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Something to think about (STAFF: very low rate job)
Thread poster: Thayenga
Thayenga
Thayenga  Identity Verified
Germany
Local time: 12:30
Member (2009)
English to German
+ ...
Jun 22, 2013

Today I saw a job post that made me wonder.

The poster offered EUR 0.01 for a few hundred words to be translated into various languages.

The "bait" (?) was that more projects would be available to the translators and that long-term collaboration was possible.

Again I am amazed at the number of quotos received (in the upper 20s). Secretly I'm hoping that our colleagues have quoted their actual rate, and not the one stipulated by the outsourc
... See more
Today I saw a job post that made me wonder.

The poster offered EUR 0.01 for a few hundred words to be translated into various languages.

The "bait" (?) was that more projects would be available to the translators and that long-term collaboration was possible.

Again I am amazed at the number of quotos received (in the upper 20s). Secretly I'm hoping that our colleagues have quoted their actual rate, and not the one stipulated by the outsourcer.

Another "let's pay the agency so that we may have some work" scenario?

[Subject edited by staff or moderator 2013-06-22 17:47 GMT]
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Max Deryagin
Max Deryagin  Identity Verified
Russian Federation
Local time: 16:30
Member (2013)
English to Russian
Not that it happens seldom Jun 22, 2013

Google Translate operators will gladly accept this offer.

 
Anna Wiman
Anna Wiman  Identity Verified
Sweden
Local time: 12:30
Member
German to Swedish
+ ...
My reaction exactly / No comment Jun 22, 2013

Thayenga wrote:

Today I saw a job post that made me wonder.

The poster offered EUR 0.01 for a few hundred words to be translated into various languages.

The "bait" (?) was that more projects would be available to the translators and that long-term collaboration was possible.

Again I am amazed at the number of quotos received (in the upper 20s). Secretly I'm hoping that our colleagues have quoted their actual rate, and not the one stipulated by the outsourcer.

Another "let's pay the agency so that we may have some work" scenario?



Exactly what came to my mind when I saw the job posting. I don't even bother quoting on those kind of jobs. If the price ain't right... move on. : - )


 
Thayenga
Thayenga  Identity Verified
Germany
Local time: 12:30
Member (2009)
English to German
+ ...
TOPIC STARTER
Which part? Jun 22, 2013

Max Deryagin wrote:

Google Translate operators will gladly accept this offer.


The rate or the promise of long-term (underpaid) collaboration?


 
Thayenga
Thayenga  Identity Verified
Germany
Local time: 12:30
Member (2009)
English to German
+ ...
TOPIC STARTER
As the song goes... Jun 22, 2013

Anna Wiman wrote:

Thayenga wrote:

Today I saw a job post that made me wonder.

The poster offered EUR 0.01 for a few hundred words to be translated into various languages.

The "bait" (?) was that more projects would be available to the translators and that long-term collaboration was possible.

Again I am amazed at the number of quotos received (in the upper 20s). Secretly I'm hoping that our colleagues have quoted their actual rate, and not the one stipulated by the outsourcer.

Another "let's pay the agency so that we may have some work" scenario?



Exactly what came to my mind when I saw the job posting. I don't even bother quoting on those kind of jobs. If the price ain't right... move on. : - )


Yes...if you don't like the (mini) peaches, walk on by the tress. Can't remember off hand who sang that song, but he sure must have seen all those "generous" job offers.


 
Orrin Cummins
Orrin Cummins  Identity Verified
Japan
Local time: 20:30
Japanese to English
+ ...
It makes you wonder Jun 22, 2013

In Japan there is a side job that many people do at home called 内職 (naishoku). It usually consists of snapping together two little plastic components, or putting a tiny sticker on a plastic tag, or some other really mundane task. It's just something you can do in your spare time to make some extra money. It depends on the particular task but the ones I've done you usually end up making like 1円 (around $0.01) per item.

I don't have time to do it much anymore, but when I was doi
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In Japan there is a side job that many people do at home called 内職 (naishoku). It usually consists of snapping together two little plastic components, or putting a tiny sticker on a plastic tag, or some other really mundane task. It's just something you can do in your spare time to make some extra money. It depends on the particular task but the ones I've done you usually end up making like 1円 (around $0.01) per item.

I don't have time to do it much anymore, but when I was doing naishoku more often, I used to wonder about these super-low-rate translation jobs. How could I even consider taking a translation job where I would make less money per hour than naishoku? It would be funny, actually, if it wasn't so sad. At least with naishoku, I can watch television while I do it, or watch training videos, play online chess, talk with family, ride in a car, etc...I can't do those things while translating. And we are talking about something which requires no education or skills whatsoever other than normal motor function and vision, and no extra materials either. To translate, we need computers (whether we use CAT or not), Internet, dictionaries, and many other things that we have to pay for ourselves.

When I see the number of people that apply for these types of jobs, I come to two conclusions. Either the people applying are very new translators and are willing to work in what is basically a volunteer capacity in order to gain experience, or they all live in less-fortunate parts of the world where the minimum wage is very low and $0.01 per word ends up being a relatively decent wage.

Can there be any other reason?
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Anna Wiman
Anna Wiman  Identity Verified
Sweden
Local time: 12:30
Member
German to Swedish
+ ...
The Chokin' Kind Jun 22, 2013

Thayenga wrote:

Anna Wiman wrote:

Thayenga wrote:

Today I saw a job post that made me wonder.

The poster offered EUR 0.01 for a few hundred words to be translated into various languages.

The "bait" (?) was that more projects would be available to the translators and that long-term collaboration was possible.

Again I am amazed at the number of quotos received (in the upper 20s). Secretly I'm hoping that our colleagues have quoted their actual rate, and not the one stipulated by the outsourcer.

Another "let's pay the agency so that we may have some work" scenario?



Exactly what came to my mind when I saw the job posting. I don't even bother quoting on those kind of jobs. If the price ain't right... move on. : - )


Yes...if you don't like the (mini) peaches, walk on by the tress. Can't remember off hand who sang that song, but he sure must have seen all those "generous" job offers.





For you Thayenga; http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ajN7IvKHYT8


 
José Henrique Lamensdorf
José Henrique Lamensdorf  Identity Verified
Brazil
Local time: 08:30
English to Portuguese
+ ...
In memoriam
Another song Jun 22, 2013

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ujhCIZnLKOY

Burt Bacharach's Promises, Promises lyrics

Promises, Promises Lyrics
Promises, promises
I'm all through with promises, promises now
I don't know how I got the nerve to walk out
If I shout, remember I feel free
Now I can look at myself and be
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ujhCIZnLKOY

Burt Bacharach's Promises, Promises lyrics

Promises, Promises Lyrics
Promises, promises
I'm all through with promises, promises now
I don't know how I got the nerve to walk out
If I shout, remember I feel free
Now I can look at myself and be proud
I'm laughing out loud
Oh, promises, promises
This is where those promises, promises end
I don't pretend that what was wrong can be right
Every night I sleep now, no more lies
Things that I promised myself fell apart
But I found my heart
Oh, promises, their kind of promises, can just destroy a life
Oh, promises, those kind of promises, take all the joy from life
Oh, promises, promises, my kind of promises
Can lead to joy and hope and love
Yes, love!!

Every night I sleep now, no more lies
Things that I promised myself fell apart
But I found my heart
Oh, promises, their kind of promises can just destroy a life
Oh, promises, those kind of promises take all the joy from life
Oh, promises, promises, my kind of promises
Can lead to joy and hope and love
Yes, love!!
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Thayenga
Thayenga  Identity Verified
Germany
Local time: 12:30
Member (2009)
English to German
+ ...
TOPIC STARTER
Song lyrics hold some truth for translators Jun 22, 2013

Anna Wiman wrote:

For you Thayenga; http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ajN7IvKHYT8


Thank you, Anna.

The link renders a video that's not available in Germany. But it caused me to remember by whom I've heard it first, Waylon Jennings, and am listening to it right now.


Orrin Cumminswrote:

When I see the number of people that apply for these types of jobs, I come to two conclusions. Either the people applying are very new translators and are willing to work in what is basically a volunteer capacity in order to gain experience, or they all live in less-fortunate parts of the world where the minimum wage is very low and $0.01 per word ends up being a relatively decent wage.

Can there be any other reason?


Thank you, Orrin, for raising this question. I'm afraid, there's none that I can think of other than, perhaps, someone in great need to have something, anything!, to do.
Not a very appealing idea.

José Henrique Lamensdorf wrote:

Burt Bacharach's Promises, Promises lyrics



Thank you, José, for yet another great song. "Old" Burt must have been a translator in a former life, knowing the game so well, even though Dionne sings it.

Yes, they say that hope dies last. So... there's still hope.

Maybe I will sit down and write a song. "Translator's Blues" might be a good working title.

If you substitue the word "love" by "rate", this song might also be "applicable".

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hXIeb4jZVK8&NR (Waylon Jenning's This Time)

[Edited at 2013-06-22 17:44 GMT]


 
Nicole Schnell
Nicole Schnell  Identity Verified
United States
Local time: 04:30
English to German
+ ...
In memoriam
Long-term collaboration Jun 22, 2013

Sounds like a threat, doesn't it?

 
Christophe Delaunay
Christophe Delaunay  Identity Verified
France
Local time: 12:30
Spanish to French
+ ...
Hi all! :-) Jun 22, 2013

This is one of the best post I've read so far... good music and all! You've made my day! Thank you all!
Nite nite


 
George Hopkins
George Hopkins
Local time: 12:30
Swedish to English
Less than peanuts Jun 23, 2013

Many jobs posted are underpriced and most often with ridiculous deadlines.
I usually ignore them, but now and then I respond with the comment: "You must be joking".


 
Thayenga
Thayenga  Identity Verified
Germany
Local time: 12:30
Member (2009)
English to German
+ ...
TOPIC STARTER
Possible Jun 23, 2013

Nicole Schnell wrote:

Sounds like a threat, doesn't it?



Yes, it does sound like a possible threat, since long-term collaboration was only stated as being possible.

Perhaps the quote should sound something like this:

Regarding your offer, I'm pleased to inform you that you will possibly receive a discount as of the 100th project assigned to me within 12 months (at my rate), provided no payment issues occur.

[Edited at 2013-06-23 06:54 GMT]


 
Thayenga
Thayenga  Identity Verified
Germany
Local time: 12:30
Member (2009)
English to German
+ ...
TOPIC STARTER
Mission accomplished :) Jun 23, 2013

Christophe Delaunay wrote:

This is one of the best post I've read so far... good music and all! You've made my day! Thank you all!
Nite nite


If the rates offered were as good as this post having made your day, Christophe, we'd all be a little happier.


 
Nicole Schnell
Nicole Schnell  Identity Verified
United States
Local time: 04:30
English to German
+ ...
In memoriam
That was a quote from my reply to a "potential customer" Jun 23, 2013

Thayenga wrote:

Nicole Schnell wrote:

Sounds like a threat, doesn't it?



Yes, it does sound like a possible threat, since long-term collaboration was only stated as being possible.


"Sounds like a threat" was my reply to a "potential customer" who contacted me personally via my ProZ.com profile page and promised to swamp me with lots and lots of projects in the future if I agreed to their offer of a whopping 2 cents/word. In addition they wanted to know my discount schedule.

We had an interesting exchange of emails. I hope the poor PM didn't hang herself.


 
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Something to think about (STAFF: very low rate job)







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