Poll: Which feeling do you prefer? Thread poster: ProZ.com Staff
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| | | Receiving a new and exciting job (by far) | Jul 18, 2019 |
For starters, I must say that I don’t get bored easily. I have been translating full-time for over 30 years and in the beginning I would accept everything a client offered me but with experience I became very selective when it comes to saying yes. Of course some projects are more interesting than others, but overall the good bits far outweigh the boring or annoying ones!
| | | | neilmac
Spain
Local time: 10:01
Spanish to English
+ ...
There is nothing more boring than people who whinge about things being boring. If I thought translation was a boring job, I wouldn't be doing it. Obviously, some things are more entertaining to do than others, and it is nice to occasionally get something which is entertaining and interesting, but as in other walks of life, I think you have to take the rough with the smooth.
[Edited at 2019-07-18 11:04 GMT]
| | | | Adam Warren 
France
Local time: 10:01
Member (2005)
French to English
| Avoiding "dirty jobs" | Jul 18, 2019 |
Teresa Borges wrote:
in the beginning I would accept everything a client offered me but with experience I became very selective
I agree with Neilmac that, constructively, earning a living involves a measure of grit and grind. That's business. However, it is importat to know what you are letting yourself in for. Some jobs are to be avoided. Sometimes the deadline is punitively short given the word count. Others are less straightforward. I am thinking particularly of updates for which the client may quote a net word count that takes no account of the complexity of the task. Or assignments with a complex series of tasks for which, again, the deadline is unrealistic.
Often, a lead-time underestimate may be due to job-manager inexperience. For one of my clients, on the other hand, short deadlines are a matter of (mistaken) policy.
In fine, it is a matter of gauging whether one can complete a job to professional standards with a reasonable safety margin. In the words of Brer Rabbit "Don't go near that tar baby" (or briar bush) 😂
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Kay Denney
France
Local time: 10:01
French to English
Like Teresa, I only accept work that I find interesting nowadays.
I should have voted "other" though because the feeling I like best is the elation when I've finally cracked a tough translation and sent it off, proud of what I have achieved.
Or maybe getting an email along the lines of "your test was by far best, so even though you are more expensive, we've decided to give you the job", regardless of how interesting the job might be: the compliment is what makes me thrive.
| | | | Paulinho Fonseca
Brazil
Local time: 06:01
Member (2011)
English to Portuguese
+ ...
| Receiving a new and exciting job | Jul 18, 2019 |
I got one last night from a regular direct client.
In most cases, though the proposal sounds fantastic, I carry out a thorough research on client's background, if that is our first time...
XD
| | | | Gabriella Vento
United States
Local time: 01:01
Member (2015)
English to Hungarian
+ ...
| With full honesty... | Jul 18, 2019 |
...I must admit, the most I enjoy is getting paid for a job, whether I enjoyed doing it or not.
Especially because there are always risks involved at this phase.
On the other hand, would I do it if I could afford just enjoying retirement?
Yes, I would!
Feeling useful and appreciated is one of the most fulfilling things in life.
[Edited at 2019-07-18 17:09 GMT]
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My feeling hierarchy, from top to bottom:
- Being asked to do a long well-paid job in a field I particularly enjoy;
- Getting paid for same;
- Delivering a job that frazzled my brain;
- Getting paid for same;
- Being asked to do any other job;
- Getting paid for same.
[Edited at 2019-07-18 23:17 GMT]
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Muriel Vasconcellos wrote:
My feeling hierarchy, from top to bottom:
- Being asked to do a long well-paid job in a field I particularly enjoy;
- Getting paid for same;
- Delivering a job that frazzled my brain;
- Getting paid for same;
- Being asked to do any other job;
- Getting paid for same.
[Edited at 2019-07-18 23:17 GMT]
....and:
- Getting a super nice feedback saying you did amazing
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