To be honest, it can be a bit complicated sometimes. I usually translate written material (documents) sent to me by email on a laptop and send it back to the client. I have translated things in audio and video format, though – if your material is in one of these formats, an arrangement would need to be made.
By default, I charge per word in the source material or, if the original material is in any format which makes an automatic word count impossible, I can agree to charge per page or per line (or, in the case of audio or video, per minute) – it’s best if I have a chance to view the original material first (or just a sample thereof). But this is to take nothing away from the fact that I understand that your material might be what you would call confidential. I may also suggest charging per word in the material I produce.
See what I say about my pricing structure above.
Yes, it may say in my CV that I typically charge in Euros, but that’s only because so much of my clientele are based in Europe. I am fully prepared to consider being paid in other currencies, such as GBP or USD, and I have accepted payments in multiple currencies throughout my years in this job.
For the sake of simplicity, if you are based in the UK today, I will typically charge 6-8p per word depending on the difficulty of the material and the urgency of the project. If I agree to a per-page charge, I will consider negotiating on price (clearly, the number of words on a page can vary greatly), but beyond that, my rates are non-negotiable – I’m proud of what I do. It’s not like it’s my position to say how important a given project is. Indeed, I work to deadlines all the time, and if your project has a deadline, you may rest assured that I will treat it as unpostponable except in the most pressing of circumstances, in which case I should contact you to ask for an extension.
By email or phone (landline or mobile) is fine, but I can only really expect to view material for consideration if I’m sent a sample of it by email. (Material in non-electronic format can be scanned and sent as email attachments just like anything in Word, Excel etc.) Although I may have fax and Skype accounts, I just don’t use them (don’t ask why). Alternatively, I have Facebook and LinkedIn accounts and IM with me on Facebook or LinkedIn could be a possibility if you mention that you would prefer this in your case.
Bank transfer, Paypal, Skrill (formerly Moneybookers), cheque or cash in hand.
This can be found out without even having to call me: see my availability calendar on my online ProZ profile (on the left). I do it a month at a time, at the end of the month.
Again, a portfolio of past work is available on my ProZ profile (link above) under the Profile tab. I also have much more in my private records (anonymised where appropriate) from a range of specific fields: legal, business, tourism, literature/fiction, certificates and technical, to name a few. I would list the kinds of material I have the most experience translating as contracts, creative materials (such as marketing), certificates, formal correspondence, medical reports and technical specifications.
At this time, I am not a sworn translator with the Institute of Linguists (IoL) or the Institute of Translation and Interpreting (ITI), but I know the details of the requirements for the same. I just haven’t gone along with it yet (don’t ask why).