| Pages in topic: [1 2 3] > | Poll: Averagely, how many jobs do you turn down due to your busy schedule? Thread poster: ProZ.com Staff
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This forum topic is for the discussion of the poll question "Averagely, how many jobs do you turn down due to your busy schedule?".
This poll was originally submitted by Bruno Depascale. View the poll results »
| | | | Mary Worby 
United Kingdom
Local time: 22:13
German to English
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| Many more than 6 a month | Aug 11, 2016 |
I turned down two jobs yesterday. That's pretty much par for the course.
| | | | Michael Harris
Germany
Local time: 23:13
Member (2006)
German to English
No idea at all.
I only turn down jobs if the deadline cannot be changed and I am too busy.
It may have been about 8 or 9 this month, but is generally a lot less - I do not keep track of that sort of stuff.
| | | | Ilan Rubin (X)
Russian Federation
Local time: 00:13
Russian to English
| Time to raise prices | Aug 11, 2016 |
Mary Worby wrote:
I turned down two jobs yesterday. That's pretty much par for the course.
This indicates to me that you don't charge enough
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I think we need to draw a distinction between ignoring automated requests sent to a gazillion translators by ProZ members and lazy agencies, and enquiries from customers who can be bothered to select and communicate with individual translators.
I ignore more than six of the former daily; I turn down way more than six of the latter a month.
You have to be turning down work regularly if you want to keep busy. The chances of your availability and your customers' needs bei... See more I think we need to draw a distinction between ignoring automated requests sent to a gazillion translators by ProZ members and lazy agencies, and enquiries from customers who can be bothered to select and communicate with individual translators.
I ignore more than six of the former daily; I turn down way more than six of the latter a month.
You have to be turning down work regularly if you want to keep busy. The chances of your availability and your customers' needs being an exact match are minuscule. ▲ Collapse
| | | | | On average? I have no idea! | Aug 11, 2016 |
Anyway, the reason why I turn down most of the jobs I'm offered has much more to do with rates than with deadlines. For example, I’m available until the end of this week, but yesterday I turned down two jobs: 90,000 words from an unknown client (I wouldn't consider taking a large job from a first-time buyer) + a 15,000 one (we couldn’t agree on an acceptable rate)…
| | | | Ana Vozone
Local time: 22:13
Member (2010)
English to Portuguese
+ ...
| Turning down vs. Ignoring | Aug 11, 2016 |
I rarely turn down a job that is (properly offered) / (from a reliable/credible client), but I do ignore quite a few that do not meet these criteria on a daily basis...
| | | | Sheila Wilson
Spain
Local time: 22:13
Member (2007)
English
+ ...
| Plus a third category | Aug 11, 2016 |
Chris S wrote:
I think we need to draw a distinction between ignoring automated requests sent to a gazillion translators by ProZ members and lazy agencies, and enquiries from customers who can be bothered to select and communicate with individual translators.
Plus there are all the jobs that our own regular and occasional clients send us.
I ignore or refuse quite a number in the two categories Chris mentions. I try never to say no to my existing clients, but occasionally I just can't fit their jobs in. I always breathe a huge sigh of relief the first time they contact me afterwards as there's always the chance they'll stay with my replacement.
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neilmac
Spain
Local time: 23:13
Spanish to English
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On principle, I don't like refusing work at all, but when I do so, it may not simply be due to my busy schedule. The last job I turned down was a scanned certificate with stamps all over it and even though it was from a long-time direct client, I told them it would be too time-consuming and fiddly for me and recommended they try the local translator's network.
Other than that, so far this year I've had to turn down maybe half a dozen offers from agencies, but it's usually because their cli... See more On principle, I don't like refusing work at all, but when I do so, it may not simply be due to my busy schedule. The last job I turned down was a scanned certificate with stamps all over it and even though it was from a long-time direct client, I told them it would be too time-consuming and fiddly for me and recommended they try the local translator's network.
Other than that, so far this year I've had to turn down maybe half a dozen offers from agencies, but it's usually because their clients want absurdly quick turnaround times. They don't seem to realise that translators will have other clients and appear to think the world revolves around them.
Earlier this year, one long-term client had the bright idea of arranging videoconferencing market research sessions with simultaneous translation/commentary for a German client, but to coin a phrase "I've seen the movie" and knew it would end up being an ad-hoc, disjointed, time-wasting messy business, so I disabused them of the idea by quoting an hourly rate 33% higher than usual. I'm sure it would have been a nightmare, but in the end it didn't go through, which was a relief. ▲ Collapse
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ILAN RUBIN wrote: Mary Worby wrote:
I turned down two jobs yesterday. That's pretty much par for the course. This indicates to me that you don't charge enough
I fail to see Ilan's point. For the most part, I turn down jobs because I'm already working--and I think it's fair to say that I'm quite well paid. I know how much I can do in a day and I rarely try to squeeze in more work unless it meets all the following criteria: it's short; it's well paid; I'm interested in the topic; and it's a client I really want to work for.
Years back I was working with a financial coach and he encouraged me to subcontract when more work came in than I could handle. It was a big mistake for several reasons. So now it's just me, and I want to conserve my energy for the long haul.
| | | | | Technically, I don't turn down JOBS | Aug 11, 2016 |
I ignore/reject countless job OFFERS that fail to meet my price/payment term requirements.
If a JOB is outside my coverage in terms of language pair, subject area specialization required, services requested, or reasonable must-have software demands, I usually refer the client to a colleague I know that would be the right choice to do it.
If I am the right choice, I tell them when I CAN have it done. I apply a safety margin, that's why I never delivered a translation jo... See more I ignore/reject countless job OFFERS that fail to meet my price/payment term requirements.
If a JOB is outside my coverage in terms of language pair, subject area specialization required, services requested, or reasonable must-have software demands, I usually refer the client to a colleague I know that would be the right choice to do it.
If I am the right choice, I tell them when I CAN have it done. I apply a safety margin, that's why I never delivered a translation job late. If they want it for, say, Wednesday, and my promise is for the ensuing Friday, I'll tell them that I'll promise it for Friday, however I'll try my best to deliver it by that Wednesday. If that's not enough for them, I'll refer them to colleagues I know whose present availability may be higher than mine.
What I try to do is to give every client a solution that will fulfill their needs.
Of course, the impossible will be respected as such. On one rainy Friday, a customer called me at 9:00 AM. He had a 60-min video documentary in English, and wanted it translated and subtitled (subs burnt on the video) on that very day by 5:00 PM. He was willing to pay any rush surcharge within reason. I told him that NOBODY would be able to that. (Later I checked with a fully-staffed subtitling studio, and they confirmed my statement.) I don't consider this as turning down anything. ▲ Collapse
| | | | Ilan Rubin (X)
Russian Federation
Local time: 00:13
Russian to English
| Simple market economics | Aug 11, 2016 |
Muriel Vasconcellos wrote: ILAN RUBIN wrote: Mary Worby wrote:
I turned down two jobs yesterday. That's pretty much par for the course. This indicates to me that you don't charge enough I fail to see Ilan's point.
The more you charge the less work you get, the less you charge the more work you get, at least in normal circumstances. So if you are getting flooded with offers you can't do you can raise the price for all clients until you reduce the number of offers to your full capacity level.
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Or it indicates that she is a professional translator who knows how to promote herself.
ILAN RUBIN wrote: Mary Worby wrote:
I turned down two jobs yesterday. That's pretty much par for the course. This indicates to me that you don't charge enough
| | | | EvaVer (X)
Local time: 23:13
Czech to French
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neilmac wrote:
On principle, I don't like refusing work at all, but when I do so, it may not simply be due to my busy schedule. The last job I turned down was a scanned certificate with stamps all over it and even though it was from a long-time direct client, I told them it would be too time-consuming and fiddly for me and recommended they try the local translator's network.
Other than that, so far this year I've had to turn down maybe half a dozen offers from agencies, but it's usually because their clients want absurdly quick turnaround times. They don't seem to realise that translators will have other clients and appear to think the world revolves around them.
Earlier this year, one long-term client had the bright idea of arranging videoconferencing market research sessions with simultaneous translation/commentary for a German client, but to coin a phrase "I've seen the movie" and knew it would end up being an ad-hoc, disjointed, time-wasting messy business, so I disabused them of the idea by quoting an hourly rate 33% higher than usual. I'm sure it would have been a nightmare, but in the end it didn't go through, which was a relief.
I also refuse jobs on that basis, or jobs for which the proposed price is too low, or simply jobs I don't want to do. My stated reason may be my busy schedule, but it is often a pretext, I admit!
| | | | Simon Bruni
United Kingdom
Local time: 22:13
Member (2009)
Spanish to English
| Only true for bottom feeders | Aug 11, 2016 |
ILAN RUBIN wrote:
The more you charge the less work you get, the less you charge the more work you get, at least in normal circumstances. So if you are getting flooded with offers you can't do you can raise the price for all clients until you reduce the number of offers to your full capacity level.
This is a myth, and a toxic one that creates a race to the bottom. In short, not all clients prioritise price, many don't. Indeed, they are suspicious of low prices. Even many agencies pay a little above the market floor to avoid getting the bottom feeders.
It's not simple economics, for the simple reason that low cost is only one of the factors that determine a purchasing decision. Very often, other considerations far outweigh low cost: quality, reliability, reputation... As a translator's career progresses, both rates and the number of offers received tend to increase, the two things are not mutually exclusive.
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