| Pages in topic: < [1 2] | Poll: If you had to decide, which project would you choose: an interesting one, or one that pays well? Thread poster: ProZ.com Staff
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Nicole Schnell 
United States
Local time: 20:40
English to German
+ ...
In memoriam
To me, "interesting" equals "challenging". Challenging texts must be paid accordingly.
Also, "interesting" means to me that I want learn more about the topic. Which in return means lots of research and reading, which I won't do at lower pay.
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It would depend on my circumstances at the particular juncture in time. If I needed the money, I'd do the one that pays well. Fortunately, my best-paying customer usually sends me very interesting jobs. On the other hand, if my bank account was in good shape and the subject was really dear to my heart and I wanted to learn more about it, I would take the interesting job without a question. Once when I was studying botany I offered my services to a professional journal in the field for a steeply ... See more It would depend on my circumstances at the particular juncture in time. If I needed the money, I'd do the one that pays well. Fortunately, my best-paying customer usually sends me very interesting jobs. On the other hand, if my bank account was in good shape and the subject was really dear to my heart and I wanted to learn more about it, I would take the interesting job without a question. Once when I was studying botany I offered my services to a professional journal in the field for a steeply reduced rate. I also did a translation at a reduced rate for coffee growers competing for an award in sustainable farming. ▲ Collapse
| | | | | One that pays well | Jun 22, 2014 |
What else could I answer as a commercial translator?
| | | | Julian Holmes
Japan
Local time: 12:40
Member (2011)
Japanese to English
| Cross my palm with silver | Jun 22, 2014 |
...and you've got my interest.
Charlie Bavington wrote: Pay me enough, and I'll find anything interesting 
@Charlie
Good point.
However, I don't accept stuff outside my 'comfort zone'. As a technical translator I'm amazed at the number of customers/clients who assume I can handle almost everything. Find me an engineer who can do that and I'll by you a pint.
In the gold 'ol days when I outsourced lots of work, more frequently than not the translators who claimed to do almost anything and everything (read 'irresponsible translators') were the least capable. I had to conduct mop-up operations on countless occasions which affects everyone involved and leaves a nasty taste in the mouth, at best.
It is absolutely foolish to accept everything just because it's interesting or well-remunerated. You have to draw a sensible line somewhere. Biting off more than you can chew causes more problems than you think. ;-((
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Nicole Schnell
United States
Local time: 20:40
English to German
+ ...
In memoriam | @Julian: I sooo agree | Jun 22, 2014 |
Julian Holmes wrote:
It is absolutely foolish to accept everything just because it's interesting or well-remunerated. You have to draw a sensible line somewhere. Biting off more than you can chew causes more problems than you think. ;-((
I am still not sure, how "interesting" is supposed to be defined. To me, "challenging" means highly sophisticated text in my B-to-B fields that will have a high impact on the readership and that comes with a lot of responsibility (e.g., finding the right words in a CEO's announcement, that thousands of employees will be laid off by the end of the year or that the company will be sold.)
| | | | Julian Holmes
Japan
Local time: 12:40
Member (2011)
Japanese to English
| Quite agree 2 | Jun 22, 2014 |
Nicole Schnell wrote:
... highly sophisticated text in my B-to-B fields that will have a high impact on the readership and that comes with a lot of responsibility (e.g., finding the right words in a CEO's announcement, that thousands of employees will be laid off by the end of the year or that the company will be sold.)
Why not just use Donald Trump's famous one-liner? 
On a more serious note, though, I have just started translating an annual report for a new customer. Believe it or not, the first part of the translation is the MD&A. (I'm also getting paid to critique the English in the previous year's MD&A. Nothing like a bit of value-added translation. )
This is going to be difficult when I get the CEO's message to the shareholders since the company registered a big increase in income but ended the year in the red. Should be interesting how they word that. Challenging, indeed!
BTW, this project is interesting as well as reasonably well-paid. But it's also proportionately challenging - you really have to be alert and on your toes. That's part of the territory when rates get higher - customers expect more from you.
| | | | Thayenga
Germany
Local time: 05:40
Member (2009)
English to German
+ ...
Tina Vonhof wrote:
I would be inclined to choose the more interesting project but it also depends on other factors: is this a direct client or outsourcer, old client or new client, what is the deadline, etc.
It's the same here, Tina. There is more to it than a simple "black and white" decision.
I always prefer interesting/challenging projects, which usually pay quite well, too, since they require more than "just" a "regular" translation. But if there's some bills other than the usual ones to be paid, I'd also accept a boring job to get these bills out of the way.
| | | | | Pages in topic: < [1 2] | To report site rules violations or get help, contact a site moderator: You can also contact site staff by submitting a support request » Poll: If you had to decide, which project would you choose: an interesting one, or one that pays well? | Trados Business Manager Lite | Create customer quotes and invoices from within Trados Studio
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