| Număr de pagini: < [1 2] | Poll: Would you give up your "freelance" status to an "in-house" position if requested? Inițiatorul discuției: ProZ.com Staff
|
|---|
Rolf Kern 
Elveţia
Local time: 19:20
din engleză în germană
+ ...
In Memoriam
I am 82 years old, so nobody will hire me.
| | | | Thayenga
Germania
Local time: 19:20
Membru (2009)
din engleză în germană
+ ...
Muriel Vasconcellos wrote:
Freelancing is by far the better lifestyle, but I made more money in-house.
I've held an in-house position for nearly two decades. Assessment of an in-house position:
On the plus side are: nice colleagues, garanteed and punctually paid income at the end of each and every month, less papers to file with the tax office, plenty of supplies at hand, weekends off (exept in an emergency situation), paid vacation, social security benefits, no client "hunting". or chasing after late payers.
On the minus side are: having to be at the office on time every day, when it's hot, no working in a swim suit , no freedom when to work and when not, a boss breathing down my neck (though mine seldom did), satisfaction but no genuine sense of accomplishment and last but not least, though having been the boss for several year, not being my one and only boss.
Would I give up freelancing? Maaaaybeee...but only for health reasons. Period.
| | | | Cecilia Civetta
Italia
Local time: 19:20
Membru (2003)
din italiană în spaniolă
+ ...
| I've already been there... | Jun 10, 2012 |
An invaluable experience, but it's no, thank you, I'm not going back!
| | | | | It depends, but unlikely | Jun 10, 2012 |
Firstly, the salary (for the same and *limited* amount of work) has to be much higher than my current income as a sole proprietor, and this alone makes it highly problematic due to the tax situation in Russia (employees pay several times more in taxes, if you include the amounts paid for them by the employer).
Secondly, my responsibilities have to be limited to translation and nothing more (no PM etc.).
Lastly, the work has to involve a diverse array of topics, not the ... See more Firstly, the salary (for the same and *limited* amount of work) has to be much higher than my current income as a sole proprietor, and this alone makes it highly problematic due to the tax situation in Russia (employees pay several times more in taxes, if you include the amounts paid for them by the employer).
Secondly, my responsibilities have to be limited to translation and nothing more (no PM etc.).
Lastly, the work has to involve a diverse array of topics, not the same old stuff every day.
In other words, going in-house is theoretically possible for me, but most likely won't happen. ▲ Collapse
| | |
|
|
|
Denise DeVries
Statele Unite
Local time: 13:20
din spaniolă în engleză
+ ...
| Yes, and I'm willing to relocate | Jun 10, 2012 |
either to Bogota Colombia or anywhere in Italy.
Any offers?
| | | | Allison Wright (X)
Portugalia
Local time: 18:20
| What a preposterous idea! | Jun 10, 2012 |
Although I pride myself of my discipline and ability to work hard for long stretches, and naturally friendly and polite demeanour, these things alone would not ensure I could keep an in-house job for long.
Problem areas would include (in no particular order)
1. Old sheepskin slippers are now my constant companions. I cannot translate without my sheepskin slippers.
2. The tighter the deadline, the more I need to smoke. I cannot translate without smoking.
3. Arbitrar... See more Although I pride myself of my discipline and ability to work hard for long stretches, and naturally friendly and polite demeanour, these things alone would not ensure I could keep an in-house job for long.
Problem areas would include (in no particular order)
1. Old sheepskin slippers are now my constant companions. I cannot translate without my sheepskin slippers.
2. The tighter the deadline, the more I need to smoke. I cannot translate without smoking.
3. Arbitrary bouts of stretching exercises, which depending on what I am wearing, may well offend onlookers. I cannot translate without arbitrary stretching exercises.
4. Occasional singing - one line snatched from songs from the previous century, or Church hymns. the latter loudly, whilst making coffee. I cannot translate without at least one good verse of a hymn a day plus coffee.
5. Occasional bout of laughter, often when editing. I cannot translate without laughing, whether generally happy at a new discovery, or because life (and texts) can be amusing.
The other query I would have to resolve before taking on an in-house job is: whose dishes and laundry am I going to wash when I need to ruminate over a tough bit of text; and who is going to do my laundry and dishes whilst I am at work?
There, I have just talked any prospective employer out of hiring me. ▲ Collapse
| | | | Mario Chavez (X)
Local time: 13:20
din engleză în spaniolă
+ ...
| Not a tossup decision from what I've read... | Jun 10, 2012 |
Allison Wright wrote: Although I pride myself of my discipline and ability to work hard for long stretches, and naturally friendly and polite demeanour, these things alone would not ensure I could keep an in-house job for long. Problem areas would include (in no particular order) 1. Old sheepskin slippers are now my constant companions. I cannot translate without my sheepskin slippers. 2. The tighter the deadline, the more I need to smoke. I cannot translate without smoking. 3. Arbitrary bouts of stretching exercises, which depending on what I am wearing, may well offend onlookers. I cannot translate without arbitrary stretching exercises. 4. Occasional singing - one line snatched from songs from the previous century, or Church hymns. the latter loudly, whilst making coffee. I cannot translate without at least one good verse of a hymn a day plus coffee. 5. Occasional bout of laughter, often when editing. I cannot translate without laughing, whether generally happy at a new discovery, or because life (and texts) can be amusing. The other query I would have to resolve before taking on an in-house job is: whose dishes and laundry am I going to wash when I need to ruminate over a tough bit of text; and who is going to do my laundry and dishes whilst I am at work? There, I have just talked any prospective employer out of hiring me.
The above quote made me smile and brought to mind my own habit of humming a song (or a made up tune), or just making silly noises while translating. It keeps me apace with whatever I'm writing and it shows my enthusiasm. However, a colleague at a translation agency, a very efficient German project manager, reprimanded me for making "unnecessary noises." Oh, really? Are there necessary noises now?
More to the point, it seems that most independent translators answering the poll have experienced the in-house lifestyle across several countries and cultures. I have, but only in America, and office politics are everywhere. Sometimes you don't know who plays which side, and sometimes you just can't win for trying to please everybody.
| | | |
I was enormously grateful for the years I did work in house. At that time, I would never have had the courage to start alone, and I am full of admiration for those who do.
The colleagues and the general background help were great, not to mention the employer who sponsored my translation diploma.
Getting a monthly pay check without having to make out invoices was a big plus too.
But I live a fair way away from the town, so the long bus trips were a pain, and my dai... See more I was enormously grateful for the years I did work in house. At that time, I would never have had the courage to start alone, and I am full of admiration for those who do.
The colleagues and the general background help were great, not to mention the employer who sponsored my translation diploma.
Getting a monthly pay check without having to make out invoices was a big plus too.
But I live a fair way away from the town, so the long bus trips were a pain, and my daily routine was very inflexible. Later, when the office moved and I could drive to work, it was an expense, but gave me more freedom.
Nothing like working at home, though, and I can keep up with my network online. I escape perfume, tobacco and other smells that set my migraine off, and I can pretend successfully to be a nice person, instead of the grumpy so-and-so who lets of steam at times away from the computer. ▲ Collapse
| | |
|
|
|
If the job paid £100,000 a year and was within walking distance of my house, I'd think about it. Even then I'd probably just work a year or two and then return to my freelancing roots.
[Edited at 2012-06-10 15:32 GMT]
| | | |
It depends on a million factors. As a 23-year-old engineer I have to say I'd prefer an in-house position (I'd do my tasks as a translator just as I am now doing my ordinary tasks as an engineer for the company I'm working in).
Honestly, in 2 years of doing this job as a freelancer I haven't been able to come up with an output motivating enough to let me prefer the profile of the freelance translator to the company engineer one.
Not dealing with invoices, non-timely-paying clients an... See more It depends on a million factors. As a 23-year-old engineer I have to say I'd prefer an in-house position (I'd do my tasks as a translator just as I am now doing my ordinary tasks as an engineer for the company I'm working in).
Honestly, in 2 years of doing this job as a freelancer I haven't been able to come up with an output motivating enough to let me prefer the profile of the freelance translator to the company engineer one.
Not dealing with invoices, non-timely-paying clients and not paying in taxes almost the same amount earned working seems like a dream to me. The only in-house position I can see are so badly paid they don't give me the confidence required to switch job permanently. ▲ Collapse
| | | | Wolfgang Vogt
Argentina
Local time: 14:20
din engleză în germană
+ ...
If there was a really interesting offer in something I was really interested in and what would help me acquire experience I couldn't get otherwise and if the pay was really good and if I it wasn't necessary to commute to the city center, perhaps... perhaps not
| | | | Jennifer Forbes
Local time: 18:20
din franceză în engleză
+ ...
In Memoriam
|
|
|
JaneD
Suedia
Local time: 19:20
Membru (2009)
din suedeză în engleză
+ ...
neilmac wrote:
Deadpan icon.
Actually I'm picturing Frankie Howerd wearing a toga.
But the nays have it for me, too.
| | | | Laura Ball (X)
Local time: 18:20
din germană în engleză
+ ...
| If the conditions were right | Jun 12, 2012 |
I have close ties to where I live, so however attractive an in-house position, it would have to be in a place I would want to move to anyway, or, somehow, fit in with my current non-work lifestyle.
I have nothing against the idea in principle though.
| | | | | Asking for an advice... | Aug 11, 2012 |
Hi all,
I'm bachelor in Simultaneous Translation, have worked as a freelancer translator for more than 10 years combinning this passion with many other administrative and operational jobs in a parallel manner at the same time. Unfortunately in this country being a professional translator is too difficult, it is still an unknown profession, companies don't want to well pay for this job, they prefer to hire bilinguals instead translators for deppresing salaries under US$ 1,000/month o... See more Hi all,
I'm bachelor in Simultaneous Translation, have worked as a freelancer translator for more than 10 years combinning this passion with many other administrative and operational jobs in a parallel manner at the same time. Unfortunately in this country being a professional translator is too difficult, it is still an unknown profession, companies don't want to well pay for this job, they prefer to hire bilinguals instead translators for deppresing salaries under US$ 1,000/month or its equivalent US$ 0.02 per source word as freelancers, what has destroyed the local translation market.
Few days ago I received an offer for an in-house translator position from a global oil mining company. The company is offering a base salary close to US$ 3,000/month plus benefits like paid vacations, social security benefits, extra bonus, and the opportunity to get involved into a further project management position. I'd love to earn that total amount as a freelancer translator, but in all these all past years I've been working on, just a few times I could get it, that's because in this country (where minimum wedge is about US$ 300/month) is almost impossible to get good contracts as a freelancer, companies prefer hire you for no more than US$ 1,000.
The thing is... I'm not sure if I this is actually a good or bad offer for an In-house Translator position? How do you fellows see this offer from your experience?
Many thanks ▲ Collapse
| | | | | Număr de pagini: < [1 2] | To report site rules violations or get help, contact a site moderator: You can also contact site staff by submitting a support request » Poll: Would you give up your "freelance" status to an "in-house" position if requested? | Anycount & Translation Office 3000 | Translation Office 3000
Translation Office 3000 is an advanced accounting tool for freelance translators and small agencies. TO3000 easily and seamlessly integrates with the business life of professional freelance translators.
More info » |
| | Trados Studio 2022 Freelance | The leading translation software used by over 270,000 translators.
Designed with your feedback in mind, Trados Studio 2022 delivers an unrivalled, powerful desktop
and cloud solution, empowering you to work in the most efficient and cost-effective way.
More info » |
|
| | | | X Sign in to your ProZ.com account... | | | | | |
Login to reply/comment 
