| Pages in topic: [1 2 3 4 5] > | Not a single job in the whole year - normal? Thread poster: Batichtchev
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Batichtchev 
United States
Local time: 17:27
English to Russian
Hi, folks!
Just of curiosity. A top notch translator with over 25 years of experience in the Translation Service of the United Nations. One year of paid membership on this site.
Not a single job.
I can live without freelancing. But doesn`t it look a bit weird?
| | | | John Fossey
Canada
Local time: 17:27
Member (2008)
French to English
+ ...
Batichtchev wrote:
Hi, folks!
Just of curiosity. A top notch translator with over 25 years of experience in the Translation Service of the United Nations. One year of paid membership on this site.
Not a single job.
I can live without freelancing. But doesn`t it look a bit weird?
What are you doing to market your services? Do any potential clients know you exist?
| | | | Batichtchev
United States
Local time: 17:27
English to Russian
TOPIC STARTER
Replied to the job offers on this site. 20 or 30 times.
80% - Never replied me back.
20% - Sent me hundreds of pages. To be printed, filled out, scanned, attached and sent back. "For future considerations". Was done as requested. Never heard back after that too.
| | | | | Marketing strategy? | Aug 10, 2018 |
Nowdays is not only a matter of expertise but to develop aditional skills.
Marketing strategies help us to be seen among the vast ocean of equally qualified professionals.
How much time do you devote to this?
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Batichtchev
United States
Local time: 17:27
English to Russian
TOPIC STARTER | Muchas gracias! | Aug 10, 2018 |
Carlos Maturana wrote:
Nowdays is not only a matter of expertise but to develop aditional skills.
Marketing strategies help us to be seen among the vast ocean of equally qualified professionals.
How much time do you devote to this?
An excellent piece of advice - thank you!
| | | | DZiW (X)
Ukraine
English to Russian
+ ...
| Di-ver-si-fy | Aug 10, 2018 |
IF you had not a single translation job AND you're still alive THEN it's probably ok, why?
Alexey, no disrespect, yet checking your 'resume':... precis writing and proces verbal ... Seriously? It's neither a professional CV (just check MS Word templates), nor it goes ok with "top notch translator", "over 25 years of experience", and "the United Nations", having very little to do with "One year of paid membership" and the rest.
If I were you, I'd consider (1) improving the image/references, (2) mastering other bread-winning activities, (3) implementing different methods and approaches, and (4) looking for other sources--not only in translation.
Cheers
| | | | Batichtchev
United States
Local time: 17:27
English to Russian
TOPIC STARTER | You know better. | Aug 10, 2018 |
DZiW wrote:
IF you had not a single translation job AND you're still alive THEN it's probably ok, why?
Alexey, no disrespect, yet checking your 'resume': ... precis writing and proces verbal ... Seriously? It's neither a professional CV (just check MS Word templates), nor it goes ok with "top notch translator", "over 25 years of experience", and "the United Nations", having very little to do with "One year of paid membership" and the rest.
If I were you, I'd consider (1) improving the image/references, (2) mastering other bread-winning activities, (3) implementing different methods and approaches, and (4) looking for other sources--not only in translation.
Cheers
Will def do like you say, buddy.
| | | | Thayenga
Germany
Local time: 23:27
Member (2009)
English to German
+ ...
Batichtchev wrote:
Replied to the job offers on this site. 20 or 30 times.
80% - Never replied me back.
20% - Sent me hundreds of pages. To be printed, filled out, scanned, attached and sent back. "For future considerations". Was done as requested. Never heard back after that too.
Why did you fill out all these papers and returned them, knowing (or should have known) that this might only serve to "enlarge databases"? Before wasting time on such idle work, clarify everything else a forehand in emails.
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Batichtchev
United States
Local time: 17:27
English to Russian
TOPIC STARTER | Not any longer | Aug 10, 2018 |
Thayenga wrote:
Batichtchev wrote:
Replied to the job offers on this site. 20 or 30 times.
80% - Never replied me back.
20% - Sent me hundreds of pages. To be printed, filled out, scanned, attached and sent back. "For future considerations". Was done as requested. Never heard back after that too.
Why did you fill out all these papers and returned them, knowing (or should have known) that this might only serve to "enlarge databases"? Before wasting time on such idle work, clarify everything else a forehand in emails.
It was in the beginning. When still was regarding the whole arrangement as a serious one. And also with having plenty of free time at hand. Now I just do not bother to respond.
| | | | | "The truth is out there" | Aug 10, 2018 |
Batichtchev wrote:
Hi, folks!
Just of curiosity. A top notch translator with over 25 years of experience in the Translation Service of the United Nations. One year of paid membership on this site.
Not a single job.
I can live without freelancing. But doesn`t it look a bit weird?
A likely reason for this issue:
Clients need to register and to be logged in on normal proz.com to contact someone, and if they use proz mobile then either they have to have a business membership or the translator must be a plus subscriber. Basically there are "pay tolls" ("tall toll walls") built between clients and translators, and this was done for a long time without the knowledge of translators. Now we know it and we're waiting for proz to break down these "walls" for good.
https://www.proz.com/forum/prozcom_directory/326140-proz_find™_search_tool_alpha_speed_improvement_search_by_location_improved-page3.html#2745274
[Edited at 2018-08-10 08:36 GMT]
| | | | Batichtchev
United States
Local time: 17:27
English to Russian
TOPIC STARTER | Very possible | Aug 10, 2018 |
Katalin Szilárd wrote:
Batichtchev wrote:
Hi, folks!
Just of curiosity. A top notch translator with over 25 years of experience in the Translation Service of the United Nations. One year of paid membership on this site.
Not a single job.
I can live without freelancing. But doesn`t it look a bit weird?
A likely reason for this issue:
Clients need to register and to be logged in on normal proz.com to contact someone, and if they use proz mobile then either they have to have business membership or the translator must be a plus subscriber. Basically there are "pay tolls" ("tall toll walls") built between clients and translators, and this was done for a long time without the knowledge of translators. Now we know it and we're waiting for proz to break down these "walls" for good.
https://www.proz.com/forum/prozcom_directory/326140-proz_find™_search_tool_alpha_speed_improvement_search_by_location_improved-page3.html#2745274
I suspected something of this kind. Sad.
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Sheila Wilson
Spain
Local time: 22:27
Member (2007)
English
+ ...
| Your "About me" text is damaging | Aug 10, 2018 |
I think maybe your profile has a lot to do with the problem. By saying you're retired, you're effectively telling people to go away and leave you in peace. Why not change it to say that you spent nn years at the UN and now you're freelancing? And move some of the information from your CV to that section too so it stands out the moment they look at your profile. Your CV should be a list of facts, not a bio. So it needs to give details of subject areas and volumes translated, other skills, CAT too... See more I think maybe your profile has a lot to do with the problem. By saying you're retired, you're effectively telling people to go away and leave you in peace. Why not change it to say that you spent nn years at the UN and now you're freelancing? And move some of the information from your CV to that section too so it stands out the moment they look at your profile. Your CV should be a list of facts, not a bio. So it needs to give details of subject areas and volumes translated, other skills, CAT tools and other IT knowledge ...
But on this site and similar ones you need to be active with your time, not just your money. If you go to the Site Guidance Centre you'll find information on how to get the site to work for you. You should attend the free "Meeting Clients" webinar and find out how to improve your position in the directory. Buying membership has leap-frogged you to a far better position, but you still need to work to get on the first page. Most of the good jobs here never get posted publicly. Instead, potential clients use the directory to find potential suppliers, or they issue private job postings.
There's a vast amount of information on this site about every aspect of translating and freelancing. And you have a good amount of free time. So, happy reading  . ▲ Collapse
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No jobs through ProZ is not surprising if you are fussy and/or pricey.
I am both, and I've never had work through ProZ. Could've done all kinds of crappy jobs for peanuts though.
You just have to decide what level you want to operate at.
| | | | | Check in the forums how many translators asked the same question recently | Aug 10, 2018 |
Batichtchev wrote:
I suspected something of this kind. Sad.
I have seen so many questions & answers here why translators don't get jobs since a while through this site (they are members, top notch etc.) and the given answers most of the time referred to blaming the translator.
I have talked with many top translators who were experiencing the same since a few years now saying "I'm not a subscriber any more because I didn't get visitors and so clients didn't write me..."
It has nothing to do with rates, their marketing strategies, their profiles etc....
These people are not new in translation and they spent a lot of time and money on their marketing strategies.
Those walls should be "broken" what I mentioned in my previous post ...
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