| Pages in topic: < [1 2 3 4] > | Professionals are hard to find Thread poster: Juno Bos
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JaneD 
Sweden
Local time: 18:01
Member (2009)
Swedish to English
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| Very strange | Sep 26, 2023 |
This is, as someone mentioned earlier in the thread, a really interesting question. I've never been in the position of looking generally for a translator in another pair, but I've certainly had the experience with other freelancers that it's sometimes shockingly difficult to get an answer even when (as far as you're concerned) you've demonstrated that you're a serious client with an imminent job and you know how much it should pay.
My first thought is "Well, people may not be hangin... See more This is, as someone mentioned earlier in the thread, a really interesting question. I've never been in the position of looking generally for a translator in another pair, but I've certainly had the experience with other freelancers that it's sometimes shockingly difficult to get an answer even when (as far as you're concerned) you've demonstrated that you're a serious client with an imminent job and you know how much it should pay.
My first thought is "Well, people may not be hanging around ProZ any more" - which is certainly my experience. When I started out, and even up to five or so years into my career, I was on this platform regularly. Now I very rarely get an enquiry through the site, and when I do it's inevitably something irrelevant or obviously unprofessional. So I spend very little time here (today is the first time I've even looked at the forums in several months!). And I suppose many other experienced translators have probably stopped paying for ProZ membership completely. So if you're only using this platform as a source for translators, that might explain it.
If you're spreading your net more widely, however, I simply have no idea. I've been struck myself by the fact that people are very happy to complain that there's no work, AI is killing the profession and so on and yet they're demonstrably not very professional in the way they interact. Perhaps, as with so many other jobs these days, people simply don't know how to actually be a translator? ▲ Collapse
| | | | Juno Bos
Zambia
Local time: 18:01
Member (2011)
German to Dutch
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TOPIC STARTER | Thanks a lot! | Sep 26, 2023 |
These insights help a lot. I will certainly change something next time I am looking for new translators to work with.
| | | | Lieven Malaise
Belgium
Local time: 18:01
Member (2020)
French to Dutch
+ ...
JaneD wrote:
Perhaps, as with so many other jobs these days, people simply don't know how to actually be a translator?
Definitely a part of a lot of translators' problems and probably at least partially the result of the fact that every hat-wearing monkey can start a freelance career as a translator.
| | | | Baran Keki
Türkiye
Local time: 19:01
Member
English to Turkish
People are wary of replying to a Gmail account? I replied to a translation query, which I knew for certain was a scam, last week, but just out of curiosity downloaded and opened a decent looking PDF file and got my computer infected with a virus. That said, I wouldn't doubt the genuineness of your request and would reply within an hour.
JaneD wrote:
AI is killing the profession and so on and yet they're demonstrably not very professional in the way they interact. Perhaps, as with so many other jobs these days, people simply don't know how to actually be a translator?
No, it's not the AI or the peanut paying agencies that are killing the profession. It's the effing bottom-feeders, who decide that they know super English after having watched a few Netflix series and wish to try their hand at translation, that are killing the profession. After all, it's so bloody easy to click on that 'Join Us' button, and all they need is a computer, an internet connection and electricity subscription, all of which their parents kindly provide. So, to reiterate once again, it's 'translators' themselves that are killing the profession (at least in my language pair), so don't go blaming the ChatGPT or MT.
[Edited at 2023-09-26 10:13 GMT]
Btw I whole-heartedly agree with the OP that "Professionals are hard to find" as there are shit lots of crap and incompetent translators about. If I found two good reliable translators, I'd outsource most of my work, and go out and 'enjoy life'.
[Edited at 2023-09-26 11:43 GMT]
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IrinaN
United States
Local time: 11:01
English to Russian
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| A chicken or an egg? | Sep 26, 2023 |
[quote]Baran Keki wrote:
After all, it's so bloody easy to click on that 'Join Us' button, and all they need is a computer, an internet connection and electricity subscription, all of which their parents kindly provide. So, to reiterate once again, it's 'translators' themselves that are killing the profession (at least in my language pair), so don't go blaming the ChatGPT or MT.
In order to get somewhere, one must have an open door. The wider, the better. Who wouldn't try an easy access to any money, big or small? So who or what did open that door so wide that it no longer requires any key or even a push (aka education or experience in our case?) Just a thought...
I see no point in pushing the blame around. Evolution works in mysterious ways:-) but human nature will remain the same forever - a desire to get more or at least something with minimal effort will never go extinct, and any slightest opportunity, be it simply a convenience of working from home doing whatever, thus saving on many things will always work its magic. It has finally touched us directly; we can no longer avoid the consequences and blissfully remain in our exclusive, elite, once untouchable bubble with all our idealistic intellectual aspirations:-). Nasty talk, I know...
If you think that I like what I'm saying, your anger will be utterly misplaced:-)
Any further rants would just hijack the thread.
[Edited at 2023-09-27 03:05 GMT]
| | | | kd42
Estonia
Local time: 19:01
English to Russian
| Please clarify what you expect | Sep 27, 2023 |
Ana Cuesta wrote:
But if the message is obviously sent to a whole list of people (even if my name appears in the salutation but it’s clearly automatized), I probably won’t bother unless I am interested in the job at hand or on further collaboration.
This is intriguing. If I decide to send you a message asking for a quote, am I expected to mention your town or some local event, or praise a couple of your Instagram photos?
I have a couple of clients who are now my good friends, after 10-15 years of working together, but it all started very formally, from a "clearly automatized" email with my name in it. So, I don't understand what you mean.
| | | | S_G_C
Romania
Local time: 19:01
English to Romanian
Juno Bos wrote:
These insights help a lot. I will certainly change something next time I am looking for new translators to work with.
I just wanted to say that I am one of those translators who has been looking for new opportunities for a long time and fallen into the "join us" trap more than a few times.
I would reply immediately unless I am out and can't access my email/whatsapp on the spot.
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Juno Bos wrote:
I normally post a pretty specific job, and besides that I look for suitable translators in the directory here.
Perhaps you shouldn't only contact the prominent ones in the directory, the high-ranking show-off KudoZ knights. Some of them are no longer active anymore, let alone for (smaller) jobs, are oversaturized, living off a good military pension and/or are trying to outsource your job too to buddies they know or to persons they don't know from a dubious alumni network.
[Bearbeitet am 2023-10-03 08:31 GMT]
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kd42
Estonia
Local time: 19:01
English to Russian
| What is the trap please | Oct 3, 2023 |
S_G_C wrote:
I am one of those translators who has been looking for new opportunities for a long time and fallen into the "join us" trap more than a few times.
What was the trap? What happened to you? Please tell.
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JaneD wrote:
This is, as someone mentioned earlier in the thread, a really interesting question. I've never been in the position of looking generally for a translator in another pair, but I've certainly had the experience with other freelancers that it's sometimes shockingly difficult to get an answer even when (as far as you're concerned) you've demonstrated that you're a serious client with an imminent job and you know how much it should pay.
My first thought is "Well, people may not be hanging around ProZ any more" - which is certainly my experience. When I started out, and even up to five or so years into my career, I was on this platform regularly. Now I very rarely get an enquiry through the site, and when I do it's inevitably something irrelevant or obviously unprofessional. So I spend very little time here (today is the first time I've even looked at the forums in several months!). And I suppose many other experienced translators have probably stopped paying for ProZ membership completely. So if you're only using this platform as a source for translators, that might explain it.
If you're spreading your net more widely, however, I simply have no idea. I've been struck myself by the fact that people are very happy to complain that there's no work, AI is killing the profession and so on and yet they're demonstrably not very professional in the way they interact. Perhaps, as with so many other jobs these days, people simply don't know how to actually be a translator?
I'm often surprised people have so much time to be active on this website. All that time could be used to look for new clients, improve your CV, do a course, improve your profile and website, register at new platforms and with new agencies, etc. etc.
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Edit, double message
[Edited at 2023-10-13 05:19 GMT]
| | | | | Detailed information | Oct 13, 2023 |
Juno Bos wrote:
These insights help a lot. I will certainly change something next time I am looking for new translators to work with.
I think most of the reasons have been mentioned: people don't have the relevant skills, are busy and forget about the e-mail, etc.
When I'm busy translating, I usually don't respond to e-mails immediately because there are deadlines to meet. But if the offer is interesting enough, i will definitely send a reaction the same day, or just a confirmation message and a promise to send a more detailed reply within a few days if the pressure is already high.
You can't force people replying, but I prefer to receive e-mails with:
- A personal touch (my name, the reason why you are contacting me specifically)
- Information about yourself, who you are, who you work for, some references to prove reliability
- A detailed description of the project (area, content, word count, format etc.)
- Detailed financial information (hourly/word rates offered, payment terms)
- Expected deadlines
The more information, the easier it is for the translator to determine if the job fits their skills, is worth their while and fits their schedule, and the faster I imagine you would get a reply. The more we have to think about when writing an email back, the longer it takes, the higher the chances for distractions and postponing, and all that hinders fast responses.
Maybe you already do all those things, and in that case I would find it hard to determine what the issue is. The translators not replying would have to say why themselves.
[Edited at 2023-10-13 05:21 GMT]
[Edited at 2023-10-13 05:22 GMT]
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| Personal touch | Oct 13, 2023 |
kd42 wrote: Ana Cuesta wrote:
But if the message is obviously sent to a whole list of people (even if my name appears in the salutation but it’s clearly automatized), I probably won’t bother unless I am interested in the job at hand or on further collaboration. This is intriguing. If I decide to send you a message asking for a quote, am I expected to mention your town or some local event, or praise a couple of your Instagram photos? I have a couple of clients who are now my good friends, after 10-15 years of working together, but it all started very formally, from a "clearly automatized" email with my name in it. So, I don't understand what you mean.
What I think she's trying to say is that the inclination to reply to impersonal e-mails is much smaller than the inclination to reply to more personal e-mails. Only if the job is interesting enough would you spend valuable time to reply to such impersonal e-mails, because there is no perceived risk of hurting a potential relationship with another person/potential client.
[Edited at 2023-10-13 05:41 GMT]
| | | | Daniel Frisano
Italy
Local time: 18:01
Member (2008)
English to Italian
+ ...
| Same everywhere | Oct 16, 2023 |
Been having the same issue with gardeners, electricians, cleaning personnel, etc.
Drives me nuts. There must be a general air of lackadaisicalness around.
| | | | David GAY
Local time: 18:01
English to French
+ ...
| some reasons | Oct 17, 2023 |
There may be some other reasons such as
-your email was filtered by gmail as a spam
-the volume you offered was too small to bother to give a quote
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