Think about the text you want translated into French. Is it a book? Is it an accounting report? This will affect the type of translator you need in order to receive the best translation. Most translators have a specialization in business, legal, medical, technical, engineering or literature. Hire someone with experience in the field of the text.
The best English to French translation will be provided by a professional translator who has an excellent knowledge of the source language and a native level in the target language. A good translator will retain the fidelity of the source text, keeping the author's voice and style, and provide transparency, so the reader of the French translation will believe the work was written by a native French speaker. The best translators will have credentials, including appropriate academic degrees, certification from recognized translation organizations such as ATA (American Translators Association), or a long career-track of experience with positive references from past clients.
Translators can be found online or through translation agencies. Some translators work as freelancers. Contact English to French translators by phone or email, verify they work in the field you need, and request samples of their previous work to get an idea of the type of texts they are used to working with and the quality of the translations they produce.
Once you ascertained the basics, you should establish a price for your translation project and a job deadline. Take into account that translators are usually able to translate about 2500 words per day; calculate extra time to revise and proofread. Translators usually charge by the word, and less often by page. If you are need a book translated, you can may be able to negotiate a price for the entire project.
In order to obtain the best translation, the client must exercise patience. Your translator might have questions regarding your style and preferred terminology. When a translator has a question such as this, she is trying to do the best job possible, and is trying to ascertain the correct original meaning to be able to render it appropriately into French.