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Poll: Have you ever turned down a really interesting project because it would not have paid well?
Autor de la hebra: ProZ.com Staff
ProZ.com Staff
ProZ.com Staff
PERSONAL DEL SITIO
Jul 11, 2022

This forum topic is for the discussion of the poll question "Have you ever turned down a really interesting project because it would not have paid well?".

This poll was originally submitted by Christina Pauly. View the poll results »



 
Lieven Malaise
Lieven Malaise
Bélgica
Local time: 03:28
Miembro 2020
francés al neerlandés
+ ...
Yes. Jul 11, 2022

It doesn't happen frequently because I work almost always with clients with whom I have agreed on acceptable rates. But if rates are too low I honestly don't give a damn about how interesting a project might be. I refuse to work for peanuts.

Elena Feriani
Alex Lichanow
Maria Teresa Borges de Almeida
Dina Lebedieva
polishedwords
Paul van Zijll
Baran Keki
 
Alex Lichanow
Alex Lichanow
Alemania
Local time: 03:28
inglés al alemán
+ ...
Occasionally Jul 11, 2022

While I end up rejecting jobs fairly regularly for capacity reasons, those are mostly just more of my day-to-day business.
Some of the cold calls I receive from ProZ actually do sound interesting, but the rates offered for those are abysmal and I refuse to work for peanuts. Interesting or not, I have bills to pay.


Maria Teresa Borges de Almeida
Dina Lebedieva
Barbara Carrara
Philippe Etienne
ipv
 
Maria Teresa Borges de Almeida
Maria Teresa Borges de Almeida  Identity Verified
Portugal
Local time: 02:28
Miembro 2007
inglés al portugués
+ ...
Other Jul 11, 2022

If an interesting project is not paid accordingly, it immediately stops being interesting to me, this doesn’t mean of course that I accept everything just because it's well-remunerated. Biting off more than you can chew causes more problems than I am willing to handle.

Dina Lebedieva
Barbara Carrara
Josephine Cassar
Edith van der Have
Sanjin Grandić
Angie Garbarino
 
Tom in London
Tom in London
Reino Unido
Local time: 02:28
Miembro 2008
italiano al inglés
All the time Jul 11, 2022

Poll question "Have you ever turned down a really interesting project because it would not have paid well?"

My answer: "all the time. But hey - no worries. There'll be another one along in a minute."


 
Nikolay Novitskiy
Nikolay Novitskiy  Identity Verified
Federación Rusa
Local time: 07:28
Miembro 2018
inglés al ruso
All the times Jul 11, 2022

There are lots of interesting projects, while I am the one and the only I'm kidding of course, but first and foremost I'm a businessman.

Sanjin Grandić
 
Baran Keki
Baran Keki  Identity Verified
Turquía
Local time: 05:28
Miembro
inglés al turco
Yes Jul 11, 2022

I tend to reject TwB projects out of hand.

[Edited at 2022-07-11 12:30 GMT]


 
Anton Konashenok
Anton Konashenok  Identity Verified
República Checa
Local time: 03:28
francés al inglés
+ ...
There is interesting and "interesting" Jul 11, 2022

If the project is just less boring than average, I see no reason for a discount. However, on a few occasions I have given discounts to clients asking me to translate texts that gave me valuable knowledge for my other career (no, there was no breach of confidentiality in that).

On the other hand, the word "interesting" is often used by project managers as an excuse for not paying a decent rate. A phrase like "we have a really interesting project for you" is a huge red flag. <
... See more
If the project is just less boring than average, I see no reason for a discount. However, on a few occasions I have given discounts to clients asking me to translate texts that gave me valuable knowledge for my other career (no, there was no breach of confidentiality in that).

On the other hand, the word "interesting" is often used by project managers as an excuse for not paying a decent rate. A phrase like "we have a really interesting project for you" is a huge red flag.

[Edited at 2022-07-11 12:36 GMT]
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Barbara Carrara
Barbara Cochran, MFA
Beatriz Ramírez de Haro
Michele Fauble
 
Edith van der Have
Edith van der Have
Países Bajos
Local time: 03:28
Miembro 2016
inglés al neerlandés
+ ...
Frequently or never Jul 11, 2022

Frequently if "really interesting" is about the subject matter. None if it's about a decent business decision, because by definition no underpaid project can ever be interesting, no matter what it's about.

Maria Teresa Borges de Almeida
Tom in London
Barbara Carrara
 
Tom in London
Tom in London
Reino Unido
Local time: 02:28
Miembro 2008
italiano al inglés
In fact.... Jul 11, 2022

Edith van der Have wrote:

Frequently if "really interesting" is about the subject matter. None if it's about a decent business decision, because by definition no underpaid project can ever be interesting, no matter what it's about.


In fact it can be a lot worse than not "really interesting"; it can be downright awful if you translate a whole book, the author thinks your English is better than his Italian, and decides to rewrite the whole thing. And then does it again when you've re-translated it (and with no additional payment for any of this extra work).

I only made that mistake once. Never again. The annoying thing is that yes, the book was, and still is, interesting. https://tinyurl.com/2j7p8xjg




[Edited at 2022-07-11 14:13 GMT]


 
Alex Lichanow
Alex Lichanow
Alemania
Local time: 03:28
inglés al alemán
+ ...
"Interesting" in PM-Speak Jul 11, 2022

Anton Konashenok wrote:

If the project is just less boring than average, I see no reason for a discount. However, on a few occasions I have given discounts to clients asking me to translate texts that gave me valuable knowledge for my other career (no, there was no breach of confidentiality in that).

On the other hand, the word "interesting" is often used by project managers as an excuse for not paying a decent rate. A phrase like "we have a really interesting project for you" is a huge red flag.

[Edited at 2022-07-11 12:36 GMT]


In gaming translation, PMs will frequently call mobile games "interesting". A gamer myself, I have yet to find out what is so incredibly interesting about the 3575873535468743rd combine-three-or-more-jewels or run-of-the-mill role-playing game from China. The most "interesting" part about those is usually the completely absurd character limit.


 
Maria Teresa Borges de Almeida
Maria Teresa Borges de Almeida  Identity Verified
Portugal
Local time: 02:28
Miembro 2007
inglés al portugués
+ ...
PM-Speak Jul 11, 2022

Alex Lichanow wrote:

Anton Konashenok wrote:

If the project is just less boring than average, I see no reason for a discount. However, on a few occasions I have given discounts to clients asking me to translate texts that gave me valuable knowledge for my other career (no, there was no breach of confidentiality in that).

On the other hand, the word "interesting" is often used by project managers as an excuse for not paying a decent rate. A phrase like "we have a really interesting project for you" is a huge red flag.

[Edited at 2022-07-11 12:36 GMT]


In gaming translation, PMs will frequently call mobile games "interesting". A gamer myself, I have yet to find out what is so incredibly interesting about the 3575873535468743rd combine-three-or-more-jewels or run-of-the-mill role-playing game from China. The most "interesting" part about those is usually the completely absurd character limit.


PMs buzzwords like "exciting new project" or "enjoy being part of a very dynamic team” make my blood run cold…


Barbara Carrara
Anton Konashenok
Alex Lichanow
ipv
Philip Lees
 
Barbara Carrara
Barbara Carrara  Identity Verified
Italia
Local time: 03:28
Miembro 2008
inglés al italiano
+ ...
Boiling point Jul 11, 2022

Teresa Borges wrote:
PMs buzzwords like "exciting new project" or "enjoy being part of a very dynamic team” make my blood run cold…


Or boil, rather.


Alex Lichanow
Maria Teresa Borges de Almeida
ipv
Jocelyne Cuenin
 
Alex Lichanow
Alex Lichanow
Alemania
Local time: 03:28
inglés al alemán
+ ...
PM buzzwords Jul 11, 2022

Teresa Borges wrote:

Alex Lichanow wrote:

Anton Konashenok wrote:

If the project is just less boring than average, I see no reason for a discount. However, on a few occasions I have given discounts to clients asking me to translate texts that gave me valuable knowledge for my other career (no, there was no breach of confidentiality in that).

On the other hand, the word "interesting" is often used by project managers as an excuse for not paying a decent rate. A phrase like "we have a really interesting project for you" is a huge red flag.

[Edited at 2022-07-11 12:36 GMT]


In gaming translation, PMs will frequently call mobile games "interesting". A gamer myself, I have yet to find out what is so incredibly interesting about the 3575873535468743rd combine-three-or-more-jewels or run-of-the-mill role-playing game from China. The most "interesting" part about those is usually the completely absurd character limit.


PMs buzzwords like "exciting new project" or "enjoy being part of a very dynamic team” make my blood run cold…


Unfortunately, the PMs of my biggest gaming customer are liable to send emails with just those buzzwords. I mean, I love working for those guys (mostly) and they actually do have cool projects, but whenever I get an "exciting new project", my first reaction will be to cringe and/or groan.


Barbara Carrara
Maria Teresa Borges de Almeida
 
Michael Newton
Michael Newton  Identity Verified
Estados Unidos
Local time: 21:28
japonés al inglés
+ ...
Really interesting project? Jul 11, 2022

For me, a "project that would not have paid well" is not "a really interesting project".

Sadek_A
Angie Garbarino
finnword1
 
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Poll: Have you ever turned down a really interesting project because it would not have paid well?






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