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Poll: Pay being equal, and if forced to choose, would you prefer working as:
Thread poster: ProZ.com Staff
ProZ.com Staff
ProZ.com Staff
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Mar 27, 2006

This forum topic is for the discussion of the poll question "Pay being equal, and if forced to choose, would you prefer working as:".

This poll was originally submitted by Marialena Katsoura

View the poll here

A forum topic will appear each time a new poll i
... See more
This forum topic is for the discussion of the poll question "Pay being equal, and if forced to choose, would you prefer working as:".

This poll was originally submitted by Marialena Katsoura

View the poll here

A forum topic will appear each time a new poll is run. For more information, see: http://proz.com/topic/33629
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Francesca Pesce
Francesca Pesce  Identity Verified
Local time: 01:54
English to Italian
+ ...
Full time in international cooperation and development Mar 27, 2006

Just my old dream. If I could choose, I would love to work in international cooperation projects with women...

...But I am here instead in front of my laptop, so second best is full time free lance translator.


 
Williamson
Williamson  Identity Verified
United Kingdom
Local time: 00:54
Flemish to English
+ ...
Love is in the air Mar 27, 2006

If I were 20, I would accept any job and work for a year or two. Enough to finance an ATPL (airline transport pilot license). By character, I am somebody who likes being "under way" and not locked up behind in a room (w)(p)ondering about the exact meaning of words.
Nothing compares with sitting in an office 33.000 ft up in the air.
-------
Unite, unite Europe. Why do you think when there are E.U.-competitions (for translators) so many people show up. For the love of Europe or
... See more
If I were 20, I would accept any job and work for a year or two. Enough to finance an ATPL (airline transport pilot license). By character, I am somebody who likes being "under way" and not locked up behind in a room (w)(p)ondering about the exact meaning of words.
Nothing compares with sitting in an office 33.000 ft up in the air.
-------
Unite, unite Europe. Why do you think when there are E.U.-competitions (for translators) so many people show up. For the love of Europe or for the nice basic pay, which goes up to a very handsome salary over the years.
-------
That said, an middle-rank executive does earn a steady salary and depending on company may enjoy some nice extras...

[Edited at 2006-03-27 11:21]
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Ricki Farn
Ricki Farn
Germany
Local time: 01:54
English to German
Full-time freelancer Mar 27, 2006

... except that if I had started on this 20 yrs earlier, I would be translating way more interesting stuff now

Edited: Had an incredibly aggressive e-mail from an agency this morning about absolute peanuts (choice of preposition). Well, my reaction was: I am here, they are 150 kilometres away (or half a planet), I can surround myself with friendly people who respect me, and they can go on playing "pressure cooker" in t
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... except that if I had started on this 20 yrs earlier, I would be translating way more interesting stuff now

Edited: Had an incredibly aggressive e-mail from an agency this morning about absolute peanuts (choice of preposition). Well, my reaction was: I am here, they are 150 kilometres away (or half a planet), I can surround myself with friendly people who respect me, and they can go on playing "pressure cooker" in their 10-persons-to-the-room office. Ah, the joys of solitude

[3EP|Bearbeitet um 2006-03-28 09:26|]
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PAS
PAS  Identity Verified
Local time: 01:54
Polish to English
+ ...
Interpreting between the lines of the poll... Mar 27, 2006

IF the pay was equal and IF continuity of work was assured I would be a full time classical guitarist or photographer.

If that's not permitted, I would prefer free lance with work continuity assured...

I've just started on a 2 year in-house project and man, the first days of the ninetofive routine are rough...
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IF the pay was equal and IF continuity of work was assured I would be a full time classical guitarist or photographer.

If that's not permitted, I would prefer free lance with work continuity assured...

I've just started on a 2 year in-house project and man, the first days of the ninetofive routine are rough

Pawel Skalinski
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Agnieszka Zmuda
Agnieszka Zmuda  Identity Verified
Poland
Local time: 01:54
English to Polish
Full time freelancer Mar 27, 2006

Even if pay is not that equal... I just love sitting at home all by myself in front of my computer and don't mind having nobody to talk to all day long. An evening chat with my husband is enough to satisfy my need for contact with another human being. I've never liked socializing, that's how I am by nature and I don't want to change it. No more nine-to-fives!

 
Simon Bruni
Simon Bruni  Identity Verified
United Kingdom
Local time: 00:54
Member (2009)
Spanish to English
being my own boss Mar 27, 2006

I love the freedom of freelancing.

I love the fact that I can work in my pyjamas if I so wish, and I love the excitement of not knowing for certain whether I will have enough work or not from one week to the next.

Risk is a small price to pay for freedom of choice.


 
Cecilia Civetta
Cecilia Civetta  Identity Verified
Italy
Local time: 01:54
Member (2003)
Italian to Spanish
+ ...
Pay being equal... Mar 27, 2006

I would prefer not to be a freelancer and have a more "scheduled" life, either as an in-house translator or an employee in another field, but "pay being equal" is utterly Utopian, at least in my case.

 
Astrid Elke Witte
Astrid Elke Witte  Identity Verified
Germany
Local time: 01:54
Member (2002)
German to English
+ ...
Full-time entrepreneur Mar 27, 2006

I actually have an ambition to be a full-time entrepreneur, i.e. I want to own a chain of translation agencies across Europe, but it might take a month or two (year or two, decade or two) yet.

Astrid


 
Nicole Schnell
Nicole Schnell  Identity Verified
United States
Local time: 17:54
English to German
+ ...
In memoriam
Wow and ouch. Mar 27, 2006

Having read the previous replies, it sounds like being a freelance translator is kind of a second rate job.

Honestly, I topped my profession (being an advertising person for 20+ years) with Translating, which means doing what I am best at in two languages now. It is just an expansion.


 
Williamson
Williamson  Identity Verified
United Kingdom
Local time: 00:54
Flemish to English
+ ...
A second rate-job indeed... Mar 27, 2006

Outside international institutions such as the E.U., translator is considered as a second-hand job with no career-possibilities whatsoever.
The "professional translator" is an expression which makes some "real professionals" smile compassionately.
"It is something you do, because you are capable of nothing else or because you have nothing else to do or when you retire.." said an ex- stock-broker to me.....
Many jump on the bandwagon, but quit a couple of years later. For me, i
... See more
Outside international institutions such as the E.U., translator is considered as a second-hand job with no career-possibilities whatsoever.
The "professional translator" is an expression which makes some "real professionals" smile compassionately.
"It is something you do, because you are capable of nothing else or because you have nothing else to do or when you retire.." said an ex- stock-broker to me.....
Many jump on the bandwagon, but quit a couple of years later. For me, it is too late for a change, but if I had the opportunity,...
I guess I will just have to evolve into translation mangement, which does constitute a plusvalue in the normal business world.
Williamson is male.
-And have a look at http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/11676435/site/newsweek/#storyContinued



[Edited at 2006-03-27 12:52]

[Edited at 2006-03-27 16:10]
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Irene Elmerot
Irene Elmerot  Identity Verified
Local time: 01:54
Dutch to Swedish
+ ...
Freelance Mar 27, 2006

Pay being equal, yes, then definitely freelancer. At least then I get different kinds of texts
I got curious from the comment on professional translators being "just doing that because you don't know how to do anything else". Would anyone ask a woman that same question? I doubt it, even if I don't know what sex Proz member Williamson has. For some reason, it seems that low paid jobs are OK for women, whereas a man would neve
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Pay being equal, yes, then definitely freelancer. At least then I get different kinds of texts
I got curious from the comment on professional translators being "just doing that because you don't know how to do anything else". Would anyone ask a woman that same question? I doubt it, even if I don't know what sex Proz member Williamson has. For some reason, it seems that low paid jobs are OK for women, whereas a man would never settle for that low a salary. Maybe that's why there seems to be more money in the technical translation business?

Just some thoughts while trying to get some energy to go back to my exiting, seemingly ever-lasting, job
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John Walsh
John Walsh  Identity Verified
Italy
Local time: 01:54
Italian to English
9 to 5 job? Mar 27, 2006

No thanks! As a freelancer the deadlines get stressing but it beats being a 9-2-5 slave.
I like what I'm doing now: a little TEFL, a little consulting and a lot of translating.


 
Nicole Schnell
Nicole Schnell  Identity Verified
United States
Local time: 17:54
English to German
+ ...
In memoriam
Thanks, John Walsh! Mar 27, 2006

9 to 5 as a translator sounds like the perfect nightmare to me. Punching the clock? No thanks.

I am no machine. I just broke my personal record this week and wrote for 47 hours straight without sleep. Out of passion, not because my boss told me.

After all: as a freelancer you are running your own company, the pay is better, clients from all over the world are contacting you, there is no gender discrimination, no rat race, an email coming in with a crazy job, 10 hours t
... See more
9 to 5 as a translator sounds like the perfect nightmare to me. Punching the clock? No thanks.

I am no machine. I just broke my personal record this week and wrote for 47 hours straight without sleep. Out of passion, not because my boss told me.

After all: as a freelancer you are running your own company, the pay is better, clients from all over the world are contacting you, there is no gender discrimination, no rat race, an email coming in with a crazy job, 10 hours turnaround?, heck, ignore it, you just happen to be busy.
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NancyLynn
NancyLynn
Canada
Local time: 20:54
Member (2002)
French to English
+ ...

MODERATOR
I have seen the Promised Land Mar 27, 2006

Working from home at the hours I have set - on texts I have selected - interpreting when I feel like taking a break (it usually involves going to Montreal, for me, so I get an urban break), playing with my kids when they need me, deciding to just go out and weed a flower-bed when I'm stuck on a term rather than be chained to a desk... working in my yard with my laptop while my kids and dog play, and another great example, right now... See more
Working from home at the hours I have set - on texts I have selected - interpreting when I feel like taking a break (it usually involves going to Montreal, for me, so I get an urban break), playing with my kids when they need me, deciding to just go out and weed a flower-bed when I'm stuck on a term rather than be chained to a desk... working in my yard with my laptop while my kids and dog play, and another great example, right now, at 10:20 am on Monday, deciding to take a nice hot steamy shower just because I feel like it...

Nine-to-five? traffic snarls, office politics, direction from someone above me in a hierarchy who may or may not know what the best course of action is... No, thanks.

I think those comments that were taken negatively - that's because explanations for "translating freelance is not my first choice" are needed. Nearly 80% of 600+ votes so far have come in choosing "full-time freelance", which many freelancers may think speaks for itself.

Nancy

[Edited at 2006-03-27 15:46]
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Poll: Pay being equal, and if forced to choose, would you prefer working as:






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