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How do you consider the market at the moment?
Thread poster: Helena Grahn
Dan Lucas
Dan Lucas  Identity Verified
United Kingdom
Local time: 21:07
Member (2014)
Japanese to English
Take heart Nov 23, 2018

David Hayes wrote:
Thanks, Tom. I know this to be true on some level, but I cannot invent expertise I do not have.

David, it's never too late to reinvent yourself. Go on a course to do finance, or law, or medical, or teach yourself. It can be done.

Dan


 
David Hayes
David Hayes  Identity Verified
France
Local time: 22:07
French to English
It can, but... Nov 23, 2018

it depends on what you mean by 'expertise' and 'specialization'. Perhaps my definition of the word is too high and lofty. Someone who has done a few courses (or even a degree) in a subject is no specialist as far as I'm concerned. I am perhaps one of the few who believes my real specialization to be translation.

 
Mario Cerutti
Mario Cerutti  Identity Verified
Japan
Local time: 06:07
Italian to Japanese
+ ...
Difference? (Sorry for going off-topic!) Nov 24, 2018

Tom in London wrote:
... and I'm resident in the country where my target language is spoken. That's the difference.

Do you really think this is still important? I don't, and my conviction gets more and more corroborated each time I see how my countrymen's writing skills—Italians living in Italy—have become. I'm not talking about normal people only, but also people whose main occupation to make a living is writing, translators included.

[Edited at 2018-11-24 04:02 GMT]

[Edited at 2018-11-24 06:04 GMT]


 
Rachel Fell
Rachel Fell  Identity Verified
United Kingdom
Local time: 21:07
French to English
+ ...
@David Nov 24, 2018

"I have a vintage BSc in Botany (1994)" - include it in your profile!

Michele Fauble
 
Tom in London
Tom in London
United Kingdom
Local time: 21:07
Member (2008)
Italian to English
I don't understand Nov 24, 2018

[quote]Aliseo Japan wrote:

Tom in London wrote:
......my conviction gets more and more corroborated each time I see how my countrymen's writing skills have become...


In English, that doesn't make any sense. Become WHAT?


 
David Hayes
David Hayes  Identity Verified
France
Local time: 22:07
French to English
Already have Nov 24, 2018

Re. Rachel's comment : "I have a vintage BSc in Botany (1994)" - include it in your profile!"

This particular piece of information has been in my profile for years.

I keep quiet about the theology degrees (would probably count against me in most professional contexts these days).

To be honest, I think professional experience is what most people are looking for. I've only ever been a translator (generalist).


 
Matthias Brombach
Matthias Brombach  Identity Verified
Germany
Local time: 22:07
Member (2007)
Dutch to German
+ ...
Did you answer some KudoZ questions? Nov 24, 2018

David Hayes wrote: I think professional experience is what most people are looking for.

Do you know the KudoZ section here at proz.com and what effect it can have for you in terms of visibility for outsourcers? Just a few questions answered succesfully will make you more visible in the ranking list of translators in your language combination by the points you get as a reward for your answer (if it was helpful). The more points you get, the higher you will come up in the listing. Even being among the last ranks can be more helpful than not appearing at all.


Maria Teresa Borges de Almeida
Gareth Callagy
 
Lincoln Hui
Lincoln Hui  Identity Verified
Hong Kong
Local time: 05:07
Member
Chinese to English
+ ...
Precariously excellent Nov 24, 2018

After holding steady for a couple of years, I've seen a 50% increase in income from 2016-17 to 2017-18. I should match last year's income with 3 months left to go in the tax year.

On the other hand, the increase is almost entirely concentrated in a few large projects from one or two main clients. I could easily see my income slashed by half if these dry up for any reason.

As for rates, I still live in more or less the middle-class of my language pairs, and I would guess
... See more
After holding steady for a couple of years, I've seen a 50% increase in income from 2016-17 to 2017-18. I should match last year's income with 3 months left to go in the tax year.

On the other hand, the increase is almost entirely concentrated in a few large projects from one or two main clients. I could easily see my income slashed by half if these dry up for any reason.

As for rates, I still live in more or less the middle-class of my language pairs, and I would guess my average rate has gone up as all but 2-3 of my earliest clients fade away. I've gained new clients who are willing to pay me what I want or at least close to it, though the work I get from them is generally sporadic.
Collapse


 
Mario Cerutti
Mario Cerutti  Identity Verified
Japan
Local time: 06:07
Italian to Japanese
+ ...
Bad Nov 24, 2018

[quote]Tom in London wrote:

Aliseo Japan wrote:

Tom in London wrote:
......my conviction gets more and more corroborated each time I see how my countrymen's writing skills have become...


In English, that doesn't make any sense. Become WHAT?

......my conviction gets more and more corroborated each time I see how bad my countrymen's writing skills have become...


 
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