| Pages in topic: [1 2 3] > | Poll: In general, can clients count on you to work during weekends? Thread poster: ProZ.com Staff
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This forum topic is for the discussion of the poll question "In general, can clients count on you to work during weekends?".
This poll was originally submitted by Els Hoefman
View the poll here
A forum topic will appear each time a new poll is run. For more ... See more This forum topic is for the discussion of the poll question "In general, can clients count on you to work during weekends?".
This poll was originally submitted by Els Hoefman
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 ▲ Collapse
| | | | Yaotl Altan 
Mexico
Local time: 15:25
Member (2006)
English to Spanish
+ ...
1) My family is first.
2) If I accept one time, then I will not be able to stop clients callings during the weekend.
| | | | Atenea Acevedo (X)
Local time: 15:25
English to Spanish
+ ...
| As long as... | Jun 15, 2006 |
...they pay the 30% extra I charge, same percent I charge for jobs the deadline of which demands me to translate more than 2,000 words per day and/or work on weekends.
Cheers,
A.
| | | | | My clients don't work on week-ends, why should I? | Jun 15, 2006 |
The companies I work for are closed on week-ends so I don't think I have to be ready to work while they are enjoying free time...
It happened once, for my first client (a european organisation): I came to his office on a Friday afternoon to deliver a translation - no Internet yet at that time - and he simply gave me another text telling me "here's something for your week-end, the deadline is on Monday". I was so astonished that I didn't find anything to reply, but I swore that it was the l... See more The companies I work for are closed on week-ends so I don't think I have to be ready to work while they are enjoying free time...
It happened once, for my first client (a european organisation): I came to his office on a Friday afternoon to deliver a translation - no Internet yet at that time - and he simply gave me another text telling me "here's something for your week-end, the deadline is on Monday". I was so astonished that I didn't find anything to reply, but I swore that it was the last time someone would assume that I could work while they wouldn't...
Now I sometimes have to work on evenings or week-ends because I spent time with my children during the day and a deadline is getting closer, but it's never due to the client calling me late. It's my personal organisation, and even if I plan to do a job late at night, I don't tell my clients. ▲ Collapse
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Melanie Nassar
United States
Local time: 00:25
German to English
+ ...
| What's the weekend? | Jun 15, 2006 |
The weekend falls on different days in different parts of the world. I live in an area where generally, Thursday afternoon to Friday are considered the weekend, and my main clients follow this schedule. However, my clients in Germany work then and are off on Sat.-Sun.
My children have Friday and Sunday off from school. I am not particularly interested one way or the other; I work when I feel like it (meaning most days) and take off when the workload allows. The trick is to arrang... See more The weekend falls on different days in different parts of the world. I live in an area where generally, Thursday afternoon to Friday are considered the weekend, and my main clients follow this schedule. However, my clients in Germany work then and are off on Sat.-Sun.
My children have Friday and Sunday off from school. I am not particularly interested one way or the other; I work when I feel like it (meaning most days) and take off when the workload allows. The trick is to arrange deadlines carefully.
My husband is a doctor, and I never ever complained about being left alone with the children while he worked long hours; in return, he supports me now however and how long I choose to work. ▲ Collapse
| | | | Henry Hinds
United States
Local time: 15:25
English to Spanish
+ ...
In memoriam
I work any hours and any days, and the weekends represent some of the best time to get work done, because there are less distractions. There is no problem in getting up early to work, or working late into the night; if the energy is there then the work gets done.
And if the energy is not there, you might find me goofing off during other people's working hours.
Well, those are "other people's" hours, mine are different, that's why I became a freelancer.
And ... See more I work any hours and any days, and the weekends represent some of the best time to get work done, because there are less distractions. There is no problem in getting up early to work, or working late into the night; if the energy is there then the work gets done.
And if the energy is not there, you might find me goofing off during other people's working hours.
Well, those are "other people's" hours, mine are different, that's why I became a freelancer.
And no extra charge. ▲ Collapse
| | | | | yep, why not? | Jun 15, 2006 |
My wife and I both have non-9-5 jobs and I often find myself not working during traditional working hours (but rather enjoying things that people with fixed working hours can't like going for a random jog in the afternoon, watching a movie or meeting some friends) so I am happy to work on the weekend. It's a good excuse to charge a little more for your work too
| | | | Irene N
United States
Local time: 16:25
English to Russian
+ ...
| Nothing to add:-) | Jun 15, 2006 |
Henry Hinds wrote:
I work any hours and any days, and the weekends represent some of the best time to get work done, because there are less distractions. There is no problem in getting up early to work, or working late into the night; if the energy is there then the work gets done.
And if the energy is not there, you might find me goofing off during other people's working hours.
Well, those are "other people's" hours, mine are different, that's why I became a freelancer.
And no extra charge.
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Brandis (X)
Local time: 23:25
English to German
+ ...
| umm...30% extra seems interesting | Jun 15, 2006 |
Hi! I do charge some extra but not make it obvious or fight over it. But what if the a project starts on a Friday and goes over two weeks, or one starts on Saturday and continues into the week till thursday. How to charge this 30%, most outsourcers back-off on a condition like this. Best Brandis
| | | | Atenea Acevedo (X)
Local time: 15:25
English to Spanish
+ ...
Hi, Brandis,
My quotes include something along the following lines: assignments requiring the translation of more than 2,000 per working day are considered rush orders and cause a 30% increase; assignments requiring the translator to work over weekends cause a 30% increase.
Of course I do work on weekends when I've spent other people's usual working hours having fun, and that's also why I became a free-lancer, so I could decide when to work (but I didn't choose free-lan... See more Hi, Brandis,
My quotes include something along the following lines: assignments requiring the translation of more than 2,000 per working day are considered rush orders and cause a 30% increase; assignments requiring the translator to work over weekends cause a 30% increase.
Of course I do work on weekends when I've spent other people's usual working hours having fun, and that's also why I became a free-lancer, so I could decide when to work (but I didn't choose free-lancing to be available to clients 24/7, in mu country and culture a regular job would satisfy that urge). Say a client contacts me on a Friday morning for a project that is 10,000 words, deadline is Thursday evening, no problem, regular rate because I need five full working days to complete it (yes, it also depends on how technical it might be, etc). If the client needs it ready by Tuesday, I'll be able to deliver if I forget about my weekend (or fun during other people's regular working hours), and that does cost. And they do pay it or get more realistic and respectful about one's life.
I agree that your client doesn't need to know that you work best from 11:00pm on or on weekends so they feel free to contact you any time. Not healthy for me.
Cheers,
Atenea
[Editado a las 2006-06-15 22:47] ▲ Collapse
| | | | John Walsh
Italy
Local time: 23:25
Italian to English
| 9 to 5 slave? No thanks. | Jun 15, 2006 |
Henry Hinds wrote:
Well, those are "other people's" hours, mine are different, that's why I became a freelancer.
And no extra charge.
I'm with Henry on this one. There are seven days in a week and 24 hours in a day...duhh;-).
I choose which are work days and work hours. That's the beauty of working freelance.
[Edited at 2006-06-15 23:02]
| | | | Brandis (X)
Local time: 23:25
English to German
+ ...
| I was indicatiing more like this | Jun 15, 2006 |
Quoting Atenea
"Say a client contacts me on a Friday morning for a project that is 10,000 words, deadline is Thursday evening, no problem, regular rate because I need five full working days to complete it (yes, it also depends on how technical it might be, etc). "
Do you charge for the weekend 30% extra and for weekdays at normal rate. How to prove this and make it justifiable to the client. Mostly they come with projects, that should have been accomplished yesterday - arguments. Bu... See more Quoting Atenea
"Say a client contacts me on a Friday morning for a project that is 10,000 words, deadline is Thursday evening, no problem, regular rate because I need five full working days to complete it (yes, it also depends on how technical it might be, etc). "
Do you charge for the weekend 30% extra and for weekdays at normal rate. How to prove this and make it justifiable to the client. Mostly they come with projects, that should have been accomplished yesterday - arguments. But generally if you put up a high price profile, regardless of weekdays or weekend that should do it. I charge mostly only for rush overnight or those projects that come squeezing the time over the weekend, started Friday and delivered on monday morning, ready for the week kind of schedules. Best Brandis
[Edited at 2006-06-15 23:21] ▲ Collapse
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Henry Hinds
United States
Local time: 15:25
English to Spanish
+ ...
In memoriam | Querida Atenea | Jun 16, 2006 |
Quoting Atenea
"Say a client contacts me on a Friday morning for a project that is 10,000 words, deadline is Thursday evening, no problem, regular rate because I need five full working days to complete it (yes, it also depends on how technical it might be, etc). "
Se lo entrego el día lunes (no el jueves) a las 8:00 de la mañana. Y le cobro mil chiticlines...
¿Me fue bien o me fue mal? Cualquier día lo hago.
Por algo lo hago.
| | | | Nikki Graham
United Kingdom
Local time: 22:25
Spanish to English
| Charging extra for weekend work | Jun 16, 2006 |
Brandis wrote:
Do you charge for the weekend 30% extra and for weekdays at normal rate.
I did this recently. I accepted a project on Friday morning for Monday morning. I charged 3,000 words at the normal rate and 4,000 with a surcharge of 30%.
I agree with Atenea
And they do pay it or get more realistic and respectful about one's life
I often work 7 days a week, because I have to make up the time I lose during the week looking after my daughter. But I don't want my clients to assume I am going to slave away at the weekends at the usual rate to get a rush job done for them without some kind of reward.
[Edited at 2006-06-16 08:23]
| | | | Fan Gao
Australia
Local time: 07:25
English to Chinese
+ ...
| How do you classify a weekend? | Jun 16, 2006 |
Maybe the question should have been..."Can clients count on you to work during weekends when you also have a Mon-Fri 9-5 job?"
I gave up the traditional full time 9-5 routine to concentrate 100% on freelancing and now I decide when my week starts and when it ends.
Some weeks I may have 1 day off and some I may have 3. I guess the real trick is being organised and planning deadlines well so that you remain in total control. That way you have the luxury of having free tim... See more Maybe the question should have been..."Can clients count on you to work during weekends when you also have a Mon-Fri 9-5 job?"
I gave up the traditional full time 9-5 routine to concentrate 100% on freelancing and now I decide when my week starts and when it ends.
Some weeks I may have 1 day off and some I may have 3. I guess the real trick is being organised and planning deadlines well so that you remain in total control. That way you have the luxury of having free time when you want it and appearing to be very flexible for the clients who suddenly want that urgent rush job late on a Friday evening.
Mark ▲ Collapse
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