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Question about turnaround time between quoting and delivery deadlines
Thread poster: Anne-Marie Grant (X)
Anne-Marie Grant (X)
Anne-Marie Grant (X)  Identity Verified
Local time: 23:12
French to English
+ ...
Mar 24, 2009

I'm just starting out as a freelancer and, browsing the jobs board I have been surprised to see that there may be quite a long quoting deadline but that there is then just an hour or two allowed to do the job and return it by the delivery deadline. Am I reading this wrong or is that what is meant? How do translators keep the vital one or two hours completely free for a potential job they might not get? What happens if there is difficult terminology that would take time to research? I just do not... See more
I'm just starting out as a freelancer and, browsing the jobs board I have been surprised to see that there may be quite a long quoting deadline but that there is then just an hour or two allowed to do the job and return it by the delivery deadline. Am I reading this wrong or is that what is meant? How do translators keep the vital one or two hours completely free for a potential job they might not get? What happens if there is difficult terminology that would take time to research? I just do not understand how people can produce good work under such pressure and I would be really interested to know if that is how agencies generally operate, or whether it is specific to the jobs posted on here. Many thanks for any replies. ▲ Collapse
 
José Henrique Lamensdorf
José Henrique Lamensdorf  Identity Verified
Brazil
Local time: 19:12
English to Portuguese
+ ...
In memoriam
Welcome to reality Mar 24, 2009

You are realizing that while some outsourcers may be extremely demanding on the translators they hire, they often fail to keep compatible work standards themselves.

Ostensibly careless job posting here on Proz is unfortunately very common. Amazingly, the few end-clients who now and then post jobs here - by concept amateurs at translation work outsourcing - often specify their needs much better.

I was about to add a list of "silly" job posts by self-claimed translation a... See more
You are realizing that while some outsourcers may be extremely demanding on the translators they hire, they often fail to keep compatible work standards themselves.

Ostensibly careless job posting here on Proz is unfortunately very common. Amazingly, the few end-clients who now and then post jobs here - by concept amateurs at translation work outsourcing - often specify their needs much better.

I was about to add a list of "silly" job posts by self-claimed translation agencies, but you seem to have found plenty on your own. ▲ Collapse
 
Taija Hyvönen
Taija Hyvönen
Finland
Local time: 01:12
Member (2008)
English to Finnish
+ ...
Don't trust the quoting deadline Mar 24, 2009

What José Henrique is saying is true, but I will make another point: very often the jobs are are closed well before the announced deadline has run out - often several days earlier (I seem to remember a week to be longest I have seen). 6 minutes I think is the fastest closing that I have seen mentioned here... so if you are planning to quote, do so immediately.
 
Anne-Marie Grant (X)
Anne-Marie Grant (X)  Identity Verified
Local time: 23:12
French to English
+ ...
TOPIC STARTER
Thank you for your replies. Mar 31, 2009

They are much appreciated.
 


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Question about turnaround time between quoting and delivery deadlines






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