Recently I got a freelance job from a returning client. It involved the translation of a birth certificate and a marriage record from Uruguay. (Did I mention elswhere that the Uruguayans refer to themselves as "orientales"?) I did the work quickly, took a statement of certification to my local notary, and sent the package off promptly. Today I learn that the two documents are to be presented to two separate public offices, so each needs to be under a separate certification. This means another trip to the notary and to the post office (and its long line). I could have avoided this by asking the client in advance what the intended uses of the translations would be. In dealing with clients, you can't ask too many questions.
My mistake was that I applied the conditions of the previous job for the same client to this job request. Wrong. New job; new circumstances. Do yourself a favor and ask all the questions up front: audience, payment arrangements, delivery options, included costs, etc.
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