| Pages in topic: [1 2] > | Poll: What is your favourite job size? Thread poster: ProZ.com Staff
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Angola
Local time: 03:26
English to French
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| Type rather than size | Sep 5, 2009 |
The size does not matter as much as the subject and the quality (substance and form) of the original. Let's say a job with several files of 10-12,000 words each, written by different authors is what I prefer.
| | | | neilmac
Spain
Local time: 03:26
Spanish to English
+ ...
| In the current climate | Sep 5, 2009 |
... almost all jobs are welcome
| | | | | 2000-5000 (on balance) | Sep 5, 2009 |
I find very small jobs represent proportionately a larger administrative overhead and don't give you much to get your teeth into, whereas very large jobs can sometimes drag a little and can mean having to turn down more interesting jobs because of being tied up on a 'biggie' (variety being the spice of life, and all that). On the other hand, there's a lot to be said for a big job with the warm feeling of a full diary that it brings, and as long as you're not up against it for time, it can be int... See more I find very small jobs represent proportionately a larger administrative overhead and don't give you much to get your teeth into, whereas very large jobs can sometimes drag a little and can mean having to turn down more interesting jobs because of being tied up on a 'biggie' (variety being the spice of life, and all that). On the other hand, there's a lot to be said for a big job with the warm feeling of a full diary that it brings, and as long as you're not up against it for time, it can be interspersed with a few small jobs for a bit of a change. It's all good, though. ▲ Collapse
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Hani Hassaan 
Egypt
Local time: 04:26
Member
English to Arabic
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SITE LOCALIZER | Depends on the deadline and specialization | Sep 5, 2009 |
If the deadline is flexible, large and small jobs are more than welcome, I always accept jobs within my specialization only (technical or IT) sure with logical deadline...
| | | | | I prefer larger jobs | Sep 5, 2009 |
although yes, they can drag on. But it's a nice feeling of security and while it's going on, I can take small rush jobs.
| | | | lillkakan
Local time: 03:26
English to Swedish
I have problems concentrating on large jobs and often experience all kinds of blocks (writer's block, starting block, finishing block..) with jobs of 5000 words or more. I've done 15 000 word jobs and one 90 000 word job, and they were all pain and suffering. Never doing it again. I prefer jobs 3000 words or less. One client sends me multiple (3-6) 300-500 word tasks a week and I -love- those. Easy to focus on, quick to finish... = ideal for me.
 ... See more I have problems concentrating on large jobs and often experience all kinds of blocks (writer's block, starting block, finishing block..) with jobs of 5000 words or more. I've done 15 000 word jobs and one 90 000 word job, and they were all pain and suffering. Never doing it again. I prefer jobs 3000 words or less. One client sends me multiple (3-6) 300-500 word tasks a week and I -love- those. Easy to focus on, quick to finish... = ideal for me.
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| | | | Henry Hinds
United States
Local time: 19:26
English to Spanish
+ ...
In memoriam
The bigger, the better, but hopefully with some variety to avoid boredom. Fortunately the larger projects I usually do, although often very repetitive, have interesting stories to tell. For such projects 10,000 words is not much; some go to 100,000 - 200,000 words.
In any case my productivity is very good with such projects so they are quite worthwhile.
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casey
United States
Local time: 21:26
Member
Japanese to English
| Lots of short ones | Sep 5, 2009 |
I get bored easily.
| | | | Amy Duncan (X)
Brazil
Local time: 22:26
Portuguese to English
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| Depends on the job | Sep 5, 2009 |
If a long job is an interesting book, then fine. But I also like little quickie jobs for variety, and medium-sized ones are good, too, as long as the subject is something that interests me.
| | | | | Long and interesting | Sep 5, 2009 |
Small texts (like one page texts) are too hektik for me. I like long jobs, over 20 000 words - they're like diving into an interesting book, and although the beginning might be slow, in the second half of the job I'm already so familiar with the termini and the style of the text that the words just flow, sometimes faster than I can type (and I have very good typing abilities).
| | | | Robert Forstag
United States
Local time: 21:26
Spanish to English
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| Agree with Henry | Sep 5, 2009 |
It is hard for me to understand why anyone whose primary concern is economic would not on the balance prefer larger jobs to smaller ones. After all (an in line with what Oliver writes), I would much prefer to invoice a single client for a 40,000-word job than 30 different clients for the same number of words. And, afterward, I would prefer to worry only about tracking payment for one invoice for a single client as opposed to 30 invoices for a variety of different clients.
This issue... See more It is hard for me to understand why anyone whose primary concern is economic would not on the balance prefer larger jobs to smaller ones. After all (an in line with what Oliver writes), I would much prefer to invoice a single client for a 40,000-word job than 30 different clients for the same number of words. And, afterward, I would prefer to worry only about tracking payment for one invoice for a single client as opposed to 30 invoices for a variety of different clients.
This issue comes into play when translating things like birth certificates, drivers licenses, and academic transcripts--there ain't much text there, and even though in assessing fees you can take into account the extra time for invoicing, and perhaps mailing a hard copy, etc., it sometimes seems hardly worth it in the end.....
[Edited at 2009-09-05 18:01 GMT] ▲ Collapse
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I'm not that fussy - as others have said, the subject matter makes a bigger difference than the length.
I voted 500-2000, however, as I find that the most manageable size. When texts are very short, it can be quite a lot of effort (getting into subject matter, paperwork involved) for comparatively little compensation. With very long texts, I find it harder to judge how long it will take and I find proofreading quite hard going. I tend to proofread everything at the end, and if th... See more I'm not that fussy - as others have said, the subject matter makes a bigger difference than the length.
I voted 500-2000, however, as I find that the most manageable size. When texts are very short, it can be quite a lot of effort (getting into subject matter, paperwork involved) for comparatively little compensation. With very long texts, I find it harder to judge how long it will take and I find proofreading quite hard going. I tend to proofread everything at the end, and if the text is very long, that takes a long time. On the other hand, once you get into the text, the same vocabulary often repeats itself, making life a bit easier.
I guess I like medium-sized texts because you can "tick them off" when you've done them - I like the sense of having achieved and completed something - while at the same time being better paid and more worth the effort than very short pieces.
[Note added: So I'm basically saying that I agree with Oliver!]
[Edited at 2009-09-05 18:33 GMT] ▲ Collapse
| | | | | Big projects are nice but... | Sep 5, 2009 |
I have a hard time organizing myself with the bigger projects (20000 + words). I usually set myself a schedule with a goal for each day, but for some various reasons always fall behind and end up short on time at the end. Maybe that's because I am not negotiating a long enough deadline to plan for those unexpected things (like losing a whole day because my husband got a snake bite and had to take him to the ER...), or maybe I just need to work on my organizational skills.
I feel lik... See more I have a hard time organizing myself with the bigger projects (20000 + words). I usually set myself a schedule with a goal for each day, but for some various reasons always fall behind and end up short on time at the end. Maybe that's because I am not negotiating a long enough deadline to plan for those unexpected things (like losing a whole day because my husband got a snake bite and had to take him to the ER...), or maybe I just need to work on my organizational skills.
I feel like I do a better job on smaller projects, anywhere from 500-3000 words is nice. ▲ Collapse
| | | | Russell Jones
United Kingdom
Local time: 02:26
Italian to English
| Primary concern | Sep 5, 2009 |
Robert Forstag wrote:
It is hard for me to understand why anyone whose primary concern is economic would not on the balance prefer larger jobs to smaller ones.
[Edited at 2009-09-05 18:01 GMT]
If that were my "primary concern", I would never have become a translator; as it is I wouldn't want to do anything else.
Personally I prefer the variety I am offered with jobs of fewer than 3,000 words.
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