Milos Prudek Czech Republic Local time: 07:34 Partial member (2004) English to Czech + ...
proz.com refuses to implement anything
Oct 22, 2009
Paola Dentifrigi wrote:
PS The answer is probably no
Indeed it is. I submitted my suggestion (translators register fees paid by an outsourcer for a given language combination, proz.com averages the rates and displays the average rates for each outsourcer) as a support ticket under "suggestion". I received a canned, i.e. automated response. Proz filed my suggestion under "backlog of ideas".
This used to be nice way of saying no in the last century. In this century, customers are smarter and they see automated sweet refusals as offensive.
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I don't quite believe I'm going to say this, but Proz.com is just a tool, a platform and therefore is not responsible. Proz.com cannot regulate the market and cannot restrict what the posters offer. It's a shame, but it's the reality. People can still use the directory to contact good translators. Sure, it's more time-consuming, but this is the way it is.
It was clear from the beginning that the job system would collapse, at some point. Personally - since Proz.com refused to reintroduce the name of the poster/agency/outsourcer in the job posting e-mails - I don't bother with the job postings anymore... I just know it will be a rubbish job at rubbish rates.
The situation has further deteriorated in this financial climate. Lots of unexperienced wanna-be translators are flooding the market with abysmal rates in order to regain a share of it. The demand for low rate jobs is there and some outsourcers take advantage of this. Shame that this impacts on members and agencies who want to post good jobs. If you get flooded with lots of unrelated applications, you just stop after a few tries... time is money...
Finally, don't shoot the messenger... as I said before, Proz.com is only providing the platform. I do blame Proz.com for one thing, though. As a public platform, it offers visibility. Unfortunately, it also offers visibility to the appalling rates, giving the impression that those are the ongoing rates, degrading the value of our profession.
What we are seeing now is just a normal evolution of an unregulated job market, nothing more nothing less. We all knew it would happen... we all knew Proz.com would do nothing about it, because it's not its responsability to manage our professional activities. We are.
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Paola Dentifrigi Italy Local time: 07:34 Member (2003) English to Italian + ...
Right
Oct 22, 2009
Giovanni Guarnieri MITI, MIL wrote:
we all knew Proz.com would do nothing about it, because it's not its responsability to manage our professional activities. We are.
Yes, indeed, we are responsible. But as I am paying other 2 prof. associations already, I might choose to invest my Platinum membership's money elsewhere, if I do not see any improvement. This what I call managing my professional activity - income as well as expenditures
Paola
PS I won't shoot you. I'll shoot the pianist tonight (Sakamoto) instead.
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we all knew Proz.com would do nothing about it, because it's not its responsability to manage our professional activities. We are.
Yes, indeed, we are responsible. But as I am paying other 2 prof. associations already, I might choose to invest my Platinum membership's money elsewhere, if I do not see any improvement. This what I call managing my professional activity - income as well as expenditures
Paola
PS I won't shoot you. I'll shoot the pianist tonight (Sakamoto) instead.
I'm paying two as well... we'll all vote with our feet when it's time to renew our membership...
P.S. Enjoy Sakamoto...
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Mykhailo Voloshko Ukraine Local time: 08:34 Member (2008) English to Russian + ...
bringing people here
Oct 22, 2009
Perhaps it's the wrong thread for my question, but do you place a link to your proz profile from your websites?
I am still in two minds.
It seems to me once the direct clients are here, they catch a disease of low rates. Or am I mistaken?
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Paola Dentifrigi Italy Local time: 07:34 Member (2003) English to Italian + ...
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anisco Germany Local time: 07:34 Member (2003) English to German + ...
Yes, but...
Oct 22, 2009
Giovanni Guarnieri MITI, MIL wrote:
Finally, don't shoot the messenger... as I said before, Proz.com is only providing the platform. I do blame Proz.com for one thing, though. As a public platform, it offers visibility. Unfortunately, it also offers visibility to the appalling rates, giving the impression that those are the ongoing rates, degrading the value of our profession.
That's right, Giovanni, you have a point, but:
Only beginners, wannabes, amateurs and unexperienced people will think that those are the ongoing rates, whatever you mean by 'those'
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xxxEric Hahn France Local time: 07:34 French to German + ...
Just a tool
Oct 22, 2009
Giovanni Guarnieri MITI, MIL wrote:
I don't quite believe I'm going to say this, but Proz.com is just a tool, a platform and therefore is not responsible. Proz.com cannot regulate the market and cannot restrict what the posters offer. It's a shame, but it's the reality. People can still use the directory to contact good translators. Sure, it's more time-consuming, but this is the way it is.
I think we are all aware of this, and the real shame is that it _could_ be a great tool.
But presently, it harms both outsourcers and freelancers instead of bringing them together.
[Edited at 2009-10-22 14:27 GMT]
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apk12 Germany Local time: 07:34 Member (2009) English to German + ...
no
Apr 5, 2010
"...we all knew Proz.com would do nothing about it, because it's not its responsability to manage our professional activities. We are. ..."
we are, indeed. we have our own "business-private" responsibility. but since "tools" usually play a crucial role if talking about success in getting something done, I would call the overall responsibility of proz an a bit larger one.
agree with the topic starter post entirely.
we need
- the ability to categorize the agencies: see either radovans idea to rate them in a blueboard-connected way - if the agencies do not post their rates themselves (hoping that they also can get the delicious part of the cake resulting from down-bidding on jobs + rates secret in general)
- the ability to answer to job posting: rating/comments. (needed as long as job posting discount rates are there - open or hidden after changes) - in fact, a pure number rating would be at least something, but with place for at least a short comment even better, I think.
[Edited at 2010-04-05 12:34 GMT]
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Milos Prudek Czech Republic Local time: 07:34 Partial member (2004) English to Czech + ...
Rating jobs
Apr 12, 2010
The recent changes to the job posting system may not achieve as much as they should if they can be circumvented. Involving human reviewers is a sustainable way to promote good job offers.
Some job offer rating should be considered. Any paying member - freelance translator - of proz.com could rate job offers. A voluntary "job offer rater" would spend 10-30 seconds looking at each job offer and rate each job offer on a scale of 1 to 3 (or 1 to 5).
Some rating guidelines would be published. The rating would reflect offer quality, such as "good description of the text, sample text provided, no free translation test requested".
A proz.com freelance member could rate as many or as few or no jobs. Some kudoz rewards could be provided for rating.
This rating system is a proven solution for many high-submission websites such as digg.com, reddit.com, slashdot.org.
[Edited at 2010-04-12 07:14 GMT]
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The translation workplace 
, but Proz.com is just a tool, a platform and therefore is not responsible. Proz.com cannot regulate the market and cannot restrict what the posters offer. It's a shame, but it's the reality. People can still use the directory to contact good translators. Sure, it's more time-consuming, but this is the way it is. 
