New Here, confused about rates 投稿者: Mark Hamlen
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I've been translating for many years, but now looking to start freelancing (I'm half time now at my job).
I'm shocked to see jobs posted with budgets of USD 0.01 per word (which is something like EUR 0.008). Are people really accepting this work? How can you make a living working at that rate and turn out work you can still be proud of? Do CAT tools make this possible? I'm really confused.
| | | | pcovs
デンマーク
Local time: 06:53
英語 から デンマーク語
| Search the forums | Aug 25, 2010 |
I completely understand your confusion, and these things have and are constantly debated vigorously in these forums.
You should sift through some of the threads (perhaps searching for 'rates' or something would turn up quite a few of those), and I am sure you will feel much more reassured and a little less confused after that (perhaps the other way around, I don't know).
| | | | | It's not just you | Aug 25, 2010 |
Mark Hamlen wrote:
I've been translating for many years, but now looking to start freelancing (I'm half time now at my job).
I'm shocked to see jobs posted with budgets of USD 0.01 per word (which is something like EUR 0.008). Are people really accepting this work? How can you make a living working at that rate and turn out work you can still be proud of? Do CAT tools make this possible? I'm really confused.
I think I saw the same job which you are referring to earlier this morning. No, those are not widely accepted rates, but think of the profit which the agency could make if someone falls for it.
| | | | Laurent KRAULAND (X) 
フランス
Local time: 06:53
フランス語 から ドイツ語
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| Accepted rates? | Aug 25, 2010 |
Jenn Mercer wrote:
I think I saw the same job which you are referring to earlier this morning. No, those are not widely accepted rates, but think of the profit which the agency could make if someone falls for it.
I can only second that.
But you should be in the clear, Mark, that the Internet-based translation market is only a part of the global translation market.
There are clients (yes, agencies!) who will post on ProZ and elsewhere only once or twice in a blue moon, to search for competent translators at acceptable rates - and who work for regular end clients. Quality and sustainability are the keywords here.
So even on the Internet, you will find actors of different market segments. There is no need to fall for the lowest of the low.
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| Get used to being shocked | Aug 25, 2010 |
Dear Mark,
With your experience you should be able to get work at the rates you mention in your profile.
Good luck,
Gerard
| | | | | Confused about rates | Aug 25, 2010 |
The 64 quotes (so far) include 5 from me (five pairs) for .14 a word.
I suspect that there is no real job, but that they are just trying to see how many suckers they can find to work at that rate.
Jenn Mercer wrote:
I think I saw the same job which you are referring to earlier this morning. No, those are not widely accepted rates, but think of the profit which the agency could make if someone falls for it.
| | | | | Direct contacts usually offer higher rates | Aug 26, 2010 |
I have been a user of this site for 6-7 years now, and in that time you could count the jobs I have bid for and done on the fingers of one hand.
But the first client who contacted me directly offered me a job that covered my annual subscription to the site by itself, and I was very happy to work for that client for several years.
The jobs come from people who find me, including colleagues I have ´met´ on the site. The rates for these jobs are generally acceptable, (ev... See more I have been a user of this site for 6-7 years now, and in that time you could count the jobs I have bid for and done on the fingers of one hand.
But the first client who contacted me directly offered me a job that covered my annual subscription to the site by itself, and I was very happy to work for that client for several years.
The jobs come from people who find me, including colleagues I have ´met´ on the site. The rates for these jobs are generally acceptable, (even to someone living in Scandinavia!) but they are invisible to other users.
Of course, there are always those who try to get a job done at a low rate - for whatever reason... But I think recent changes in the job-posting setup have helped.
Make yourself really visible, so that you attract clients' attention, because the good ones look for you and check your profile, KudoZ activity etc. Keep your network alive and take advantage of connections wherever you have them.
My experience is that CAT tools do NOT justify big reductions in rates. There are many advantages quality-wise, and they are an efficient way of keeping track of terminology and so on, but you still have to buy them and spend the time learning how to use them, maintaining them etc.
Best of luck with freelancing!
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| | | | Evans (X)
Local time: 05:53
スペイン語 から 英語
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| Don't be confused | Aug 26, 2010 |
My advice is: don't even consider offering rates any lower than the lowest rate you mention on your profile. I wouldn't even go that low (I have been a well-established freelance for many years however).
If you look at most job offers on Proz, the best response is to laugh and move on.
You will gradually be able to build up a good client base of serious agencies and direct clients who respect your work and are willing to pay a decent rate for a job well done. The Proz ... See more My advice is: don't even consider offering rates any lower than the lowest rate you mention on your profile. I wouldn't even go that low (I have been a well-established freelance for many years however).
If you look at most job offers on Proz, the best response is to laugh and move on.
You will gradually be able to build up a good client base of serious agencies and direct clients who respect your work and are willing to pay a decent rate for a job well done. The Proz job board is not the place to start.
But as others have said. Decent clients may well contact you through Proz if your profile is good and you are active on the site, helping colleagues and participating in forums, etc.
Good luck! ▲ Collapse
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