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Poll: What do you detest most about freelancing?
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ProZ.com Staff
ProZ.com Staff
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Feb 3, 2018

This forum topic is for the discussion of the poll question "What do you detest most about freelancing?".

This poll was originally submitted by Konbaz . View the poll results »



 
Gianluca Marras
Gianluca Marras  Identity Verified
Италија
Local time: 18:52
англиски на италијански
+ ...
Other Feb 3, 2018

Law about freelancing in my country - Italy (Taxes, pension system, rules which prevent you from growing, if you want)

 
Carla Catolino
Carla Catolino
Италија
Local time: 18:52
Член (2008)
италијански на англиски
+ ...
I completely agree with Gianluca....in Italy we mostly work for the Government! Feb 3, 2018

Gianluca Marras wrote:

Law about freelancing in my country - Italy (Taxes, pension system, rules which prevent you from growing, if you want)


 
Maria Teresa Borges de Almeida
Maria Teresa Borges de Almeida  Identity Verified
Португалија
Local time: 17:52
Член (2007)
англиски на португалски
+ ...
Other Feb 3, 2018

Two things: I don’t like the erratic workflow (though this is also what makes the charm and the excitement of this profession) and I detest having to chase late payers and even worse non-payers…

 
Muriel Vasconcellos (X)
Muriel Vasconcellos (X)  Identity Verified
Соединети Американски Држави
Local time: 09:52
шпански на англиски
+ ...
Nothing Feb 3, 2018

Period.

 
Yetta Jensen Bogarde
Yetta Jensen Bogarde  Identity Verified
Данска
Local time: 18:52
Член (2012)
англиски на дански
+ ...
Long payment terms Feb 3, 2018

Period.

No, actually there is one more thing: When the clients (read agencies) get the idea to install own portal (sometimes including own CAT system), complicated pass words (that have to be renewed regularly), manuals to read, all kinds of rules and QA systems, and at the end of all a long assessment questionnaire.

[Edited at 2018-02-03 10:23 GMT]


Anna Augustin
 
neilmac
neilmac
Шпанија
Local time: 18:52
шпански на англиски
+ ...
Other Feb 3, 2018

Nothing really, from my own standpoint, as I really like what I do... In fact, intrusion in the field/market by the less-than-competent and/or unscrupulous is probably what I find most annoying, although "detest" is a bit strong there too. I'm sure many are victims of circumstance.

 
Elena and David Dickens
Elena and David Dickens
Обединето Кралство
Local time: 17:52
англиски на италијански
+ ...
... and accounting Feb 3, 2018

Yes, agreed, but we shouldn't forget it applies to other professions as well.

Carla Catolino wrote:

Gianluca Marras wrote:

Law about freelancing in my country - Italy (Taxes, pension system, rules which prevent you from growing, if you want)


 
Giovanni Guarnieri MITI, MIL
Giovanni Guarnieri MITI, MIL  Identity Verified
Обединето Кралство
Local time: 17:52
англиски на италијански
Other... Feb 3, 2018

tight deadlines, accounting, feast and famine...

 
Gianluca Marras
Gianluca Marras  Identity Verified
Италија
Local time: 18:52
англиски на италијански
+ ...
true and... Feb 3, 2018

Elena and David Dickens wrote:

Yes, agreed, but we shouldn't forget it applies to other professions as well.

Carla Catolino wrote:

Gianluca Marras wrote:

Law about freelancing in my country - Italy (Taxes, pension system, rules which prevent you from growing, if you want)


True and that's why I referred to "freelancing" and not to freelance translators.

If you start your career as a freelancer in this country you know you have a partner who takes 65% of your income, without adding any value.


 
Robert Forstag
Robert Forstag  Identity Verified
Соединети Американски Држави
Local time: 12:52
шпански на англиски
+ ...
Erratic work flow Feb 3, 2018

Like Teresa, I would say "the erratic workflow," and this goes for both ends of the spectrum. Worst are the long periods with little or no work. But periods of heavy work can be problematic as well (leaving time for little else, and involving long periods with little exercise and continually sitting at my computer, which I find is getting harder and harder to do).

I would put "small projects" in second place. Kind of hard to get excited about translating a birth certificate for $25
... See more
Like Teresa, I would say "the erratic workflow," and this goes for both ends of the spectrum. Worst are the long periods with little or no work. But periods of heavy work can be problematic as well (leaving time for little else, and involving long periods with little exercise and continually sitting at my computer, which I find is getting harder and harder to do).

I would put "small projects" in second place. Kind of hard to get excited about translating a birth certificate for $25 (that I have to create an invoice for and then track payment for). I tend to refuse such jobs unless they come from regular clients.
Collapse


 
Nina Khmielnitzky
Nina Khmielnitzky  Identity Verified
Канада
Local time: 12:52
англиски на француски
Payment delays and follow up Feb 3, 2018

I suppose agencies don't care if we live on credit and if we can't pay the rent on time while waiting for their meagre payments and always have to remind them it's due.

Anna Augustin
 
Diana Obermeyer
Diana Obermeyer  Identity Verified
Обединето Кралство
Local time: 17:52
германски на англиски
+ ...
Other Feb 3, 2018

The effort it takes to take holidays, notifying a large number of clients, clients "forgetting" that you are on holiday, large number of emails on return etc.

 
Richard Purdom
Richard Purdom  Identity Verified
Португалија
Local time: 17:52
холандски на англиски
+ ...
Cuts both ways Feb 3, 2018

Nina Khmielnitzky wrote:

I suppose agencies don't care if we live on credit and if we can't pay the rent on time while waiting for their meagre payments and always have to remind them it's due.


Then again, how many translators care if agencies go under or don't get paid by clients?

I've always had excellent dealings with agencies (mostly Dutch and Belgian, but worldwide); 5 years now without a single failed payment, and I don't particularly envy the work they have to do. I'd rather see a bit less moaning about them on here tbh, and the realisation that we're all links in a chain.

Worse thing about translating for me is the repetitiveness and long hours alone behind a screen. Surprised neither of these were listed.


 
Jasa Pipan
Jasa Pipan
Словенија
Local time: 18:52
француски на словенечки
+ ...
Agree! Feb 3, 2018

Richard Purdom wrote:
Worse thing about translating for me is the repetitiveness and long hours alone behind a screen. Surprised neither of these were listed.

This! My partner is a language teacher who speaks all day and when he gets home he just wants to be quiet ... meanwhile, I’ve been glued at my screen all day and I could do with a little chitchat
My primary answer were small projects. Besides the economically less interesting aspect, I find it is often easy to translate huge projects where you can really get into what you’re translating and familiarize yourself completely with the subject. With small projects, there’s just no space and time to do that ...


 
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Poll: What do you detest most about freelancing?






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