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Agencies that post projects on Proz when you are on their books and they are happy with your work
Thread poster: Jon Berger
Jon Berger
Jon Berger
United Kingdom
Local time: 16:51
German to English
+ ...
Feb 12, 2021

I am wondering: why do agencies continue to post projects on Proz when you are registered with them and have completed countless projects for them to their satisfaction?

My point is that this lack of loyalty to the translator is killing the profession: there is literally no point registering with an agency any more, as they can't seem to be bothered give you repeat business !


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Samuel Murray
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Netherlands
Local time: 17:51
Member (2006)
English to Afrikaans
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@Jon Feb 12, 2021

Jon Berger wrote:
Why do agencies continue to post projects on ProZ.com when you are registered with them and have completed countless projects for them to their satisfaction?


Either they just don't have the necessary processes in place to let all their PMs know that they already have a translator on their books for the job, or they are using the job as an opportunity to canvas new talent. Whenever I see this happening, I simply quote as usual, and often include a note that I have worked for them many times before, and sometimes also include the names of the PMs that I have worked for. Then, I often do get the job.


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Jon Berger
Jon Berger
United Kingdom
Local time: 16:51
German to English
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TOPIC STARTER
Interesting Feb 12, 2021

I think it might not be too much of a problem with Afrikaans or even Dutch but if we are talking about a common language where there are lots of translators, e.g. French or German, by the time you have spotted the post, so have thirty other people ! And typically, you either find that you don't get the job or that the job has been closed. This is what I mean by lack of loyalty. It becomes very difficult to earn a living under those circumstances. It's like being a day labourer standing on a str... See more
I think it might not be too much of a problem with Afrikaans or even Dutch but if we are talking about a common language where there are lots of translators, e.g. French or German, by the time you have spotted the post, so have thirty other people ! And typically, you either find that you don't get the job or that the job has been closed. This is what I mean by lack of loyalty. It becomes very difficult to earn a living under those circumstances. It's like being a day labourer standing on a street corner at five in the morning waiting for a truck to come along and offer you work; this even though you have decades of experience and enough qualifications to sink a battleship. Eventually, in my opinion, this behaviour by agencies will drive all the good people out of the profession.

[Edited at 2021-02-12 12:00 GMT]

[Edited at 2021-02-12 12:01 GMT]
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Michael Newton
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United States
Local time: 12:51
Japanese to English
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Post projects Feb 12, 2021

They are looking for the cheapest rates. As has been stated in these threads before, don't expect agencies to be friends.

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Baran Keki
Baran Keki  Identity Verified
Türkiye
Local time: 19:51
Member
English to Turkish
Even for particular jobs Feb 12, 2021

I see one particular job ad saying "5k words, mining equipment, Trados" posted here by one particular agency (or LSP?) almost every two months. Apparently they have a long-standing customer that sends them a steady flow of work in a very particular area, yet they choose to advertise it here every time they get a new batch from them. I reckon they're looking for the cheapest possible translator every time.

neilmac
 
gayd (X)
gayd (X)
the worst Feb 12, 2021

Jon Berger wrote:

I am wondering: why do agencies continue to post projects on Proz when you are registered with them and have completed countless projects for them to their satisfaction?

My point is that this lack of loyalty to the translator is killing the profession: there is literally no point registering with an agency any more, as they can't seem to be bothered give you repeat business !


Looking for unemployed translators willing to offer low rates to pay their rent.
The worst is that they often use your resume to lure end clients


Jon Berger
Adieu
neilmac
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Adam Dickinson
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Canada
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Member (2016)
Spanish to English
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Contact them? Feb 12, 2021

This has only happened to me once or twice, but I do recall once just sending an email saying that I had noticed that the company had posted a job in one of my language combinations and would be pleased to take it on if it was still available. Even though 20-30 people had already seen it by that point (my language combinations are all fairly populous), I ended up getting it as I was a known quantity to the PMs. Worst they can say is that they found someone else, I suppose.

It could
... See more
This has only happened to me once or twice, but I do recall once just sending an email saying that I had noticed that the company had posted a job in one of my language combinations and would be pleased to take it on if it was still available. Even though 20-30 people had already seen it by that point (my language combinations are all fairly populous), I ended up getting it as I was a known quantity to the PMs. Worst they can say is that they found someone else, I suppose.

It could also be that they're under budget pressures and posted it because they knew that the project was outside of the rates that you would normally charge. In that case, they probably saved you the time of responding to one of those "can you do this project at 20% less than your normal rate?" messages. Either way, writing them probably seems like the easiest answer.
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Angie Garbarino
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Member (2003)
French to Italian
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Like Samuel Feb 12, 2021

Even if my pairs are common pairs, this just happened to me last month from French to Italian, they posted, I quoted by naming the PM and I got the job. (No cheaper rate).

[Edited at 2021-02-12 12:43 GMT]


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Rachel Waddington
Rachel Waddington  Identity Verified
United Kingdom
Local time: 16:51
Dutch to English
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Marketing Feb 12, 2021

Jon Berger wrote:

I am wondering: why do agencies continue to post projects on Proz when you are registered with them and have completed countless projects for them to their satisfaction?

My point is that this lack of loyalty to the translator is killing the profession: there is literally no point registering with an agency any more, as they can't seem to be bothered give you repeat business !


Sounds like they are looking for a cheaper offer.

Maybe you need to find some better customers who appreciate your qualifications.

Time for a big marketing push?


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gayd (X)
gayd (X)
thank God Feb 12, 2021

there are always good agencies that are willing to pay for quality work but they post job offers on PROZ only for very specific requirements

[Modifié le 2021-02-12 12:45 GMT]


 
Dan Lucas
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United Kingdom
Local time: 16:51
Member (2014)
Japanese to English
A man looking for a £1 pint doesn't pay £5 for a glass of champagne Feb 12, 2021

Jon Berger wrote:
It's like being a day labourer standing on a street corner at five in the morning waiting for a truck to come along and offer you work; this even though you have decades of experience and enough qualifications to sink a battleship.

Yes, that's a great analogy. So why are you looking for work at that place, and at that time? If you're a craftsman, why are you hanging out with day labourers?

The person dispensing jobs isn't going to say "Oh what luck, there's a skilled worker - I'll take him too!" Not only can he not see you (this street corner is thronged with workers, remember) but he can't pay you either. He doesn't deal with the highly-paid master masons, the joiners, or the goldsmiths. His end of the business is offering low rates of pay to rugged men who are prepared to spend a day carting stone about or cutting timber roughly to shape.

Meanwhile, you're trying to catch the arm of this gentleman to show him the skill with which you applied the marquetry to the lid of a jewellery chest made from finest box wood. He'll either ignore you or tell to be off. There's a complete mismatch between what he wants and what you're offering. If doesn't mean that what you offer has no value, but that you're offering it to the wrong person.

Surely you see that you need to look elsewhere? Try approaching direct clients, or making a play for specialised agencies, and so on. I'm not saying that this will be easy, but I can't see any alternative if what you're doing now isn't working.

Regards,
Dan


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gayd (X)
deleted Feb 12, 2021

deleted

[Modifié le 2021-02-12 13:02 GMT]


 
gayd (X)
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Funnily Feb 12, 2021

David GAY wrote:

those bottom feeders agencies always pretend to look for a long term relationship.
It's like dating agencies.

[Modifié le 2021-02-12 12:57 GMT]


 
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deleted Feb 12, 2021

deleted

 
Robert Forstag
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United States
Local time: 12:51
Spanish to English
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Oh so true! Feb 12, 2021

Michael Newton wrote:

They are looking for the cheapest rates. As has been stated in these threads before, don't expect agencies to be friends.


This really gets to the heart of the way many agencies seem to work. Even when a collaboration goes beyond a one-off job, they will continue to look for cheaper providers. The proz Jobs Board is one way that they can easily do this.

Over the years, I have read posts from freelancers reporting long-term relationships with agencies, both small and large, that are characterized by abiding mutual respect and affection. In some cases, the bonds forged have resulted in close personal friendships, dinner invitations, gift exchanges - and even funeral attendance and regular gravesite visits. If I remember correctly, one freelancer went so far as to name a cherished family pet after one of her favorite agencies.

All of this could not be further removed from my own experience with translation agencies.

[Edited at 2021-02-13 13:54 GMT]


 
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