Pages in topic:   [1 2] >
Poll: Do you have any professional New Year's resolutions?
Thread poster: ProZ.com Staff
ProZ.com Staff
ProZ.com Staff
SITE STAFF
Jan 5, 2018

This forum topic is for the discussion of the poll question "Do you have any professional New Year's resolutions?".

This poll was originally submitted by Gianluca Marras. View the poll results »



 
Muriel Vasconcellos
Muriel Vasconcellos  Identity Verified
United States
Local time: 02:47
Member (2003)
Spanish to English
+ ...
Yes Jan 5, 2018

I resolved to stick to my resolve to:
(1) not accept any translation review projects;
(2) be very careful about accepting PDFs - check them very carefully before deciding.

Those are the areas where my will is weakest. I am already very firm about rates, deadlines, matches and fuzzy matches, and other topics.


 
Marsha Burdick
Marsha Burdick  Identity Verified
Italy
Local time: 10:47
Italian to English
Yes Jan 5, 2018

I have signed up for a business course to improve my management skills.

 
Elizabeth Tamblin
Elizabeth Tamblin  Identity Verified
United Kingdom
Local time: 09:47
French to English
No Jan 5, 2018

I'm just going to go with the flow. If I'm offered work, I will consider accepting it; if not, I've got other projects to work on.

 
Giuseppina Gatta, MA (Hons)
Giuseppina Gatta, MA (Hons)
English to Italian
+ ...
Yes Jan 5, 2018

1) Raise my rates
2) Refuse boring, complicated and too small projects
3) Refuse to work with agency-based CAT tools.

[Edited at 2018-01-05 09:36 GMT]


 
Kay Denney
Kay Denney  Identity Verified
France
Local time: 10:47
French to English
Yes Jan 5, 2018

Get more direct clients who pay well and promptly so I can ditch the agency that pays little (even if they are prompt)

Aim for greater efficiency. I have already made some headway on this as I have created a new business email that I can get notifications for on my phone, so I can at least confirm deadlines and answer small questions when out and about. Seems like there's always an emergency the minute I head for the swimming pool!


 
Maria Teresa Borges de Almeida
Maria Teresa Borges de Almeida  Identity Verified
Portugal
Local time: 09:47
Member (2007)
English to Portuguese
+ ...
No Jan 5, 2018

What are My New Year's Resolutions? Actually, I don't like the concept that there's only one time a year that you can set goals, redirect yourself and get on the right road. Let’s say, for the sake of the question, that my resolution will be to keep on working, learning and improving…

 
Joana Neves
Joana Neves  Identity Verified
Portugal
Local time: 09:47
Member (2020)
Russian to Portuguese
+ ...
Yes Jan 5, 2018

My professional New Year's resolutions include:
1 - stop working on the weekends and some big holidays + apply strict schedule for daily working
2 - refuse to work on 2 or 3 projects at the same time (it happened with small translations with different deadlines)
3 - continue to learn (participate in webinars, keep up-to-date regarding the translation world)
4 - turn my hobby into a job once and for all!


 
Kristina Cosumano (X)
Kristina Cosumano (X)  Identity Verified
Germany
Local time: 10:47
German to English
Yes Jan 5, 2018

Get out and meet more colleagues and prospective clients in person. Powwows, conferences, trade fairs.

And raise my rates, which is not a resolution because it's already done.

[Edited at 2018-01-05 11:42 GMT]


 
Ahmad Hassaballa
Ahmad Hassaballa  Identity Verified
Türkiye
Local time: 12:47
Member (2005)
German to Arabic
+ ...
Yes Jan 5, 2018

1. Launching my website
2. Setting up my own office
3. Raising my management and marketing skills


 
Mario Chavez (X)
Mario Chavez (X)  Identity Verified
Local time: 05:47
English to Spanish
+ ...
The Americanization of cultures Jan 5, 2018

First, it was Halloween. Then, Thanksgiving. Now, New Year's resolutions? Welcome to the intended secondary effects of American globalization: we're either seduced or forced to adopt strange customs. I suspect this unwelcome but mesmerizing influence is also responsible for the “industrification” of our profession (i.e. so-called “translation industry”).


Caveat: I'm American and yet I resent this intrusive habit of forcing people to set goals by the end of each year.


 
Michael Brookman M.S.
Michael Brookman M.S.  Identity Verified
United States
Local time: 05:47
French to English
+ ...
Increase productivity Jan 5, 2018

I resolve to increase productivity by fully utilizing my network resource and working/completing project faster.

 
Vera H.
Vera H.  Identity Verified
Local time: 04:47
Member (2007)
German to English
+ ...
New Year's Resolution Jan 5, 2018

My Resolutions for the New Year include:
1. Accept only projects I really enjoy (actually, I'm almost there on this one)
2. Stop working on holidays and work only on weekends when I feel like doing so
3. Refuse deadlines that are unrealistic
4. Reject a project if I feel I need a break


 
Romina Pérez Escorihuela
Romina Pérez Escorihuela  Identity Verified
Argentina
Local time: 06:47
Member (2010)
English to Spanish
+ ...
Reorganize and start to delegate! Jan 5, 2018

I'm expecting my first baby, so I have no chance rather than reorganizing my business project! I have been working with a community manager for the last year, so I learned to delegate the marketing and communication aspect of my business already... and he sometimes became my assistant, specially while I was on the booth and unable to quote for jobs or reply urgent messages - he did that for me many times, successfully!

So, during our last meeting in December, we brainstormed about
... See more
I'm expecting my first baby, so I have no chance rather than reorganizing my business project! I have been working with a community manager for the last year, so I learned to delegate the marketing and communication aspect of my business already... and he sometimes became my assistant, specially while I was on the booth and unable to quote for jobs or reply urgent messages - he did that for me many times, successfully!

So, during our last meeting in December, we brainstormed about how to face this new year, because I will definitely need an extra hand to reply messages, quote for jobs, organize translators' and interpreters' teams... I am aware of the fact that I would not be able to go back to a booth until my son/daughter is 6 months old (as per my colleagues' experience....) so, something has to be done during that time to keep money coming into my bank account, although in reduced amounts.... Time will tell, and, please: wish me all good luck! I'll need it
=)
Collapse


 
Ventnai
Ventnai  Identity Verified
Spain
Local time: 10:47
German to English
+ ...
Not so American Jan 5, 2018

Mario Chavez wrote:

First, it was Halloween. Then, Thanksgiving. Now, New Year's resolutions? Welcome to the intended secondary effects of American globalization: we're either seduced or forced to adopt strange customs. I suspect this unwelcome but mesmerizing influence is also responsible for the “industrification” of our profession (i.e. so-called “translation industry”).


Caveat: I'm American and yet I resent this intrusive habit of forcing people to set goals by the end of each year.


Halloween has its origins in the Celtic cultures of the British Isles. Halloween itself is a contraction of "All Hallows' Evening". I remember celebrating it in the UK as a kid before US culture reached its heights. The US did make Halloween popular worldwide through film and televison.

New Year's resolutions have their roots in ancient cultures, Christianity and Judaism.


 
Pages in topic:   [1 2] >


To report site rules violations or get help, contact a site moderator:

Moderator(s) of this forum
Jared Tabor[Call to this topic]

You can also contact site staff by submitting a support request »

Poll: Do you have any professional New Year's resolutions?






Trados Business Manager Lite
Create customer quotes and invoices from within Trados Studio

Trados Business Manager Lite helps to simplify and speed up some of the daily tasks, such as invoicing and reporting, associated with running your freelance translation business.

More info »
CafeTran Espresso
You've never met a CAT tool this clever!

Translate faster & easier, using a sophisticated CAT tool built by a translator / developer. Accept jobs from clients who use Trados, MemoQ, Wordfast & major CAT tools. Download and start using CafeTran Espresso -- for free

Buy now! »