Poll: How frequently do you have to / choose to turn down projects? Лице кое објавува дискусија: ProZ.com Staff
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This forum topic is for the discussion of the poll question "How frequently do you have to / choose to turn down projects?".
View the poll results »
| | | | Gitte Hovedskov (X)
Данска
Local time: 17:27
англиски на дански
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| Very frequently | Feb 16, 2020 |
Practically all job offers that come to me via ProZ.com are so silly that I have to bin them...
Sad, but true...
| | | | neilmac
Шпанија
Local time: 17:27
шпански на англиски
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I don't really know. I tried to turn down an offer last week, when a client asked me for an estimate for simultaneous translation at a meeting, which would involve going to Barcelona or Madrid and staying overnight in a hotel. I tried to tell them I wasn't really interested, but in the end they persuaded me by telling me I was the best person for the job, with my intimate knowledge of the sector, etc. Flattery can get you places!
[Edited at 2020-02-16 10:18 GMT]
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My rejection rate of work coming from my regular clients is close to zero, we almost always manage to find a compromise. For example, I have been quite busy lately and when early last week I said to a very regular client that I wouldn’t be available, her answer was: could you do it by the 20th February? The story will be quite different if I’m contacted by a new client as in this case my rejection rate is quite high (more often than not due to unacceptable rates or extremely tight deadlines).
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Muriel Vasconcellos (X) 
Соединети Американски Држави
Local time: 08:27
шпански на англиски
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If you're talking about queries that come in from agencies, then I'd say several times a week because the rates are too low.
My regular clients sometimes wait for me, so I may have several jobs lined up in the queue. When I'm working on a long job that's also RUSH, I may have to turn down other work, but I try to allow enough time so that I can squeeze in work from all my regulars.
| | | | Tom in London
Обединето Кралство
Local time: 16:27
италијански на англиски
"How frequently do you have to / choose to turn down projects?">
Most of the jobs I get are perfectly OK and I carry them out enthusiastically to the best of my ability. I hardly ever turn down a job. However there are exceptions:
A while ago I turned down the translation of a survey, for a big market research company, on what type of cigarettes people liked.
I would refuse to accept translations of anything that has to do with promoting weapons, wars, or exploitation.
For various reasons I refuse translation jobs that come from particular countries.
I refuse translation jobs that don't pay enough. This happens a lot.
I refuse jobs that I just couldn't deliver in the time available.
[Edited at 2020-02-16 14:08 GMT]
| | | | Aline Amorim
Бразил
Local time: 12:27
англиски на португалски
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I refuse translation jobs that don't pay enough and jobs that I just couldn't deliver in the time available.
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... entirely on the 'season' and my workload at the time. In quieter periods, I turn down unsuitable offers; in busy periods I sometimes have to turn down established clients. I can often beg some flexibility on their part, but obviously not always. I know this doesn't answer the question of 'how often,' but that's harder to recollect. Weekly?
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| nearly every day | Feb 17, 2020 |
I only work with regular agencies, and they send me jobs of all sizes (from 100 words to tens of thousands words) every day. I rely mainly on two agencies, and I try to accept as much as I can from them, but when a deadline is too short I ALWAYS suggest my best delivery date. Unfortunately, it's not always feasible on the client side and in this case I have to decline the offer.
I can also turn down a project if I really don't feel comfortable with the field.
| | | | Jan Truper
Германија
Local time: 17:27
англиски на германски
All the time, literally, since the online systems of some of my preferred clients always have projects on offer that I could grab anytime.
In other clients' systems, I usually mark myself as "unavailable" in advance to prevent having to turn down offers.
I consider myself (and the clients I work for) lucky that I've had a steady workflow for several years now.
| | | | Samuel Murray
Холандија
Local time: 17:27
Член (2006)
англиски на африканс
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| Do you mean... | Feb 17, 2020 |
ProZ.com Staff wrote:
"How frequently do you have to / choose to turn down projects?"
Do you mean specifically projects that otherwise do qualify (i.e. acceptable rate, acceptable deadline, file type and subject field that I'm able to handle), or do you mean any job offers in general (including offers that I would never have accepted anyway e.g. due to low rate, etc.)?
During busy season, I sometimes turn down qualifying projects if I'm too busy. I sometimes turn down projects that are very difficult or which would require a lot of extra effort, even if strictly speaking the rate is good, the deadline is fine, I have room in my schedule, and I have the resources to do it (some jobs just sap the life out of you).
| | | | Mario Freitas
Бразил
Local time: 12:27
англиски на португалски
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| It depends on the kind of project and client | Feb 17, 2020 |
If you're talking about turning down projects from regular clients, that would happen about twice a month, in average, when I'm very busy with larger projects.
If you're talking about turning down job proposals that come in every day, including good and not-so-good potential clients, it happens practically every day. As mentioned in a poll three days ago, I have bad-client identification and refusal standards that let me know some job offers that can be turned down immediately.
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Rebecca Garber
Local time: 11:27
Член (2005)
германски на англиски
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Are we talking about actual projects from my reliable agencies? Then maybe one a month. Otherwise, we negotiate the due date.
Are we talking about cattle calls from agencies that don't actually read my specialties according to ProZ? Or agencies who continue to think I offer proofreading after being told for years that I no longer do so? Or the agency that thought translation *from* Latin meant translation *into* Italian? Or offers for rates so low that I might as well work in fast f... See more Are we talking about actual projects from my reliable agencies? Then maybe one a month. Otherwise, we negotiate the due date.
Are we talking about cattle calls from agencies that don't actually read my specialties according to ProZ? Or agencies who continue to think I offer proofreading after being told for years that I no longer do so? Or the agency that thought translation *from* Latin meant translation *into* Italian? Or offers for rates so low that I might as well work in fast food service?
Those show up at least once a day and get trashed, if I even bother opening them ▲ Collapse
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