| Pages in topic: < [1 2] | Poll: Do you keep regular "office hours" for your translation work? Thread poster: ProZ.com Staff
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So it's more a point of principle. Fair enough. I suspect though that the innocuous "favourite colour" type questions would be of more use to advertisers. Everywhere I go on the Web I am pursued by Halfords wanting to sell me a bike. OK, I'm a cycling nut, but I've never been to Halfords' website. Too busy in my gold-lined pool
| | | | neilmac
Spain
Local time: 05:13
Spanish to English
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| Discretion above all | Jul 17, 2012 |
Ty Kendall wrote:
Admittedly, this poll is more innocuous than the previous THREE have been, but the fact they have all been anonymous is somewhat strange. And if you think handing over sensitive finanacial information incrementally is harmless, well I disagree.
It may seem harmless if you look at it in isolation, but that's just ignoring the bigger picture and the string of other strange anonymous polls (mostly asking about financial details).
Where I come from, asking about money is still a bit taboo, a bit personal. So I'm surprised to be constantly asked how I'm doing financially, how I expect to do in the next 6 months, how better/worse have my finances been since last year. I feel like I'm filling out a profit/loss statement, not answering a few polls.
I'm not saying you can't answer, feel free.....
Maybe it's a UK thing. I too tend to feel discussing earnings and financial details rather grubby, and on occasion this reluctance to talk turkey when it comes down to spondulicks has ended up with my having to refuse a job at the end of a long interview when I discovered the pittance being offered for my illustrious services.
My immediate response to some of these poll qestions is also "who wants to know", and I think it's justified.
| | | | Mario Chavez (X) 
Local time: 23:13
English to Spanish
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| That's why I answered "Other" | Jul 17, 2012 |
Ty Kendall wrote: Chris S wrote:
PS I can't for the life of me understand your fears, so I am genuinely interested in your reasons for them!
[Edited at 2012-07-17 10:00 GMT] I'm not afraid, it's not about fear. It's about transparency more than anything. Like I said, it's nice to know who's asking, especially when it's a more sensitive or personal question. I wouldn't have an in-depth earnings discussion with my close friends (or at least not an honest one), so I'm not particularly enamoured of entering into one here, that's all. Maybe it's because I'm not a limited company, so my finances are well....mine and more personal. I also have in mind that these polls and their discussions are in the public domain, and my competitors have access to it. Another thing that lingers in the back of my mind. You may be right, and maybe nobody (except for Her Majesty's taxman) gives a hoot about my finances, but I'd rather hedge my bets. Besides, we've all seen those members of this site who constantly brag about how their earnings reach triple figures and how they are buying a new Lexus next month and how their swimming pool is lined with gold (well, that one is made up)...but really, is there anything more neauseating? I just prefer to keep things closer to my chest where $ is concerned, and I just see what has been an unusually long run on borderline personal financial anonymous questions as a bit improper (and as I said in yesterday's poll - when I feel like the data I am helping to compile might be sold on to some marketing company - because let's face it - websites do that all the time and ProZ is a business who already makes a mint out of advertising alone, so I'd hardly be floored if it came out they were selling some data from these polls - which if it were the case I'm fine with it - just give me discounted membership or a cut if you want me to contribute to the data ). In short, much of my life is online, there's actually not much that isn't. I just want something of me to remain private and I think it's appropriate that it's my finances. [Edited at 2012-07-17 11:36 GMT]
I'll have to side with Ty here. It's not paranoia, Chris, it's a healthy dose of privacy we want to maintain those of us who feel a tad miffed at the inquisitive nature of some of these polls. Too bad there is no option for MYOB.
Perhaps I'm overanalyzing things, but I like to find a compelling reason to answer a questionnaire or poll, or some degree of usefulness.
Whatever happened to more pragmatic questions such as "How often do you replace dictionaries?" or "Does translation theory help you in any way to do your job?"
Going back to the topic: who cares how many hours a day/month/year we work, as long as we turn in projects in time, well written and pleasant to look at? I just don't like this "productivity" talk about translation.
| | | | Allison Wright (X)
Portugal
Local time: 04:13
| In winter, yes, mostly. | Jul 17, 2012 |
Filipa Plant dos Santos wrote: Heatwave here in Portugal at the moment
So, no!
Even when long siestas are not a necessity, I do not keep regular office hours.
I work longer hours than the average office worker, for more days a year than the average office or non office worker. The liberty of freelancing!
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... I find it interesting to see the results of these polls because I don't spend a lot of time hanging out with other translators of any sort, so I have no idea what other translators think about things, or about recent trends and experiences on the business side of stuff for translators in other areas. So, while I understand and sympathize with "none of your business" sort of attitudes, I can number myself among those who are interested in seeing the poll results to this kind question for proz... See more ... I find it interesting to see the results of these polls because I don't spend a lot of time hanging out with other translators of any sort, so I have no idea what other translators think about things, or about recent trends and experiences on the business side of stuff for translators in other areas. So, while I understand and sympathize with "none of your business" sort of attitudes, I can number myself among those who are interested in seeing the poll results to this kind question for proz users.
No regular office hours. Of course not. That and geographic mobility are the two biggest perks of the job, in my mind. ▲ Collapse
| | | | Dave Bindon
Greece
Local time: 06:13
Greek to English
In memoriam
As long as I meet my deadlines, when I work is up to me.
To my Portuguese colleagues: I hope you get through the heatwave without too much trouble. Don't over-work yourselves! Let your main clients know what's happening and I'm sure they'll be flexible about deadlines and/or understand that you'll only be working from morning until noon for the next few days. Having just survived a prolonged heatwave here in Greece, I feel for you!
Ty, I can sort of see where you're "co... See more As long as I meet my deadlines, when I work is up to me.
To my Portuguese colleagues: I hope you get through the heatwave without too much trouble. Don't over-work yourselves! Let your main clients know what's happening and I'm sure they'll be flexible about deadlines and/or understand that you'll only be working from morning until noon for the next few days. Having just survived a prolonged heatwave here in Greece, I feel for you!
Ty, I can sort of see where you're "coming from" when it comes to providing financial information in polls which have been posted anonymously. However, I don't think for one moment that ProZ.com could or would analyse the poll results in any way which would make your answer personally identifiable, so there is nothing to fear. Making a (personally identifiable) comment is up to the individual.
When it comes to these financial polls, however, I wonder what the point is. Unless the results are broken down by language pairs, specialist fields, country of residence, years of translation experience etc., they are pretty meaningless. The result of this type of poll is akin to saying, "We interviewed 100 people in a London pub on a Saturday night and asked them if they'd consumed alcohol in the past three years and, based on the result, we have concluded that it would be a great idea to build 1000 pubs in [insert name of country where drinking alcohol is illegal]".
But in this poll, Ty, what's your problem? It's about the working practices of (mostly) freelance translators. Even if every translation agency and potential end-client in the world gets sent an e-mail saying that Ty Kendall doesn't work 9-to-5 Monday to Friday, do you think that would be detrimental to you and/or your career? All my clients are in different time-zones from me, so 9-5 Greek time wouldn't suit them all. Not all clients expect a Monday-Friday working week. For most of my clients I think the fact that they know I can work at 10pm on Sunday is more important than knowing that I'll answer an e-mail at 09:01 on Monday morning.
[I feel the need to repeat what I have said on the forums etc. previously: Ty and I are friends, so using his name is just meant as a personal touch and not a personal attack!] ▲ Collapse
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but my regular hours start midday and then continue into the night. So it is regular, just not daytime.
| | | | | Talking about 'privacy' | Jul 17, 2012 |
Has anyone received an email from a "Proz advertising partner" called "Common Sense Advisory" asking for details, including names of agencies that haven't paid you, rates etc?
Does anyone know anything about this - is it a fake or for real?
I got an email from them with a survey for me to take, just yesterday.
Just asking before I delete it!!
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| No, and I don't try | Jul 17, 2012 |
Like most of the folks who have responded, freedom to do what I want, when I want to, is the whole point.
I know a couple of folks who rent office space so that they will be forced to keep a schedule and concentrate on their work. I have no trouble concentrating, because clients are always breathing down my neck.
| | | | Tatty
Local time: 05:13
Spanish to English
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I'm going to give office hours another try from September onwards. I always admire translators who get all their work done by 6pm.
| | | | Ty Kendall
United Kingdom
Local time: 04:13
Hebrew to English
| No problem with this poll per se | Jul 17, 2012 |
Dave Bindon wrote:
But in this poll, Ty, what's your problem? It's about the working practices of (mostly) freelance translators. Even if every translation agency and potential end-client in the world gets sent an e-mail saying that Ty Kendall doesn't work 9-to-5 Monday to Friday, do you think that would be detrimental to you and/or your career? All my clients are in different time-zones from me, so 9-5 Greek time wouldn't suit them all. Not all clients expect a Monday-Friday working week. For most of my clients I think the fact that they know I can work at 10pm on Sunday is more important than knowing that I'll answer an e-mail at 09:01 on Monday morning.
[I feel the need to repeat what I have said on the forums etc. previously: Ty and I are friends, so using his name is just meant as a personal touch and not a personal attack!]
It's more a case of unfortunate timing - that it's the 3rd anonymous poll in a row (and after the previous two had already got my back up) so I'm just taking it out on this poll discussion
Let's see what tomorrow's poll brings......
| | | | Teresa Reinhardt
United States
Local time: 20:13
Member (2002)
German to English
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| I don't get it | Jul 17, 2012 |
"'ll have to side with Ty here. It's not paranoia, Chris, it's a healthy dose of privacy we want to maintain those of us who feel a tad miffed at the inquisitive nature of some of these polls. Too bad there is no option for MYOB."
Has it not occurred to any of those who endlessly complain about these polls that there is an option that is even better/more polite than MYOB - don't respond? Or does it just feel too good...
I can imagine clients who would take more notice o... See more "'ll have to side with Ty here. It's not paranoia, Chris, it's a healthy dose of privacy we want to maintain those of us who feel a tad miffed at the inquisitive nature of some of these polls. Too bad there is no option for MYOB."
Has it not occurred to any of those who endlessly complain about these polls that there is an option that is even better/more polite than MYOB - don't respond? Or does it just feel too good...
I can imagine clients who would take more notice of the complaining habit than the hours we keep, or other details. I agree with the person who answered that he likes to see what other people do; sometimes it's interesting, sometimes it's not. Life goes on.
BTW, no set hours, and that's exactly one of the things I love about this life.
Teresa ▲ Collapse
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| Office hours for clients | Jul 18, 2012 |
I have no time to read through all the previous comments, so I might repeat what others have said already.
We have official office office hours for our clients, from Monday until Friday. For rush jobs our clients can always reach us on the mobile, so it's really not a problem. From a business perspective, I think it's important to make clear what is "normal business hours" and what's not. There is a difference if a client contacts us during the week or on a Sunday morning, which ha... See more I have no time to read through all the previous comments, so I might repeat what others have said already.
We have official office office hours for our clients, from Monday until Friday. For rush jobs our clients can always reach us on the mobile, so it's really not a problem. From a business perspective, I think it's important to make clear what is "normal business hours" and what's not. There is a difference if a client contacts us during the week or on a Sunday morning, which has to be reflected in the pricing. Ask any other service provider about their rates during weekend, e.g. a lock and key service. ▲ Collapse
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