| Pages in topic: < [1 2 3 4] > | Poll: Do you charge extra for jobs done on the weekend? Thread poster: ProZ.com Staff
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| Being competitive | Jun 16, 2008 |
Henry Hinds wrote:
Do you guys realize that by doing so you're making my life harder?
Right, we're making your life harder being more competitive!
****
Right. Then by the same token we should all stop complaining about colleagues who charge very low rates. After all, they're being competitive too, aren't they?
You (collective "you") can't have your cake and eat it.
Mirella
| | | | Αlban SHPΑTΑ 
United States
Member (2008)
English to Albanian
+ ...
I'm always happy to accept a small job of about 1000 words or so on my weekends. And I do it at no extra charge.
I always know I will have a few hours to spare during weekends, when I will do nothing useful. Why not make some extra money?
And just to make it clear, accepting a weekend job without charging extra is not like accepting work for low USD rates.
I love translating I do not underse... See more I'm always happy to accept a small job of about 1000 words or so on my weekends. And I do it at no extra charge.
I always know I will have a few hours to spare during weekends, when I will do nothing useful. Why not make some extra money?
And just to make it clear, accepting a weekend job without charging extra is not like accepting work for low USD rates.
I love translating I do not undersell myself. ▲ Collapse
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I think it's the same issue as with charging more for urgent jobs. I charge more on jobs asked to be done on Friday to be delivered on Monday, the same way I charge more for jobs which have to b delivered from one day to the next. That's because I'm aware that I'll have to spend my time of rest to do the job, whether it be weekend or middle week, so I always surcharge that kind of jobs. As it has been said in this poll, most of the time the "urgency" for the client disappears as soon as a surcha... See more I think it's the same issue as with charging more for urgent jobs. I charge more on jobs asked to be done on Friday to be delivered on Monday, the same way I charge more for jobs which have to b delivered from one day to the next. That's because I'm aware that I'll have to spend my time of rest to do the job, whether it be weekend or middle week, so I always surcharge that kind of jobs. As it has been said in this poll, most of the time the "urgency" for the client disappears as soon as a surcharge appears. Everything in life is negotiable. ▲ Collapse
| | | | Erzsébet Czopyk
Hungary
Local time: 05:58
Member (2006)
Russian to Hungarian
+ ...
SITE LOCALIZER | competitive??? | Jun 16, 2008 |
Mirella Soffio wrote: Henry Hinds wrote:
Do you guys realize that by doing so you're making my life harder?
Right, we're making your life harder being more competitive! **** Right. Then by the same token we should all stop complaining about colleagues who charge very low rates. After all, they're being competitive too, aren't they? You (collective "you") can't have your cake and eat it. Mirella
If somebody calls me for some small and VERY URGENT job, I would and will charge extras for my work on the weekend. In my country, if you go to 24/7 shop after 10.00 p.m., you can face an extra charge for night shopping, except hipermarkets.
I often tell to my customers: you knw, if you want a pretty 20-year-old girl for a full night, it cost approx. 100 USD without any extras. BUT if you would like me, a 40-year old woman for a full night OF WORK, it costs a lot more.
Competitive? If somebody needs me, and I am chosen not by rate, but quality and accuracy, I can let myself to follow inflation rate and give follow-up rate each year. Who came back - came back because of complex service (24/7, good medium rates, extra delivery, etc. not because I am so-o-o-o-o co-o-o-o-o-mpetitive.
The ladder is inside me - I do not want to be competitive, I offer something customized, with more care to my clients' needs.
If I decide, I work for 0 charge at all too. But, as my ex-mother-in law said: I am Christian, but it doesn't mean I am stupid...
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| No ..... Incidentally | Jun 17, 2008 |
I have an unrelated opinion about a person in charge of this Poll at ProZ.
How many days this same question is running?
Aren't you a bit tardy on your job?
I am sure you have really good suggestions lining up.
Please be more deligent.
| | | | KathyT
Australia
Local time: 13:58
Japanese to English
| Hmmm, perhaps you didn't mean for that to sound quite so rude, but... | Jun 17, 2008 |
@Humbird,
If you're impatient to answer the next poll, perhaps you could submit a friendly Support Ticket instead of criticizing site staff for being tardy and not deligent [sic] enough for your liking.
Last time I looked, Proz.com was still being run by humans, and "a person in charge of this Poll" may have, for example, had a family emergency, or perhaps lives in a country where it is/was a National Holiday, took a vacation (yes, they exist!), was sick, had an unrelated pressing... See more @Humbird,
If you're impatient to answer the next poll, perhaps you could submit a friendly Support Ticket instead of criticizing site staff for being tardy and not deligent [sic] enough for your liking.
Last time I looked, Proz.com was still being run by humans, and "a person in charge of this Poll" may have, for example, had a family emergency, or perhaps lives in a country where it is/was a National Holiday, took a vacation (yes, they exist!), was sick, had an unrelated pressing deadline, or just forgot because s/he had a million other things to take care of...
[And now, we return you to your regular programming...]
[Edited at 2008-06-17 07:00] ▲ Collapse
| | | | Cecilia Civetta
Italy
Local time: 05:58
Member (2003)
Italian to Spanish
+ ...
| Answer: National Holiday | Jun 17, 2008 |
@Humbird,
lives in a country where it is/was a National Holiday
p.s. And what does it matter after all if a poll lasts three days?
[Edited at 2008-06-17 07:49]
| | | | Erzsébet Czopyk
Hungary
Local time: 05:58
Member (2006)
Russian to Hungarian
+ ...
SITE LOCALIZER | just a break | Jun 17, 2008 |
KathyT wrote:
Proz.com was still being run by humans, and "a person in charge of this Poll" may have, for example, had a family emergency, or perhaps lives in a country where it is/was a National Holiday, took a vacation (yes, they exist!), was sick, had an unrelated pressing deadline, or just forgot because s/he had a million other things to take care of...
Dear Kathy, you are right. Dear Humbird, maybe something wrong happened to a person who is responsible fr change the poll questions. Since I lost one of my colleagues and was informed about it suddenly on the phone, I always think about worst things. Let me kindly ask you to be patient for one more day, and let'see what happens. Let's think there is nothing wrong...just a break, just somebody forgot it. We are all human beings with full of mistakes.
Have a nice and sunny day, wherever you are right now...
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Interlangue (X)
Angola
Local time: 05:58
English to French
+ ...
Just as I do not charge extra for work done before 9.00 (starting around 6.00 a.m. is as quiet, efficient and relaxing as working on weekends).
AND, I figure, just as night-owls do not charge extra for work done around 20.00 or later!
Why should freelancers stick to a 9.00-17.00 schedule 5 days a week? And which shift should you go for when you work for 2 or 3 continents, including for occasional 'emergencies'?
As said in another forum, weekends are usually norm... See more Just as I do not charge extra for work done before 9.00 (starting around 6.00 a.m. is as quiet, efficient and relaxing as working on weekends).
AND, I figure, just as night-owls do not charge extra for work done around 20.00 or later!
Why should freelancers stick to a 9.00-17.00 schedule 5 days a week? And which shift should you go for when you work for 2 or 3 continents, including for occasional 'emergencies'?
As said in another forum, weekends are usually normal working days for me. But I take a 'long weekend' off once every so often - long enough to include weekdays. ▲ Collapse
| | | | Parrot
Spain
Local time: 05:58
Spanish to English
+ ...
| That's my point | Jun 17, 2008 |
keshab wrote: Iza Szczypka wrote: I feel free to accept/reject jobs that require work over the weekend. So why should I charge more for something I decided to do of my own accord? When I have specific plans for weekend entertainment / family time, I negotiate to have the deadline sufficiently extended and simply reject the job if the negotiations fail. After all, jobs don't pop up once a week or specifically on Fridays. Hey, isn't it why we've decided to go freelancing? Iza is absolutely right. As a regular 10 to 5 employee I must charge extra for working on weekly holidays. But dear, we do not work as regular employees. They are bound to do whatever they ordered in the stipulated time. We have enough time to spare when our hands are empty and also we have enough freedom to reject a job for any cause. I am not ready to be outcast from the client's list for being uncompetitive, hungry for money and willing to earn money unethically.
My business is so regular that if I DON'T take weekends off, I set the labour movement and civil rights back 150 years down to the time of Oliver Twist.
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I do charge extra for weekend word and work during the evenings. Everybody who works overtime gets this paid and I don't think it is any different for freelance translators. I also find that very often it is a matter of planning by the client. I also find that when I say that I have to charge extra when they want a job done over the weekend, the deadline can be extended so that they do not have to pay the extra.....
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I tend to work six days a week anyway, depending on whether or not I want some time off - and possibly during the week as well. Weekend work tends to be longer jobs where I have estimated the number of working days and include Saturday to get it done quicker and have more money for that month. But, if somebody throws a job at me at short notice, I see whether they will accept a rush job or weekend surcharge. I used to be in salaried 9 to 5 jobs, I have been freelance for a long time, and it is s... See more I tend to work six days a week anyway, depending on whether or not I want some time off - and possibly during the week as well. Weekend work tends to be longer jobs where I have estimated the number of working days and include Saturday to get it done quicker and have more money for that month. But, if somebody throws a job at me at short notice, I see whether they will accept a rush job or weekend surcharge. I used to be in salaried 9 to 5 jobs, I have been freelance for a long time, and it is simply part of the territory. By the way, bear in mind that managers often have to put in time at the weekend, often because they are travelling. ▲ Collapse
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Krys Williams
United Kingdom
Local time: 04:58
Member (2003)
Polish to English
+ ...
| Times and days make no difference to me | Jul 2, 2008 |
Why should they? That is the beauty of the freelance life! I can choose to work weekends and then go away somewhere nice on a midweek break which is cheaper than a weekend one, or I can work evenings/nights and then spend some of the typical "working day" strolling round the shops. I can work intensive (70+ hours) weeks, which then allows me to have a least twice as much holiday as given to employed wage slaves.
Thus, since working what others call antisocial hours allows me the f... See more Why should they? That is the beauty of the freelance life! I can choose to work weekends and then go away somewhere nice on a midweek break which is cheaper than a weekend one, or I can work evenings/nights and then spend some of the typical "working day" strolling round the shops. I can work intensive (70+ hours) weeks, which then allows me to have a least twice as much holiday as given to employed wage slaves.
Thus, since working what others call antisocial hours allows me the freedom to enjoy doing things I want to do while they are stuck behind their desks, I don't see why I need to overcharge my clients. After all, if I don't want to work on any particular day, whether weekday or weekend, I just tell them I am fully booked or not available. ▲ Collapse
| | | | | The Real Reality | Jul 2, 2008 |
For those who have little work, as I did when I resumed my activity after a long sabbatical last year, there is no question about it: of course I accept work on weekends without charging extra.
And so it happened last summer that a certain agency in Berlin regularly fed me work on Friday afternoon for Monday morning. Negotiate for a better rate? Are you kidding?
The only people who are in a position to negotiate anything are those who already have enough work coming in to stay in b... See more For those who have little work, as I did when I resumed my activity after a long sabbatical last year, there is no question about it: of course I accept work on weekends without charging extra.
And so it happened last summer that a certain agency in Berlin regularly fed me work on Friday afternoon for Monday morning. Negotiate for a better rate? Are you kidding?
The only people who are in a position to negotiate anything are those who already have enough work coming in to stay in business, period. ▲ Collapse
| | | | Beta Cummins
United States
Local time: 23:58
Member (2005)
English to Portuguese
+ ...
| Do you charge extra for jobs done on the weekend? | Jul 2, 2008 |
I am yet another translator who doesn't charge for jobs done over the weekend.
When you get n assignment on a Friday afternoon, you're not choosing to work over the weekend - you have no choice. Unless you decline it.
So far, I haven't declined any assignment no matter when the deadline is. Some of my clients are spoiled now, and that is my own fault.
Yes, we should charge an extra. Because they get used to counting on you for the jobs that need done for a Monday morning and ne... See more I am yet another translator who doesn't charge for jobs done over the weekend.
When you get n assignment on a Friday afternoon, you're not choosing to work over the weekend - you have no choice. Unless you decline it.
So far, I haven't declined any assignment no matter when the deadline is. Some of my clients are spoiled now, and that is my own fault.
Yes, we should charge an extra. Because they get used to counting on you for the jobs that need done for a Monday morning and never offer an extra. You have to ask for one.
I am not out to get rich, but extra effort deserves extra payment. ▲ Collapse
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