Pages in topic:   [1 2] >
Poll: Do you accept jobs when you are fully booked?
Thread poster: ProZ.com Staff
ProZ.com Staff
ProZ.com Staff
SITE STAFF
Feb 2, 2012

This forum topic is for the discussion of the poll question "Do you accept jobs when you are fully-booked?".

View the poll results »



 
Paula Hernández
Paula Hernández
United Kingdom
Local time: 09:37
English to Spanish
+ ...
Depends Feb 2, 2012

If it is a good client and/or a very small job, it doesn't hurt to work a little extra to make them happy.

 
Rachita Mehra
Rachita Mehra  Identity Verified
Local time: 15:07
Member (2012)
English to Punjabi
+ ...
No, but sometimes subject to difficulty involved. Feb 2, 2012

If I am fully-booked, I mostly do not accept jobs. But also, it depends upon more than a few grounds; how old and good the client is, domain (if easy) and volume of the project and most importantly, taking a new project must not affect the quality & timelines of on-going projects.

 
Mary Worby
Mary Worby  Identity Verified
United Kingdom
Local time: 09:37
German to English
+ ...
There is no such thing as 'fully booked' Feb 2, 2012

I may be fully booked for a day, or a week, but there are still jobs I can accept. Either tiny ones I can shoehorn in (especially for good customers!) or ones I can schedule for after the end of my 'fully booked' period.

Never say never!


 
José Henrique Lamensdorf
José Henrique Lamensdorf  Identity Verified
Brazil
Local time: 06:37
English to Portuguese
+ ...
In memoriam
I accept jobs any time... Feb 2, 2012

... however I tell the client when I can deliver them. If their deadline is later than mine, so much the better. I prefer to deliver two days early than two hours late. For the last 38 years, this policy has helped me in delivering all jobs before the deadline, not a single late delivery so far (of course, unless the client altered the assignment under way).

If the client needs it earlier than I can deliver, there are two opti
... See more
... however I tell the client when I can deliver them. If their deadline is later than mine, so much the better. I prefer to deliver two days early than two hours late. For the last 38 years, this policy has helped me in delivering all jobs before the deadline, not a single late delivery so far (of course, unless the client altered the assignment under way).

If the client needs it earlier than I can deliver, there are two options. Either they can get someone else to do it in whole or in part, or - if possible, since the meaning of fully-booked may vary - I might extend my working hours (which are long already) in exchange for an urgency surcharge. Otherwise I avoid urgency surcharges as much as possible.

I try to commit no more than 3,000 words/day to any individual project. I know my limits... so far 9,065 words in one day, working 19 hours. This gives me some flexibility to take deadly urgent jobs amidst other ones, and keep my clients happy.
Collapse


 
Michael Harris
Michael Harris  Identity Verified
Germany
Local time: 10:37
Member (2006)
German to English
Other Feb 2, 2012

As I am fortunately booked up most of the time, but usually with generous deadlines, I am able to take on translations for "in-between" as long as they do not put me trouble because of their size.
And, other than that, the day has 24 hours where I generally work between 12 and 14 of them.

[Edited at 2012-02-02 11:03 GMT]


 
neilmac
neilmac
Spain
Local time: 10:37
Spanish to English
+ ...
Other Feb 2, 2012

Not by design. I understand "fully-booked" as meaning totally, completely. Saturation is by definition the state when no more can be taken on board, so obviously when I get there I don't accept any more.

I may however accept work which I can pass on to a colleague, as I usually know somebody who is available, but I know my own limits.


 
Interlangue (X)
Interlangue (X)
Angola
Local time: 10:37
English to French
+ ...
Other Feb 2, 2012

I am often fully booked but always keep some time to squeeze in a recurrent job of which I never know exactly when it will come in or how much it will be

 
Angus Stewart
Angus Stewart  Identity Verified
United Kingdom
Local time: 09:37
Member (2011)
French to English
+ ...
No Feb 2, 2012

neilmac wrote:

I understand "fully-booked" as meaning totally, completely. Saturation is by definition the state when no more can be taken on board, so obviously when I get there I don't accept any more.


I am in full agreement with Neil. I would regard it as unprofessional behaviour to take on additional work for a period during which I am already booked to full capacity. I know my limits and would not wish to tempt fate.

As others have said, I would attempt to negotiate with the client regarding the deadline such that I could undertake the work during a later period for which I have capacity.


 
Charlie Bavington
Charlie Bavington  Identity Verified
Local time: 09:37
French to English
Define fully booked Feb 2, 2012

I would almost go so far as to define fully booked as meaning unable to accept any further work for that period. So the answer is self-evidently "no" AFAIAC.

However, it seems some people just take it to mean "very busy". If you're in a position to slot in a small job, or however else you care to phrase it, you are clearly not "fully booked".

That said, the question could be clearer in one sense, since I do "accept jobs" at a time when I am currently "fully booked" if t
... See more
I would almost go so far as to define fully booked as meaning unable to accept any further work for that period. So the answer is self-evidently "no" AFAIAC.

However, it seems some people just take it to mean "very busy". If you're in a position to slot in a small job, or however else you care to phrase it, you are clearly not "fully booked".

That said, the question could be clearer in one sense, since I do "accept jobs" at a time when I am currently "fully booked" if the deadline is for some point in the future when I am not "fully booked". Ah, the joys of ambiguous phrasing.
Collapse


 
Lifeng Yang (X)
Lifeng Yang (X)  Identity Verified
China
Local time: 17:37
English to Chinese
+ ...
Agree Feb 2, 2012

Paula Hernández wrote:

If it is a good client and/or a very small job, it doesn't hurt to work a little extra to make them happy.


Searching & researching time spent on small text doesn't hurt.

Inserting a middle sized job into ongoing big text will be much harder.


 
Muriel Vasconcellos
Muriel Vasconcellos  Identity Verified
United States
Local time: 02:37
Member (2003)
Spanish to English
+ ...
Definitely not Feb 2, 2012

I know my limitations. I know how much work I can handle, and I don't take on any more than that.

Also, I never want to be in a position where the quality of my work suffers for my best-paying clients.


 
Julian Holmes
Julian Holmes  Identity Verified
Japan
Local time: 18:37
Member (2011)
Japanese to English
Know your physical and mental limits Feb 2, 2012

I quite agree with Charlie.

Charlie Bavington wrote:

However, it seems some people just take it to mean "very busy". If you're in a position to slot in a small job, or however else you care to phrase it, you are clearly not "fully booked".


The bottom line is "How hard are you prepared to work within your physical and mental limits?" If your definition of a working day is 9 till 6, then there's still ample time to pack in plenty of work before and after this time frame - if you want to, of course. If more work beyond this threshold means that you will be deprived of valuable sleep, etc., then you can start saying you're "fully-booked" according to my book, that is.

Also, having too much work hurts less having too little. Believe me, I've been through the latter situation more times than I'd like to remember.

Happy translating!


 
Maria Teresa Borges de Almeida
Maria Teresa Borges de Almeida  Identity Verified
Portugal
Local time: 09:37
Member (2007)
English to Portuguese
+ ...
I will give exactly the same answer Feb 2, 2012

as to a very similar poll posted last October:

Maybe... It depends on how overbooked I am. If it comes from a regular client I will try to negotiate a new deadline. If it is from a new client: Do I have time available to collect the necessary background information? Are they a potential good client? Is the job interesting? Is it well
... See more
as to a very similar poll posted last October:

Maybe... It depends on how overbooked I am. If it comes from a regular client I will try to negotiate a new deadline. If it is from a new client: Do I have time available to collect the necessary background information? Are they a potential good client? Is the job interesting? Is it well paid?

http://bel.proz.com/forum/poll_discussion/210901-poll:_do_you_accept_another_job_when_youre_already_fully_booked-page2.html
Collapse


 
lexical
lexical  Identity Verified
Spain
Local time: 10:37
Portuguese to English
No Feb 2, 2012

And I don't write "fully booked" with a hyphen either. Does anyone who has even a minimal acquaintance with the English language?

 
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 accept jobs when you are fully booked?






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 »
TM-Town
Manage your TMs and Terms ... and boost your translation business

Are you ready for something fresh in the industry? TM-Town is a unique new site for you -- the freelance translator -- to store, manage and share translation memories (TMs) and glossaries...and potentially meet new clients on the basis of your prior work.

More info »