| Pages in topic: [1 2 3] > | How to get that job? Thread poster: Paul Dixon
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Paul Dixon 
Brazil
Local time: 23:58
Portuguese to English
+ ...
I would like to know how to make sure I get jobs. The situation here in Brazil is extremely worrying. There is very little work, and people want discounts, or offer to pay over several months. And the occurrence of job cancellations has risen. Most cases seem to be due to price. In the meantime bills pile in. For example, Brazil's light bills are the highest in the world, despite above-average rainfall that has even caused tragedies in Minas Gerais and Bahia.
Is it time for a career chang... See more I would like to know how to make sure I get jobs. The situation here in Brazil is extremely worrying. There is very little work, and people want discounts, or offer to pay over several months. And the occurrence of job cancellations has risen. Most cases seem to be due to price. In the meantime bills pile in. For example, Brazil's light bills are the highest in the world, despite above-average rainfall that has even caused tragedies in Minas Gerais and Bahia.
Is it time for a career change? Am I pricing myself out of the market?
Why doesn't ProZ run a special course in marketing and pricing skills? I have noticed that translation schools and universities cover many aspects such as CAT tools, corpus, ethics, quality issues etc but somehow completely overlook that essential aspect - pricing and marketing.
But what we really need is regulation of the profession. The crisis in Brazil is now so bad that people who lose their jobs in other areas and know a foreign language move into translation, flooding the market and bringing rates and quality down. If the market was regulated, this would be stopped. As we say here, 'tradução não é bico', which means that translation is not (or should not be) a side job. Like one person I heard say 'I want to do some translations to get money to be an au-pair in France'. That is not the right way to look at it. Translation is a professional job that needs years of training and research.
So how can I get that job? ▲ Collapse
| | | | | English-Portuguese Pair | Jan 13, 2022 |
I notice that the number of applicants for jobs in the English-Portuguese pair is usually equal or sometimes higher than in the English-Spanish pair. Therefore, what you say applies also to the English-Spanish pair. For example:
Quotes received: 157
English to French: 23
English to Russian: 28
English to Italian: 16
English to German: 18
English to Spanish: 37
English to Portuguese: 37 (Quoting closed)
I assume, though, that the rates... See more I notice that the number of applicants for jobs in the English-Portuguese pair is usually equal or sometimes higher than in the English-Spanish pair. Therefore, what you say applies also to the English-Spanish pair. For example:
Quotes received: 157
English to French: 23
English to Russian: 28
English to Italian: 16
English to German: 18
English to Spanish: 37
English to Portuguese: 37 (Quoting closed)
I assume, though, that the rates for the English-Portuguese (Portugal) pair must be higher than those for the English-Brazilian Portuguese pair.
[Edited at 2022-01-13 23:15 GMT] ▲ Collapse
| | | | Michael Newton
United States
Local time: 22:58
Japanese to English
+ ...
| How to get that job | Jan 14, 2022 |
How to get that job: ignore the jobs "on offer" on proz.com.
| | | | Michael Newton
United States
Local time: 22:58
Japanese to English
+ ...
| Getting the job | Jan 14, 2022 |
With all due respect, Paul, I think you should try another profession.
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Baran Keki
Türkiye
Local time: 05:58
Member
English to Turkish
| If I were you | Jan 14, 2022 |
I wouldn't spend another day in Brazil and go back to the land of my ancestors (assuming you have the British passport).
I'm sure various government agencies in the UK could use the services of a Portuguese interpreter, who is a native in both source and target languages, every now and then, and the UK translation agencies (those not run by dodgy Eastern European or Middle Eastern characters in London) would pay decent rates for a good translator translating from or into Portuguese.
... See more I wouldn't spend another day in Brazil and go back to the land of my ancestors (assuming you have the British passport).
I'm sure various government agencies in the UK could use the services of a Portuguese interpreter, who is a native in both source and target languages, every now and then, and the UK translation agencies (those not run by dodgy Eastern European or Middle Eastern characters in London) would pay decent rates for a good translator translating from or into Portuguese.
And as one genius from your neck of the woods has once said on these forums "you have to move to Europe to command better rates as the living standards are higher/better there" (don't ask me why, I've never managed to work out the logic). ▲ Collapse
| | | | Mihai Badea (X)
Luxembourg
Local time: 04:58
English to Romanian
+ ...
| Career change | Jan 14, 2022 |
If you found an area where there are plenty job offers, and you already possess some of the necessary skills, that could be an option.
There are MOOC courses on virtually any topic. Most of them can be audited (sic).
There are marketing courses as well. For translator-focused marketing courses, ProZ.com might actually be the best place. There is a dedicated Training section.
Fellow translators who want to help colleagues to do better even took the time to ... See more If you found an area where there are plenty job offers, and you already possess some of the necessary skills, that could be an option.
There are MOOC courses on virtually any topic. Most of them can be audited (sic).
There are marketing courses as well. For translator-focused marketing courses, ProZ.com might actually be the best place. There is a dedicated Training section.
Fellow translators who want to help colleagues to do better even took the time to write books on the topic. Unfortunately, you'll need to look for them somewhere else. If you use the right search terms, you are very likely to find them without much effort. ▲ Collapse
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Paul Dixon wrote:
I would like to know how to make sure I get jobs. The situation here in Brazil is extremely worrying. There is very little work, and people want discounts, or offer to pay over several months. And the occurrence of job cancellations has risen. Most cases seem to be due to price. In the meantime bills pile in. For example, Brazil's light bills are the highest in the world, despite above-average rainfall that has even caused tragedies in Minas Gerais and Bahia.
Is it time for a career change? Am I pricing myself out of the market?
Why doesn't ProZ run a special course in marketing and pricing skills? I have noticed that translation schools and universities cover many aspects such as CAT tools, corpus, ethics, quality issues etc but somehow completely overlook that essential aspect - pricing and marketing.
But what we really need is regulation of the profession. The crisis in Brazil is now so bad that people who lose their jobs in other areas and know a foreign language move into translation, flooding the market and bringing rates and quality down. If the market was regulated, this would be stopped. As we say here, 'tradução não é bico', which means that translation is not (or should not be) a side job. Like one person I heard say 'I want to do some translations to get money to be an au-pair in France'. That is not the right way to look at it. Translation is a professional job that needs years of training and research.
So how can I get that job?
Its a hard fact of the free market. You need to have the lowest price for a given quality to win the contest. So, you need either a lower price or to be able to convince the customer that you can deliver a superior quality at a relatively low price.
The transparency of online bidding platforms is brutal. The alternative, old fashion networking results in better pricing, but is harder too achieve and requires a lot of non-paid effort.
I know from my own experience, it is hard and takes time to build a decent portfolio of regular clients, but allways keep in mind, that is your goal. One time clients from the net will never pay your bills.
| | | | Samuel Murray
Netherlands
Local time: 04:58
Member (2006)
English to Afrikaans
+ ...
Paul Dixon wrote:
I would like to know how to make sure I get jobs.
I know you're an old hand at this, but allow me to repeat:
Apply to as many agencies as you can: https://www.proz.com/blueboard
Consider signing up for Upwork and Fiverr.
Create a new website for yourself (e.g. at Wordpress or Jimdo) so that people aren't sent to your old blog from 2013 when they click your website URL. Try to inspire confidence.
FWIW, there is a small bit of code at the bottom of your ProZ.com profile page.
Is it time for a career change?
Can you supplement your translation income with with as unskilled labour?
But what we really need is regulation of the profession.
Careful: not all people who cry for regulation will end up being included in the regulation. This is why I oppose regulation in my country of origin: thousands of highly experienced translators who just don't have the right academic qualification will find themselves in a tier that don't allow them to work professionally.
It is just unfortunate that in an unregulated industry, people who are good at translating but not good at finding good paying clients will struggle to make a living.
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Paul Dixon
Brazil
Local time: 23:58
Portuguese to English
+ ...
TOPIC STARTER
Thanks to all who have replied so far.
Regarding the blog, there was some security issue and two accounts got mixed up to access my blog. This is why I stopped posting on it. I could start a new blog but would need a system that is easy to use without too much tech knowledge. Have heard of Wordpress but not Jimdo. Some posts could even be transferred to the new blog, like the ones about England.
Regarding a secondary source of income, I have considered English Teaching ... See more Thanks to all who have replied so far.
Regarding the blog, there was some security issue and two accounts got mixed up to access my blog. This is why I stopped posting on it. I could start a new blog but would need a system that is easy to use without too much tech knowledge. Have heard of Wordpress but not Jimdo. Some posts could even be transferred to the new blog, like the ones about England.
Regarding a secondary source of income, I have considered English Teaching (which was my main profession before entering the world of translation) but everything is so technical now. Gone are the good old days when the teacher would give lessons at the teacher's or student's premises, especially now with the pandemic. The city where I live is quite small but does have some universities and what's left of local industry. And the country's biggest city is only an hour away by train. (However, the city is huge and depending on the district the total journey could be three or four hours. This was one reason I phased out teaching, at one time I had three students, one each side of town, and spent 6 hours on buses for 3 hours of student contact. They did not have coworking then, however. I guess I could rent a coworking suite when needed, although this would be expensive)
While I do see the advantages of resources like Zoom, meaning I could have students in Kazakhstan or the Faroe Islands with me based in Brazil, the tech does seem too complex.
Regarding regulation, I can only see benefits. I think the best system of regulation would be something like the system now in use for the Brazilian teaching profession. A Translator I would be a specialist (like the specialist teachers in secondary school) and a Translator II would be a generalist. There would be the creation of the Brazilian Translators' Order (OTB).
I will sign up for Upwork and Fiverr, although I have heard they are bottom-feeders. ▲ Collapse
| | | | Robert Forstag
United States
Local time: 22:58
Spanish to English
+ ...
| Dubious advice | Jan 14, 2022 |
Samuel Murray wrote: Paul Dixon wrote:
I would like to know how to make sure I get jobs. I know you're an old hand at this, but allow me to repeat: Apply to as many agencies as you can: https://www.proz.com/blueboard
This is likely to be an enormous waste of time, as unsolicited e-mails received by agencies from translators working in pairs where supply vastly outstrips demand will simply be disregarded. If such correspondence elicits any emotion at all, it is likely to be one of irritation.
Agencies pretty much have their people they go to for language projects in particular pairs, so unless you are lucky enough to contact an agency just at the moment they need the particular services you provide, you will probably be wasting your time with any mass mailings.
Consider signing up for Upwork and Fiverr.
The earnings you can expect from such gigs will probably be even less than those on offer on the Jobs Board here.
Create a new website for yourself (e.g. at Wordpress or Jimdo) so that people aren't sent to your old blog from 2013 when they click your website URL. Try to inspire confidence.
Well, creating and maintaining a decent website costs money that Paul probably doesn't have. And having a website doesn't automatically act as a magnet to bring in business - or even attract visitors.
Can you supplement your translation income with unskilled labour?
Now this is sounder counsel - but why does it necessarily have to be "unskilled labour"? Perhaps Paul has a combination of skills and experience that would make him suitable for any number of decent-paying non-translation jobs.
| | | | Mihai Badea (X)
Luxembourg
Local time: 04:58
English to Romanian
+ ...
| Don't give up, Paul | Jan 14, 2022 |
Read these books first:
How to Succeed as a Freelance Translator
by Corinne Mckay
Finding and Marketing to Translation Agencies: A Practical Guide for Freelance Translators
by Corinne McKay
Perhaps also
The Entrepreneurial Linguist: The Business-School Approach to Freelance Translation
by Judy and Dagmar Jenner
| | | | | Completely outdated, ... | Jan 14, 2022 |
... your recommended readings: Mihai Badea wrote:
Read these books first:
How to Succeed as a Freelance Translator
by Corinne Mckay
Finding and Marketing to Translation Agencies: A Practical Guide for Freelance Translators
by Corinne McKay
Perhaps also
The Entrepreneurial Linguist: The Business-School Approach to Freelance Translation
by Judy and Dagmar Jenner
In 2006, 2010, and even in 2017, when these books were published, the situation for freelance translators was totally different than today, in the age of Deepl and PEMT.
I often wonder if you believe all the advice you have for others. Or do you just want to draw attention to yourself so that some agencies read your seemingly business-friendly approach and end up selecting you for some cheap (PEMT) job?
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Paul Dixon
Brazil
Local time: 23:58
Portuguese to English
+ ...
TOPIC STARTER
I have these books, except for the 'Marketing to Agencies' one, and had the honour of attending a talk by Judy Jenner in Recife, Brazil. They are good books but the big problem is the advent of machine translation. Things were much better in the good old days when there were no machines in translation except for the first CATs. The future of the profession is very worrying.
Matthias, your suggestion about a book for the days of PEMT is good. Why don't you write one? I am already in the que... See more I have these books, except for the 'Marketing to Agencies' one, and had the honour of attending a talk by Judy Jenner in Recife, Brazil. They are good books but the big problem is the advent of machine translation. Things were much better in the good old days when there were no machines in translation except for the first CATs. The future of the profession is very worrying.
Matthias, your suggestion about a book for the days of PEMT is good. Why don't you write one? I am already in the queue to buy a copy. ▲ Collapse
| | | | | That book could be concentrated on a leaflet | Jan 14, 2022 |
Paul Dixon wrote:
Matthias, your suggestion about a book for the days of PEMT is good. Why don't you write one? I am already in the queue to buy a copy.
Paul, what content would that book have except the lessons we are taught every day by our beloved outsourcers? What's your rate for post editing, submit your best price, do you accept payment 90 days after invoicing. That's all. I have opened another chapter in my book of life and so far I am (again!) successful with what I'm doing. I even get sick pay when I need to. I hope you will listen to the advice others already have given here and we will read from you soon and with your new address on your profile, but then based in the UK. I assume that life will be tough in Brazil when you can't make a living by your own skills. All the best wishes!
| | | | Samuel Murray
Netherlands
Local time: 04:58
Member (2006)
English to Afrikaans
+ ...
Robert Forstag wrote: This is likely to be an enormous waste of time, as unsolicited e-mails received by agencies from translators working in pairs where supply vastly outstrips demand will simply be disregarded.
Some agencies have a page where they specifically invite freelancers to apply, which explains exactly what they are looking for. Translators who follow the instructions get their attention.
As for unsolicited e-mails, which is the final option, you won't know which ones are a waste of time, but not doing anything isn't going to help either. Remember the direct-marketing numbers: 5-10% of agencies will respond, and 5-10% of those that respond will give you a job. So it's a numbers game.
Agencies pretty much have their people they go to for language projects in particular pairs...
I've heard this being said to new translators, but my experience is different. A quarter of my agency clients are agencies whom I've contacted myself or whose online forms I filled in.
Consider signing up for Upwork and Fiverr. The earnings you can expect from such gigs will probably be even less than those on offer on the Jobs Board here.
The value of those platforms lie not in the specific tiny jobs that you get directly from the platform, but in getting a foot in the door for repeat business. Essentially, Fiver and Upwork are places where you can meet direct clients.
Create a new website for yourself (e.g. at Wordpress or Jimdo) so that people aren't sent to your old blog from 2013 when they click your website URL. Try to inspire confidence. Well, creating and maintaining a decent website costs money that Paul probably doesn't have. And having a website doesn't automatically act as a magnet to bring in business - or even attract visitors.
1. Creating a web site on Wordpress or Jimdo or similar sites does not cost any money.
2. The problem is that Paul already has a web site, but it doesn't do him any favours. Clients who visit his current web site will think that he is no longer active.
Also, Paul, although Gmail is also a free e-mail service, I think Gmail creates a better impression than Yahoo. I would not take a translator seriously who uses a "yahoo.co.uk" e-mail address. Get a Gmail address, and forward all incoming mails to your Yahoo address.
[Edited at 2022-01-14 16:14 GMT]
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