| Páginas sobre el tema: [1 2] > | Poll: Would you accept the position of project manager in a translation agency if offered? Autor de la hebra: ProZ.com Staff
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This forum topic is for the discussion of the poll question "Would you accept the position of project manager in a translation agency if offered?".
View the poll results »
| | | | Michael Harris 
Alemania
Local time: 15:16
Miembro 2006
alemán al inglés
I would loose all of my freedom, earn less, etc. etc. etc.....
| | | | raptisi
Grecia
Local time: 16:16
inglés al griego
+ ...
Managing projects does not have anything to do with translation, per se. It is like managing any other kind of activity.
| | | | neilmac
España
Local time: 15:16
español al inglés
+ ...
But no, probably not. I agree with Michael - it's too much responsibility, and my experience tells me that very often "hell is other people". I've been used to depending on myself or my close friends/colleagues for too long to embark on new adventures without a very big incentive.
I don't really like working with agencies in general if I can avoid it anyway. They tend to always be in an unseemly hurry and are usually too demanding from my point of view.
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I worked a as project manager in a translation agency for about 2.5 years and I didn't enjoy it as much as translation and interpreting. So, definetly, "no, never".
Although my experience as a project manager gave me good knowledge of the market and helped develop my communication skills. I don't regret doing this.
| | | | DianeGM
Local time: 16:16
Miembro 2006
neerlandés al inglés
+ ...
For now I'm happy doing what I'm doing, they way I'm doing it. Hypothetically, in the future, sometime, maybe if I were considering a change in career, which I'm not at the moment, though I think it very unlikely unless I could do it from home keeping slightly irregular office hours.
I've managed various types of projects, in various jobs in the past, I know about the translation market and industry, theoretically I guess I could.
| | | | | Was just offered such a position... | Dec 10, 2012 |
... and I accepted it, but it is a position as Diane described - irregular/flexible hours I can do from home, and not full-time. It is also a very small local agency run by practicing translators who treat their contractors well, as colleagues.
My anxieties are mostly connected with the "dealing with people" aspect, as mentioned by someone else, as I have become very comfortable just being my own boss.
But I think it will help me develop these weaker skill areas, which... See more ... and I accepted it, but it is a position as Diane described - irregular/flexible hours I can do from home, and not full-time. It is also a very small local agency run by practicing translators who treat their contractors well, as colleagues.
My anxieties are mostly connected with the "dealing with people" aspect, as mentioned by someone else, as I have become very comfortable just being my own boss.
But I think it will help me develop these weaker skill areas, which are useful ones to have, give me insight into business systems and software, bring me into contact with a wider segment of the market and will be a useful additional income source.
We'll see, maybe I'll report back later!
Melissa ▲ Collapse
| | | | Diana Coada (X)
Reino Unido
Local time: 14:16
portugués al inglés
+ ...
| It was my BA internship | Dec 10, 2012 |
Did not enjoy working in an agency at all. It's simply not for me. I also wasn't made for the 9 to 5 routine.
So no, never ever.
[Edited at 2012-12-10 13:41 GMT]
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Evans (X)
Local time: 14:16
español al inglés
+ ...
| I would not go back, but it was a good place to come from. | Dec 10, 2012 |
I ran a translation company as co-director and project manager for thirteen years. It was invaluable experience, and some agencies have remarked on their ease of working with me because I understand the process from their point of view too. I gained experience in translating in a wide range of fields and in handling the work of others and pulling together multilingual projects.
But I am a translator at heart, and for the last 17 years I have greatly enjoyed concentrating on my own w... See more I ran a translation company as co-director and project manager for thirteen years. It was invaluable experience, and some agencies have remarked on their ease of working with me because I understand the process from their point of view too. I gained experience in translating in a wide range of fields and in handling the work of others and pulling together multilingual projects.
But I am a translator at heart, and for the last 17 years I have greatly enjoyed concentrating on my own work.
For me this was the right way round. Project manager/translator first, freelance later. I wouldn't gain anything by going back. ▲ Collapse
| | | | | I would not be good at it... | Dec 10, 2012 |
So no.
I have reached an age where I could retire if I needed to, although I will get a better pension when the day comes if I hang on a few years more.
I have done my share of jobs that were not ideal, but brought in a pay check, and although I have enjoyed most of them some of the time, I have also had my reasons for moving on. There would be plenty if I worked as a PM.
Others actually like the job and do it well, so I will leave it to them with my bless... See more So no.
I have reached an age where I could retire if I needed to, although I will get a better pension when the day comes if I hang on a few years more.
I have done my share of jobs that were not ideal, but brought in a pay check, and although I have enjoyed most of them some of the time, I have also had my reasons for moving on. There would be plenty if I worked as a PM.
Others actually like the job and do it well, so I will leave it to them with my blessing!
I am in fact just on my way to award a 5 on the BB to a small agency that has just sent me a very nice mail...
[Edited at 2012-12-10 12:50 GMT] ▲ Collapse
| | | | | And take the flak for other people's translations? | Dec 10, 2012 |
Never!
| | | | Mario Chavez (X)
Local time: 09:16
inglés al español
+ ...
| And one more thing... | Dec 10, 2012 |
Michael Harris wrote:
I would loose all of my freedom, earn less, etc. etc. etc.....
And you'd lose your sense of spelling (snort!)
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Mario Chavez (X)
Local time: 09:16
inglés al español
+ ...
raptisi wrote:
Managing projects does not have anything to do with translation, per se. It is like managing any other kind of activity.
Allow me to correct a piece of misinformation. There are project managers for a variety of commercial and non-commercial activities, and there are translation project managers. To be the latter, one needs a special type of knowledge and experience, even though many translation agencies have a high turnover of PMs because they don't train them properly.
| | | | Mario Chavez (X)
Local time: 09:16
inglés al español
+ ...
| I've done the PM gig before | Dec 10, 2012 |
I've project managed a couple of important projects for others, one of them being the procurement of simultaneous interpreters in 6 languages for an international basketball event that took place in Indianapolis in 2000.
I've also worked in-house as a project manager for a couple of agencies. There were pluses and minuses, as with any other in-house job. I've also worked as an in-house translator for a number of software companies in America...with pluses and minuses.
I... See more I've project managed a couple of important projects for others, one of them being the procurement of simultaneous interpreters in 6 languages for an international basketball event that took place in Indianapolis in 2000.
I've also worked in-house as a project manager for a couple of agencies. There were pluses and minuses, as with any other in-house job. I've also worked as an in-house translator for a number of software companies in America...with pluses and minuses.
I can't say for certain that I'll never go back to being an in-house PM (or translator) because one never knows what happy combination of circumstances may appear in the horizon.
But I've learned a great deal about communicating with other people who are not translators and softening the so-called blunt emails I've been told I wrote at times. One thing I can't shake off is my reputation for being a know-it-all. Oh, well, you can't make everybody happy around you. ▲ Collapse
| | | | | Not on your life | Dec 10, 2012 |
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