Pages in topic:   [1 2] >
Poll: How do you behave when you have more than one job at a time?
Thread poster: ProZ.com Staff
ProZ.com Staff
ProZ.com Staff
SITE STAFF
Dec 13, 2014

This forum topic is for the discussion of the poll question "How do you behave when you have more than one job at a time?".

View the poll results »



 
Platon Danilov
Platon Danilov  Identity Verified
Ukraine
Local time: 22:47
English to Russian
+ ...
Other Dec 13, 2014

I have actually never faced with such situation, but if it happens I'd either try to negotiate the deadlines or share a job with my colleague.

 
Christopher Schröder
Christopher Schröder
United Kingdom
Member (2011)
Swedish to English
+ ...
Badly Dec 13, 2014

I get really drunk and run round town naked singing Wonderwall really loudly

 
neilmac
neilmac
Spain
Local time: 21:47
Spanish to English
+ ...
Depends Dec 13, 2014

The usual procedure is to do one job at a time. However, if I am working on a longish text and a shorter one - which I can do more quickly - comes in, I might stop working on the long text, do the short one, then go back to the long one again.

 
Maria Teresa Borges de Almeida
Maria Teresa Borges de Almeida  Identity Verified
Portugal
Local time: 20:47
Member (2007)
English to Portuguese
+ ...
The same here... Dec 13, 2014

neilmac wrote:

The usual procedure is to do one job at a time. However, if I am working on a longish text and a shorter one - which I can do more quickly - comes in, I might stop working on the long text, do the short one, then go back to the long one again.


It happens quite often. I have been working on 3 longish jobs (circa 30,000 words in total) to be delivered in the beginning of 2015, but yesterday I received 2 smaller jobs (1 page + 3 pages) for next week and I know there is more work to come...


 
Yvonne Gallagher
Yvonne Gallagher
Ireland
Local time: 20:47
Member (2010)
French to English
+ ...
usually one at time... Dec 13, 2014

Like others, the usual procedure is to do one job at a time. However, if I am working on a very long one with a later deadline, I will often do the small one with earlier deadline and send it before returning to long one

I am in that multi-job position right now. Have three texts (3 clients) but all 3 for Monday a.m. 1,000, 1,500 and 3,800 words. Just finished middle one (culinary). Will now do longest one and finally shortest one tomorrow (both legal contracts)


 
Melanie Nassar
Melanie Nassar  Identity Verified
United States
Local time: 22:47
German to English
+ ...
If they are for the same client Dec 13, 2014

I work on them in the order the client wants them back, assuming they are of the same level of difficulty.

I sometimes have more difficult jobs that I prefer to work on first thing in the morning and move on to something less challenging (or more fun) later. Sometimes the less challenging jobs are quite simply boring, however, and I like to work on a few pages in between more interesting things.

If I have the luxury of a generous deadline, I find it can be very helpful
... See more
I work on them in the order the client wants them back, assuming they are of the same level of difficulty.

I sometimes have more difficult jobs that I prefer to work on first thing in the morning and move on to something less challenging (or more fun) later. Sometimes the less challenging jobs are quite simply boring, however, and I like to work on a few pages in between more interesting things.

If I have the luxury of a generous deadline, I find it can be very helpful to work on different kinds of things and then return to something with fresh eyes.
Collapse


 
Julian Holmes
Julian Holmes  Identity Verified
Japan
Local time: 05:47
Member (2011)
Japanese to English
Insert a few jobs Dec 13, 2014

I'm currently doing a 180,000 source Japanese character job, which is basically a doddle content-wise and will keep me busy a few weeks. In the mean time, I will slip in a few small ones for some light entertainment.

Don't you know how to juggle? Flexibility and agility are the keys to surviving in this business. My advice - Don't turn into a dinosaur.

As to the question 'How do I behave.' Well, quite well, actually - apart from the streaking and mooning, that is. ... See more
I'm currently doing a 180,000 source Japanese character job, which is basically a doddle content-wise and will keep me busy a few weeks. In the mean time, I will slip in a few small ones for some light entertainment.

Don't you know how to juggle? Flexibility and agility are the keys to surviving in this business. My advice - Don't turn into a dinosaur.

As to the question 'How do I behave.' Well, quite well, actually - apart from the streaking and mooning, that is.
Collapse


 
Muriel Vasconcellos
Muriel Vasconcellos  Identity Verified
United States
Local time: 13:47
Member (2003)
Spanish to English
+ ...
Other Dec 13, 2014

Ditto:

neilmac wrote:

The usual procedure is to do one job at a time. However, if I am working on a longish text and a shorter one - which I can do more quickly - comes in, I might stop working on the long text, do the short one, then go back to the long one again.


Since long jobs are my bread-and-butter, I frequently sandwich in shorter ones. But before I accept the smaller ones, I make sure that I'm not jeopardizing my schedule to complete the big one.


 
Thayenga
Thayenga  Identity Verified
Germany
Local time: 21:47
Member (2009)
English to German
+ ...
It depends Dec 13, 2014

Julian Holmes wrote:

I'm currently doing a 180,000 source Japanese character job, which is basically a doddle content-wise and will keep me busy a few weeks. In the mean time, I will slip in a few small ones for some light entertainment.


It's the same here, though not a Japüanese character job.


As to the question 'How do I behave.' Well, quite well, actually - apart from the streaking and mooning, that is.


Behaving like normal/every day. Simultaneous jobs don't suffice to throw me into a fit. Not that this ever occurs, since "fits" are allowed only once every decade.


 
John Cutler
John Cutler  Identity Verified
Spain
Local time: 21:47
Spanish to English
+ ...
Wording Dec 13, 2014

Chris S wrote:

I get really drunk and run round town naked singing Wonderwall really loudly


Thw wording of this question was just begging for an answer like that.


 
Mario Chavez (X)
Mario Chavez (X)  Identity Verified
Local time: 16:47
English to Spanish
+ ...
Juggling dinosaurs Dec 13, 2014

Julian Holmes wrote:

I'm currently doing a 180,000 source Japanese character job, which is basically a doddle content-wise and will keep me busy a few weeks. In the mean time, I will slip in a few small ones for some light entertainment.

Don't you know how to juggle? Flexibility and agility are the keys to surviving in this business. My advice - Don't turn into a dinosaur.

As to the question 'How do I behave.' Well, quite well, actually - apart from the streaking and mooning, that is.


Well, Julian, we can't expect any dinosaur to juggle. They have such tiny arms!


 
Mario Chavez (X)
Mario Chavez (X)  Identity Verified
Local time: 16:47
English to Spanish
+ ...
No “I misbehave” option? Dec 13, 2014

John Cutler wrote:

Chris S wrote:

I get really drunk and run round town naked singing Wonderwall really loudly


Thw wording of this question was just begging for an answer like that.


I feel cheated!

On a related topic, I can hear the distinct rattle sound inside the head of whoever used the verb “behave” in the poll question.


 
Balasubramaniam L.
Balasubramaniam L.  Identity Verified
India
Local time: 02:17
Member (2006)
English to Hindi
+ ...
SITE LOCALIZER
I handle this in the same way as a computer handles different processes Dec 13, 2014

This frequently happens to me, as I have spread my bet across many clients and frequently many clients send me work at the same time.

I set priorities for each job by taking into consideration deadline, flexibility of the client, rate, etc., and give maximum time to the job with highest priority, but not all the time. I also give some time to other lesser priority jobs and aim to complete all of the jobs by their respective deadlines.

Simultaneously I also negotiate wit
... See more
This frequently happens to me, as I have spread my bet across many clients and frequently many clients send me work at the same time.

I set priorities for each job by taking into consideration deadline, flexibility of the client, rate, etc., and give maximum time to the job with highest priority, but not all the time. I also give some time to other lesser priority jobs and aim to complete all of the jobs by their respective deadlines.

Simultaneously I also negotiate with my clients to see if they can allow more time for their jobs, which helps me to avoid going into a thrashing mode (like computers, when they "hang") that is, jobs are too numerous and time too short, so that you keep moving from job to job, but are unable to give sufficient time to any of them and hence none of the jobs progresses and you merely waste time in a flurry of meaningless activities.

Fortunately, the last described "thrashing" situation has not so far happened.

[Edited at 2014-12-13 16:28 GMT]
Collapse


 
Triston Goodwin
Triston Goodwin  Identity Verified
United States
Local time: 14:47
Spanish to English
+ ...
Translate whatever is due first Dec 13, 2014

I never really thought about it, but I guess I translate one at a time - starting with whatever is due first.

Also, for long projects, I tend to lose track of time. I developed a special biological time monitoring system based on facial hair. It's really simple. I stop shaving when I start the project, and I then have a rough idea of how long I've been working.

Some would say, why not just use a calender? To which I reply, after working the insane hours that I prefer,
... See more
I never really thought about it, but I guess I translate one at a time - starting with whatever is due first.

Also, for long projects, I tend to lose track of time. I developed a special biological time monitoring system based on facial hair. It's really simple. I stop shaving when I start the project, and I then have a rough idea of how long I've been working.

Some would say, why not just use a calender? To which I reply, after working the insane hours that I prefer, would a bunch of boxes and numbers make sense to you? Of course not! I immediately start counting rows and columns to add to my next table. I can feel my beard... or at least parts of it, sadly my family wasn't blessed with great beardedness.
Collapse


 
Pages in topic:   [1 2] >


To report site rules violations or get help, contact a site moderator:

Moderator(s) of this forum
Jared Tabor[Call to this topic]

You can also contact site staff by submitting a support request »

Poll: How do you behave when you have more than one job at a time?






Trados Business Manager Lite
Create customer quotes and invoices from within Trados Studio

Trados Business Manager Lite helps to simplify and speed up some of the daily tasks, such as invoicing and reporting, associated with running your freelance translation business.

More info »
CafeTran Espresso
You've never met a CAT tool this clever!

Translate faster & easier, using a sophisticated CAT tool built by a translator / developer. Accept jobs from clients who use Trados, MemoQ, Wordfast & major CAT tools. Download and start using CafeTran Espresso -- for free

Buy now! »