| Pages in topic: < [1 2 3] > | Non-members may quote after 12 hours Thread poster: S_G_C
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Thayenga 
Germany
Local time: 22:28
Member (2009)
English to German
+ ...
Tea Komšić wrote:
Because I started paying Proz at the beginning of this year (my first investment, if you can call it like this), and since then, I have been quoting on a daily basis. I have sent hundreds and hundreds of quotes and emails, and received about 3 answers. Maybe it is just the beginning, but I seriously thought this happens only to me, and that I do not have such luck.
Hi Tea,
it might well be the beginning...only. I can't really remember how long it took me as a paying member to receive my first positive answer to my quote and land the job. It must have been a couple of months at least before that happened. So just keep trying and don't waste your time on quoting when you're not really a prospective perfect match. Above all, don't take a negative or no-reply personal. It usually isn't.
| | | | S_G_C
Romania
Local time: 23:28
English to Romanian
TOPIC STARTER | Quoting and jobs | May 3, 2020 |
I don't remember when exactly I signed up with proz.com, but I sure was around in 2005.
So let's say 15 years.
In 15 years, I have never managed to secure a job by quoting. Maybe I've been doing it all wrong, I don't know.
Proz.com has helped me in other ways, though.
| | | | Tom in London
United Kingdom
Local time: 21:28
Member (2008)
Italian to English
Gerard de Noord wrote:
"Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results."
I have no idea whom I'm quoting.
Cheers,
Gerard
There is no substantive evidence that Einstein wrote that or spoke it. But if we keep on saying he did, it will become a thing.
| | | | DZiW (X)
Ukraine
English to Russian
+ ...
| Common knowledge: Formality Atavism | May 3, 2020 |
While formally a man can fly freely, de facto it's neither about flying, nor freedom, because he just cannot... Such formality as 12 hours quotes might seem as false hopes, yet a prospect is really allowed to wait some 12 hours, ignoring all the paid members with the same or even lower rates. But what for? I just can't think up of a good reason.
Tom, not even so: "While there are conclusive evidences that Mr. Einstein as a patent official did borrow others works and... See more While formally a man can fly freely, de facto it's neither about flying, nor freedom, because he just cannot... Such formality as 12 hours quotes might seem as false hopes, yet a prospect is really allowed to wait some 12 hours, ignoring all the paid members with the same or even lower rates. But what for? I just can't think up of a good reason.
Tom, not even so: "While there are conclusive evidences that Mr. Einstein as a patent official did borrow others works and ideas without deserved mention, including his first wife's (Mileva Marić) famous formula Е=МС2, yet books still prefer to keep the status quo and silence." Isn't it a madness and if so what's the difference for the vast majority? ▲ Collapse
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| The art of missing (no FOMO) | May 3, 2020 |
To state another memorable quote of mine:
There is an art, or rather, a knack to flying. The knack lies in learning how to throw yourself at the ground and miss.
Douglas Adams, The Hitchiker's Guide to the Galaxy.
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And while we are on topic, I'd give the job board... a miss.
| | | | Katrin Braams
Germany
Local time: 22:28
Member (2018)
English to German
+ ...
| Only paying members get jobs | May 3, 2020 |
I was a non-paying member for more than 8 years and during this time never got a single job through the job board. On Dec 31, 2018 I rather spontaneously became a paying member and on the 9th of January 2019 I landed a job worth over 1000€ through the job board.
I don’t submit quotes very often, as usually I am well booked, but I quote when there is a gap to fill, and my success ratio is about 1 in 5.
So, for me the Proz job board is a success story. It might dep... See more I was a non-paying member for more than 8 years and during this time never got a single job through the job board. On Dec 31, 2018 I rather spontaneously became a paying member and on the 9th of January 2019 I landed a job worth over 1000€ through the job board.
I don’t submit quotes very often, as usually I am well booked, but I quote when there is a gap to fill, and my success ratio is about 1 in 5.
So, for me the Proz job board is a success story. It might depend on the language combination and speciality, but I certainly don’t regret my decision to become a paying member. ▲ Collapse
| | | | Michele Fauble
United States
Local time: 13:28
Member (2006)
Norwegian to English
+ ...
| 100% success rate | May 4, 2020 |
I responded one time and got the job. The first time I looked at the job board, I saw a job posting that looked interesting. Problem was, the job had been posted a couple of days before, so I assumed they had already assigned it to someone. But since it was the subject matter that had aroused my interest, I responded anyway, providing details of my background and qualifications, and informing them that I would be very interested in any future translation jobs in that subject area. About a week l... See more I responded one time and got the job. The first time I looked at the job board, I saw a job posting that looked interesting. Problem was, the job had been posted a couple of days before, so I assumed they had already assigned it to someone. But since it was the subject matter that had aroused my interest, I responded anyway, providing details of my background and qualifications, and informing them that I would be very interested in any future translation jobs in that subject area. About a week later I received an email saying that they had decided I was the best candidate for the job. I accepted the job at 0.07 cents a word. That’s how I got my second translation job, and the only one through the job board, since soon after I started receiving requests through the directory at much better rates. ▲ Collapse
| | | | Kay Denney
France
Local time: 22:28
French to English
I got several clients from Proz in my first year of paid membership, not so many since, but then again I've not applied to as many either.
As a PM in an agency I posted jobs just a couple of times (maybe on another portal, I don't remember) and was inundated with replies within an hour. Most of the translators were offering rates so low I couldn't believe they could do a good job and just chucked them out. I remember that the translator I chose was very pleasantly surprised. And sh... See more I got several clients from Proz in my first year of paid membership, not so many since, but then again I've not applied to as many either.
As a PM in an agency I posted jobs just a couple of times (maybe on another portal, I don't remember) and was inundated with replies within an hour. Most of the translators were offering rates so low I couldn't believe they could do a good job and just chucked them out. I remember that the translator I chose was very pleasantly surprised. And she had great credentials and did a great job. We were a pretty high-end agency and the job was about cosmetic surgery so we definitely needed someone highly competent. ▲ Collapse
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Jessica Noyes
United States
Local time: 16:28
Member
Spanish to English
+ ...
| Llama grooming | May 4, 2020 |
DZiW wrote:
But what for? I just can't think up of a good reason.
I can.
If I were seeking a translator for something esoteric, say, a llama grooming manual, and my client insisted that the translator have experience in that exact field, I might well wait for a day or more until the right CV hit my in-box.
| | | | DZiW (X)
Ukraine
English to Russian
+ ...
| Pack animals vs packed animals | May 4, 2020 |
Thank you, Jessica.
I do prefer contacting a real specialist [non-translator] in the field with foreign language skills ASAP to waiting a translator with a relevant specialization, but sometimes it may be worthy, perhaps. It’s not the case with 99.9% of ever-urgent jobs; however, if you can afford postponing and choosing, then you are a serious businessperson. My congratulations!
Certainly, there’re too many exotic topics, funny comparisons, and specifics, yet when ... See more Thank you, Jessica.
I do prefer contacting a real specialist [non-translator] in the field with foreign language skills ASAP to waiting a translator with a relevant specialization, but sometimes it may be worthy, perhaps. It’s not the case with 99.9% of ever-urgent jobs; however, if you can afford postponing and choosing, then you are a serious businessperson. My congratulations!
Certainly, there’re too many exotic topics, funny comparisons, and specifics, yet when did you personally need your alpaca llama grooming, two years ago? For what it’s worth, the llama grooming seems to be a very narrow niche, especially when a short reading Wiki-like sources would do, but I've got your point. ▲ Collapse
| | | | S_G_C
Romania
Local time: 23:28
English to Romanian
TOPIC STARTER
Michele Fauble wrote:
The first time I looked at the job board, I saw a job posting that looked interesting. Problem was, the job had been posted a couple of days before, so I assumed they had already assigned it to someone. But since it was the subject matter that had aroused my interest, I responded anyway, providing details of my background and qualifications, and informing them that I would be very interested in any future translation jobs in that subject area.
I did the same several times. Still didn't matter.
| | | | | Just make them a offer they can't refuse | May 4, 2020 |
I once, just for the fun of it, gave them my very, very, very best price of 0.02 (or 0.03, don't remember exactly) euros per word. It was bingo each time.:-)
This research showed that quality was not an issue here.
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Sheila Wilson
Spain
Local time: 21:28
Member (2007)
English
+ ...
| Quoting late can be worth the effort if you're a good match | May 4, 2020 |
Michele Fauble wrote:
The first time I looked at the job board, I saw a job posting that looked interesting. Problem was, the job had been posted a couple of days before, so I assumed they had already assigned it to someone. But since it was the subject matter that had aroused my interest, I responded anyway, providing details of my background and qualifications, and informing them that I would be very interested in any future translation jobs in that subject area. About a week later I received an email saying that they had decided I was the best candidate for the job.
I've had that happen on several occasions. Obviously, it's rare if the job is fairly small and the deadline tight. But if it's a bigger job and/or the client is looking for a longer-term commitment, the chances are better. I've also had several cases where the client has said "Sorry, but I've already placed that job. However...". It happened just recently, in fact. I applied late for a job last November with an agency in Beijing. They replied that it had gone but they were quite interested in discussing another possibility. It turned out that I was unavailable for that as I took some leave over the end of the year! I expected that to be it. But I invoiced them for a couple of hundred euros in April.
soon after I started receiving requests through the directory at much better rates.
I've just done a quick scan of my records since I started translating as a sideline to being an EFL business trainer in 2007. I've landed 31 jobs from the job board, many of them in the early years but still a trickle. Some of course have been one-off jobs worth a few euros, while others have turned into really good long-term clients. Jobs that have come either from messages through my profile or recommendations from existing clients who found me on ProZ.com amount to 42, with the rate (in all ways ) increasing over the years. As I said before, I don't keep data on how many contacts are unfruitful.
| | | | S_G_C
Romania
Local time: 23:28
English to Romanian
TOPIC STARTER
Robert Rietvelt wrote:
I once, just for the fun of it, gave them my very, very, very best price of 0.02 (or 0.03, don't remember exactly) euros per word. It was bingo each time.:-)
This research showed that quality was not an issue here.
Me too. But I would have still delivered the same quality. My brain refuses to deliberately alter quality. It almost prevents me from typing. Sometimes I dream I have made this or that mistake and when I wake up, I need a reality check.
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Sorana_M. wrote: Robert Rietvelt wrote:
I once, just for the fun of it, gave them my very, very, very best price of 0.02 (or 0.03, don't remember exactly) euros per word. It was bingo each time.:-)
This research showed that quality was not an issue here. Me too. But I would have still delivered the same quality. My brain refuses to deliberately alter quality. It almost prevents me from typing. Sometimes I dream I have made this or that mistake and when I wake up, I need a reality check.
I hope it is clear that it was an 'experiment', I didn't accept these jobs, but for the rest I agree with you.
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