Poll: What would you do if working as a freelance translator was suddenly no longer possible? Thread poster: ProZ.com Staff
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This forum topic is for the discussion of the poll question "What would you do if working as a freelance translator was suddenly no longer possible?".
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I don't need to work, financially, but for my mind and spirit. My pension from working full-time for 20 years as in-house translator for an EU institution more than covers my expenses. Let’s say that after taking time off to reassess my priorities I’ll find something else to do…
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Angus Stewart 
United Kingdom
Local time: 21:03
Member (2011)
French to English
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| This has already happened to me in a previous career. | Mar 26, 2018 |
This has already happened to me in a previous career when, due to the great recession caused by the financial crisis of 2007-2008 it was suddenly no longer possible to work as a solicitor/notary in the location in which I wanted to live. On that occasion, I invested my life's savings in order to return to University to retrain for an alternative career in translation. If for some reason it was suddenly no longer possible to work as freelance translator, I would do the same over again and return ... See more This has already happened to me in a previous career when, due to the great recession caused by the financial crisis of 2007-2008 it was suddenly no longer possible to work as a solicitor/notary in the location in which I wanted to live. On that occasion, I invested my life's savings in order to return to University to retrain for an alternative career in translation. If for some reason it was suddenly no longer possible to work as freelance translator, I would do the same over again and return to University to retrain for a career in an alternative profession. I have always had an interest in archaeology and several people have commented that I would make a good teacher, so those are two possibilities. I wouldn't return to my previous career in law, even if that was to be a possibility, since I can now see how extremely stressful it was taking on everyone else's problems all the time.
[Edited at 2018-03-26 09:40 GMT] ▲ Collapse
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| Slow down a bit | Mar 26, 2018 |
Like Teresa, I have my pension from when I worked full-time, so I wouldn't feel I had to find a different line of work to pay the bills.
I am a trained landscape designer and I love designing gardens and selecting the right plants for the right places. The work pays much less than translation, so I have only done a handful of designs for clients. If I had more time, I would cultivate (pun intended) my backup profession. There is a lot of demand right now in San Diego, where I live... See more Like Teresa, I have my pension from when I worked full-time, so I wouldn't feel I had to find a different line of work to pay the bills.
I am a trained landscape designer and I love designing gardens and selecting the right plants for the right places. The work pays much less than translation, so I have only done a handful of designs for clients. If I had more time, I would cultivate (pun intended) my backup profession. There is a lot of demand right now in San Diego, where I live: water is scarce; its cost has skyrocketed; and the County is offering cash incentives to convert turf to water-sparing landscapes. ▲ Collapse
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| the option that was missing | Mar 26, 2018 |
"Return another profession I am qualified in". We see a lot of translators who are also engineers, doctors, teachers. That is also what gives them their specialization in translation. The possibility is rather unlikely in any case.
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The Misha
Local time: 16:03
Russian to English
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| Why, put ash on my head, of course, | Mar 26, 2018 |
and cry inconsolably...
I mean, really, what kind of a question is that? I'd go do something else, of course. It happened before, and it may well happen again. Or not. I won't know until I get there.
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Edward Potter
Spain
Local time: 22:03
Member (2003)
Spanish to English
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Ventnai
Spain
Local time: 22:03
German to English
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Edward Potter wrote:
Set up another business.
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| I have problems but I am still working as a Freelance Translator - Interpreter | Mar 27, 2018 |
Good morning,
It is a major problem.
Some people do not know the languages but want you to work for them. They forget to pay.
Some people have dual nationality but what happened to the education of both languages?
A client asked me to translate a document that was financial and legal. I need time to read the document and understand the context. Then I verify the contexts and start translating.
So... he decided that I was not at ... See more Good morning,
It is a major problem.
Some people do not know the languages but want you to work for them. They forget to pay.
Some people have dual nationality but what happened to the education of both languages?
A client asked me to translate a document that was financial and legal. I need time to read the document and understand the context. Then I verify the contexts and start translating.
So... he decided that I was not at all a good translator.
These people stay your work and try to create which is nothing but a real disaster.
Another client asked me to translate something to English and then he has not paid the bill that he should have paid. He had several excuses. All false. Nothing can be done for such people. No one knows this supposed to be company. They are supposed to be professional. But where? This man is not available on any website for Translators and Interpreters.
Nothing can be done.
But I work hard and keep working. I study to improve my knowledge and this is something that I do almost every day.
[Edited at 2018-03-27 07:39 GMT] ▲ Collapse
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Mario Freitas
Brazil
Local time: 17:03
Member (2014)
English to Portuguese
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Some poll questions are just to take a quick look at...
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