Poll: Where are you getting most of your translation work from in 2023?
Thread poster: ProZ.com Staff
ProZ.com Staff
ProZ.com Staff
SITE STAFF
Jan 19, 2023

This forum topic is for the discussion of the poll question "Where are you getting most of your translation work from in 2023?".

This poll was originally submitted by Iulia P.. View the poll results »



 
Lieven Malaise
Lieven Malaise
Belgium
Local time: 20:53
Member (2020)
French to Dutch
+ ...
Waiting for existing clients Jan 19, 2023

To date I still have the luxury to be able to wait for existing clients to contact me, but if that would change and I would need to act I would prefer looking for new clients over applying to random jobs. The latter would really be the last resort.

[Edited at 2023-01-19 09:06 GMT]


Anette Hilgendag
Philippe Etienne
Dan Lucas
Yetta Jensen Bogarde
Philip Lees
Michael Harris
 
neilmac
neilmac
Spain
Local time: 20:53
Spanish to English
+ ...
Ongoing commitments Jan 19, 2023

All my regular clients are direct, not translation agencies. So, I just have to wait until they contact me, and hope they don't all appear at once. This week most of my work is revision/correction/improvement of different texts, although my software client contacted me yesterday and asked me to give priority to translating some "urgent" strings, many of which turned out to be in English already. I'm also busy with end of the year admin, so I'm not really bothered if I don't get any more serious ... See more
All my regular clients are direct, not translation agencies. So, I just have to wait until they contact me, and hope they don't all appear at once. This week most of my work is revision/correction/improvement of different texts, although my software client contacted me yesterday and asked me to give priority to translating some "urgent" strings, many of which turned out to be in English already. I'm also busy with end of the year admin, so I'm not really bothered if I don't get any more serious work orders for the next ten days or so.Collapse


Philip Lees
peter jackson
 
Nikolay Novitskiy
Nikolay Novitskiy  Identity Verified
Russian Federation
Local time: 23:53
Member (2018)
English to Russian
~^(;,;)^~ Jan 19, 2023

Each day I pray Elder Gods to give me new translation taks. Sometimes they respond, and sometimes not. Where they find work for me? No one knows =)

Igor Zanardo
JaneD
 
Bruna Mattos
Bruna Mattos
Brazil
Local time: 15:53
English to Portuguese
+ ...
Wait for existing clients + search for new ones Jan 19, 2023

I receive jobs from existing clients on a continuous basis, but I also keep prospecting new clients.

 
Patricia Prevost
Patricia Prevost  Identity Verified
Spain
Local time: 20:53
English to Spanish
+ ...
Other Jan 19, 2023

In my case, it is a combination of waiting for existing clients to contact me, looking for new clients and, occasionally, applying to jobs on Proz.com.

Axelle H.
Josephine Cassar
Liena Vijupe
Sebastian Witte
Igor Zanardo
 
Maria Teresa Borges de Almeida
Maria Teresa Borges de Almeida  Identity Verified
Portugal
Local time: 19:53
Member (2007)
English to Portuguese
+ ...
Existing clients Jan 19, 2023

Over the years, I've managed to build a good base of loyal and regular customers and I wait for them to contact me. I wouldn't mind though adding another couple of regulars to the pot! New clients are always welcome…

Ventnai
Josephine Cassar
Liena Vijupe
Philip Lees
 
Yetta Jensen Bogarde
Yetta Jensen Bogarde  Identity Verified
Denmark
Local time: 20:53
Member (2012)
English to Danish
+ ...
Waiting for both regular and new clients Jan 19, 2023

and fortunately, I normally don't have to wait long.

Liena Vijupe
Maria Teresa Borges de Almeida
Michele Fauble
Becca Resnik
Philip Lees
 
Kay Denney
Kay Denney  Identity Verified
France
Local time: 20:53
French to English
. Jan 19, 2023

I've already had five faithful clients contact me, one to ask if I can translate a document that will be ready in March. And her colleague let me know about a job to be completed by mid February, and when I told her that I would be away for the second week of February, she immediately said she'd get it to me early so I could get it done before I leave. It's lovely to be wanted!

Christopher Schröder
Philip Lees
 
Helena Chavarria
Helena Chavarria  Identity Verified
Spain
Local time: 20:53
Member (2011)
Spanish to English
+ ...
I've started working for some new clients Jan 19, 2023

In the last six months I've stopped working for two clients: the first one had started to send me MTPE, and the other stopped sending me work when I told them that I had increased my rates.

However, during the same period, new clients have contacted me and I've started working for them. I never seem to get round to searching for new clients, it's not something I enjoy and whenever I get the chance to rest, I always have plenty of other things to do!


 
PRAKASH SHARMA
PRAKASH SHARMA  Identity Verified
India
Local time: 00:23
English to Hindi
+ ...
2023 started with family issues, so very difficult to work Jan 19, 2023

Hi,

Usually, I was working with full enthusiasm till the first quarter of 2021, when my mother got paralyzed and I became busy in her service. Then, in the same year, in the month of November, I got a heart attack while trying to serve her with full commitment. After then, situations became easier around July-August in 2022. In between, I joined a job in an educational consultancy in Nepal to learn more about that field. After some months, I left the job and started a client search,
... See more
Hi,

Usually, I was working with full enthusiasm till the first quarter of 2021, when my mother got paralyzed and I became busy in her service. Then, in the same year, in the month of November, I got a heart attack while trying to serve her with full commitment. After then, situations became easier around July-August in 2022. In between, I joined a job in an educational consultancy in Nepal to learn more about that field. After some months, I left the job and started a client search, which ended with the same old client, who was there for me, when I left last time, and he also helped me financially, with the treatment of heart attack. He is the kind of client now, to whom I would never like to say no, as he led from the front when I needed the money most. Again, at the beginning of December, my youngest brother fell ill, and now, he is on the ventilator. My family requires most of my time at the time, and unluckily, I am unable to work full-time for my favorite translation jobs. Hopefully, situations will improve soon.

In normal times, I stick loyally to one or two clients at a time, who can provide me with regular work, which may help me bear my personal and family expenses easily. When I think that I have enough time to serve anymore, I just open my inbox, where I get many invitational emails. I send my proposal to some selected ones, after checking their proz blueboard platforms, and doing other checks. Those, who agree to my proposal, I try to develop a professional relationship slowly. Once, I am confident about the new client, I never like to say 'no' to him, and work with full dedication.

Working as a freelancer is difficult for sure, but one has to enjoy it, in order to lead a meaningful and peaceful life. Just waiting for my family situation to normalize.....

[Edited at 2023-01-19 16:56 GMT]
Collapse


Christopher Schröder
Lieven Malaise
 


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Poll: Where are you getting most of your translation work from in 2023?






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