Poll: What's the least profitable season for you? Thread poster: ProZ.com Staff
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This forum topic is for the discussion of the poll question "What's the least profitable season for you?".
View the poll results »
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Everyone's on holiday - including me!
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Chris S wrote:
Everyone's on holiday - including me!
Just what I was going to say. But define profit!
OK, summer is when I usually spend a lot of money and earn very little, as I do over Christmas, but I made fun of somebody on another website who claimed he worked 365 days a year. There is more to profit than working hours and earning money.
I profit a lot from my summer holiday in many ways, some more easily definable than others.
My health and humour improve, I get chances to buy books and read them, and pick up new ideas... or remember old ones that had faded into the background. In some ways that is the most profitable season!
| | | | Julian Holmes 
Japan
Local time: 11:25
Member (2011)
Japanese to English
| It varies... | May 20, 2014 |
...a lot since a single job/project can considerably affect income.
And this year, it's not a seasonal thing.
April was ... well ... the worst month I've had in years since the consumption tax was raised from 5% to 8% over here which coincided with the first month of the new fiscal year for the majority of major Japanese corporations.
This was felt particularly among translators over here, apparently. Quite strange really since exports and machinery orders are up ... See more ...a lot since a single job/project can considerably affect income.
And this year, it's not a seasonal thing.
April was ... well ... the worst month I've had in years since the consumption tax was raised from 5% to 8% over here which coincided with the first month of the new fiscal year for the majority of major Japanese corporations.
This was felt particularly among translators over here, apparently. Quite strange really since exports and machinery orders are up 19%, and if you need something translated for export it's got to be translated -- full stop. ▲ Collapse
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neilmac
Spain
Local time: 04:25
Spanish to English
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Things tend to slow down here in the run up to summer, and winter can have slack periods. I can recall at least a couple of years when January and February were pretty slack, although this year and last year were fine for me.
Since many people take time off in the summer months, I find that if you are available for work at these times it is easier to find decent agency work than it is the rest of the year. I usually find myself receiving (unsolicited) offers of summer work in June o... See more Things tend to slow down here in the run up to summer, and winter can have slack periods. I can recall at least a couple of years when January and February were pretty slack, although this year and last year were fine for me.
Since many people take time off in the summer months, I find that if you are available for work at these times it is easier to find decent agency work than it is the rest of the year. I usually find myself receiving (unsolicited) offers of summer work in June or July... ▲ Collapse
| | | | Michael Harris
Germany
Local time: 04:25
Member (2006)
German to English
Julian Holmes wrote:
...a lot since a single job/project can considerably affect income.
And this year, it's not a seasonal thing.
April was ... well ... the worst month I've had in years since the consumption tax was raised from 5% to 8% over here which coincided with the first month of the new fiscal year for the majority of major Japanese corporations.
This was felt particularly among translators over here, apparently. Quite strange really since exports and machinery orders are up 19%, and if you need something translated for export it's got to be translated -- full stop.
except for April, everything running smoooothly, and happy about it
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It's pretty much balanced!
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I don’t think I’ve ever looked at the total amount invoiced per quarter or season, but always per month or per year. As others have said it varies a lot, but last year was pretty balanced. Like Neil, I usually find myself receiving decent offers of summer work when many people are taking time off…
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Nilton Junior
Brazil
Local time: 03:25
Member (2009)
English to Portuguese
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Teresa Borges wrote:
I don’t think I’ve ever looked at the total amount invoiced per quarter or season, but always per month or per year.
Me too. Seasons here in Rio are pretty much the same (always hot), so in fact it is very rare for me to even notice them. Although I do not have any clients in Brazil, fortunately I usually do not experience any slower periods throughout the year(s).
| | | | Anthony Baldwin
United States
Local time: 22:25
Portuguese to English
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Income always varies throughout the year, and there seems to be no seasonal pattern,
but my expenses are always greater in the winter (heating the house, more lights on for longer hours, etc.)
| | | | Mario Chavez (X)
Local time: 22:25
English to Spanish
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| The least profitable season for me is... | May 20, 2014 |
...the season of my discontent
| | | | Nicole Schnell
United States
Local time: 19:25
English to German
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In memoriam | I voted "other" because there are slow months, but never entire seasons | May 21, 2014 |
An entire slow season would be horrifying...
Writing a lot in the field of marketing and advertising, the work load is based on the fiscal year (budgets need to be used up, then comes a new budget). There will be a slow January, for example, while everybody is sitting in meetings and thinks about how to spend the new budget. Then everybody is running late to get things ready for all the trade shows in spring. Followed by a slow month because they are all exhausted from all the sprin... See more An entire slow season would be horrifying...
Writing a lot in the field of marketing and advertising, the work load is based on the fiscal year (budgets need to be used up, then comes a new budget). There will be a slow January, for example, while everybody is sitting in meetings and thinks about how to spend the new budget. Then everybody is running late to get things ready for all the trade shows in spring. Followed by a slow month because they are all exhausted from all the spring trade shows. Then they actually sold some huge machines during their trade shows to overseas and all the manuals need to be translated in a snap. Then there will be a quiet June. Then the rush starts again because everybody wants to get their projects done before they can take off for summer vacation. August is quiet. Then the rush starts again because all the budgets need to be used up before the fiscal year ends.
Rinse and repeat. Same thing every year. ▲ Collapse
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