| Pages in topic: < [1 2] | Poll: Have you noticed a decrease in your incoming projects over the last 2-3 months? Thread poster: ProZ.com Staff
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Serena Warlu (X) 
Local time: 09:22
French to English
| Not sure yet, but I am worried. | Dec 6, 2008 |
I have had a couple of large projects to keep me busy so it is hard to tell, but I am worried. It seems logical that companies will postpone or cancel translation projects if they are suffering from the current financial situation.
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Touch wood, I haven't been affected so far. If anything, I'm probably busier - with legal work specifically relating to the credit crunch. My strong background in bankruptices and liquidations has come in very handy.
2009 will be the crunch year - if we manage to get through that unscathed, we should be ok.
| | | | Сергей Лузан
Russian Federation
Local time: 10:22
German to Russian
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The number of orders & clients even increased - I can't even response to all of them. I pick up simultaneous interpreting predominantly. Perhaps the crises times require more negotiations in many languages, or my PhD in Ec is the reason. I've never been so busy before Xmas. But there much more direct clients than usual - hard times for many agencies as far as I can judge. Some interpreters also complain.
| | | | neilmac
Spain
Local time: 09:22
Spanish to English
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| Very slightly | Dec 7, 2008 |
One client (a small marketing survey company) has been trying to do their own translations (into Spanish) to save money because I declined to lower my rates. They say their clients (mostly large agri-multinationals) are squeezing them due to the economic climate.
Another client (newly formed academic institution) has been very quiet since the summer but I believe this is because their project is on hold for political reasons (opposition of other universities to its funding). I'm sure they'... See more One client (a small marketing survey company) has been trying to do their own translations (into Spanish) to save money because I declined to lower my rates. They say their clients (mostly large agri-multinationals) are squeezing them due to the economic climate.
Another client (newly formed academic institution) has been very quiet since the summer but I believe this is because their project is on hold for political reasons (opposition of other universities to its funding). I'm sure they'll get back up again in 2009.
I had a couple of weeks recently where no new stuff came in, but that gave me time to do other things, such as admin and medical checks.
As usual, I have also had to refuse work due to absurd same-day deadlines.
In general, I believe my earnings by the end of the year will be the same as last year. ▲ Collapse
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| No, not al all | Dec 7, 2008 |
In fact, quite the opposite! During the 2nd half of the year, I am getting a lot more work from my regular clients (in general) and more new clients are approaching me. I have to say no to most of them.
| | | | Latin_Hellas (X)
United States
Local time: 09:22
Italian to English
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| Decline then rebound | Dec 8, 2008 |
Finance specialist and general business, suffered a year-on-year decline in September and October, when crisis exploded.
Focused on general business and sought new customers since then, set a new record for November last month, so far this month also at a record pace for December.
Moral: diversification is good; be flexible.
| | | | Anthony Baldwin
United States
Local time: 03:22
Portuguese to English
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I've made as much in Aug., Sep., Oct., and Nov, together, as I made in the month of July, alone.
I was busy up until July, and July saw my highest sales ever, which has carried me through until now, but, those funds have finally fizzled out, and there has been so little since that we're starting to move into the red, here.
Since July, it's like my clients have dropped off the face of the earth...
Actually, August was on the low end of average, and October was almost average, bu... See more I've made as much in Aug., Sep., Oct., and Nov, together, as I made in the month of July, alone.
I was busy up until July, and July saw my highest sales ever, which has carried me through until now, but, those funds have finally fizzled out, and there has been so little since that we're starting to move into the red, here.
Since July, it's like my clients have dropped off the face of the earth...
Actually, August was on the low end of average, and October was almost average, but both, September and November were completely dismal.
Now, December is 1/4 gone already, and I've sold nothing this month, yet.
Agencies that have kept me so busy I hardly slept through 07 and the first half of this year just suddenly have no work.
Some have closed shop, no longer exist.
I do FR, ES, and PT to US English, and having, at least, the diversity of several pairs has always kept me quite busy.
All the same, for the past several years FR/EN has been about 70% of my work, a lot of it patents, construction contract, service contracts, and now there is almost no FR/EN work at all.
Thankfully, Brazil has been providing some new, large projects, so, now PT/EN is comprising the majority of my work, but, it is still sporadic, and insufficient. If things keep up, I will be seeking different work...I might go back to waiting tables, for all I know, if there is any such work available. So many employers in my area are laying off, retailers and restaurants are closing shops...It doesn't look good.
Oh yes, and I live in Connecticut, USA, one of the most expensive places to live in the world. I've had to lower rates to get some of the few jobs I am getting, while prices for everything are going through the roof. I don't think my location affects how much work I receive, in general, since my clients are all over the world, but, it does affect my ability to survive on limited funds.
I'm worried.
[Edited at 2008-12-08 12:21 GMT]
[Edited at 2008-12-08 12:23 GMT] ▲ Collapse
| | | | Anthony Baldwin
United States
Local time: 03:22
Portuguese to English
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Kathryn Litherland wrote:
I work mostly for agencies, and I've noticed that certain clients that I used to get projects from regularly only have dribs and drabs every now and then. On the other hand, I've gotten some new clients on board recently that always seem to have something! I'm not sure if it's because the agencies themselves are struggling, or because they've found someone else to work with, or what...
What I have noticed is an increase in potential jobs getting canceled, including one job that was confirmed to go ahead and got canceled half a day later. Fortunately, I'd not started on it, so no harm, no foul.
I work in the same pairs (ES, PT to EN, but also FR to EN), and have noticed the same thing.
Plenty of inquiries, but a lot of canceled potential jobs...very unnerving, and the flow of work is sporadic and insufficient.
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