1. Beware of "on the side syndrome"

Never hire someone who tells you "I'm an engineer (or lawyer, CPA, teacher, etc.)  and I do translations on the side.  Do hire someone who tells you "I am a translator, and I also have a degree in engineering (law, accounting, etc.)

2. Beware of boasts of "native fluency"

Thinking that being fluent in a language is sufficient qualification for translating is the same as believing that knowing how to hammer in a nail qualifies a person as a builder.

3. Beware of boasts of professional affiliations

Do not be misled by boasts of professional affiliation.  The American Translators Association and other similar groups, although doing very valuable work in upgrading professional standards, are open to anyone who wishes to pay the membership fee, regardless of qualifications.  In short, what does membership in the American Translators Association mean?  It means that the person sent in a check and it cleared the bank.  Period.

4. Beware of boasts of "accreditation"

Some freelancers advertise themselves as being "accredited translators".  What does this mean?  It means that they have passed a basic test of knowledge of translation into English or into another of the languages for which tests are given by the American Translators Association.  Although the American Translators Association has made great advances towards defining professional competence, working with a translator who holds ATA accreditation does not guarantee that the work will achieve the desired quality.  ATA rules, by the way, prohibit translators from representing themselves as being simply "accredited," and require, instead, that translators state the language pair for which they have received accreditation.

5. Beware of those calling themselves "Certified Translators" or "Certified Interpreters"

There is no officially recognized certification program for translators in the US.  The only federal certification program for interpreters in existence in the US is for court interpreters working in US district courts and does not apply to any other type of translation or interpretation.  According to the Federal Court Interpreter Certification Examination Manual (1991-1993, p. 5):   "What this means is that bilingual language proficiency and interpreting performance is measured according to standards of minimum competency set by practicing court interpreters and conference interpreters, language specialists, and members of the judiciary.  Certification is given in Spanish-English and Creole-English."

6. Beware of "jacks-of-all-trades"

Translating requires not only language and writing proficiency, but also knowledge of the specific field, technology, and corporate culture.  Translating is not the act of substituting one word for another, but the process of creating a parallel linguistic structure.  This requires knowledge of current writings on the subject, in both languages.  Someone who tries to do everything from videos to birth certificates is master of none.