include: | source and target languages stakeholders preparation of supporting resources required equipment and tools, including software responsibilities of role confidentiality client awareness of professional terms, conditions and expectations environmental issues such as sight lines, lighting and seating position for interpreting: topic, purpose and nature of assignment setting, and mode of interpreting appropriate to setting parties involved and relevant social and cultural requirements date, time and location duration for translating: assignment schedule, including stage deadlines field, subject and topic previous translations and translators volume of material to be translated type of technology to be used and who will provide type of text and its end use application of assignment-specific style guide conventions translation memory tools. |
Terms and conditions may include: | assignment timeframe financial arrangements, such as: costings expense reimbursement invoicing and schedule of payment necessary arrangements for travel and accommodation contract conditions, including variation and termination procedures |
Agreed approach may include: | increased client awareness and acknowledgement of the role of the practitioner addressing potential misunderstandings clarifying expectations determining alternative strategies with client where assignment is accepted conditions applying to known requirements exceeding personal competence for interpreting: chuchotage, consecutive or simultaneous interpreting mode team or collaborative interpreting for translating: translating as part of a team translating alone |
Performance expectations may include: | background resources for preparation privacy and confidentiality agreements culture-specific requirements limits, responsibilities and risks associated with role attesting to work client glossaries equipment and technology acknowledgement of professional standards and codes of practice for interpreting: sight translation setting and register physical parameters relating to such things as: background noise sight lines and visibility voice projection transcribing type of interpreting service for translating: formatting or text-processing requirements style guides presenting non-text components required timeframe for completed translation |
Personal competence may include: | ability to meet performance expectations of required languages, including passive and active facility familiarity with context, topic and terminology mastery of register appropriate to audience and setting previous relevant experience relevant social, cultural or kinship factors |
Preparedness may relate to: | checking required equipment and software developing familiarity with topic and subject matter identifying conflict of interest identifying relevant social, cultural or kinship factors for translating: checking formatting or text-processing requirements |
Limits and responsibility may include: | health and safety concerns legal and accountability issues potential conflict of interest personal competence and risks of miscommunication duty of care |
Maintain a record may include: | client and assignment details formal and informal contracts exchange of communication on: agreed duties assignment conditions assignment requirements explanation of why the assignment cannot be undertaken |
Sectors
Not applicable.
Competency Field
Translating and Interpreting.
Employability Skills
This unit contains employability skills.
Licensing Information
Not applicable.