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The Vacationless Translator
Thread poster: Trevor Chichester
Claire Cox
Claire Cox
United Kingdom
Local time: 15:32
French to English
+ ...
Holidays essential! Jul 10, 2012

I'm really looking forward to my next holiday in mid-August, especially as I'm inundated with work at the moment and seem to have been for months. The last time I went away for a week at the end of April I did let all my clients know beforehand, but still ended up with e-mails whilst I was away asking me to do work. The beauty of having a phone with e-mail capacity is that you can respond either with suggestions for an alternative translator or a postponed deadline when you get back. In this par... See more
I'm really looking forward to my next holiday in mid-August, especially as I'm inundated with work at the moment and seem to have been for months. The last time I went away for a week at the end of April I did let all my clients know beforehand, but still ended up with e-mails whilst I was away asking me to do work. The beauty of having a phone with e-mail capacity is that you can respond either with suggestions for an alternative translator or a postponed deadline when you get back. In this particular case, I ended up with my next week fully filled even before I got back, so if you're busy already, I really wouldn't worry about losing your clients as long as you keep them informed. I don't tell them too far in advance as you can bet they'll have forgotten if you do!

And yes, we all need our holidays - I'm really looking forward to a week of just chilling out and relaxing in Austria. The awful weather we're currently having in the UK hasn't helped, but to be quite honest, I've been so busy that I wouldn't really have had time to do much outside anyway..... My poor allotment is rather neglected this year!

Best wishes,

Claire
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Rachel Fell
Rachel Fell  Identity Verified
United Kingdom
Local time: 15:32
French to English
+ ...
not entirely, I suspect Jul 10, 2012

Claire Cox wrote:
... My poor allotment is rather neglected this year!

Claire

I bet the local gastropods are having as good a time there as they are in my garden

[Edited at 2012-07-10 12:44 GMT]


 
Claire Cox
Claire Cox
United Kingdom
Local time: 15:32
French to English
+ ...
Hmmmm Jul 10, 2012

[/quote]
I bet the local gastropods are having as good a time there as they are in my garden

[Edited at 2012-07-10 12:44 GMT] [/quote]

Yes, very true - and the pigeons, mice, etc. Quite depressing really!

Claire


 
Trevor Chichester
Trevor Chichester  Identity Verified
United States
Local time: 11:32
Member (2012)
German to English
+ ...
TOPIC STARTER
Indeed, life is too short! Jul 10, 2012

Everyone brings up wonderful suggestions. You know, life REALLY is too short and we might as well enjoy a holiday or two every now and then. Perhaps I worry a little too much about these things. If I tell them all in advance I'm sure they'll understand.


You see, its times like this when I REALLY admire the Europeans and the rest of the world SO much. In the United States, people literally get 10 days holiday...this INCLUDES sick time, so If you're sick and need a day off it
... See more
Everyone brings up wonderful suggestions. You know, life REALLY is too short and we might as well enjoy a holiday or two every now and then. Perhaps I worry a little too much about these things. If I tell them all in advance I'm sure they'll understand.


You see, its times like this when I REALLY admire the Europeans and the rest of the world SO much. In the United States, people literally get 10 days holiday...this INCLUDES sick time, so If you're sick and need a day off it comes out of your vacation time. It really is criminal.


The rest of the world works to live, us Yanks work to live I'm afraid.
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Sheila Wilson
Sheila Wilson  Identity Verified
Spain
Local time: 15:32
Member (2007)
English
+ ...
Think yourself lucky you're a freelancer, then Jul 10, 2012

Trevor Chichester wrote:
You see, its times like this when I REALLY admire the Europeans and the rest of the world SO much. In the United States, people literally get 10 days holiday...this INCLUDES sick time, so If you're sick and need a day off it comes out of your vacation time. It really is criminal.

Freelance translators in the U.S.A. don't - they get whatever they award themselves. Lucky you! Award yourself a month!

Sheila


 
Audra deFalco (X)
Audra deFalco (X)
United States
Local time: 11:32
Italian to English
+ ...
I second Terry's suggestion Jul 10, 2012

I second Terry's suggestions. Don't worry--you won't be replaced!

In any case, can I buy you a beer? I'm NYC based too. GREAT weather we're having!!


 
Trevor Chichester
Trevor Chichester  Identity Verified
United States
Local time: 11:32
Member (2012)
German to English
+ ...
TOPIC STARTER
I could use a beer! Jul 10, 2012

sognatrice wrote:

I second Terry's suggestions. Don't worry--you won't be replaced!

In any case, can I buy you a beer? I'm NYC based too. GREAT weather we're having!!


This is quite the surprise. I could use a beer!



Cheers,



 
Heike Behl, Ph.D.
Heike Behl, Ph.D.  Identity Verified
Ireland
Local time: 15:32
Member (2003)
English to German
+ ...
Don't worry, be happy! :-) Jul 10, 2012

I wouldn't try to find a replacement. Since this would be somebody you could highly recommend, you'd might be creating your own competition this way.

Chances are your clients will either have backup translators in their data base for just this kind of occasions, or they will not be able to find somebody as highly qualified or trustworthy or reliable or ... as you. In both cases, they will always gladly come back to you.

Enjoy your well-earned vacation!


 
Suzanne Owen
Suzanne Owen  Identity Verified
United States
Local time: 11:32
German to English
+ ...
Take your vacation without worry and rest and recharge Jul 14, 2012

No need to worry about taking vacation time. It's necessary and is one of the perks of working for oneself!

I've never bothered with having a colleague cover for me, because I tend to generally only be away for a week at a time and most of my work comes from agencies who already have other translators available. I work with a couple of agencies that are even organized enough to ask their freelancers ahead of time when they're planning on taking time off in the summer and early autum
... See more
No need to worry about taking vacation time. It's necessary and is one of the perks of working for oneself!

I've never bothered with having a colleague cover for me, because I tend to generally only be away for a week at a time and most of my work comes from agencies who already have other translators available. I work with a couple of agencies that are even organized enough to ask their freelancers ahead of time when they're planning on taking time off in the summer and early autumn so they can plan things on their end.

I just make sure to let everyone know ahead of time (usually a month) and in my email signature, I indicate the dates I will be away, just as a reminder. If I finish a large or otherwise tricky project just before leaving on vacation, I let the project manager know that I will be checking emails for that project in case there are any questions, but otherwise I recharge my batteries during my time away and come back refreshed.

[Edited at 2012-07-14 02:27 GMT]
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Sonoko Enami
Sonoko Enami  Identity Verified
Japan
Local time: 00:32
Member (2010)
English to Japanese
Go already! Jul 14, 2012

I've been a freelance English-to-Japanese translator for 27 years. Being a backpacker as well, I took at least one 2-to-3 week vacation almost every one of those years.

How many clients have I lost? None. I've lost clients for other reasons, but not for taking a vacation.

After all, you have to decline job requests from time to time because you are already busy with other projects. Taking a vacation is not different from those occasions when you are unavailable.


 
Elke Fehling
Elke Fehling  Identity Verified
Local time: 16:32
Member (2005)
English to German
+ ...
Same for me Jul 18, 2012

In my first years I didn't dare to take a vacation for the reasons you mention. Then, after a while, I tried to find out what periods were "slow" so I wouldn't miss out on too much.

All that has changed. I realized that I won't loose my clients just being on vacation. It is true, they seem to have other translators that do my work while I am away, but they always come back to me.

Now I go on a 3 weeks vacation 2 times a year. If possible I take my mobile phone with me a
... See more
In my first years I didn't dare to take a vacation for the reasons you mention. Then, after a while, I tried to find out what periods were "slow" so I wouldn't miss out on too much.

All that has changed. I realized that I won't loose my clients just being on vacation. It is true, they seem to have other translators that do my work while I am away, but they always come back to me.

Now I go on a 3 weeks vacation 2 times a year. If possible I take my mobile phone with me and can react to request if it is absolutely necessary. I usually tell my clients about 2 weeks in advance when I will be gone, then I tell them again when I am back.
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Trevor Chichester
Trevor Chichester  Identity Verified
United States
Local time: 11:32
Member (2012)
German to English
+ ...
TOPIC STARTER
Vactionless No More! Jul 19, 2012

Hey Everyone!


Well, you all have inspired me to just take a LONG needed vacation. I leave this afternoon.

You all were right, this is no big deal. In fact, everyone was VERY appreciative of letting them know and now they have started to book me the week after my vacation!


Oh...HAPPY HAPPY TIMES!


Thanks so much all!



Cheers,

Trevor


 
Stefanie Sendelbach
Stefanie Sendelbach  Identity Verified
Germany
Local time: 16:32
Member (2003)
English to German
+ ...
Enjoy, Trevor! Jul 19, 2012

Trevor Chichester wrote:

Well, you all have inspired me to just take a LONG needed vacation. I leave this afternoon.


My experience is identical to Elke's. In the first few years I did not dare to leave my computer for more then 12 hours, basically. But by now, after nine years in the business, I have realized that my clients do come back, even if I go for a holiday now and then.

Enjoy your holiday, relax, and come back with recharged batteries!

Stefanie


 
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