Pages in topic:   [1 2] >
Off topic: Less and less work.
Thread poster: José J. Martínez
José J. Martínez
José J. Martínez  Identity Verified
United States
Local time: 01:49
Member
English to Spanish
+ ...
Sep 17, 2018

Business is down since mid-year...what is happening? I have been translating as an Outsourcer since 2007. The business was normally less during the hot months but lately I have had weeks of zero jobs.

I have a hunch that many persons are charging less and less, some are using machine translation and that is why they can do that (that is my theory). Possibly some are using CATs that are becoming more popular than others and if one does not have that CAT, the disqualification is immed
... See more
Business is down since mid-year...what is happening? I have been translating as an Outsourcer since 2007. The business was normally less during the hot months but lately I have had weeks of zero jobs.

I have a hunch that many persons are charging less and less, some are using machine translation and that is why they can do that (that is my theory). Possibly some are using CATs that are becoming more popular than others and if one does not have that CAT, the disqualification is immediate.

Please, an opinion of what is happening.
Collapse


sdvplatt
 
Dylan J Hartmann
Dylan J Hartmann  Identity Verified
Australia
Member (2014)
Thai to English
+ ...

MODERATOR
Options Sep 17, 2018

My experience in avoiding your situation:


Get certified

Join your state and national translators/interpreters association

Undertake regular professional development

Keep up with the game!



The rates on your profile are already painfully low, not all clients are looking for the cheapest option.

Best of luck!

DJH


Yolanda Broad
Andriy Yasharov
José Henrique Lamensdorf
Christophe Delaunay
Christophe Charlec
Adrián Sánchez Alcón
Meredith Nikides
 
Kevin Fulton
Kevin Fulton  Identity Verified
United States
Local time: 04:49
German to English
Fluctuations hard to predict Sep 17, 2018

Depending on your clientele, sometimes there are predictable slow periods: Christmas holidays, summer holidays, etc.
Apart from the holiday phenomenon, I've noticed over the years that from time-to-time even regular clients (50+ jobs/year) fall silent for a few weeks. As has been pointed out, increasing your profile in the market can help keep the workflow up, but sometimes there's no real explanation for slack periods.


writeaway
Tom in London
Tradupro17
 
gayd (X)
gayd (X)
Very weak client base Sep 17, 2018

According to the WWAs on your profile, you have a very weak
client base. You have only 2 clients which can provide you with a flow of regular jobs.
One of them pays very low rates and is currently facing financial difficulties.
So you have only one decent client left.(hopefully more, if you have some clients
who didn't leave any WWA).

P.S. I guess you have already enough CATs listed on your profile so it's probably not due to a CAT illiteracy



[
... See more
According to the WWAs on your profile, you have a very weak
client base. You have only 2 clients which can provide you with a flow of regular jobs.
One of them pays very low rates and is currently facing financial difficulties.
So you have only one decent client left.(hopefully more, if you have some clients
who didn't leave any WWA).

P.S. I guess you have already enough CATs listed on your profile so it's probably not due to a CAT illiteracy



[Modifié le 2018-09-17 21:49 GMT]
Collapse


Meredith Nikides
 
DZiW (X)
DZiW (X)
Ukraine
English to Russian
+ ...
venture Sep 17, 2018

José, business is always a risk-management, no wonder working as a freelancer doesn't automatically imply everything will be fine, let alone for long. The no jobs issue assumes you did make at least one management mistake--not diversifying your activity and income sources. "TRANSLATION IS ALL I DO" works both ways...

You're right that in the globalization era it becomes more difficult to keep up with trends. Whereas we should
... See more
José, business is always a risk-management, no wonder working as a freelancer doesn't automatically imply everything will be fine, let alone for long. The no jobs issue assumes you did make at least one management mistake--not diversifying your activity and income sources. "TRANSLATION IS ALL I DO" works both ways...

You're right that in the globalization era it becomes more difficult to keep up with trends. Whereas we should factor the machine translation (PEMT), it's getting even worse in a niche of re-outsourcing in search of the lower price.

Working with local direct clients, I neither cooperate with agencies, nor seek jobs, yet I heard them often saying it's better (or even safer) to deal with small teams and smaller agencies, why not give it a try? Also I checked your ProZ page, which is more like a bio, not a business offer, alas.
Collapse


sdvplatt
 
Silvia Schulz
Silvia Schulz
Netherlands
Local time: 09:49
English to German
+ ...
Marketing and Sales Sep 18, 2018

Hello José,

do you do any marketing? If not I would recommend to think about your marketing and sales strategy. We translators can no longer rely on simply getting job offers, but we need to actively search for clients and market our services. Do you have a website? Are you active on LinkedIn or other social media sites? Do you attend business networking events in your area? Do you approach prospective clients?

Given your long standing experience it should not be hard
... See more
Hello José,

do you do any marketing? If not I would recommend to think about your marketing and sales strategy. We translators can no longer rely on simply getting job offers, but we need to actively search for clients and market our services. Do you have a website? Are you active on LinkedIn or other social media sites? Do you attend business networking events in your area? Do you approach prospective clients?

Given your long standing experience it should not be hard to convince clients of your skills. You just need to get out there and take action.

If you need help I would recommend joining some marketing groups (for translators or businesses in general) on Facebook or other platforms. Check out famous speakers like Tess Whitty (who is also offering a marketing course) or translation business coach Jenae Spry. There is plenty of information out there (can be overwhelming sometimes).

Good luck,
Silvia
Collapse


Christophe Charlec
Matheus Chaud
 
Michal Fabian
Michal Fabian  Identity Verified
Canada
Local time: 04:49
Dutch to Slovak
+ ...
A simple point to consider. Sep 18, 2018

What is your USP?

Dylan J Hartmann
Dan Lucas
P.L.F. Persio
 
Dan Lucas
Dan Lucas  Identity Verified
United Kingdom
Local time: 08:49
Member (2014)
Japanese to English
Again? Sep 19, 2018

José J. Martínez wrote:
Business is down since mid-year...what is happening?

José, have you implemented the advice given to you in 2015, in this thread that you started?
https://www.proz.com/forum/business_issues/287692-what_is_really_happening_in_the_business.html

Or considered the counsel you received in your thread on this subject from 2016?
https://www.proz.com/forum.php/business_issues/298067-lack_of_work.html

It seems you run into - or become aware of - the same problem every year or so. If nothing has improved over those three years, you need to change something. Perhaps you have, but perhaps it wasn't enough.

I agree with Michal, for what it's worth: every translator needs a unique selling point.

Regards,
Dan


Diana Casoliba Bonache
Meredith Nikides
 
Katalin Szilárd
Katalin Szilárd  Identity Verified
Hungary
Local time: 09:49
English to Hungarian
+ ...
Other possible reasons Sep 19, 2018

Dan Lucas wrote:

José J. Martínez wrote:
Business is down since mid-year...what is happening?

José, have you implemented the advice given to you in 2015, in this thread that you started?
https://www.proz.com/forum/business_issues/287692-what_is_really_happening_in_the_business.html

Or considered the counsel you received in your thread on this subject from 2016?
https://www.proz.com/forum.php/business_issues/298067-lack_of_work.html

It seems you run into - or become aware of - the same problem every year or so. If nothing has improved over those three years, you need to change something. Perhaps you have, but perhaps it wasn't enough.

I agree with Michal, for what it's worth: every translator needs a unique selling point.

Regards,
Dan



Hi Dan,

Or he (and everybody) should check:

https://www.proz.com/oauth/user-apps ( Profile -> Settings -> Manage apps) then in the top menu if you put the cursor on your name (do not click on it) and at the bottom of the pop up you see: "Last login from".

As many times I refresh this page, so many different FOREIGN ip addresses are shown. I don't use a VPN.

And another member who is living in Europe, also has a Chinese ip address there.
He doesn't use a VPN either.

Another member in Hungary has ip addresses there that are not in line with his address.

In February I already sent a support ticket concerning this weird Last login part because there was a router ip (192.168.1.1) in the "Last login from" on EVERYBODY's PROFILE. Back in February site staff wrote that the development team said it was for testing purposes...

Back in February they wrote:

" 192.168.1.1, indeed, is the IP for most routers. However, if this were a real login, the last login details would have been updated long ago.
I have received confirmation from a developer at ProZ.com that that information was introduced for testing purposes and was left there accidentally. It has been displaying since October 25th, 2010. This will be resolved shortly. "

But now these foreign ip addresses cannot be from testing. Chinese, US (amazonaws), German etc. ip addresses. Most of them are listed as ip addresses on Anti hacker alliance website where they are fighting against them. And it says Last login from 0 seconds ago...

+updated:

Meanwhile on the normal current proz page (with dark green) menu on the top, if you click on your login details at the bottom right corner, you can see your own actual ip address. But here: https://www.proz.com/oauth/user-apps with the olive green menu some of us (maybe more people but I talked only with a few) see weird ip addresses as Last login.

Who (or what?) is the development team of proz.com?

________________________________________________________________________________

+ read this from the first post:

"Number of visitors decreased dramatically"...

https://www.proz.com/forum/prozcom_directory/326140-proz_find™_search_tool_alpha_speed_improvement_search_by_location_improved-page3.html

_______________________________________________________________________

+ Jose's specialties are medical and pharmaceutical fields. Way too many medical/pharma jobs are done for free due to some psychedelic trend that actually do not belong to NPO jobs. Translators should be able to decide what is an NPO job and what is not.



[Edited at 2018-09-19 11:15 GMT]

[Edited at 2018-09-19 11:56 GMT]


 
Katalin Szilárd
Katalin Szilárd  Identity Verified
Hungary
Local time: 09:49
English to Hungarian
+ ...
The Last Login part was deleted Sep 21, 2018

The Last login part from the olive green menu was deleted without explanation.
Some members have printscreens of that though.


 
Ivana UK
Ivana UK  Identity Verified
United Kingdom
Local time: 08:49
Member (2005)
Italian to English
+ ...
Still there Sep 21, 2018

Katalin Szilárd wrote:

The Last login part from the olive green menu was deleted without explanation.
Some members have printscreens of that though.


Hi Katalin,

I can still access mine. Just checked and can see all my recent logins, with no unusual activity.


 
Katalin Szilárd
Katalin Szilárd  Identity Verified
Hungary
Local time: 09:49
English to Hungarian
+ ...
It seems as many members so many different things on our profiles :) Sep 21, 2018

Ivana UK wrote:

Katalin Szilárd wrote:

The Last login part from the olive green menu was deleted without explanation.
Some members have printscreens of that though.


Hi Katalin,

I can still access mine. Just checked and can see all my recent logins, with no unusual activity.


Hi Ivana,

Thank you for this update.

It is interesting because for me and for another member who had a Chinese ip there we don't have that Last login part any more...


Today

21st of September

Missing last login

I didn't receive any explanations, just a Last Login cut (deletion) (you can see the last printscreen).
Last time staff told me it was a test with the router ip that was shown for everybody.
But these (see above) cannot be from testing...

Best regards,
Katalin



[Edited at 2018-09-21 15:41 GMT]

[Edited at 2018-09-21 17:35 GMT]


 
Katalin Szilárd
Katalin Szilárd  Identity Verified
Hungary
Local time: 09:49
English to Hungarian
+ ...
There are 2 Last logins Sep 21, 2018

Ivana UK wrote:

Katalin Szilárd wrote:

The Last login part from the olive green menu was deleted without explanation.
Some members have printscreens of that though.


Hi Katalin,

I can still access mine. Just checked and can see all my recent logins, with no unusual activity.


Hi Ivana,

I forgot to ask: did you check it with the olive green menu (2nd one):
https://www.proz.com/oauth/user-apps ?

There are 2 Last logins:

1) with the dark green menu (on the top if you put the cursor on your name and at the bottom of the pop ip you can see: Last login)

2) with the olive green menu (on the top if you put the cursor on your name (do not click on it) and at the bottom of the pop up you see: Last login) Do not click on the Details. I was talking about the ip that you can see right beside Last login without clicking on Details:
https://www.proz.com/oauth/user-apps

Bests
Katalin

[Edited at 2018-09-21 15:55 GMT]


 
Andy Watkinson
Andy Watkinson
Spain
Local time: 09:49
Member
Catalan to English
+ ...
¿? Sep 22, 2018

Katalin Szilárd wrote:

Dan Lucas wrote:

José J. Martínez wrote:
Business is down since mid-year...what is happening?


Or considered the counsel you received in your thread on this subject from 2016?
https://www.proz.com/forum.php/business_issues/298067-lack_of_work.html

It seems you run into - or become aware of - the same problem every year or so. If nothing has improved over those three years, you need to change something. Perhaps you have, but perhaps it wasn't enough.

I agree with Michal, for what it's worth: every translator needs a unique selling point.

Regards,
Dan



Hi Dan,

Or he (and everybody) should check:

https://www.proz.com/oauth/user-apps ( Profile -> Settings -> Manage apps) then in the top menu if you put the cursor on your name (do not click on it) and at the bottom of the pop up you see: "Last login from".




[Edited at 2018-09-19 11:15 GMT]

[Edited at 2018-09-19 11:56 GMT]


Katalin,

What does this have to do with the OP's original concern?


 
Katalin Szilárd
Katalin Szilárd  Identity Verified
Hungary
Local time: 09:49
English to Hungarian
+ ...
Logic Sep 22, 2018

Andy Watkinson wrote:


Katalin,

What does this have to do with the OP's original concern?


Hi Andy,

1) The original post was about José having less and less work. He is NOT the only one who posted such a thread recently or since a year.
2) I and some members noticed that we have foreign ip addresses (that don't belong to us) shown as Last login in the old olive green menu.
3) We don't use a VPN.
4) And some of us also receive less and less visitors and direct email jobs via proz, meanwhile for example I'm within the top 3 and top 1. in my main specialization.
5) In the past: my settings were messed up, my availability was changed to non available, my bio's last part was deleted (a month ago), my audio greeting was missing, when the staff was able to find it somewhere in their system, it turned out files cannot be uploaded to my profile any more. Not even the staff was able to upload it.
6) I think it is easy to draw the conclusion....

Bests,
Katalin



[Edited at 2018-09-22 07:35 GMT]


sdvplatt
 
Pages in topic:   [1 2] >


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


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

Less and less work.







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! »
Protemos translation business management system
Create your account in minutes, and start working! 3-month trial for agencies, and free for freelancers!

The system lets you keep client/vendor database, with contacts and rates, manage projects and assign jobs to vendors, issue invoices, track payments, store and manage project files, generate business reports on turnover profit per client/manager etc.

More info »