| Pages in topic: [1 2] > | Poll: Do you prefer short term or long term projects? Thread poster: ProZ.com Staff
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For me the ideal is a mixture of the two - a long-term project to ensure one is never idle, with a sprinkling of short-term ones mixed in for variety.
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No preference whatsoever, but what I really, really, like is having a long term project with a comfortable deadline and in parallel handling a good bunch of shortish projects …
| | | | | Long + some shorter | Jun 4, 2015 |
Teresa Borges wrote:
No preference whatsoever, but what I really, really, like is having a long term project with a comfortable deadline and in parallel handling a good bunch of shortish projects …
Totally agree.
I do tend to find longer projects more financially profitable. Sometimes these long projects come in shortish sections with gaps in between.
[Edited at 2015-06-04 09:06 GMT]
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| Short term, every time! | Jun 4, 2015 |
I practically always have a stream of short-term jobs coming in. My average word count is probably below 1000, but it varies enormously. Anything over 5000 - 10 000 words leaves me turning down attractive jobs from regular clients unless the deadline is very long.
Then if it is, I run out of steam and get tired of the long-term project. It seems hard to maintain consistency and find time for proofreading...
Many of my short-term jobs are in fact snippets or chapters of ... See more I practically always have a stream of short-term jobs coming in. My average word count is probably below 1000, but it varies enormously. Anything over 5000 - 10 000 words leaves me turning down attractive jobs from regular clients unless the deadline is very long.
Then if it is, I run out of steam and get tired of the long-term project. It seems hard to maintain consistency and find time for proofreading...
Many of my short-term jobs are in fact snippets or chapters of longer-term projects, and for some reason I have no trouble with consistency there! So I divide the bigger ones up and try to pretend they are similar, set my own deadlines for each section, and tricks like that. It doesn't always work! I usually end up in a mad rush anyway.
I have 30% of a book and a final proofreading to be delivered at the end of the month, and I'm not in serious trouble yet... but the pattern is definitely there! ▲ Collapse
| | | | | | | Large job + long deadline with little ones sandwiched in | Jun 4, 2015 |
Teresa Borges wrote:
No preference whatsoever, but what I really, really, like is having a long term project with a comfortable deadline and in parallel handling a good bunch of shortish projects …
One problem with really long projects is that the subject matter can get a little stale. I'm in the middle of one right now. I have translated about 175 pages on vaccination and deworming and I'm only half through. There are about 200 pages more in the pipeline and I find my mind wandering a lot and getting easily distracted.
On the bright side, the money is good and I've started dreaming about remodeling my kitchen.
[Edited at 2015-06-04 09:22 GMT]
| | | | Jack Doughty 
United Kingdom
Local time: 18:56
Russian to English
+ ...
In memoriam | Depends what sort of work | Jun 4, 2015 |
I prefer literary work if I can get it, and in that field I prefer a book rather than short jobs.
But in the technical and business fields, I prefer short ones.
@ Muriel: I am doing well from books, and my kitchen is being remodelled as I am writing this to sounds of hammering, drilling and sawing.
[Edited at 2015-06-04 09:30 GMT]
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I often reject long-term projects (over 1 week of full time work) since they deprive me of flexibility making me unavailable for all other clients for a long time,
| | | | Billh
Local time: 18:56
Spanish to English
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| Long projects | Jun 4, 2015 |
get so boring I tend to lose interest, meaning anythinq which takes over about a week to do.
| | | | | A healthy mix of all sizes of projects | Jun 4, 2015 |
That's the best way for high productivity, however it requires good time management skills, to avoid missing deadlines.
I'm pretty at ease with such a mix, since I used to teach time management as a consultant, and haven't missed a translation deadline yet, since 1973.
However I reckon that solid planning and considerable assertiveness are required to prevent making my schedule "doomed in advance".
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Christine Andersen wrote:
I practically always have a stream of short-term jobs coming in. My average word count is probably below 1000, but it varies enormously. Anything over 5000 - 10 000 words leaves me turning down attractive jobs from regular clients unless the deadline is very long.
Then if it is, I run out of steam and get tired of the long-term project. It seems hard to maintain consistency and find time for proofreading...
Many of my short-term jobs are in fact snippets or chapters of longer-term projects, and for some reason I have no trouble with consistency there! So I divide the bigger ones up and try to pretend they are similar, set my own deadlines for each section, and tricks like that. It doesn't always work! I usually end up in a mad rush anyway.
I see many of us face the same issue (at least I just discussed it this morning with a fellow translator!) Thank you for the tip, Christine. Although it doesn't work all the time, it is worth giving it a try.
I'll be glad to read any other tips fellow translators may have!
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I find one-week projects (10-15k) most appealing, because they give me enough time to get immersed in and deepen a subject, while being short enough to avoid boredom. And you get most of your monthly bills and taxes covered in one job.
"Long-term" projects (I'd say >40k) usually leave enough slack to squeeze in my typical small jobs (500-1500).
My average project size is currently about 1000-1500 words and I handle about 400 deadlines a year, but I'd like less projects ... See more I find one-week projects (10-15k) most appealing, because they give me enough time to get immersed in and deepen a subject, while being short enough to avoid boredom. And you get most of your monthly bills and taxes covered in one job.
"Long-term" projects (I'd say >40k) usually leave enough slack to squeeze in my typical small jobs (500-1500).
My average project size is currently about 1000-1500 words and I handle about 400 deadlines a year, but I'd like less projects and more words for each one!
Philippe ▲ Collapse
| | | | Sheila Wilson
Spain
Local time: 18:56
Member (2007)
English
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| 100% the same as Christine | Jun 4, 2015 |
Christine Andersen wrote:
I practically always have a stream of short-term jobs coming in. My average word count is probably below 1000, but it varies enormously. Anything over 5000 - 10 000 words leaves me turning down attractive jobs from regular clients unless the deadline is very long.
Then if it is, I run out of steam and get tired of the long-term project. It seems hard to maintain consistency and find time for proofreading...
'Short-term projects for long-term clients' wins hands down every time!
| | | | DZiW (X)
Ukraine
English to Russian
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| The longer, the better | Jun 4, 2015 |
For I can not only schedule my agenda and plans, but also feel more secure.
Of course, I usually accept short/urgent projects too.
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