Poll: What makes you happier: winning a project or finishing it?
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ProZ.com Staff
ProZ.com Staff
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Sep 17, 2015

This forum topic is for the discussion of the poll question "What makes you happier: winning a project or finishing it?".

This poll was originally submitted by Natalia Pedrosa. View the poll results »



 
Mary Worby
Mary Worby  Identity Verified
Обединето Кралство
Local time: 04:49
Член
германски на англиски
+ ...
Other Sep 17, 2015

Getting paid for it!

 
Maria Teresa Borges de Almeida
Maria Teresa Borges de Almeida  Identity Verified
Португалија
Local time: 04:49
Член (2007)
англиски на португалски
+ ...
Oh yeah! Sep 17, 2015

Mary Worby wrote:

Getting paid for it!


 
Muriel Vasconcellos (X)
Muriel Vasconcellos (X)  Identity Verified
Соединети Американски Држави
Local time: 20:49
шпански на англиски
+ ...
Getting work, finishing it, and getting paid Sep 17, 2015

Those are the thrills I live for.

 
Jennifer Forbes
Jennifer Forbes  Identity Verified
Local time: 04:49
француски на англиски
+ ...
Во сеќавање на
Winning? Sep 17, 2015

I guess I feel happiest when I've satisfactorily completed an order and dispatched it in good time - and getting paid on time, of course, which this poll didn't mention.
I don't view the situation as "winning a project" but rather as receiving an order.


 
DianeGM
DianeGM  Identity Verified
Local time: 06:49
холандски на англиски
+ ...
Both ... Sep 17, 2015

though the expression 'winning a project' is odd.
I also like sending the invoice.
And like Mary said, getting paid for it doesn't hurt either.


 
José Henrique Lamensdorf
José Henrique Lamensdorf  Identity Verified
Бразил
Local time: 00:49
англиски на португалски
+ ...
Во сеќавање на
What's 'winning' a project? Sep 17, 2015

Muriel Vasconcellos wrote:

Getting work, finishing it, and getting paid

Those are the thrills I live for.


That's it, Muriel!


I don't take translation as a spectator sport.
Though some athletes earn a living from their performance in sports, it's not my case.

I definitely don't race against a crowd, anxiously hoping to win for having offered the lowest rate among them.

When I am offered a job, I first check if I am skilled do it properly. (If not, I'll suggest them a colleague who is, if I know one.) If yes, I'll tell the prospect my price, terms, and conditions to do it. If they think my offer represents a good cost/benefit, they'll hire me, I'll finish it, and get paid.

What really makes me happy?
Two possibilities:
a) When they return - between a few days and a couple of years later - with more work for me to do; and
b) When a new prospect contacts me, saying that I was recommended by a previous client who liked my work.


 
Helen Hagon
Helen Hagon  Identity Verified
Local time: 04:49
руски на англиски
+ ...
Finishing Sep 17, 2015

Winning a project, especially a large one, is exciting, but also a little bit scary. No matter how carefully I may have planned, there are always 'what ifs' in the back of my mind. What if the project is not what I had expected? What if something unforeseen happens and I can't meet the deadline? What if there is terminology I don't understand? And so on. Finishing a project, though, is a different experience entirely. There is a sense of relief that I managed to get to the end on time and hand o... See more
Winning a project, especially a large one, is exciting, but also a little bit scary. No matter how carefully I may have planned, there are always 'what ifs' in the back of my mind. What if the project is not what I had expected? What if something unforeseen happens and I can't meet the deadline? What if there is terminology I don't understand? And so on. Finishing a project, though, is a different experience entirely. There is a sense of relief that I managed to get to the end on time and hand over a quality piece of work, keeping my side of the bargain. The bigger or harder the project, the greater the relief at the end. Of course, if payment then arrives on time, that is even better.Collapse


 
Post removed: This post was hidden by a moderator or staff member because it was not in line with site rule
Julian Holmes
Julian Holmes  Identity Verified
Јапонија
Local time: 12:49
јапонски на англиски
Other Sep 17, 2015

The Champagne at the end. Of course, as Helen says "The bigger or harder the project, the greater the relief at the end." Thumbs up for that! Especially, if you get a pat on the back from the customer.

In fact, I got two big 'Thank yous' from two customers, one today and one yesterday. That made me very happy since both projects were very challenging for entirely different reasons. ...
See more
The Champagne at the end. Of course, as Helen says "The bigger or harder the project, the greater the relief at the end." Thumbs up for that! Especially, if you get a pat on the back from the customer.

In fact, I got two big 'Thank yous' from two customers, one today and one yesterday. That made me very happy since both projects were very challenging for entirely different reasons.

Oh dear, there seems to have been an immoderate comment removed before mine. I really can't imagine why for such a benign poll topic. Was it a 4-pointer?
Collapse


 
Vera Schoen
Vera Schoen  Identity Verified
Шведска
Local time: 05:49
германски на шведски
+ ...
Exactly Sep 17, 2015

Jenny Forbes wrote:

I guess I feel happiest when I've satisfactorily completed an order and dispatched it in good time


My feelings exactly.


 
Maxi Schwarz
Maxi Schwarz  Identity Verified
Local time: 22:49
германски на англиски
+ ...
neither, really Sep 17, 2015

Like a few colleagues have mentioned, projects aren't something to be "won". We get translation requests, accept the ones we are qualified for and have the time for, do them, send them, and get paid. After a few thousand it tends to be routine. I do feel happy if I've done an especially good job on something less routine, or on the rare occasion when my work has actually made a clear difference in someone's life.

 
Kay Denney
Kay Denney  Identity Verified
Франција
Local time: 05:49
француски на англиски
what really makes me happy Sep 18, 2015

is when the client comes back for more

and what makes me ecstatic

is when they tell me they like my work

and what sends me right over the moon and round again

is when they tell me they loved the little pun I squeezed in (against the advice of my proofreader) and add that, since it works in the source language too they're going to start using my pun all over the place


 


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Poll: What makes you happier: winning a project or finishing it?






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