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Poll: What worries you most in your trade? Thread poster: ProZ.com Staff
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Paul Dixon 
Brazil
Local time: 15:55
Portuguese to English
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What worries me most is low rates and also having to pay one hundred and twenty taxes which crush the Brazilian economy to death. Brazil has the highest taxes in the world, and most goes into the pockets of politicians.
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Mike Sadler (X)
United Kingdom
Local time: 19:55
Spanish to English
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| Nothing, really | Dec 7, 2013 |
It's such a brilliant way to earn a living! There are annoyances, but no real worries.
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Julian Holmes
Japan
Local time: 03:55
Member (2011)
Japanese to English
| Fluctuating workloads | Dec 7, 2013 |
One week/month, you can be up to your eyeballs in work, and the next, you could be seeing the whites of your knuckles. This uncertainty is very unnerving, both financially and stresswise.
As Mike says, this is a brilliant way to earn a living, if only work was constant -- at my rates, of course  -- so that I could plan ahead with more certainty.
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Angus Stewart
United Kingdom
Local time: 19:55
Member (2011)
French to English
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| The Feast Famine Cycle | Dec 7, 2013 |
Julian Holmes wrote: One week/month, you can be up to your eyeballs in work, and the next, you could be seeing the whites of your knuckles. This uncertainty is very unnerving, both financially and stresswise. As Mike says, this is a brilliant way to earn a living, if only work was constant -- at my rates, of course -- so that I could plan ahead with more certainty.
I agree with Julian. It is the uncertainty associated with the peaks and troughs in demand that is the most stressful part of the job. The pattern is unpredictable and makes it difficult to plan ahead with any degree of certainty. Accordingly, I often end up working unsociable hours when the peaks occur, which just adds to the stress.
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Alexandranow
Romania
Local time: 21:55
Romanian to English
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low rates and fluctuating workload
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| Other: getting it right | Dec 7, 2013 |
Like Mike, I don't worry about any of the issues mentioned. The only thing I really worry about is getting my translation right.
From the questions I see posted on KudoZ, it's clear that a number of us are very concerned about capturing the precise meaning and expressing it appropriately in our target language. And from the variety of discussions I see posted, it's obvious finding the right solution can be quite challenging.
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| Machine translation and dropping rates | Dec 7, 2013 |
To be honest technologies worry me the most. I'm not sure if in the next ten years machines won't take over some part of our trades. Also, dropping rates as some you are experiencing.
[Edited at 2013-12-07 09:47 GMT]
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| Show me the moneeeeey!! | Dec 7, 2013 |
low rates, unpredictable workload etc. - it all translates into getting the (big) bucks
I like this activity, but I do it for the money, so, that is my concern and my purpose .
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a bad combination: future/low rates due to a continuous lower offer/consideration of our profession/taxes (Italy)
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| An option is missing imo | Dec 7, 2013 |
Where is the option all of the above?
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| Notorious feast or famine | Dec 7, 2013 |
Having spent a week without work, I'd definitely say it's the uncertainty and lack of stability.
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Thayenga
Germany
Local time: 20:55
Member (2009)
English to German
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| Perhaps a combination | Dec 7, 2013 |
The impact of low rates and/or a disrupted work-flow can cause some concern. Stress caused by tight deadlines and high demands (the concern of delivering a high-quality translation), paired with hardware failure/problems and/or a bad Internet connectivity add to the "worries". As do the other "options", although on a lower level.
The main concern is, however, the persistent uncertainty in regard to what tomorrow might (or may not) bring. But every professional concerns are well wor... See more The impact of low rates and/or a disrupted work-flow can cause some concern. Stress caused by tight deadlines and high demands (the concern of delivering a high-quality translation), paired with hardware failure/problems and/or a bad Internet connectivity add to the "worries". As do the other "options", although on a lower level.
The main concern is, however, the persistent uncertainty in regard to what tomorrow might (or may not) bring. But every professional concerns are well worth it for as long as I love what I'm doing. ▲ Collapse
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Helen Hagon
Local time: 19:55
Member (2011)
Russian to English
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| Whether the work will keep on coming | Dec 7, 2013 |
So far all has been well, but there is always a 'what if' in the back of my mind. What if I finish a project and then no new work comes in?
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| Impersonal agencies? | Dec 7, 2013 |
I think the current trend which disturbs me the most is large, impersonal, web-based agencies who simply treat translators like pawns in their game, rather than human beings. Which is why my best customers, who get first priority, are real people who recognise that I too have to make a living!
Steve K.
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