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Poll: Do you often ask for a deadline extension?
Autor de la hebra: ProZ.com Staff
ProZ.com Staff
ProZ.com Staff
PERSONAL DEL SITIO
May 26, 2009

This forum topic is for the discussion of the poll question "Do you often ask for a deadline extension?".

This poll was originally submitted by Frank Wang

View the poll here

A forum topic will appear each time a new poll is run. For more information, see
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This forum topic is for the discussion of the poll question "Do you often ask for a deadline extension?".

This poll was originally submitted by Frank Wang

View the poll here

A forum topic will appear each time a new poll is run. For more information, see: http://proz.com/topic/33629
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Interlangue (X)
Interlangue (X)
Angola
Local time: 23:13
inglés al francés
+ ...
Well... May 26, 2009

Never after I agreed on it. When the deadline seems too tight, I decline the job but generally offer another deadline instead. It often works

 
Gianluca Marras
Gianluca Marras  Identity Verified
Italia
Local time: 23:13
inglés al italiano
Never May 26, 2009

Interlangue wrote:

Never after I agreed on it. When the deadline seems too tight, I decline the job but generally offer another deadline instead. It often works


I agree!

I mean, problems can happen, but when I had problems, I called a colleague and asked him/her to do it, deadlines are deadlines.

[Edited at 2009-05-26 16:59 GMT]


 
Kevin Fulton
Kevin Fulton  Identity Verified
Estados Unidos
Local time: 17:13
alemán al inglés
Under dire circumstances May 26, 2009

Most of my clients offer reasonable deadlines. There have been a few times during a severe storm when I've lost electrical power and I've had to ask for an extension. I could probably count the number of extensions I've requested over the past 30+ years on the fingers of one hand (knock wood!).

 
Renee Mazloum
Renee Mazloum
España
Local time: 23:13
Miembro 2008
francés al inglés
+ ...
Once in a blue moon... May 26, 2009

I stick to the agreed deadline probably 99.99% of the time, but perhaps there have been a couple of rare occasions where I have had to negotiate an extra day or so after acceptance. Thankfully, my clients are usually very generous and allow me plenty of time to do the job anyway.

[Edited at 2009-05-26 19:48 GMT]

[Edited at 2009-05-27 18:07 GMT]


 
Noni Gilbert Riley
Noni Gilbert Riley
España
Local time: 23:13
español al inglés
+ ...
No never May 26, 2009

Although I have on a couple of occasions wangled it so that the client has offered me one!

 
Mafalda d'Orey de Faria
Mafalda d'Orey de Faria  Identity Verified
Portugal
Local time: 22:13
inglés al portugués
+ ...
Occasionally May 26, 2009

When the client asks for the final document to be delivered on a Friday End of Business day. What on earth for?
It makes me feel more confortable and they receive it on Monday first thing in the morning!


 
Mónica Belén Colacilli
Mónica Belén Colacilli  Identity Verified
Argentina
Local time: 18:13
Miembro 2008
inglés al español
+ ...
Often... May 26, 2009

...but always before accepting the job! Some clients ask for absurd deadlines, 5000 words in one day, for instance. In such a case, I explain them that I can translate X amount of words per day, or that I need X time, to guarantee good quality. It usually works!

 
Deborah do Carmo
Deborah do Carmo  Identity Verified
Portugal
Local time: 22:13
neerlandés al inglés
+ ...
Never? And the Noddy badge goes to ... May 26, 2009

I accept a deadline if I can deliver work to my usual standard by that deadline. If not, I offer my best alternative delivery time. More often than not, it's acceptable. Sometimes the job is really urgent and it ends up elsewhere. That's life. I've practised law long enough to know when deadlines are genuinely tight.

Have I ever had to renegotiate a deadline after acceptance? Yes, I'm human. It probably happens, on average, once every 18-24 months or so. I don't live in a bubble, I
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I accept a deadline if I can deliver work to my usual standard by that deadline. If not, I offer my best alternative delivery time. More often than not, it's acceptable. Sometimes the job is really urgent and it ends up elsewhere. That's life. I've practised law long enough to know when deadlines are genuinely tight.

Have I ever had to renegotiate a deadline after acceptance? Yes, I'm human. It probably happens, on average, once every 18-24 months or so. I don't live in a bubble, I get sick/injured ever so occasionally. Not talking winter sniffles here -- a crippling virus, a broken hand, that type of thing.

I opt not to outsource the work if it happens. I did so once and never again. Although the work wasn't bad, the translator in question showed a total disregard for the deadline and queried so many things with the source text during the day, I might as well have got out of bed and carried on myself.

Project managers are paid to manage projects. That is what they do best (at least those I am fortunate to deal with)-- my duty is to inform them as soon as possible if there is a problem, potential or otherwise, and not to jeopardise that deadline. I can suggest a colleague whose work I trust, but it's the PM who knows (or should know) who is otherwise best suited.
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Erzsébet Czopyk
Erzsébet Czopyk  Identity Verified
Hungría
Local time: 23:13
Miembro 2006
ruso al húngaro
+ ...
LOCALIZADOR DEL SITIO
deadline is deadline May 27, 2009

...only in case of death.

[Módosítva: 2009-05-27 00:00 GMT]


 
Renee Mazloum
Renee Mazloum
España
Local time: 23:13
Miembro 2008
francés al inglés
+ ...
My sentiments exactly... May 27, 2009

Lawyer-Linguist wrote:

I accept a deadline if I can deliver work to my usual standard by that deadline. If not, I offer my best alternative delivery time. More often than not, it's acceptable. Sometimes the job is really urgent and it ends up elsewhere. That's life...

Have I ever had to renegotiate a deadline after acceptance? Yes, I'm human. It probably happens, on average, once every 18-24 months or so. I don't live in a bubble, I get sick/injured ever so occasionally. Not talking winter sniffles here -- a crippling virus, a broken hand, that type of thing.



We´re only human. Sometimes there are things that are beyond our control. It´s just little ol´ me, and I don´t pass my work off to anyone else. Like Kevin, I could probably count the number of times I have had to renegotiate a deadline (after acceptance) on one hand. It´s rare. If and when anything does arise, the important thing is to communicate with the client and keep them in the loop. I find that most people are appreciative of sincerity.


 
Frank Wang
Frank Wang  Identity Verified
China
Local time: 05:13
Miembro
inglés al chino
+ ...
The way we are expected to act in May 27, 2009

The proportion of friends responding with "No, Never" is very high. I hail them.

After all, this is something we are expected to minimize or avoid. Now not accepting job assignments is my new, alternative resort. But this should be very seldom too and I maintain guaranteed responses to my regular outsourcers for ongoing support.


[Edited at 2009-05-27 02:31 GMT]


 
Christine Andersen
Christine Andersen  Identity Verified
Dinamarca
Local time: 23:13
Miembro 2003
danés al inglés
+ ...
I can't do all the jobs I am offered. May 27, 2009

Like Lawyer Linguist, I can see when it is no use to the client if I try to extend the deadline.

They then have to find another translator.

This very week I said no, sorry, I cannot deliver on Tuesday, to a good agency. An hour later a new mail came: Can you deliver on Friday?

So guess what I am doing from now until Friday?

I have a private life, and I get migraine if I sit working all night as well as all day to meet deadlines that are tighter
... See more
Like Lawyer Linguist, I can see when it is no use to the client if I try to extend the deadline.

They then have to find another translator.

This very week I said no, sorry, I cannot deliver on Tuesday, to a good agency. An hour later a new mail came: Can you deliver on Friday?

So guess what I am doing from now until Friday?

I have a private life, and I get migraine if I sit working all night as well as all day to meet deadlines that are tighter than they need to be. And then I REALLY can't meet deadlines.

Once accepted, I do everything possible to meet them, but before I take the job on, I want a realistic deadline.

Otherwise there's always Babelfish
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Diego Rodríguez Ceseña
 
Marlene Blanshay
Marlene Blanshay  Identity Verified
Canadá
Local time: 17:13
Miembro 2009
francés al inglés
+ ...
not as a rule May 27, 2009

If i don't think I can do it in the time frame or it turns out to be a bit more technical than expected, I'll say so right off the bat.
Sometimes, the client will offer a little extra time, if they're in a spot and can't find anyone else in my language pair or for editing. But if i know it's impossible, then I will say forget it. I don't like to ask especially if it's the first time I work for someone. However, i'd rather risk asking for an extra day or the weekend rather than risk doing
... See more
If i don't think I can do it in the time frame or it turns out to be a bit more technical than expected, I'll say so right off the bat.
Sometimes, the client will offer a little extra time, if they're in a spot and can't find anyone else in my language pair or for editing. But if i know it's impossible, then I will say forget it. I don't like to ask especially if it's the first time I work for someone. However, i'd rather risk asking for an extra day or the weekend rather than risk doing a less than perfect job.
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Giovanni Guarnieri MITI, MIL
Giovanni Guarnieri MITI, MIL  Identity Verified
Reino Unido
Local time: 22:13
inglés al italiano
Never ask for a deadline extension? May 27, 2009

This is no secret, but when an agency offers you a job, with a specific deadline, you know that most of the time they keep at least three day as leeway, in case things go wrong, don't you? So, you are killing yourself to finish it on time when instead you could have taken it easier, with great benefit to you and your nervous system?

 
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Poll: Do you often ask for a deadline extension?






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