ProZ.com Translation Forums

Poll: How are you surviving the current financial crisis? | "work harder"

Shayney Thomas — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 19:06:00 +0000

Forum: Poll Discussion
Topic: Poll: How are you surviving the current financial crisis?
Poster: Shayney Thomas
Post title: "work harder"

Hi!

I'm glad to hear so many people are doing well! For those who may be going through a tough patch, keep putting the effort in and surely enough, it may be a wise time to make the best of the situation and take a well deserved break!

With "work harder" I referred to: having to work harder at sourcing new Clients and at establishing payment methods and rates with them (convenient for you of course as well as for the Client … possibly and most likely working on a tight budget), making business contacts, studying and trying out new approaches with the intention of securing more work (short-term/long-term), etc...

I apologise for the delay. Sorry!

All the best,

Shayney

Poll: How are you surviving the current financial crisis? | Clarification

Cecilia Civetta — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 12:23:00 +0000

Forum: Poll Discussion
Topic: Poll: How are you surviving the current financial crisis?
Poster: Cecilia Civetta
Post title: Clarification

[quote]

This is a VERY basic indicator of a crisis situation, irrespective of whether you are happy to spend more time at the gym or would prefer to earn a living.

[/quote]

Maybe I should clarify:
For me it’s not a choice of going to the gym OR earning a living.
What I meant is that now I have more leisure time AND continue to earn a good living, despite the financial crisis, which is pretty noticeable in Italy.

Poll: How are you surviving the current financial crisis? | crisis and effects

Gianluca Marras — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 06:12:00 +0000

Forum: Poll Discussion
Topic: Poll: How are you surviving the current financial crisis?
Poster: Gianluca Marras
Post title: crisis and effects

The effect of this crisis has been that some clients have changed the terms of payment, someone has tried to lower the rates. Well sorry I can't lower my rates, cause it takes 10 seconds to lower them and a lifetime to bring them up again. and I know that thos whos used to pay after 30 days and are now paying after 60, will keep the 60 as a normal thing.
So I am workinga bit less, updating my CV, sending it, and we'll see.

Poll: How are you surviving the current financial crisis? | I'm doin fine

humbird — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 04:32:00 +0000

Forum: Poll Discussion
Topic: Poll: How are you surviving the current financial crisis?
Poster: humbird
Post title: I'm doin fine

Increasing job inquiries from previously never dealt with potential clients all over the world, while I've never lost existing clients.

Question --- What this means in terms of "current financial crisis"?
Answer --- None. Not I know of.

Indeed financial crisis is out there.
But isn't that for our advantage, since many industries have to localize more to reach overseas markets?

It appears to be the case for me.:)

Poll: How are you surviving the current financial crisis? | not that much difference

Marlene Blanshay — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 04:30:00 +0000

Forum: Poll Discussion
Topic: Poll: How are you surviving the current financial crisis?
Poster: Marlene Blanshay
Post title: not that much difference

there have been more quiet periods and some of my clients have slowed down, including one who was contacting me almost daily- until about the end of april. OF course, it may just be my language pair. One of my other main clients is on mat leave and others are now on vacation for most of july.
I have not lowered my rates, however. I have been looking for new clients but don't we all.
Last summer i was VERY busy editing and translating a magazine but that was an exception. I'm uising the spare time for learning new skills, getting exercise, and getting my new laptop set up!

It has been a bit slower but not to the point that I'm worried. Things are still going very well and i'm satisfied.

Poll: How are you surviving the current financial crisis? | Crisis?

Alejandra Garza — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 23:10:00 +0000

Forum: Poll Discussion
Topic: Poll: How are you surviving the current financial crisis?
Poster: Alejandra Garza
Post title: Crisis?

In my case I've more work than ever, it's actually getting ridiculous, I haven't had a day off in 4 weeks and I desperately need one, which I'm taking pretty soon. To me, there has not been crisis, au contraire, I have lots and lots of work. Seems that crisis or no crisis people still need to communicate and that's why we are here!

I agree with working harder but not lowering rates, my mortgage is not lowering anything so I will definitely not lower my rates.

Have a good one everyone!

Ali

Poll: How are you surviving the current financial crisis? | It would seem

Parrot — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 22:58:00 +0000

Forum: Poll Discussion
Topic: Poll: How are you surviving the current financial crisis?
Poster: Parrot
Post title: It would seem

[quote]Tomás Cano Binder, CT wrote:

Would the poller please explain "Work harder" means here? [/quote]

... more sensible to take it easy while you can.

Poll: How are you surviving the current financial crisis? | problem with lowering rates

Joan Berglund — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 20:55:00 +0000

Forum: Poll Discussion
Topic: Poll: How are you surviving the current financial crisis?
Poster: Joan Berglund
Post title: problem with lowering rates

One problem with lowering rates I haven't seen comments on is exactly who would we lower rates for? Faithful clientele who have not asked for discounts and are still sending plenty of work? It would be nice of us, but who can afford to give away money without even being asked? Or for new clients, or fair weather clients who have switched to cheaper translators? Why should untried or unfaithful clients get better rates? I mean, I am not the cable company:)

Poll: How are you surviving the current financial crisis? | Fine, thanks

Cecilia Civetta — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 15:03:00 +0000

Forum: Poll Discussion
Topic: Poll: How are you surviving the current financial crisis?
Poster: Cecilia Civetta
Post title: Fine, thanks

My workload has decreased about 40% compared to 2008. Same rates. I have some free time now. I spend about 2 hours at the gym and the swimming pool everyday. I'm in a better mood and more relaxed. I'm happy.

Poll: How are you surviving the current financial crisis? | July/August

Laureana Pavon — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 14:23:00 +0000

Forum: Poll Discussion
Topic: Poll: How are you surviving the current financial crisis?
Poster: Laureana Pavon
Post title: July/August

July and August are usually the slowest months of the year in terms of assignments from my customers in the Northern hemisphere, not so for my local customers. That's why during (my) winter months I try to focus my marketing efforts on local businesses.
This strategy has worked fine for me for many years, and hopefully this year won't be an exception.

Poll: How are you surviving the current financial crisis? | Define crisis

Reed James — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 14:04:00 +0000

Forum: Poll Discussion
Topic: Poll: How are you surviving the current financial crisis?
Poster: Reed James
Post title: Define crisis

I think of a true crisis as not working for weeks on end, having to pawn or sell belongings, standing in long lines for government aid. None of these things have happened to me. I have not even tightened my belt, not even stopped eating out. My worst month was January, and that was partly because I went on vacation for a week.

Could the crisis be an exaggeration by the media, at least in part?

Poll: How are you surviving the current financial crisis? | Is there any crisis (for us)?

Oleksandr Kupriyanchuk — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 12:51:00 +0000

Forum: Poll Discussion
Topic: Poll: How are you surviving the current financial crisis?
Poster: Oleksandr Kupriyanchuk
Post title: Is there any crisis (for us)?

The effects on me:

1. Some 95 % of orders comes from abroad - that's instead of 68 % in 2008.

2. Higher rates, earnings, new clients and

3. More staffs and partners: expanded in-house team+those working remotely.

It's been a very dramatic change indeed :)

"Long live crisis" is a bad thing to say, however. ALL of us would have done and gained MUCH MORE W I T H O U T THE CRISIS...

[Edited at 2009-07-13 12:52 GMT]

Poll: How are you surviving the current financial crisis? | no other cathegory is lowering rates/prices

Nadia Zamboni — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 12:50:00 +0000

Forum: Poll Discussion
Topic: Poll: How are you surviving the current financial crisis?
Poster: Nadia Zamboni
Post title: no other cathegory is lowering rates/prices

I agree with Kai Döring.
I'd be unfair to lower our prices since no one else is! Why should our work lower its value? About the other point, the amount of work, I also noticed that there are less jobs and I also noticed that customers' request are 'stranger', i.e. they ask you to translate only a part of a text and later they think they can fit them in the global text themselves.
I've never been asked for that before, it's clear they try to save. I think this can have a serious consequence on quality but we, as providers, won't be able to change that until the general situation will be ok again (let's hope!)

text quoted:
It seems the crisis somehow affected also our kind of business.

I stated others since "working harder" would mean there is still much work. I take the time to update profiles and CVs.

The crisis will be over soon. Lowering the prices is the last I would do since we will have a hard time of bringing them up again. Right? Very often agencies remember us if it comes to cost cutting but not when it comes to bonuses. However, I have to pleasure to work with one agency that values its translators and pays bonuses for large translations. [/quote]

Poll: How are you surviving the current financial crisis? | Can you explain the poll?

Tomás Cano Binder, BA, CT — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 11:31:00 +0000

Forum: Poll Discussion
Topic: Poll: How are you surviving the current financial crisis?
Poster: Tomás Cano Binder, BA, CT
Post title: Can you explain the poll?

Would the poller please explain "Work harder" means here? Does it mean that you have more work than before or that you have to work harder to make the same money?

Poll: How are you surviving the current financial crisis? | Work less

Maria Drangel — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 09:15:00 +0000

Forum: Poll Discussion
Topic: Poll: How are you surviving the current financial crisis?
Poster: Maria Drangel
Post title: Work less

I do not lower my rates, I rather use the spare time to either work with administration such as finding more cost efficient solutions for my company/marketing or simply use the extra time to rest, get more fit, travel and read. I am sure there will be a time when I will be glad to have charged my batteries and since I worked in a more lucerative field prior to taking up translations I have some money put aside for times like these.

Poll: How are you surviving the current financial crisis? | Others

Kai Döring — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 08:26:00 +0000

Forum: Poll Discussion
Topic: Poll: How are you surviving the current financial crisis?
Poster: Kai Döring
Post title: Others

It seems the crisis somehow affected also our kind of business.

I stated others since "working harder" would mean there is still much work. I take the time to update profiles and CVs.

The crisis will be over soon. Lowering the prices is the last I would do since we will have a hard time of bringing them up again. Right? Very often agencies remember us if it comes to cost cutting but not when it comes to bonuses. However, I have to pleasure to work with one agency that values its translators and pays bonuses for large translations.

Poll: How are you surviving the current financial crisis?

ProZ.com Staff — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 08:09:35 +0000

Forum: Poll Discussion
Topic: Poll: How are you surviving the current financial crisis?
Poster: ProZ.com Staff

This forum topic is for the discussion of the poll question "How are you surviving the current financial crisis?".

This poll was originally submitted by Shayney

View the poll here

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