| Pages in topic: [1 2] > | Poll: Do you keep the availability calendar in your profile updated? Thread poster: ProZ.com Staff
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This forum topic is for the discussion of the poll question "Do you keep the availability calendar in your profile updated?".
View the poll results »
| | | | Nicole Schnell 
United States
Local time: 02:57
English to German
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In memoriam | I do, but... | May 13, 2010 |
I am not sure if anyone ever looks at it. I have been contacted way too often by potential new clients ("Dear Nicole, we found you on Proz.com, would you be interested to translate this text by tomorrow / day after tomorrow..."), even when my calendar indicates that I am booked up for days in advance.
| | | | Mary Worby
United Kingdom
Local time: 10:57
German to English
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| Is it a search criterion? | May 13, 2010 |
I've lapsed a bit in keeping my calendar up to date recently. Too busy!
But would it be possible for it to be a search criterion, so an outsourcer could search by availability and only those with sufficient availability to take on the job in question would be listed? This would avoid the situation Nicole describes, which I've experienced too.
| | | | Simon Bruni
United Kingdom
Local time: 10:57
Member (2009)
Spanish to English
| Seems a bit pointless because... | May 13, 2010 |
...surely if you appear to be available it's a sign you are not in demand and conversely if you are unavailable it will dissuade potential new clients from contacting you. It's nice to be able to say: "I'm busy right now but please feel free to contact me in the future, here's my CV and rates etc etc."
Did we have this question quite recently or am I having a déjà vu?
[Edited at 2010-05-13 09:31 GMT]
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| It is a search criterion already | May 13, 2010 |
Hi Mary,
Mary Worby wrote:
I've lapsed a bit in keeping my calendar up to date recently. Too busy!
But would it be possible for it to be a search criterion, so an outsourcer could search by availability and only those with sufficient availability to take on the job in question would be listed? This would avoid the situation Nicole describes, which I've experienced too.
Availability is actually a criterion already. In the classic directory one may search by current availability, and in the advanced directory a search can be done using a date range of availability.
Best regards,
Jared
| | | | Mary Worby
United Kingdom
Local time: 10:57
German to English
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Jared wrote: Hi Mary, Mary Worby wrote:
I've lapsed a bit in keeping my calendar up to date recently. Too busy!
But would it be possible for it to be a search criterion, so an outsourcer could search by availability and only those with sufficient availability to take on the job in question would be listed? This would avoid the situation Nicole describes, which I've experienced too. Availability is actually a criterion already. In the classic directory one may search by current availability, and in the advanced directory a search can be done using a date range of availability. Best regards, Jared
Thanks Jared! I guess people don't always set the option then.
| | | | awilliams
United Kingdom
Local time: 10:57
Italian to English
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| Poll: Do you keep the availability calendar in your profile updated? | May 13, 2010 |
Hi everyone,
I love the fact that the calendar has become more flexible over the years, thanks! I know that there were some queries on the forum recently about UK bank holidays, so it would be great to have an integrated "public holidays" feature (blue shading, for example) to show colleagues and clients when these dates are.
Cheers,
Amy
| | | | neilmac
Spain
Local time: 11:57
Spanish to English
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| Sometimes, but | May 13, 2010 |
I feel it is a bit of a waste of time checking and updating these things all the time.
I am usually available, it depends on the job every time. By juggling deadlines, I can usually squeeze in a few K words even if I do have work going on for other clients.
I think clients should approach me if they want to engage my services.
I cant remember the last time I had a job that prevented me fitting in work for other clients ... because if I "like" a potential job I will bend over b... See more I feel it is a bit of a waste of time checking and updating these things all the time.
I am usually available, it depends on the job every time. By juggling deadlines, I can usually squeeze in a few K words even if I do have work going on for other clients.
I think clients should approach me if they want to engage my services.
I cant remember the last time I had a job that prevented me fitting in work for other clients ... because if I "like" a potential job I will bend over backwards to do it...
PS: Public holidays or vacations are not an issue for me, as I claim to provide a 24/7 service 365 days a year...
[Edited at 2010-05-13 11:42 GMT] ▲ Collapse
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R. Alex Jenkins
Brazil
Local time: 06:57
Member (2006)
Portuguese to English
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| Of course... (but there are times when I forget) | May 13, 2010 |
I think that a criterion of being a Proz 'Pro' is that you should (must) try and keep your calendar up-to-date, in line with the good citizenship rules and site conditions. Obviously, Proz can't 'enforce' this, but it should be standard good practice.
[Edited at 2010-05-13 14:40 GMT]
| | | | | I like the bit about bank holidays... | May 13, 2010 |
Last time there was a bank holiday in Denmark, where I live, and Sweden, guess what, I was incredibly popular with clients in the UK and Norway...
I am sure most people have been in the same position.
Today is a bank holiday here too, but it is cold and wet and I am planning other days off later... so I'm at work. The freelancer´s privilege, of course, but sometimes it is nice to have days off with a clear conscience at the same time as one´s family and friends.
... See more Last time there was a bank holiday in Denmark, where I live, and Sweden, guess what, I was incredibly popular with clients in the UK and Norway...
I am sure most people have been in the same position.
Today is a bank holiday here too, but it is cold and wet and I am planning other days off later... so I'm at work. The freelancer´s privilege, of course, but sometimes it is nice to have days off with a clear conscience at the same time as one´s family and friends.
Many clients probably do not set the calendar option, but I update it all the same, and think I get marginally more enquiries when I am available.
[Edited at 2010-05-13 15:55 GMT] ▲ Collapse
| | | | Emin Arı
Türkiye
Local time: 12:57
English to Turkish
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| it is practically useless... | May 13, 2010 |
My availability calendar is always busy just because of my laziness to update it. Nevertheless the outsourcers always double check my availability and confirm it through e-mail.
| | | | | Agree... I don't like the calendar | May 13, 2010 |
Simon Bruni wrote:
...surely if you appear to be available it's a sign you are not in demand and conversely if you are unavailable it will dissuade potential new clients from contacting you. It's nice to be able to say: "I'm busy right now but please feel free to contact me in the future, here's my CV and rates etc etc."
I do not update it, I prefer the "Not reported" status, but I wasn't aware that this option may rule me out from some outsourcer's search results 
[Edited at 2010-05-13 13:13 GMT]
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Interlangue (X)
Angola
Local time: 11:57
English to French
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| Bank holidays | May 13, 2010 |
I do not see the point... why UK holidays and not American, or Canadian, or Chinese or Togolese, or....
Isn't that up to each one of us, according to our own customer base and personal schedule?
Even week-ends can be different from one country to another.
The system lets YOU indicate when YOU are not available. The Internet will allow you to find out about bank and other legal holidas for most countries.
Trying to put all information for all countries in just one calen... See more I do not see the point... why UK holidays and not American, or Canadian, or Chinese or Togolese, or....
Isn't that up to each one of us, according to our own customer base and personal schedule?
Even week-ends can be different from one country to another.
The system lets YOU indicate when YOU are not available. The Internet will allow you to find out about bank and other legal holidas for most countries.
Trying to put all information for all countries in just one calendar will only make the system more complicated!
FTR, I seldom forget to update the calendar and mark the days off I plan (bank, legal or any holidays) as non available as long in advance as the system permits. ▲ Collapse
| | | | Rebekka Groß (X)
Local time: 10:57
English to German
Nicole Schnell wrote:
I am not sure if anyone ever looks at it. I have been contacted way too often by potential new clients ("Dear Nicole, we found you on Proz.com, would you be interested to translate this text by tomorrow / day after tomorrow..."), even when my calendar indicates that I am booked up for days in advance.
| | | | awilliams
United Kingdom
Local time: 10:57
Italian to English
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| bank holidays | May 13, 2010 |
Interlangue wrote:
I do not see the point... why UK holidays and not American, or Canadian, or Chinese or Togolese, or....
Isn't that up to each one of us, according to our own customer base and personal schedule?
Even week-ends can be different from one country to another.
The system lets YOU indicate when YOU are not available. The Internet will allow you to find out about bank and other legal holidas for most countries.
Trying to put all information for all countries in just one calendar will only make the system more complicated!
Hi,
Thanks for your post. My explanation wasn't clear before.
I mentioned the UK as an example because I remembered a recent thread on the French forum about May bank holidays. My suggestion wasn't to put information for all the countries in one calendar. A different "public holiday" shade would be a way to indicate that you are not ignoring client enquiries or proving difficult to contact but observing a public holiday. You could add it to your calendar in the same way as the existing options by clicking on a day and setting "public holiday" as your availability for that day, or simply not add it at all.
That's assuming that clients and colleagues actually look at the calendar, of course!
Cheers,
Amy
[Edited at 2010-05-13 14:14 GMT]
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