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Poll: Would you take up a job while on vacation?
Thread poster: ProZ.com Staff
ProZ.com Staff
ProZ.com Staff
SITE STAFF
Jan 23, 2007

This forum topic is for the discussion of the poll question "Would you take up a job while on vacation?".

This poll was originally submitted by Hikmat Gumilar

View the poll here

A forum topic will appear each time a new poll is run. For more information
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This forum topic is for the discussion of the poll question "Would you take up a job while on vacation?".

This poll was originally submitted by Hikmat Gumilar

View the poll here

A forum topic will appear each time a new poll is run. For more information, see: http://proz.com/topic/33629
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Katharine Prucha
Katharine Prucha  Identity Verified
Italy
Local time: 20:01
Italian to English
+ ...
I voted maybe: Jan 23, 2007

I have actually done it before in order to acquire a new client - obviously I would prefer not too but once in awhile I'll make an exception to the rule! Would that qualify me for workaholic status?

 
Philippe Etienne
Philippe Etienne  Identity Verified
Spain
Local time: 20:01
Member
English to French
No Jan 23, 2007

That's what holidays are for, are they not?
Philippe


 
Astrid Elke Witte
Astrid Elke Witte  Identity Verified
Germany
Local time: 20:01
Member (2002)
German to English
+ ...
I voted "No", too Jan 23, 2007

However, I have a bad habit, when on holiday, of negotiating and accepting jobs for deadlines a few days or maybe a week after I get back. That sounds OK, but it is not really. What invariably happens is that I either (a) do not see, or ask to see, the source document, and get a nasty surprise when I get back from holiday; or (b) agree to negotiate the price in a different way than usual (for source lines instead of target words, for example) and then miscalculate in attempting to convert the ra... See more
However, I have a bad habit, when on holiday, of negotiating and accepting jobs for deadlines a few days or maybe a week after I get back. That sounds OK, but it is not really. What invariably happens is that I either (a) do not see, or ask to see, the source document, and get a nasty surprise when I get back from holiday; or (b) agree to negotiate the price in a different way than usual (for source lines instead of target words, for example) and then miscalculate in attempting to convert the rate, usually to my own disadvantage; or (c) believe the agency's word/line count and find out later that they worked it out in a strange way, e.g. with a program where they specify the option, "remove from the word count all numbers, all punctuation, the same word ("on", "at", "the", etc.!) every time it recurs in the document" or something similar; or (d) some other mishap occurs which makes the project disadvantageous to me. I will find out the next variety of disadvantage next time I am on holiday, I guess! The problem boils down to not wanting to give very many seconds of my time to the negotiation while I am on holiday.

Astrid

[Edited at 2007-01-23 19:15]
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Rahmat Rahmat, Ph.D. (X)
Rahmat Rahmat, Ph.D. (X)
English to Indonesian
+ ...
Yes. Jan 23, 2007

Devotion to your job.

Please be a real professional!


 
janen
janen
Local time: 08:01
Spanish to English
+ ...
Can't take my office Jan 23, 2007

I did once continue with an existing job while I was away, on a borrowed laptop, but I can't take on new jobs because I wouldn't have the right dictionaries with me.
I did also have a similar experience to Astrid. I accepted an editing job to do once I returned. Then I received a message from the same client with a file to edit, asking when I could complete it. I assumed it was the same job, and it was only once I got home that I realised I had taken on two separate jobs - but it all turne
... See more
I did once continue with an existing job while I was away, on a borrowed laptop, but I can't take on new jobs because I wouldn't have the right dictionaries with me.
I did also have a similar experience to Astrid. I accepted an editing job to do once I returned. Then I received a message from the same client with a file to edit, asking when I could complete it. I assumed it was the same job, and it was only once I got home that I realised I had taken on two separate jobs - but it all turned out OK.
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Angela Dickson (X)
Angela Dickson (X)  Identity Verified
United Kingdom
Local time: 19:01
French to English
+ ...
professionalism Jan 23, 2007

Please be a real professional!


I don't think my wish to take holidays with family and friends and not be bothered by work disqualifies me from 'professional' status.


 
vixen
vixen  Identity Verified
Greece
Local time: 21:01
English to Dutch
+ ...
No, I cannot be reached Jan 23, 2007

When I go away on holidays, I am closing shop for at least two weeks. I don't check my e-mail or phone messages. I'm simply unavailable. That's why they call it a vacation!

I always inform my regular clients in advance of my absence, though.


 
Anthony Baldwin
Anthony Baldwin  Identity Verified
United States
Local time: 15:01
Portuguese to English
+ ...
Vacation? What´s that? Jan 23, 2007

I worked on Christmas day, Christmas eve, New Years...
Honestly, I haven´t had a vacation since I started this business...
Nights, weekends, holidays....I´ve been working around the clock.
But, I am going to take the Mrs on a short vacation this year for our anniversary, I swear...
And NO, I will not be available that week.
I´ve earned it! (And the Mrs is well worth it, too!)


 
Elisabete Cunha
Elisabete Cunha  Identity Verified
Portugal
Local time: 19:01
Member (2006)
English to Portuguese
+ ...
I voted "Depends on client" Jan 23, 2007

Of course I try to avoid taking jobs during vacation, but if it's a good opportunity, or a new and interesting client, I never say no. This is indeed a bad habit and I know it...

I always take my laptop with mobile internet connection on vacation and I check email at least 2 times a day. I know I must sound a little crazy, but I just can't help it. My mobile is always available, another bad habit.
To me vacation is very important of course, but work comes first. I'm trying to
... See more
Of course I try to avoid taking jobs during vacation, but if it's a good opportunity, or a new and interesting client, I never say no. This is indeed a bad habit and I know it...

I always take my laptop with mobile internet connection on vacation and I check email at least 2 times a day. I know I must sound a little crazy, but I just can't help it. My mobile is always available, another bad habit.
To me vacation is very important of course, but work comes first. I'm trying to change that. This year I will try to leave the laptop at home...
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Hendarto Setiadi
Hendarto Setiadi  Identity Verified
Indonesia
Local time: 02:01
English to Indonesian
+ ...
maybe, depending on client and nature of job Jan 24, 2007

Only for regular clients who are very, very desperate, and only if I'm confident that I will be able to deliver a high-quality product without the benefit of my usual tools.

 
Ikram Mahyuddin
Ikram Mahyuddin  Identity Verified
Indonesia
Local time: 02:01
English to Indonesian
+ ...
Maybe Jan 24, 2007

Well, if the rate is good, may be I will take up the job

 
Steven Capsuto
Steven Capsuto  Identity Verified
United States
Local time: 15:01
Member (2004)
Spanish to English
+ ...
Depends Jan 24, 2007

During short vacations with friends, I leave my work at home.

However, the ability to carry work with me has allowed me to take extended trips to some very interesting places. In those cases, I work half-time and enjoy myself the rest of the day. It helps subsidize the trip, keeps my skills sharp, and keeps my clients happy. I don't do it often, but I'm glad it's an option.

[Edited at 2007-01-24 04:37]


 
Jocelyne S
Jocelyne S  Identity Verified
France
Local time: 20:01
French to English
+ ...
Generally no... Jan 24, 2007

My general principle is no, no mixing vacation with work.

About a year ago, however, I accepted a small book translation which was meant to be done in the coming weeks and go to press in late March for release in early April. The author and graphic designer assured me that everything would be done before the week I had scheduled to have off, mid-March.

Of course, January ended, February passed...and I got the document about three days before my week-long vacation was t
... See more
My general principle is no, no mixing vacation with work.

About a year ago, however, I accepted a small book translation which was meant to be done in the coming weeks and go to press in late March for release in early April. The author and graphic designer assured me that everything would be done before the week I had scheduled to have off, mid-March.

Of course, January ended, February passed...and I got the document about three days before my week-long vacation was to begin. I bit the bullet and took my laptop with me, worked from the hotel during the day, and at least got to have nice dinners in the evenings. Being in front of the computer and checking email regularly to converse with the author I was translating, I then ended up taking on another small job for a regular client in a "crisis". By that point it didn't make much difference, an hour more or less...

The moral of the story? The next vacation I took involved no office, no laptop, no email whatsoever.

I am a staunch believer in the "Out of office" message (of course having warned my clients in advance).

Best,
Jocelyne
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Marija Stojanovich
Marija Stojanovich  Identity Verified
Serbia
Local time: 20:01
Serbian to English
+ ...
Yes Jan 24, 2007

I never travel without my laptop anyway, and always make sure there are internet cafes aplenty in and/or around my holiday destination.

The only time when I was really unavailable while on holiday was during the trip to Cuba - not because I wanted to, but because everyone warned me against bringing a computer. It proved a good decision, as internet access points were few and far between anyway.


 
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Poll: Would you take up a job while on vacation?






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