| Pages in topic: [1 2] > | Poll: What aspect of being a freelance translator do you find hardest to deal with? Thread poster: ProZ.com Staff
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This forum topic is for the discussion of the poll question "What aspect of being a freelance translator do you find hardest to deal with?".
This poll was originally submitted by Sonja Allen. View the poll results »
| | | | | Getting the right work/life balance | Sep 21, 2015 |
I tend to let my work eat up my life. At my advanced age, I should be having more fun. Not to say that translation isn't fun. I love it. I'd just like to have more time for my personal life.
[Edited at 2015-09-21 08:31 GMT]
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I hate being rejected. Whether it's quotes that aren't accepted, agencies giving "my" work to other translators, or longstanding customers moving elsewhere.
I know/hope it's not personal, it's all down to money and the diminished value of quality, but it still rankles.
| | | | | Unpredictability | Sep 21, 2015 |
Perhaps the biggest downside of being a freelancer is the uncertainty that comes with the territory as we can’t count on a regular paycheck with which to pay the bills. Instead, we hope to get enough projects each month to make ends meet. The unpredictability of the workflow is stressful, especially if you've got a family to support, but at the same time that’s what keeps me going.
Like Chris, I hate being rejected, but it also comes with the territory...
Like Murie... See more Perhaps the biggest downside of being a freelancer is the uncertainty that comes with the territory as we can’t count on a regular paycheck with which to pay the bills. Instead, we hope to get enough projects each month to make ends meet. The unpredictability of the workflow is stressful, especially if you've got a family to support, but at the same time that’s what keeps me going.
Like Chris, I hate being rejected, but it also comes with the territory...
Like Muriel, I tend to let my work eat up my life, but "old habits die hard"...
[Edited at 2015-09-21 08:48 GMT]
[Edited at 2015-09-21 10:31 GMT] ▲ Collapse
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The long payment terms, net 30++
| | | | Carmen Grabs
Germany
Local time: 15:10
Member (2012)
English to German
+ ...
| Isolation/Loneliness | Sep 21, 2015 |
I have never been so lonely before. When I was employed I had work colleagues who usually also became good friends. And when you got home, you were glad to be alone after 8 days with many people. But now I don't seem to be able to make enough time for my social life.
An example: I just took a few days off and immediately noticed how I felt much more at ease contacting old friends. It's the stress that keeps you from getting in touch with others. It's an "illness" of our times, I guess, but... See more I have never been so lonely before. When I was employed I had work colleagues who usually also became good friends. And when you got home, you were glad to be alone after 8 days with many people. But now I don't seem to be able to make enough time for my social life.
An example: I just took a few days off and immediately noticed how I felt much more at ease contacting old friends. It's the stress that keeps you from getting in touch with others. It's an "illness" of our times, I guess, but especially when working from home you are more prone to it. ▲ Collapse
| | | | tilak raj 
India
Local time: 18:40
Member (2012)
English to Punjabi
+ ...
| unpredictable income and work | Sep 21, 2015 |
I think it is something what is hardest to deal.
| | | | Mario Chavez (X)
Local time: 09:10
English to Spanish
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| Work-life balance | Sep 21, 2015 |
Muriel Vasconcellos wrote:
I tend to let my work eat up my life. At my advanced age, I should be having more fun. Not to say that translation isn't fun. I love it. I'd just like to have more time for my personal life.
[Edited at 2015-09-21 08:31 GMT]
By “advanced age” you mean “midlife advanced by technology,” right?
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Mario Chavez (X)
Local time: 09:10
English to Spanish
+ ...
| Rejection and work | Sep 21, 2015 |
Chris S wrote:
I hate being rejected. Whether it's quotes that aren't accepted, agencies giving "my" work to other translators, or longstanding customers moving elsewhere.
I know/hope it's not personal, it's all down to money and the diminished value of quality, but it still rankles.
I guess we men are more adept at absorbing the rejections on many levels.
| | | | Mario Chavez (X)
Local time: 09:10
English to Spanish
+ ...
| I thought we were in the XXI century regarding payment terms | Sep 21, 2015 |
Yetta J Bogarde wrote:
The long payment terms, net 30++
I know of two agencies that try to get me to work for them with 60-day payment terms. Fortunately, I haven't found myself in such dire needs.
30 or fewer days is my standing payment policy.
| | | | Mario Chavez (X)
Local time: 09:10
English to Spanish
+ ...
| Solitude and loneliness | Sep 21, 2015 |
Carmen Grabs wrote:
I have never been so lonely before. When I was employed I had work colleagues who usually also became good friends. And when you got home, you were glad to be alone after 8 days with many people. But now I don't seem to be able to make enough time for my social life.
An example: I just took a few days off and immediately noticed how I felt much more at ease contacting old friends. It's the stress that keeps you from getting in touch with others. It's an "illness" of our times, I guess, but especially when working from home you are more prone to it.
I hear you. I'm very introverted, but my extroverted (weaker) side always enjoyed sparring with colleagues at work (when I was an in-house translator) and then enjoy my alone time after work. The occasional afterhours drink or social time were always enjoyable and fun.
Then again, I don't suffer from loneliness because I'm very adept at being alone thanks to my brand of introversion. I spend a lot of time in my home office, yes, but I also need to get out, see people, say hi to the building manager or strike a conversation with the cashier at the vinyl record store.
| | | | R. Alex Jenkins
Brazil
Local time: 10:10
Member (2006)
Portuguese to English
+ ...
| Unpredictability of income | Sep 21, 2015 |
It's the one thing that's seriously changed my life, but I'm not prepared do anything about it and get a 'regular' job because I'm too stuck in my ways and I like going to bed/getting up whenever I choose. I support my wife and kids, just about, but there's still a social stigma that I can't quite shake off because we don't have a car. It's weird stuff like that.
Most of the other suggestions in this poll: "Isolation/loneliness", "Unsocial/irregular working hours", I actually like, ... See more It's the one thing that's seriously changed my life, but I'm not prepared do anything about it and get a 'regular' job because I'm too stuck in my ways and I like going to bed/getting up whenever I choose. I support my wife and kids, just about, but there's still a social stigma that I can't quite shake off because we don't have a car. It's weird stuff like that.
Most of the other suggestions in this poll: "Isolation/loneliness", "Unsocial/irregular working hours", I actually like, or perhaps they just don't bother me any more because I'm so used to them and because we have a really strong family unit. ▲ Collapse
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R. Alex Jenkins
Brazil
Local time: 10:10
Member (2006)
Portuguese to English
+ ...
| Social drought | Sep 21, 2015 |
Mario Chavez wrote:
...but I also need to get out, see people, say hi to the building manager or strike a conversation with the cashier at the vinyl record store.
Such as talking to absolutely everyone at the supermarket; cashiers, shelf-fillers, meat-counter operators, just to get that social fix, lol.
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Muriel Vasconcellos wrote:
I tend to let my work eat up my life. At my advanced age, I should be having more fun. Not to say that translation isn't fun. I love it. I'd just like to have more time for my personal life.
[Edited at 2015-09-21 08:31 GMT]
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'all of the above' (including other) wasn't an option.
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