Poll: Do you have a social network account that connects you with other translators? Thread poster: ProZ.com Staff
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This forum topic is for the discussion of the poll question "Do you have a social network account that connects you with other translators?".
This poll was originally submitted by Hikmat. View the poll results »
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But to my mind, Proz.com is a social network to some extent, too
| | | | Michael Harris 
Germany
Local time: 04:35
Member (2006)
German to English
How often does this poll have to be posted?
I do not see ProZ as a social network, the same as LinkedIn. I consider them more like business portals.....
| | | | neilmac
Spain
Local time: 04:35
Spanish to English
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I sometimes check out FB groups like TTNS or the League of Extraordinary? Translators and you need to "join" the group to be able to do so or post. But I don't know if that means I "have a social network account", which seems an awfully formal way to express what it is. It's like reading the funnies, a moanfest for like-minded and often put-upon and downtrodden colleagues.
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I finally gave in and accepted when invited to join a closed group of translators. It is also more or less the only reason I have a Facebook profile at all.
Likewise LinkedIn - I am a member of several translation-related groups.
I use LinkedIn almost exclusively for contacting translators, although a few others are linked to me, most of them extended family. I also have links with a handful of clients. I don't use them for socialising.
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I have no social network accounts (such as Facebook, Twitter, or the like). All my contacts with other translators are either direct or through translation platforms like Proz…
| | | | Robin Joensuu
Sweden
Local time: 04:35
Member
English to Swedish
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| Not a bad idea to have | Sep 28, 2016 |
Teresa Borges wrote:
I have no social network accounts (such as Facebook, Twitter, or the like). All my contacts with other translators are either direct or through translation platforms like Proz…
I have learned a lot from other translators via social media (Facebook in particular). You learn about trends in the industry, about how to tackle problems of all kinds, where there are conferences and powwows (not organized by ProZ), and most importantly, you have a good time talking to other people about stuff that people in our physical lives generally have no clue about. I have also received direct clients through referrals from people I have got to know through social media (where I have met some people in person after that).
Does the time I put into it pay off? Probably not, but given that I learn a lot by doing it, I see it partly as a way of compensating for not having physical colleagues, partly as a way of learning from more experienced people.
There is nothing wrong with the discussions in the ProZ forums (even if they tend to draw out some of the more negative spirits among us), but the truly interesting discussions happen elsewhere.
| | | | R. Alex Jenkins
Brazil
Local time: 23:35
Member (2006)
Portuguese to English
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| Not really... | Sep 28, 2016 |
I have a Facebook account, but I rarely use it. I appreciate that you've just bought some new garden furniture, or have improved your park run by a couple of seconds, but as you can see... the majority of posts are not related to work so it's not appropriate as a professional and work-related tool. That doesn't mean you shouldn't use Facebook, but it's a 'social' networking tool for 'social' purposes, to talk about family and personal interests, and it's not geared towards professionals in this ... See more I have a Facebook account, but I rarely use it. I appreciate that you've just bought some new garden furniture, or have improved your park run by a couple of seconds, but as you can see... the majority of posts are not related to work so it's not appropriate as a professional and work-related tool. That doesn't mean you shouldn't use Facebook, but it's a 'social' networking tool for 'social' purposes, to talk about family and personal interests, and it's not geared towards professionals in this respect. ▲ Collapse
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Katrin Bosse (X)
Germany
Local time: 04:35
Dutch to German
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| Other - "Stammtisch" | Sep 28, 2016 |
I answered "Other" because although I have ancient LinkendIn and Xing accounts, I don't do anything with/about/through them. FB, the Tweeters, and all those others are just not for me.
However, I do attend a monthly gathering of translators ("Übersetzerstammtisch" in German) in my town whenever I have the opportunity and must say that I not only enjoy meeting fellow colleagues, it has more times than not brought valuable insights. I can highly recommend it but realise at the same t... See more I answered "Other" because although I have ancient LinkendIn and Xing accounts, I don't do anything with/about/through them. FB, the Tweeters, and all those others are just not for me.
However, I do attend a monthly gathering of translators ("Übersetzerstammtisch" in German) in my town whenever I have the opportunity and must say that I not only enjoy meeting fellow colleagues, it has more times than not brought valuable insights. I can highly recommend it but realise at the same time that I find myself in a fortunate situation. Translators who live far removed from cities don't really have any other option than virtual meeting places. ▲ Collapse
| | | | Sheila Wilson
Spain
Local time: 03:35
Member (2007)
English
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| But how, exactly? | Sep 28, 2016 |
I had to answer "Other" as - although I understand all the words of the poll question - I don't really understand the question it's asking. I do have a Facebook account but I have no "friends" at all  (no, actually that's the way I want it  ). I don't think I have a "wall", whatever that is, nor do I have "... See more I had to answer "Other" as - although I understand all the words of the poll question - I don't really understand the question it's asking. I do have a Facebook account but I have no "friends" at all (no, actually that's the way I want it ). I don't think I have a "wall", whatever that is, nor do I have "events". I simply use it as another place to discuss things that interest me and where I can hopefully be of help to others, e.g. discussions about my home town in Fuerteventura (that has millions of tourists), about gardening, etc. I actually belong to a ProZ.com group there but it doesn't seem very active.
Robin Joensuu wrote:
I have learned a lot from other translators via social media (Facebook in particular). You learn about trends in the industry, about how to tackle problems of all kinds, where there are conferences and powwows (not organized by ProZ), and most importantly, you have a good time talking to other people about stuff that people in our physical lives generally have no clue about. I have also received direct clients through referrals from people I have got to know through social media (where I have met some people in person after that).
I recognise that scenario from here on ProZ.com, and from LinkedIn too, though I don't like the way that most threads there start simply with a link - which seems to me to be either a form of advertising or fishing. How does it work on Facebook, Robin? ▲ Collapse
| | | | | You're probably right... | Sep 28, 2016 |
Robin Joensuu wrote: Teresa Borges wrote:
I have no social network accounts (such as Facebook, Twitter, or the like). All my contacts with other translators are either direct or through translation platforms like Proz… I have learned a lot from other translators via social media (Facebook in particular). You learn about trends in the industry, about how to tackle problems of all kinds, where there are conferences and powwows (not organized by ProZ), and most importantly, you have a good time talking to other people about stuff that people in our physical lives generally have no clue about. I have also received direct clients through referrals from people I have got to know through social media (where I have met some people in person after that). Does the time I put into it pay off? Probably not, but given that I learn a lot by doing it, I see it partly as a way of compensating for not having physical colleagues, partly as a way of learning from more experienced people. There is nothing wrong with the discussions in the ProZ forums (even if they tend to draw out some of the more negative spirits among us), but the truly interesting discussions happen elsewhere.
... but after 40 years in the business I have been fortunate enough to have gained a strong network of contacts within the industry, without all the chit-chat that goes along with every social media site…
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Well, I'm on Twitter, but that's just for following Boy George and suchlike. Got rid of Linkedin, etc. a couple of years ago, as they just got on my nerves.
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Mario Freitas
Brazil
Local time: 23:35
Member (2014)
English to Portuguese
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| Yes, but not for commercial purposes at all | Sep 28, 2016 |
I have two accounts and one page in social networks, and I participate in another four translator pages in these networks. All of them are great to talk about our market, discuss trends, share jokes, clarify doubts, and a very good feature: inquire about potential clients to other colleagues who have already worked for them or somehow know them. I have avoided many bad clients by this means.
However, if anyone intends to use social networks as a means to get work or to promote onese... See more I have two accounts and one page in social networks, and I participate in another four translator pages in these networks. All of them are great to talk about our market, discuss trends, share jokes, clarify doubts, and a very good feature: inquire about potential clients to other colleagues who have already worked for them or somehow know them. I have avoided many bad clients by this means.
However, if anyone intends to use social networks as a means to get work or to promote oneself commercially, you are wasting time, with zero chance of success. Social networks are no good for commercial purposes, except maybe a bit of inefficient advertising. People started posting pictures of hamburgers, feet and selfies, as well as lots of untruthful and distorted facts in these SNs, and their credibility went down the sewer. Now they are only for amusement, nothing else.
BTW: I do not use Twitter, so I'm not talking about it.
[Edited at 2016-09-28 21:56 GMT] ▲ Collapse
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I have joined some groups on Facebook and I have a LinkedIn profile. Are they useful? No.
The problem is that you get a huge number of emails and information and if you want to follow all of them you have to stop working.
I have some colleagues I have known for a long time and if needed I can give them a call, send an email or chat with them on Skype.
That is my "perfectly working network".
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