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How do you deal with the periods without jobs?
Thread poster: Egmont Schröder
Daniel Frisano
Daniel Frisano  Identity Verified
Italy
Local time: 11:24
Member (2008)
English to Italian
+ ...
Several options Oct 15, 2017

(1) Work for yourself instead of working for clients, engaging in projects that improve your life. This may involve studying new languages or improving those you already know (including your native!). Or write a book, write music, paint, get a new degree, whatever.
(2) Take the no-work period as an improvised mini-vacation.
(3) Do some of the things that you can't do because you have no time when you have lots of work. One of mine is taking better care of the house. (Funny how either
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(1) Work for yourself instead of working for clients, engaging in projects that improve your life. This may involve studying new languages or improving those you already know (including your native!). Or write a book, write music, paint, get a new degree, whatever.
(2) Take the no-work period as an improvised mini-vacation.
(3) Do some of the things that you can't do because you have no time when you have lots of work. One of mine is taking better care of the house. (Funny how either we complain that we have no time, or get bored or nervous when we have too much).
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MK2010
MK2010  Identity Verified
United States
Local time: 06:24
French to English
+ ...
Different approaches Oct 15, 2017

Josephine Cassar wrote:

MK2010 wrote:
reconnect with clients you haven't worked with in a while, etc.

Do you drop them a note? You say what? That you did such and such jobs for them and that it's been a while that you collaborated with them? can you clarify? I wouldn't want to sound like 'begging' but it may be an idea worth pursing. Just asking, not criticising.

[Edited at 2017-10-15 13:04 GMT]


Maybe you have a new skill (new CAT tool, for instance, or you passed a subtitling test or what not), new area of expertise, new schedule, new rates, new anything. Something very simple can be "Hi XXXX, I've recently updated my CV and I wanted to send you a copy so you can keep it on file. I really enjoyed working with you (what / when) and I look forward to future collaborations."

You have to keep in mind, translation agencies work with thousands of freelancers, and, more important, projects managers come and go every five minutes. So it's easy to fall off people's radar for no particular reason. Maybe your favorite PM left and the new one hasn't realized how awesome you are yet, maybe the last couple of times they hit you up you weren't available, etc. It's important to stay on people's radars.


[Edited at 2017-10-15 15:42 GMT]


 
Josephine Cassar
Josephine Cassar  Identity Verified
Malta
Local time: 11:24
Member (2012)
English to Maltese
+ ...
Very good idea! Oct 15, 2017

Well, I must say it is a very good answer and idea, thank you. I'm glad I asked what you meant.

 
Merab Dekano
Merab Dekano  Identity Verified
Spain
Member (2014)
English to Spanish
+ ...
When not working Oct 15, 2017

First "encouraging" thought; it happens to all translators time to time. Whoever says "it never happens to me" is probably not entirely truthful. As Pavarotti once said: "if a tenor says he isn't afraid when he is performing in front of an audience, he is lying".

Second "encouraging" though: even though there is no PO coming through, you clients still know you, you are still in their database, the "machinery" is still working. No reason to "remind" them you are here eager to take o
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First "encouraging" thought; it happens to all translators time to time. Whoever says "it never happens to me" is probably not entirely truthful. As Pavarotti once said: "if a tenor says he isn't afraid when he is performing in front of an audience, he is lying".

Second "encouraging" though: even though there is no PO coming through, you clients still know you, you are still in their database, the "machinery" is still working. No reason to "remind" them you are here eager to take on projects. Focus on something else. You've already done a good job with your customers. That's the reason they are still your customers.

What I do when this happens: the first two days, just relax, do some occasional reading for pleasure, walk, spend more time with my family, lay in bed a few more hours than I otherwise would. This is very important to me. I've had periods I generated 7,000+ pounds in just one month (bear in mind EN > ES pair is too competitive). That meant working too hard. Days and some night were too long indeed. However, I would never be abole to sustain that pace all the time. Therefore, I need those two days once in a while to just rest.

If still no projects, I start doing two things, basically: (i) stay in touch with the industry news, and (ii) conduct marketing activities to get myself known to potential customers. Ocasional training too. Perhaps I should be doing more of it.

Good news is that those "inactivity" periods never last for too long (almost never more than a week). Another good news is that we don't need "too many" customers, simply because we wouldn't be able to keep them [happy].
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Kay Denney
Kay Denney  Identity Verified
France
Local time: 11:24
French to English
Been there, done that Oct 16, 2017

Elizabeth Tamblin wrote:

For a while, I sit at my desk, checking emails, reading forums, doing puzzles, etc.

I can guarantee that the moment I psych myself up to do some creative writing, a job will come in and the great novel is put on the back burner once more.


It also happens when I'm trying to get round to something I really don't want to do, like sort out an admin problem (there's one nagging me at the moment).


 
Kay Denney
Kay Denney  Identity Verified
France
Local time: 11:24
French to English
This is right Oct 16, 2017

MK2010 wrote:

Josephine Cassar wrote:

MK2010 wrote:
reconnect with clients you haven't worked with in a while, etc.

Do you drop them a note? You say what? That you did such and such jobs for them and that it's been a while that you collaborated with them? can you clarify? I wouldn't want to sound like 'begging' but it may be an idea worth pursing. Just asking, not criticising.

[Edited at 2017-10-15 13:04 GMT]


Maybe you have a new skill (new CAT tool, for instance, or you passed a subtitling test or what not), new area of expertise, new schedule, new rates, new anything. Something very simple can be "Hi XXXX, I've recently updated my CV and I wanted to send you a copy so you can keep it on file. I really enjoyed working with you (what / when) and I look forward to future collaborations."

You have to keep in mind, translation agencies work with thousands of freelancers, and, more important, projects managers come and go every five minutes. So it's easy to fall off people's radar for no particular reason. Maybe your favorite PM left and the new one hasn't realized how awesome you are yet, maybe the last couple of times they hit you up you weren't available, etc. It's important to stay on people's radars.


[Edited at 2017-10-15 15:42 GMT]

This is good advice indeed! I remember, as a PM, often assigning a task to the person I'd worked with just previously, forgetting that there was a better translator, simply because last time they weren't available.


 
Egmont Schröder
Egmont Schröder  Identity Verified
Germany
Local time: 11:24
Member (2013)
Chinese to German
+ ...
TOPIC STARTER
Thanks for the answers Oct 19, 2017

... and I am in again. Since last Friday I am working full time again on several projects and had to turn a lot of requests down. I never will get used to it.

For those how are doing this for a longer time: Have you recognised something like a pattern? Do these dry periods maybe depend on a specific season? It would make sense that you have less work during Christmas and after New Year, but I didn't feel any differences.

I hope you will understand that this is quite imp
... See more
... and I am in again. Since last Friday I am working full time again on several projects and had to turn a lot of requests down. I never will get used to it.

For those how are doing this for a longer time: Have you recognised something like a pattern? Do these dry periods maybe depend on a specific season? It would make sense that you have less work during Christmas and after New Year, but I didn't feel any differences.

I hope you will understand that this is quite important, maybe I can plan my vacation around that time (what a wunderfull idea: vacation!).

I noticed that during the dry periods the job board of ProZ also doesn't spit out many jobs for my language pair, and when I am busy again the list of daily jobs is much longer. Do you have similar experiences?
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Mario Chavez (X)
Mario Chavez (X)  Identity Verified
Local time: 06:24
English to Spanish
+ ...
Patterns Oct 19, 2017

Egmont Schröder wrote:

... and I am in again. Since last Friday I am working full time again on several projects and had to turn a lot of requests down. I never will get used to it.

For those how are doing this for a longer time: Have you recognised something like a pattern? Do these dry periods maybe depend on a specific season? It would make sense that you have less work during Christmas and after New Year, but I didn't feel any differences.

I hope you will understand that this is quite important, maybe I can plan my vacation around that time (what a wunderfull idea: vacation!).

I noticed that during the dry periods the job board of ProZ also doesn't spit out many jobs for my language pair, and when I am busy again the list of daily jobs is much longer. Do you have similar experiences?


Egmont,

Good observation. I have often thought whether I see busy and free patterns in my practice as a translator. Every year is different. For instance, in 2015 I was very busy from January all the way through June, then it slacked off. In 2016, you could say I had a more or less regular schedule, very few free days. In 2017, however, after losing a well-paying client in late 2016, I started out with too much free time to the point of feeling a certain concern. So, 2017: January was weak, February and March, nothing. Then things started to pick up in mid March thanks to a new client who retained me until September (nonstop projects). The summer was bearable (not so busy but still working). Now I'm pretty busy until the end of October.


 
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How do you deal with the periods without jobs?







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