Archive for the ‘Uncategorized’ Category

September 3rd, 2010

How to Tell a Professional Translator from an Imposter? THAT is the Question

And Why Appointments Bi-Language Translators are ALWAYS the Real Thing

Finding the perfect translator to meet your needs is a doddle if you know the right questions to ask at interview.

Picture the scene:

A French translator, Jean Paul, arrives for interview on a bicycle, wearing a beret, and with a string of onions around his neck. He explains that he has lived in Paris (studying there at the Sorbonne), and worked in Toulouse, Marseille and Lyon. He would appear to be the ideal candidate. What’s more, he claims to speak and write English ‘flawlessly’ and wants to know when he can start work?

At interview, all seems to be going well until the moment of truth arrives:

“OK, Jean Paul, one last question. Are you ready?”

“Oui. Je suis pret.”

“What is the French word for chips?”

“Cheeps?” Jean Paul is momentarily thrown. His frown becomes deeper than the Seine.

“Yes, chips.”

“Cheeps?”

“Chips, yes. Do you need more time?”

“You mean French fries, non?” He asks, slightly bolshy now, a slender trace of a cockney accent suddenly emerging from nowhere! 

“No… We mean chips.”

“Core blimey! You’re ‘avin’ a laugh, aintcha, mate?” Jean Paul drops the French act altogether and is apoplectic, his face is rouge with rage, “The whole world and his dog knows chips aren’t called chips anymore, mate. Times have changed since the good old days of fish and chips and mushy peas on a wet Friday night in Poplar. Where’ve you been? It’s all cheese burger with French fries now. French fries with mayonnaise… My life, chips is SO old hat. Pommes frites might be used occasionally in a posh St Tropez care home, mate. But chips? Nah… In fact, I’d even go as far as to say that chips are extinct!”

“Not at a roulette table, Jean Paul, mon ami.”

“Eh?”

“I think you’ll find every casino in the world has a word for chips. Where’ve YOU been?”

“Oh… Oh, yeah… Right… I thought you meant-”

“Thank you for coming in today. Now ON YOUR BIKE!”

Good riddance indeed. But where to find a brilliant French translator now? A real one, you ask. Time’s running out. If you can’t find the right French translator soon, you’ll lose the contract. Sacré bleu! Oh mon Dieu!

Relax, when it comes to finding translators, you’re best bet is to leave it all to a bilingual and multilingual recruitment agency who are past masters at finding professional translators (for just about every language in the world). A recruitment agency with a whole database of translators on their books. An agency who can have the perfect translator working on your translation project within the hour. An agency like Appointments Bi-Language, for example!

Translators from Appointments Bi-Language are Available NOW
If you are a company or organisation in need of professional translators of the highest calibre, Appointments Bi-Language has much to offer you. Our Translation Services Division has a reputation for being the best in the bilingual and multilingual recruitment industry, with a bank of translators always standing by who are all:

  • Qualified
  • Experienced
  • Fully referenced
  • Highly capable
  • Contactable
  • Courteous
  • Able to work to quick turnaround times

We always aim to work with translators we’ve worked with before, and we can also provide qualified interpreters at short notice, if that’s what you need.

Get in Touch
Whether you require a translator to translate your website from English to Chinese, your white paper from French to German, your technical manual from Korean to Spanish, or your company newsletter from Japanese to Arabic, get in touch with our friendly team here at Appointments Bi-Language and we’ll solve your translation problems in a quick, no-hassle way.

Need something translated FAST? Click here to access our contact form.

The Appointments Bi-Language Translation Services Division – C’EST MAGNIFIQUE!

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Categories: Interpreters, Translation, Uncategorized

July 4th, 2010

IT’S HERE: An Interview with a REAL Kaixana Translator! (Don’t Miss This)

With the world having an estimated 6809 different ‘living’ languages, where on earth to find a translator of the rarest language of them all: Kaixana, a critically endangered language spoken by only one remaining villager on the banks of Brazil’s Japurá River?

The answer, folks, is right here at Appointments Bi-Language! (where else?). No wonder we’ve forged a reputation for being the multilingual and English job recruitment agency others can only aspire to be.

And with a standing like that, when a London-based Swiss millionaire with business interests in Brazil urgently required a Kaixana translator to accompany him to South America to try to convince the aforementioned villager to sell him her land, there was only one agency to call…

But Things Did Not Turn Out As Planned!

Our Kaixana translator, Jorge Hugo Gilberto Carlos Da Silva De Ipanema (of Lambeth North) explains:

Jorge: When the opportunity arose I was so excited. I’d spent night after night learning Kaixana from ancient textbooks and scriptures, never dreaming that one day I would be asked to actually fly to Brazil and converse with the last remaining Kaixana-speaking villager on earth. To try to reason with her… To convince her to sell up and spend her remaining years in a luxurious Rio apartment overlooking Copacabana beach…

ABL: So what went wrong?

Jorge: She simply wouldn’t sell. Even worse, she spoke fluent English having once worked in the underpants section of British Home Stores in Tunbridge Wells in 1976. What a wasted journey. What a waste of time. All that intense Kaixana study. The sacrifices I’ve made. The price I’ve-

ABL: And the Swiss businessman, Jorge?

Jorge: He married the woman! When he heard she’d worked at BHS, he talked for four hours on-end about their Y-fronts – the support they offer, the range of colours, the sheer comfort… Honestly, I felt like a spare part. Like a… How you say here in the UK? … A gooseberry?

ABL: Correct!

Translators for Almost ANY Language

Do you need something translated for your business? Our London-based branch can offer you a wide range of translation services and has much to offer any globally expanding organisation. All our translators are fully referenced, and we will always aim to:

1. Recommend a translator to you who we have worked with before;
2. Provide a quick turnaround time at a competitive rate; and
3. Provide exactly the translator (or interpreter) you need at short notice.

Get in Touch

For further information and assistance about our translation service, simply e-mail: maria@appointmentsbilanguage.co.uk TODAY.

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Categories: Translation, Uncategorized

December 19th, 2009

Why it’s NOT ‘Just a job in Customer Services’

Ring Ring. Ring Ring.

“Hi. Customer services job candidate speaking!”

“Good afternoon. This is Appointments Bi-Language – the recruitment agency that offers bi-lingual and multi-lingual customer service jobs other agencies can only dream of. Are you ready for this?”

“My cheeks are crimson with excitement! I’m champing at the bit!”

“Picture the scene: A call centre in South London. A bullying boss. Demoralised staff. Dodgy equipment. Low pay. No prospects. Call after call after call. Another glance at the clock. 7 hours to go… AAARGH…

 …Now, does that sound like the ideal customer services job to you?”

(Whimpering noises): “No, Ma’am. I think I’m going to be sick. I-”

“Worry not, potential customer services candidate. Take a deep breath. There is another way.”

Fantastic Customer Services jobs through Appointments Bi-Language – that’s better!

Check these jobs out:

JOB TITLE: Bilingual Dutch-English Sales Support Administrator SALARY Up to c £18,000 + performance related bonus

JOB TITLE: French speaking 1st Line Desktop Support Analyst (Help Desk) SALARY £18k + excellent company benefits

And how about this little gem:

JOB TITLE: Client facing banking CASHIER (Arabic essential) SALARY £21,000 pa + excellent banking benefits THE COMPANY: An international bank with a fabulous reputation!

Not bad, eh? We don’t just hand jobs like these out like sweets, though. Oh, no…

Have you got the right attitude? The right manner? THE RIGHT STUFF?!

At Appointments Bi-Language we understand that the anonymity often afforded to customer service staff allows them to be rude to customers when talking on the phone. Staff can basically say what they want because the chances of them actually having to face the human being at the other end of the line are slim.

Now, as much as we’d like to give you a great job with great money working for a great company, any rudeness to customers will be taken very seriously indeed and could quite possibly result in instant dismissal. Also, you are expected to be punctual, committed, eager to learn, and to carry out your duties to the best of your ability at all times.   

That’s not much to ask considering we are offering you the plum jobs in customer services across the UK, is it?

Talk to us about customer services jobs TODAY

If you think that you can meet all the required criteria and will look at a customer services job through Appointments Bi-Language as a golden opportunity, rather than just something to ’tide you over’ until the next round of X-Factor or Britain’s Got Talent auditions, then please get in touch.

We’d LOVE to hear from you.

P.S. And if you are a company seeking to employ excellent customer services staff, please get in touch with James NOW.

Categories: Uncategorized

November 10th, 2009

How to GET HIRED ON THE SPOT (or not!)

Are you an ambitious bi-lingual secretary, administrator, language tutor, translator, or sales person who believes in only working to the very highest standards?

Would you like to work for an award-winning multi-lingual recruitment agency with a portfolio of international clients?

Of course you would! And, thanks to the abundance of exciting employment opportunities AVAILABLE RIGHT NOW through Appointments Bi-Language, you can.

But WAIT. Before we take things further…
Whatever you do, if you really want to work for us, please do NOT ask any of the following 10 questions at an Appointments Bi-Language job interview (all of which were asked at job interviews across the UK over the past year):

  1. “What is it that you people do at this company?”
  2. “Why on earth do you want references?”
  3. “Do you mind if I eat my lunch through this? I’ve had a hell of a morning.”
  4. “Sometimes I feel like smashing things. Is that going to be OK?”
  5. “Can I use your phone to ring my therapist?”
  6. “I know this might seem inappropriate, but will you like to adopt a kitten?”
  7. “Do lots of people here have affairs?”
  8. “Once I’m established at one of your client’s premises, what would happen if I put beer in the water cooler?”
  9. “If I work for you for more than 6 weeks, do I qualify for a loyalty bonus?”

    and (wait for it!):

  10. “Will Appointments Bi-Language pay to relocate my ponies?”

None of the above ‘candidates’ ever approached us for a job. They wouldn’t dare. Why? Because when it comes to finding the right people to fill some of the best multilingual sales, secretarial, tutoring, translation and customer service vacancies in London and beyond, Appointments Bi-Language only interview and accept the cream of the crop.

Is that you?

If so, we want to hear from you.

Get in touch TODAY (before someone else does)
To apply for vacancies or for further information about appointments – get in touch NOW.

Categories: Uncategorized