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Poll: Averagely, how many jobs do you turn down due to your busy schedule?
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Ilan Rubin (X)
Ilan Rubin (X)  Identity Verified
Russia
Local time: 09:43
Da Russo a Inglese
Michael Aug 12, 2016

Michael Harris wrote:


I am not sure if you are bored all day and just waiting for the golden job each month, but we are in the translation business.


No, I have plenty of work thank you. But I don't get offered significantly more than I can handle because I have raised prices to reach the optimum daily volume at the highest price that I can charge. Why should I leave money on the table? Who for? I worked hard to gain my knowledge and experience.


I am satisfied with what I earn and have more than enough work to do with decent customers and payment deadlines wheich are almost always kept to.



Good.


So you are telling me that I am useless becasue I am satisfied with how things are going and because I would prefer to keep the quality and not be "greedy"?


No, why would I say that? I have never met you. It is a strange accusation. Nobody is 'useless'. I don't think that by raising prices to get the optimal number of job offers you have to reduce quality. I don't see any link.

I find your argumentation pretty single minded


Well, this is a business.
 
Muriel Vasconcellos
Muriel Vasconcellos  Identity Verified
Stati Uniti
Local time: 23:43
Membro (2003)
Da Spagnolo a Inglese
+ ...
Different markets Aug 12, 2016

Ilan's theory may work in some markets, but not all of them by a long shot.

Example 1: I work mainly for organizations in the United Nations family. The rates are fixed on the basis of annual arrangements negotiated at the institutional level, so we translators often have nothing to say about them. But they are generous rates, the clients keep me busy, and I'm not complaining. When I have room in my schedule, I like to take jobs from other clients to keep my options open.
... See more
Ilan's theory may work in some markets, but not all of them by a long shot.

Example 1: I work mainly for organizations in the United Nations family. The rates are fixed on the basis of annual arrangements negotiated at the institutional level, so we translators often have nothing to say about them. But they are generous rates, the clients keep me busy, and I'm not complaining. When I have room in my schedule, I like to take jobs from other clients to keep my options open.

Example 2: One of my clients raised my rates by 1 cent a year two years in a row on their own initiative After a while I stopped getting any work. I contacted the supervisor, who explained that they were giving their work to translators with lower rates. They had priced me out of the market and I had nothing to do with it. I offered to lower my rate because I really like working for this client, and the lowered rate is still extremely generous.

Example 2: It's also true that a number of agencies have been lowering what they're willing to pay. Several of my colleagues and I have received letters from agencies advising us that we will have to accept lower rates to stay on their roster. In a situation like that, the question is whether you stand by your older rates or cave to pressure. Raising them is not an option.

It doesn't make sense to generalize. ▲ Collapse
 
Mario Freitas
Mario Freitas  Identity Verified
Brasile
Local time: 03:43
Membro (2014)
Da Inglese a Portoghese
+ ...
Unfortunately Aug 14, 2016

Unfortunatley, I've been turning down about two jobs a week, in average (only serious jobs from regular clients, not conswidering junk). And the worst is that I cannot always choose the ones with the best price. Many time I accept a job when I don't have any other, and two days later I have to turn one down, with a better rate, for lack of time.
 
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Poll: Averagely, how many jobs do you turn down due to your busy schedule?






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