| Pages in topic: < [1 2] | What's wrong with proz.com? What's wrong with me? Thread poster: Alessandro Marchesello
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| Just kidding... | Sep 25, 2005 |
Walter Landesman wrote:
Then you are in the wrong place or wrong profession, pal. I`m sorry. Nobody becomes a lawyer or a doctor and besides gets a full time job in three weeks. You have to build up your own career with patience, hard work, good feedbacks, professionalism, marketing, continual education, updatings and WISDOM.
Maybe others don`t have to pay for our tuition, because we already did it some time ago, hard working too. But we had to feed our families, pay the rent, taxes, an so on. So....?
Sorry,but you are in the wrong path also. Think it over.
Walter
[Edited at 2005-09-25 19:14]
Hey, I was just kidding!!!!!:-P
I know that's not easy to become a full-time translator!
I'm trying my best to succeed. I didn't wake up one day saying "hey, I'd like to be a translator!". I said I signed in to proz.com three weeks ago, but I got my first unpaid job two years ago!
| | | | Clarisa Moraña 
United States
Local time: 17:11
Member (2002)
English to Spanish
+ ...
Alessandro Marchesello wrote: Walter Landesman wrote:
Oh, the young, the`re so impatient! I don`t think anybody here or anyplace else has found the golden client, fullfilled his/her vocation or developped his career in just three weeks. Don´t rush. Three weeks is nothing.
In life, you have to learn to wait for the right moment for everything. Nothing comes out of the blue. Life is a matter of choices and options. You can make your own life. But that´s not easy. Everything takes its time. Time to time.
Walter Ok, that's right.....when you don't have to pay your University fee within one month!!!!!  That's why I'm so impatient!
I remember my husband, a mechanical engineer, sending tons of snail mails and e¡mails in order to find a new job. I've seen many friends of mine desperatedly looking for jobs after college. My sister's job indeed was to find a proper job for her. She spent six months mailing and working as saleswoman. I really don't know anybody who, after college, is given a job, unless this job is given by a friend or a family contact.
The jobs posted here are not the only way to find jobs. Yor active participation here, be it at the forum or kudoz, will also help.
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Alessandro Marchesello wrote:
Hey, I was just kidding!!!!!:-P
I know that's not easy to become a full-time translator!
I'm trying my best to succeed. I didn't wake up one day saying "hey, I'd like to be a translator!". I said I signed in to proz.com three weeks ago, but I got my first unpaid job two years ago!
Ah, OK then. Wish you good luck.
WL
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I get more job offers through ProZ.com than I can handle; you don’t get enough. How come?
My ProZ.com page (http://www.proz.com/pro/7599) gets more visitors than yours, because I am Platinum Member AND ranked as number one in several language pairs in the KudoZ tables and you are NEITHER Platinum Member NOR ranked close to the top in any language pair.
I provide a phone... See more I get more job offers through ProZ.com than I can handle; you don’t get enough. How come?
My ProZ.com page (http://www.proz.com/pro/7599) gets more visitors than yours, because I am Platinum Member AND ranked as number one in several language pairs in the KudoZ tables and you are NEITHER Platinum Member NOR ranked close to the top in any language pair.
I provide a phone number and a Skype link on my ProZ.com page and get some 30% of my job offers by voice; you can only be contacted by email.
Please feel free to contact me directly if you want some more ideas.
Sven. ▲ Collapse
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| Great tips, Sven | Sep 26, 2005 |
It never occurred to me that including a phone number and Skype contact could make that big a difference. I've just added both to my profile and a "Skype me" icon to my Web site, so we'll see what happens.
I've been platinum for almost three years. I pay to support the site, which is a great resource and community, not because it is a major (or even minor) source of income for me.
In terms of jobs, I can't say I've really found much work through Proz (either bids or oth... See more It never occurred to me that including a phone number and Skype contact could make that big a difference. I've just added both to my profile and a "Skype me" icon to my Web site, so we'll see what happens.
I've been platinum for almost three years. I pay to support the site, which is a great resource and community, not because it is a major (or even minor) source of income for me.
In terms of jobs, I can't say I've really found much work through Proz (either bids or other direct/indirect contacts) as most of the offers I receive through my profile are at 8 cents per word or less.
Anyway, thanks for the tips, Sven.
Sara ▲ Collapse
| | | | Jeff Whittaker
United States
Local time: 18:11
Spanish to English
+ ...
| Bad experience with telephone number | Sep 26, 2005 |
Unfortunately, I was forced to delete my telephone number from my website and from my profile page(s).
I was routinely inundated with phone calls from "translators" wanting to work for my company and when I told them that I was just a freelancer, they hounded me with questions about how to get jobs, how to create a resume, should they take the ATA exam, etc. etc. as if I were a free help line.
If it happened once or twice, it would not have been a problem because we wer... See more Unfortunately, I was forced to delete my telephone number from my website and from my profile page(s).
I was routinely inundated with phone calls from "translators" wanting to work for my company and when I told them that I was just a freelancer, they hounded me with questions about how to get jobs, how to create a resume, should they take the ATA exam, etc. etc. as if I were a free help line.
If it happened once or twice, it would not have been a problem because we were all beginners at one point and I generally enjoy helping others, but it got to the point where it became a real nuisance (sometimes three to four people a day were calling). It got so bad (along with the usual batch of telemarketers) that I had to change my phone number. I also got numerous unsolicited phone calls from people wanting me to do .02/.04 jobs and who refused to take no for an answer. It is for this reason that new clients must contact me via e-mail first and then I will give them my phone number.
Sven Petersson wrote: I get more job offers through ProZ.com than I can handle; you don’t get enough. How come? My ProZ.com page ( http://www.proz.com/pro/7599) gets more visitors than yours, because I am Platinum Member AND ranked as number one in several language pairs in the KudoZ tables and you are NEITHER Platinum Member NOR ranked close to the top in any language pair. I provide a phone number and a Skype link on my ProZ.com page and get some 30% of my job offers by voice; you can only be contacted by email. Please feel free to contact me directly if you want some more ideas. Sven.
[Edited at 2005-09-27 00:17] ▲ Collapse
| | | | | I would never indicate my phone number in the web! | Sep 26, 2005 |
Sven Petersson wrote: I get more job offers through ProZ.com than I can handle; you don’t get enough. How come? My ProZ.com page ( http://www.proz.com/pro/7599) gets more visitors than yours, because I am Platinum Member AND ranked as number one in several language pairs in the KudoZ tables and you are NEITHER Platinum Member NOR ranked close to the top in any language pair. Sven.
Besides that, I AM a platinum member and I AM in the top of my main language pair. Although this was not my aim when going Platinum, and it has never been my aim when answering KudoZ questions (I do it "just for fun" when I have time), well paid jobs would be welcome, why not? Unfortunately, since I have gone Platinum, I did not get one single job. Maybe the reason is that I don't accept 4 cent-word jobs??? I am not idle, anyway, thanks to God, but if it were for ProZ:-(
So don't despair, Alessandro, it may depend on many reasons, but not necessarily on the fact that you are NOT Platinum, NOT ranked, and don't have your phone number on your profile! The right customer just did not find you yet and sooner or later he will...
Good luck!
| | | | | No problems with number on Web in France, at least. | Sep 27, 2005 |
My office phone number has been on my Web site for almost three years. No harassment or excessive telemarketing calls as of yet (oh how I wish that were true for my home phone line, which got so bad I had to change the number).
I'll keep you posted on how it goes! Sven seems to think it works for him, so I'm willing to give it a try.
Regards,
Sara
[Edited at 2005-09-27 06:27]
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| Platinum membership is indeed the way to get noticed. | Sep 27, 2005 |
Not to plug the Platinum membership or anything ...but here's my story:
I have been a member since 2001, but I didn't really begin to use all the features and rely heavily on the website (specially the KudoZ system) until about two years ago.
When I updated my profile to reflect my expertise better and to highlight key points, and as I started to become more and more active on the website, I received a j... See more Not to plug the Platinum membership or anything ...but here's my story:
I have been a member since 2001, but I didn't really begin to use all the features and rely heavily on the website (specially the KudoZ system) until about two years ago.
When I updated my profile to reflect my expertise better and to highlight key points, and as I started to become more and more active on the website, I received a job offer from an agency, for which I did two or three jobs.
Then, just around July of last year, I decided to upgrade to Platinum, since I was, by then, a regular user.
Just one month into my Platinum upgrade, I got a job offer, for which I got paid an amount that was almost the same as the cost of the membership! So, you see, my Platinum paid itself, so to speak
In order to receive job offers, you need to get noticed. And also, don't expect outsourcers to contact you, but rather contact them yourself, offer your services, send your CV, and network!
Good luck, Alessandro! ▲ Collapse
| | | | Aleksandr Okunev (X)
Local time: 01:11
English to Russian
| Not so straightforward, folks | Feb 6, 2006 |
Henry wrote: For those who do want to meet clients, though, you should understand that your odds of meeting a client here as a non-platinum member are low relative to platinum members.
This is too straightforward, Henry, firstly, it misleads Alessandro because it is also (or more) important for him to specialize, narrow on his target clientele, find direct clients in his vicinity (I'm just back from Italy, and both the companies I worked for always have some work for a good translator) etc., secondly, as a reserve Special Forces propaganda officer I regret to say that you are pushing too hard in your GoPlat campaign. The concept of "a Plat translator is a good translator" is a bit primitive and can work if you peddle pantyhose but not with a community of linguists or even with an encircled platoon with high morale.
Gianni Pastore wrote: I still enjoy the community, by the way!
I got 1 [bad] client through bidding and another [good] one through direct contact.
I have a couple of critical points regarding Proz operations which must not be discussed in this thread and which I regard as non-fulfillment by Proz of its obligations to plat members.
I still intend to renew my plat membership, to help this great site.
I still enjoy the community, by the way! © Gianni Pastore
Cheers!
Aleksandr
[Edited at 2006-02-06 11:56]
| | | | | Almost a year as Platinum member... | Jun 27, 2006 |
Hi, Henry! I've been platinum since October 2005.... and the average you mention about meeting clients surprises me. I have not met any client.... I wonder if there is anything wrong in my profile or my rates are not the average ones. I can't believe a platinum member meets a client every three months.... Fortunately, I do have some clients of my own, but not from ProZ. However, I do enjoy belonging. It is a great website for translators.
Warmly,
Gabriela
Henry wrote: Gianni Pastore wrote:
I've signed to Proz.com five years ago, and I am still waiting to get a lousy job (no offence to any outsorcer).
I still enjoy the community, by the way! It sounds like you are comfortable with the situation, Gianni, and that meeting clients is not one of your primary objectives in participating here. That's fine. For those who do want to meet clients, though, you should understand that your odds of meeting a client here as a non-platinum member are low relative to platinum members. If you are waiting until you meet a client to go platinum, the problem with your approach is that we have built ProZ.com in such a way that platinum members are at a big advantage in terms of meeting clients. You may continue to lose out to translators with equivalent profiles and CVs, the only difference being that they have invested in platinum membership and you have not. Some statistics: - The average "guest" member meets a client here once per year. - The average platinum member meets a client every three months. - 86% of platinum members report a return on their investment. (Some of the 14% who do not realize a return only outsourcer via the site. Others have profile problems, such as not entering detailed fields of expertise.) - 41% of platinum members report a return on investment in just three months (corresponding to the period of time to meet a single client.) - Having met via the site, members and clients continue to work directly, sometimes for years. - In a recent poll, 538 site users rated ProZ.com (et al) as their leading source of new clients (above word of mouth, mail to outsourcers, own websites, associations, etc.) See: http://www.proz.com/topic/36903 In short, if meeting new clients is an objective of yours, you have to take the step and invest in your business (just as you would in running an ad in the telephone directory). ProZ.com has a money-back guarantee, so going platinum is quite simply a natural step for anyone serious about growing his or her translation clientele.
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Gabriela Mejías wrote:
Hi, Henry! I've been platinum since October 2005.... and the average you mention about meeting clients surprises me. I have not met any client.... I wonder if there is anything wrong in my profile or my rates are not the average ones. I can't believe a platinum member meets a client every three months.... Fortunately, I do have some clients of my own, but not from ProZ. However, I do enjoy belonging. It is a great website for translators.
Warmly,
Gabriela
Hi, everyone! Thought I'd add my 2 cents, since the morning's slow and I don't seem to be able to get in the mood for working. When I started out as a full-time freelancer over years ago, I joined another translator community and it worked alright, but nothing to write home about. Fortunately, I came across a great client for whom I did a large amount of work, which kept my interest in the job alive (and my stomach slightly less rumbly )
However, ever since I've joined proz the number of new clients I get has sky-rocketed. Some of them were one-off jobs, but a significant number have turned into regular customers. Unlike some other colleagues here, I have almost no other source of new clients, but proz.com. And althought, I keep telling myself that I should spend a little more time and efforton marketing, I still haven't got round to it really (a small website and membership on other forums don't count). But the statistics speak for themselves: having joined proz, I started getting on average slightly more than 1 new client per month. Since getting Platinum membership, I get over 2 new clients per month. A pretty clear picture, imo.
As for contact details and kudoz points, I have the bare minimum of contact details on my profile page, since I prefer to hunt down the jobs myself and anyone interested enough in my particular services, shouldn't have a problem with e-mail. And, interestingly, I only started to participate actively in kudoz answers and questions recently, as I became more and more involved with the on-line community, but I can't say it had any effect on the demand for my services. Maybe when I hit the 5000 mark, it will.
So, all in all, I highly recommend Platinum membership to all the newbies out there. It more than pays for itself and really is the only way to fully enjoy all the benefits that this site has to offer. Good luck and good hunting!
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