ProZ.com Translation Forums

Poll: Are you happy with your job? | I tried to be, but for rates and freelance...

Adsion Liu — Fri, 11 Feb 2011 15:07:00 +0000

Forum: Poll Discussion
Topic: Poll: Are you happy with your job?
Poster: Adsion Liu
Post title: I tried to be, but for rates and freelance...

I work in transaltion on freelance basis for 10+ years, and trying always to be happy, with freedom, hour flexibility, but the disappointing thing is, more and more clients and agencies are seeking for lower costs and more profit...

The problem now is, in worldwide, due to labor conditions, more and more people knowing foreign languages are entering to cater to clients' appetite for lower costs (lower quality at the same time). So comes competition intenser and intenser, with rates lower and lower. Additionally, our contracts/jobs/projects have not guarantee at all, and even worse, there are also a few bad bad payers...

In my personal case, as freelance translator, I only have 24 hours a day and 7 days a week, and if the rates are low enough, even if I work without any pause, my harvest is still lower than average salary earners in my region...Even worse, as a freelancer, I have to pay taxes no less than others and burden all premiums for social inssurances, which regular salary earners have their bosses paying partial or total of these.

In a word, I love to be a translator, I love to be happy and try as always, but no one can live out of reality...

[Editado a las 2011-02-11 15:07 GMT]

Poll: Are you happy with your job? | Depends on when I have to answer this queation

wonita (X) — Tue, 01 Feb 2011 15:33:00 +0000

Forum: Poll Discussion
Topic: Poll: Are you happy with your job?
Poster: wonita (X)
Post title: Depends on when I have to answer this queation

On some days I am happier than on other days.

But generally speaking, I have nothing to complain. We should learn to be happy with what we have, shouldn't we?

Bin Tiede
Dolmetscherin und Übersetzerin für Chinesisch
[url removed]

Poll: Are you happy with your job? | Good call Marta!!

Freddy Santiago — Mon, 31 Jan 2011 23:33:00 +0000

Forum: Poll Discussion
Topic: Poll: Are you happy with your job?
Poster: Freddy Santiago
Post title: Good call Marta!!

[quote]martagarciavec wrote:

.... then I would truly love it. Being ignored for any jobs because of little experience shatters anyone's confidence. At least employers should consider a translation test for us newbies to show what we have to offer. I have a passion for translation but the circle "no experience, no job" gets to you sooner or later.
But I'm still positive :D
[/quote]

It is so true! I am a beginner translator, however, I consider myself capable of performing excellent translations if I were given the chance. Perhaps, if you job posters were a little more open-minded with us newbies--as Marta says-- we would have the opportunity to amaze you with our work.

Poll: Are you happy with your job? | I like it too but the business environment is a lot complicated

Tsvetelina Krasimirova — Sun, 30 Jan 2011 12:07:00 +0000

Forum: Poll Discussion
Topic: Poll: Are you happy with your job?
Poster: Tsvetelina Krasimirova
Post title: I like it too but the business environment is a lot complicated

I am happy with my job but translation is actually a second job for me. I usually teach English and German at vocational schools and work for several Bulgarian translation agencies. I like translating and the fact that everybody can be a translator doesn't disturb me (much) but the main problem for me is the fact that the payment is very low and taxes high. I cannot get some jobs offered because here you have to register a company. That means - before you even start you have to pay registration fees that are almost equal to my three months profit, then you need an accountant because the accounting laws are very complicated and usually change twice a year (!!!), and last but least you have to pay income taxes which are based on an amount twice my real months profit. That means - I can work legally only for other agencies which pay you less that the half of the price of the translation. If I decide to do it all and be fully independent it will take most of my time and nerves to do what the bureaucrats/state agencies etc. require from the business in Bulgaria. So, really like my job but I believe it would be much better if the legislation changes a bit towards EU legislation - less bureaucracy and more independence from taxes, fee, fares, bribes, tips and so on. :)

Poll: Are you happy with your job? | Yes!

Ine Ramaekers — Sun, 30 Jan 2011 11:28:00 +0000

Forum: Poll Discussion
Topic: Poll: Are you happy with your job?
Poster: Ine Ramaekers
Post title: Yes!

[quote]Ilona Hessner wrote:

... and being my own boss. You have the chance to decide whether to accept or reject a job! Negative aspects in my opinion are the troublesome bureaucratic hurdles for freelancers in Germany. [/quote]

We have the same problem in Belgium, everything has to be full of bureaucratic hurdles here. Also, like in Slovenia, there are no rules or regulations for translating, everyone can be a translator. Most agencies ask for a degree of some qualifications though, but you could easily start working as a translator, I'm sure it would take at least a couple of months, if not longer, before customers would stop hiring you due to bad quality translations.

Plus side in Belgium is that we're a multilingual country, at that most people do speak languages rather well, which makes them realize they need good translations, and they are able to more or less judge the quality of translations for the more common languages.

Other than that, I love my job. I've spent some time working in an office for a boss, and even though the colleagues were nice and the pay was very decent, I really hated it. I lost so much time going to work, waiting in the office for work to come in, then trying to get everything done between 3 and 5 pm, which was impossible because work would always come in at 5 minutes to 5. No thanks, I'd rather stay home and work at my own, generally more efficient pace, do my shopping when I want to, take a holiday when I want to, and actually do something interesting.

Poll: Are you happy with your job? | There are pros and cons - but I love translating

Ilona Hessner — Sat, 29 Jan 2011 18:43:00 +0000

Forum: Poll Discussion
Topic: Poll: Are you happy with your job?
Poster: Ilona Hessner
Post title: There are pros and cons - but I love translating

... and being my own boss. You have the chance to decide whether to accept or reject a job! Negative aspects in my opinion are the troublesome bureaucratic hurdles for freelancers in Germany.

Poll: Are you happy with your job? | I am very happy with my job...

Constanza Toro — Fri, 28 Jan 2011 23:27:00 +0000

Forum: Poll Discussion
Topic: Poll: Are you happy with your job?
Poster: Constanza Toro
Post title: I am very happy with my job...

[quote]Artur Heinrich wrote:

If one gets spezialized in certain fields, becomes experienced and knows to sell himself with serious appearance this job is an excellent way to earn good money without being a company's slave, without office hours, without the constraints of a hierarchy...

May be you can call it "happiness"...

:-)

[/quote]

I am as you said: spezialized in the field I´ve worked as a Field Engineer before becoming a translator

[Edited at 2011-01-28 23:27 GMT]

Poll: Are you happy with your job? | rates have taken a nosedive

William Gallagher — Fri, 28 Jan 2011 14:23:00 +0000

Forum: Poll Discussion
Topic: Poll: Are you happy with your job?
Poster: William Gallagher
Post title: rates have taken a nosedive

It used to be fine, but now, with globalization of the market, translation rates have taken a nose-dive. Translators from some of the so-called emerging countries are willing to work for peanuts, thus severely depressing rates. Since most clients want speed and cheap, with no way to judge quality, the situation for translators has become pretty horrible.

Poll: Are you happy with your job? | It has pros and cons

Gerard Barry — Fri, 28 Jan 2011 11:09:00 +0000

Forum: Poll Discussion
Topic: Poll: Are you happy with your job?
Poster: Gerard Barry
Post title: It has pros and cons

I like the independence of being freelance and being able to work my own hours etc.

But does anyone else find the very technical text types extremely boring, not to mention difficult?

Poll: Are you happy with your job? | Yes

Eric Kofi Maclean (X) — Thu, 27 Jan 2011 15:13:00 +0000

Forum: Poll Discussion
Topic: Poll: Are you happy with your job?
Poster: Eric Kofi Maclean (X)
Post title: Yes

I am very happy with my job as a translator.

Poll: Are you happy with your job? | Yes and no

Helena Marko — Thu, 27 Jan 2011 14:32:00 +0000

Forum: Poll Discussion
Topic: Poll: Are you happy with your job?
Poster: Helena Marko
Post title: Yes and no

I am satisfied with all of the things that previous posters have mentioned regarding translation (except payment). I have always wanted to be a translator, too.

As for the NO part, it really depends what country you live in. My language is rather exotic - it's only used by 2 million people - so I will never ever be able to achieve the glorious heights of someone who translates from German to English, French to English or similar. There is only a limited amount of work, and our faculties take in hundreds of new English students each and every year. They couldn't care less if any of us later find any work :(

The result: WAAAAAAAAAY to many people wanting to work with the English language - those with a degree, and those without. Since everyone has to learn English at school, and the rate of unemployment has been soaring in the last few years, some people are willing to translate for next to nothing. In a question of having dignity vs having bread, the bread wins...

Translators of English, in particular, are horrendously badly paid in my country if they work through translation agencies, let alone if they translate books. I do the latter, because I love books... I have done all sorts of translation, but resorted to books, because at least I like what I translate - better having this and earning little money than earning little money for translating a very difficult text, or something you really don't like.. I console myself that it's such a marvellous feeling holding the book I have translated in my hands... I wonder how long this illusion will last, it's been 11 years of this :(

I live modestly, I make it from one month to the next, but barely. Savings - what is that?

I can see no way whatsoever of improving this. Anyone can open a translation agency here, and anyone can translate, at whatever price. There are no regulations about translation here. Even if you get a job, you have no guarantee you will get paid for it, despite entering into a contract with someone. We probably have the least efficient legal system in the EU. Would you take someone to court for EUR 200 and wait for 10+ years for the case to be resolved? No, you wouldn't... particularly if you are nearly broke in the first place (for the very same reason).

Oh, and did I mention that, according to Forbes, Slovenia is the MOST TAXED COUNTRY IN THE WORLD?

I won't even go into how one feels psychologically having to work under such conditions... It's nothing short of crushing. It's suicidal. It kills your spirit...

Free market, eh? Free poverty in Slovenia!

[Edited at 2011-01-27 15:11 GMT]

[Edited at 2011-01-27 15:58 GMT]

Poll: Are you happy with your job? | Yes, love it!!!

Inge Luus — Thu, 27 Jan 2011 10:17:00 +0000

Forum: Poll Discussion
Topic: Poll: Are you happy with your job?
Poster: Inge Luus
Post title: Yes, love it!!!

This is the only work that I have done that completely satisifies me. Say no more!

Poll: Are you happy with your job? | Home work - we love it!

Herbert Eppel — Thu, 27 Jan 2011 08:42:00 +0000

Forum: Poll Discussion
Topic: Poll: Are you happy with your job?
Poster: Herbert Eppel
Post title: Home work - we love it!

See [url removed]

Poll: Are you happy with your job? | Excommunicated?

Brad426 — Thu, 27 Jan 2011 08:29:00 +0000

Forum: Poll Discussion
Topic: Poll: Are you happy with your job?
Poster: Brad426
Post title: Excommunicated?

"Should the the 'Nos' be 'excommunicated' from ProZ? Is an unhappy translator a good one?"

So everybody MUST be happy, or else...
Like with any job, there are goods and bads. Each person has to weigh those factors and determine for themselves if translating is right for them or not. This is a general poll of one's happiness with their job as a translator and not a job interview. Anyways, the real number is 93% are either happy or somewhat happy. That is likely to be far better than most other sectors.
Should blissful Chris should be 'excommunicated' from ProZ for making such a ridiculous statement?

Poll: Are you happy with your job? | Love my job

John Speese — Wed, 26 Jan 2011 23:07:00 +0000

Forum: Poll Discussion
Topic: Poll: Are you happy with your job?
Poster: John Speese
Post title: Love my job

I love my job too, and for many of the same reasons as all of my colleagues have given: the flexibility, no commuting, no office politics, no going outdoors in bad weather, plus the challenge and satisfaction of completing a job, exploring the interactions between two cultures, and the pay isn't bad either. And to all the new translators out there, hang in there, if you're good you will be discovered, and starting with volunteer translating is a good move. I do miss the friendships and personal interaction, office parties, etc. in my old workplace.

Poll: Are you happy with your job? | Love my job

Ingeborg Gowans (X) — Wed, 26 Jan 2011 16:57:00 +0000

Forum: Poll Discussion
Topic: Poll: Are you happy with your job?
Poster: Ingeborg Gowans (X)
Post title: Love my job

Apart from being flexible and ableto work from home, I also appreciate the fact that I am connected with so many other translators and learn from their postings as much as my own questions that I can put out to the proz community.
I realize there is a lot of competition out there, but once you have established a circle of clients it gives you more confidence.

Poll: Are you happy with your job? | May be you can call it "happiness"...

Artur Heinrich — Wed, 26 Jan 2011 12:00:00 +0000

Forum: Poll Discussion
Topic: Poll: Are you happy with your job?
Poster: Artur Heinrich
Post title: May be you can call it "happiness"...

If one gets spezialized in certain fields, becomes experienced and knows to sell himself with serious appearance this job is an excellent way to earn good money without being a company's slave, without office hours, without the constraints of a hierarchy...

May be you can call it "happiness"...

:-)

Poll: Are you happy with your job? | Yes, definitely

Trinh Do — Wed, 26 Jan 2011 07:07:00 +0000

Forum: Poll Discussion
Topic: Poll: Are you happy with your job?
Poster: Trinh Do
Post title: Yes, definitely

I'm with Michael Harris - love this job as I'm not good at job interviews (these require acting skills), no office politics which brings no benefits to the world. I am my own boss, my office can be my bedroom, dining room, study, anywhere. Besides, it was my childhood dream - to be a translator - and I can utilise all my studies and degress as well as using this as professional development and furthering my knowledge. So far, this has been worth more than a degree.

Poll: Are you happy with your job? | maybe its the money

Valeria Lagos Gordon Downie — Wed, 26 Jan 2011 05:17:00 +0000

Forum: Poll Discussion
Topic: Poll: Are you happy with your job?
Poster: Valeria Lagos Gordon Downie
Post title: maybe its the money

I think maybe those who aren't happy would like to earn more, or to interact more with people. I have no idea, as I am another happy translator. For me, the biggest upside is no commuting time at all, and working the hours I choose (which for me is early in the morning).

Poll: Are you happy with your job? | Agree

Textklick — Tue, 25 Jan 2011 23:15:00 +0000

Forum: Poll Discussion
Topic: Poll: Are you happy with your job?
Poster: Textklick
Post title: Agree

[quote]Gianluca Marras wrote:

why those who voted NO are not happy [/quote]

I think that 60-odd percent is a pretty poor show. :-(

Still - as ever - it depends upon how many bothered to respond and why they chose to do so.

Should the the 'Nos' be 'excommunicated' from ProZ? Is an unhappy translator a good one?

Blissfully yours,
Chris :-)

Poll: Are you happy with your job? | franchement happy!

Marlene Blanshay — Tue, 25 Jan 2011 20:11:00 +0000

Forum: Poll Discussion
Topic: Poll: Are you happy with your job?
Poster: Marlene Blanshay
Post title: franchement happy!

it's the best job I've ever had...ok i'm not getting rich, but my sister has this great job, great pay...but works for idiots and she's miserable!
I work at home, not having to commute, I deal with people who respect my skills, couldn't ask for better working conditions.

Poll: Are you happy with your job? | Hi Amy!

Francis Kastalski — Tue, 25 Jan 2011 19:39:00 +0000

Forum: Poll Discussion
Topic: Poll: Are you happy with your job?
Poster: Francis Kastalski
Post title: Hi Amy!

Amy, you are absolutely right! However, I am currently living near Nova Friburgo. Moved three years ago and since then I am enjoying its pleasant weather - and heavy storms.

Right here where we are, I still have to struggle with a slow dialup connection.

Best!

Poll: Are you happy with your job? | Yes, until...

Yaotl Altan — Tue, 25 Jan 2011 17:37:00 +0000

Forum: Poll Discussion
Topic: Poll: Are you happy with your job?
Poster: Yaotl Altan
Post title: Yes, until...

Yes, until the creation of a translation machine...

Poll: Are you happy with your job? | Extremamente happy

telefpro — Tue, 25 Jan 2011 17:22:00 +0000

Forum: Poll Discussion
Topic: Poll: Are you happy with your job?
Poster: telefpro
Post title: Extremamente happy

I am very happy with my profession and want to share this joy with everyone and would like to be friends like in the Facebook. I wish we had something like Facebook on Proz.com

Poll: Are you happy with your job? | How can I gain experience if no one gives me a chance?

Luciana F (X) — Tue, 25 Jan 2011 15:43:00 +0000

Forum: Poll Discussion
Topic: Poll: Are you happy with your job?
Poster: Luciana F (X)
Post title: How can I gain experience if no one gives me a chance?

I'm a brand-new translator and It's quite disappointing to be asked for 2, 3, 5 years of professional experience. Luckily,
[quote]martagarciavec wrote:

.... then I would truly love it. Being ignored for any jobs because of little experience shatters anyone's confidence. At least employers should consider a translation test for us newbies to show what we have to offer. I have a passion for translation but the circle "no experience, no job" gets to you sooner or later.
But I'm still positive :D
[/quote]

I'm a brand-new translator too and It's quite disappointing to be asked for 2, 3, 5 years of professional experience.
One fine way to gain experience is to work ad honorem. I’ve done it and I can say I learned a lot. There are some sites were you can register to be a volunteer translator:
[url removed] (I’ve worked for them and they’re always in the search for volunteers),
[url removed] (online volunteers for the UN), [url removed] (thanks to this site I’ve ended working for the Cochrane Group through the University of Liverpool, I learned a lot about clinical trials!)

As regards the poll topic...
Yes. I love how my brain works untiringly to solve difficult passages, ambiguities, puns, etc. and also the pleasure of accomplishing an accurate target text.

Poll: Are you happy with your job? | I would like to know...

Gianluca Marras — Tue, 25 Jan 2011 13:36:00 +0000

Forum: Poll Discussion
Topic: Poll: Are you happy with your job?
Poster: Gianluca Marras
Post title: I would like to know...

why those who voted NO are not happy

Poll: Are you happy with your job? | Yes

Susanna Martoni — Tue, 25 Jan 2011 13:25:00 +0000

Forum: Poll Discussion
Topic: Poll: Are you happy with your job?
Poster: Susanna Martoni
Post title: Yes

Absolutely

Poll: Are you happy with your job? | What?

Amy Duncan (X) — Tue, 25 Jan 2011 12:30:00 +0000

Forum: Poll Discussion
Topic: Poll: Are you happy with your job?
Poster: Amy Duncan (X)
Post title: What?

[quote]Francis Kastalski wrote:

I look forward to working as well, so much that I can hardly wait to get up in the morning. The only aspect I regret is the fact that I work with several small jobs which require fast turnaround, and that sometimes leads me crazy. It would not be like this if we had a broadband connection in my area, but it seems we are still living in the stone age :(

:)
Francis [/quote]

Francis, I live in Rio de Janeiro, too, and am amazed that you don't have broadband in Niterói! Don't NET and Velox operate there?

Anyway, I do enjoy my job, for the most part, and I'm grateful to have the freedom I do as a freelancer.

Poll: Are you happy with your job? | Gracias

Adnan Özdemir — Tue, 25 Jan 2011 12:10:00 +0000

Forum: Poll Discussion
Topic: Poll: Are you happy with your job?
Poster: Adnan Özdemir
Post title: Gracias

Gracias Rocio

Saludos

[quote]Rocio Barrientos wrote:

[quote]Adnan Özdemir wrote:

I am very happy with my job. I am the boss, my own boss. Via tech., I can working from/to everywhere (maybe from luna too) :D

I love it.

Very very veryyyyyyyy much ;)

Saludos desde Anatolia

[Edited at 2011-01-25 09:34 GMT] [/quote]

Greetings from somewhere in Bolivia ;) :)

I can be anywhere, I can work at any time, and I truly enjoy being able to create, to build, to elaborate, I love conveying the meaning of concepts, I love to try to follow the train of thought of the writers/authors... etc...

Cheers!

Rocio [/quote]

Poll: Are you happy with your job? | Ditto

Rocio Barrientos — Tue, 25 Jan 2011 12:07:00 +0000

Forum: Poll Discussion
Topic: Poll: Are you happy with your job?
Poster: Rocio Barrientos
Post title: Ditto

[quote]Adnan Özdemir wrote:

I am very happy with my job. I am the boss, my own boss. Via tech., I can working from/to everywhere (maybe from luna too) :D

I love it.

Very very veryyyyyyyy much ;)

Saludos desde Anatolia

[Edited at 2011-01-25 09:34 GMT] [/quote]

Greetings from somewhere in Bolivia ;) :)

I can be anywhere, I can work at any time, and I truly enjoy being able to create, to build, to elaborate, I love conveying the meaning of concepts, I love to try to follow the train of thought of the writers/authors... etc...

Cheers!

Rocio