Poll: Is landing jobs mainly about strategy rather than price or competition? Thread poster: ProZ.com Staff
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This forum topic is for the discussion of the poll question "Is landing jobs mainly about strategy rather than price or competition?".
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neilmac
Spanje
Local time: 03:40
uit Spaans in Engels
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Not in my case. I'm rarely aware of having a scheme, plan or strategy at any given time. Most jobs I landed over the years have been through word-of-mouth recommendations from satisfied clients. Or "dumb luck" if you like.
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If only I knew why a customer chooses me over my competitors… Reputation? Luck?
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Lieven Malaise 
België
Local time: 03:40
Member (2020)
uit Frans in Nederlands
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| Price/quality/profitability | Dec 6, 2025 |
Being one of the best (in the eyes of your customers) without being too expensive (in the eyes of your customers) while remaining profitable is the only thing that matters. So I would say it's about strategy since you need to create a delicate balance that requires calculation, common sense and clear goals to act upon (for example, disregarding all job offers that jeopardize that balance and only aiming for customers that allow that balance):
Being one of the best while being too ex... See more Being one of the best (in the eyes of your customers) without being too expensive (in the eyes of your customers) while remaining profitable is the only thing that matters. So I would say it's about strategy since you need to create a delicate balance that requires calculation, common sense and clear goals to act upon (for example, disregarding all job offers that jeopardize that balance and only aiming for customers that allow that balance):
Being one of the best while being too expensive: fail.
Delivering crap without being too expensive: fail.
Being one of the best while earning peanuts: fail. ▲ Collapse
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Zea_Mays
Italië
Local time: 03:40
uit Engels in Duits
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| What strategy? | Dec 6, 2025 |
What would such a 'strategy' look like?
Lieven Malaise wrote:
Being one of the best (in the eyes of your customers) without being too expensive (in the eyes of your customers) while remaining profitable is the only thing that matters.
Since prospects can't know you're one of the best, I'd add the degree of seriousness, professionalism and reliability that you convey. Written recommendations from previous clients can help too (always related to the client type - agencies for agencies, direct clients for direct clients) - like in word-of-mouth referrals. In both cases, gut instinct plays a key role.
The same gut instinct helps you discern which prospects are worth investing time in.
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Lieven Malaise
België
Local time: 03:40
Member (2020)
uit Frans in Nederlands
+ ...
Zea_Mays wrote:
What would such a 'strategy' look like?
Since prospects can't know you're one of the best, I'd add the degree of seriousness, professionalism and reliability that you convey. Written recommendations from previous clients can help too (always related to the client type - agencies for agencies, direct clients for direct clients) - like in word-of-mouth referrals. In both cases, gut instinct plays a key role.
The same gut instinct helps you discern which prospects are worth investing time in.
I explained why I called it strategy.
Prospects can't know you're one of the best, but after a test translation or a first assignment they could know you're propably good enough in relation to your rate, which will then be confirmed, or not, by further assignments.
And you can't be considered one of the best if you lack seriousness, professionalism etc. That's standard.
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| LinkedIn algorithms | Dec 6, 2025 |
Maybe knowing how LinkedIn algorithms work, so you can improve your job ad search.
I have no clue, I must say. It's just another AI pitfall in practice.
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Philip Lees
Griekeland
Local time: 04:40
uit Grieks in Engels
Another poll question that makes no sense.
Price and competition are two fundamental components of any business strategy. So this question is based upon a distinction that is entirely false.
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Lieven Malaise
België
Local time: 03:40
Member (2020)
uit Frans in Nederlands
+ ...
Philip Lees wrote:
Another poll question that makes no sense.
Price and competition are two fundamental components of any business strategy. So this question is based upon a distinction that is entirely false.
Absolutely true. It has become a habit to interpret a question into something that makes sense and then answer it. Result: different answers to different questions.
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