What will they think of next… September 9, 2011
Posted by Jill (@bonnjill) in Business practices.12 comments
After 16 years in the business I thought nothing could surprise me anymore, but I was wrong. There is a discussion on one of the payment practices listservs to which I subscribe about the following contract clause from a translation agency, which states:
After the Purchase Order is approved by the translator, he/she has to start the translation immediately and deliver the first 800 words within the next 2 hours. If the translator fails to do so, the PM will write a warning email and call, if no reply within 3 hours, the PM will assign the project to another translator and current translator won’t be paid.
Are you kidding me?
First of all, most of us usually have several jobs on our desk. They expect us to drop everything and deliver the first 800 words within the next 2 hours? Partial deliveries are NEVER a good idea. I guess quality isn’t all that important to them…
Secondly, this is an inequitable clause because we are independent contractors. The nature of our work is characterized by autonomy from the client. It is up to us to decide on the best time to begin the job. It is up to us to decide whether or not we will translate more or less than 800 words within the first 2 hours. I don’t sit chained to my desk panting and awaiting the next translation job. If I don’t have a translation job lined up I am usually running errands or enjoying living my life. As independent contractors, we cannot be bound by work constraints in this way.
I say delete inquiries like this and don’t look back. There are tens of thousands of translation agencies out there. You do not have to work with the ones of which you do not approve (or of whom you are suspicious) and you can still make a good living as a translator.
Making priorities and sticking to them September 8, 2011
Posted by Jill (@bonnjill) in Business practices, Random musings.6 comments
There is an interesting discussion on the ATA Business Practices listserv right now about the balance of work and life. One translator was complaining that she had organized a “book club meeting with a bunch of translators for a Saturday morning.” She was looking forward to getting together to have some fun and talk about literature, but when the day came most of them backed out citing “a last minute gig.” As she complained, “Why are we so enslaved by the last minute gig that we can’t plan our lives?”
She is entirely right. I have noticed this as a past member of the Bonner Übersetzer- und DolmetscherForum and as the past president of the Northeast Ohio Translators Association. Translators seem to be ruled by rush translation jobs. Board meetings and once-a-year annual meetings are missed because there is a pressing job.
What is wrong with making certain things a priority and either saying no or arranging your schedule so that you can do both? I am the organizer of a happy hour group. I had a pressing job last night, so I attended the happy hour for 2 hours and left at 7 so I could translate the job (I only had one drink and then switched to non-alcoholic beverages). It’s about making social events or personal life stuff a priority and sticking to them. If I have made something a priority in my mind and there is a rush job I simply say “sorry, I’m not available.” In fact, when I said no yesterday, that pressing job last night was magically extended to 3 p.m. today. It’s amazing how many rush jobs truly aren’t that rush if you can’t drop everything to accept it. And sorry, but no last minute gig is so pressing on a SATURDAY MORNING. It sounds like an excuse to not go if you ask me…
All work and no play makes Jack (or in this case Jill) a dull boy…
Dear Client: (part 2) August 26, 2011
Posted by Jill (@bonnjill) in Business practices.13 comments
Dear Translator:
Due to some major problems that we can not handle, we are sorry to inform you that payment will be delayed.
We will be working hard to get it resolved by next week.
I hope this situation will not affect the quality of our business partnership.
We really appreciate your outstanding work, we enjoy working with you and we would like it to keep it this way.
Thank you for your kind understanding and support.
Regards,
Accounting Department
ECOLE GLOBAL SOLUTIONS CORP.
Houston, TX
Dear Client:
Seeing as the payment is 137 days overdue and the amount is only $59.08 I can’t wait to see how long this payment will be delayed. And seeing as you are having difficulty paying a $59.08 invoice, I might I add I am VERY happy that I decided back when the payment was only 60 days overdue never to accept another job from you and then did not accept the 800 word job in July.
Sincerely,
Jill
P.S. Take the $59.08 check and shove it.
Freelance translators and interpreters are NOT employees August 15, 2011
Posted by Jill (@bonnjill) in Business practices, Translation.24 comments
Sorry for the recent social media silence. After finally getting my new desktop computer up and running (yes, I am a dinosaur who prefers working on a desktop…) I have been bogged down with work. When I haven’t been translating I have been trying to relax and enjoy the summer.
That said, I had to break my silence when I found out recently that Language Line is claiming that translators and interpreters are truly employees attempting to defraud the government. Please pardon my French, but this is total and utter bullshit.
I know that Language Line likes to schedule their employees on shifts to cover their phone interpreting needs (don’t even get me started on the hourly pay, which I hear is BARELY over minimum wage in some cases), so in this case they truly ARE Language Line employees. However, that does not mean that ALL freelance translators and interpreters – or even all of the translators and interpreters who work for Language Line – are employees. If those Language Line employees are only working part-time they are most likely issued W-2s for their services. If not then Language Line has no right to claim that they are employees. Those part-time Language Line employees are also free to work for other agencies and most likely receive 1099-MISC forms for their work. They then report the W-2 income and 1099-MISC income in separate sections of their IRS tax returns. That’s the way it works – whether you are freelancer translating/interpreting full-time while working part-time at a book store, teaching part-time at a school, college or university or even work part-time for a translation agency.
In my case, I regularly work for at least 14 different agencies (not counting agencies that perhaps contact me once or twice a year with a translation request). I am issued 1099-MISCs from all my agencies who pay me $600 or more a year for my services. I submitted seven 1099s in 2009 and ten 1099s in 2010 as part of my tax returns. According to my tax preparer at Liberty Tax, I had “30 [agency clients] in 2009 and about the same in 2010 not reported on 1099s.”
I am a full-time freelance translator. I am free to accept or turn down translation jobs based on my availability and whether the texts are within my fields of specialization. I work when I want and how I want. I use the translation software I want. I track my income and issue reminders when invoices aren’t paid on time. And I pay my own taxes to the federal, state and local governments based on my earned income from all the agencies I have worked with that year both in the United States and abroad (whether or not they have sent me a 1099-MISC). Let me repeat that – I claim ALL of my income earned both domestically and abroad. I have NEVER attempted to defraud the federal government. You simply don’t screw with Uncle Sam.
Correct me if I am wrong, but freelance translators and interpreters who do not have scheduled shifts with a company all fall under this category. We are FREELANCE translators and interpreters, which means we are contractors who are free to work for whomever we want and however we want. This also means we are running our own businesses, whether it be as a sole proprietor, an LLC or an S-Corp. I am frankly offended by Language Line’s claim that because I am a freelance translator I am trying to defraud the government.
Feel free to weigh in with your comments below. The folks who are working hard right now to get translation-friendly legislation passed would appreciate your opinions to use as ammunition.
Articles on the subject:
* http://www.huffingtonpost.com/louis-provenzano/open-letter-to-irs-end-em_b_675776.html
* http://www.huffingtonpost.com/louis-provenzano/open-letter-to-congress-t_b_766612.html
* http://contractinterpreters.com/2011/04/12/interpretertranslators-as-independent-contractors-or-employees/
* http://www.forbes.com/sites/robertwood/2011/08/16/irs-narrows-independent-contractor-relief/
Free webinar on Working with Direct Clients July 13, 2011
Posted by Jill (@bonnjill) in Business practices, Translation.4 comments
On July 20, Chris Durban will be talking about working with direct clients in a webinar organized through Speaking of Translation. Corinne McKay will be interviewing her. The July 20 webinar is 30 minutes long, but you have to sign up. It’s free, and there will be a Q&A session after the interview.
For details and to register, see http://speakingoftranslation.com/upcoming-webinars/direct-clients/
♪♫ I’m just a girl who can’t say no… ♪♫ June 21, 2011
Posted by Jill (@bonnjill) in Business practices, Random musings.5 comments
There is a reason I am overworked. I have a hard time saying no. Even when I go on vacation I usually have my laptop with me and translate the occasional document for my clients. I was translating several books when I was last in Germany a few years ago. I traveled around visiting friends and worked while they were at work. I even had my laptop with me at a garden cafe in Munich – sitting in the sun, drinking coffee, and translating Italian recipes because the deadline was looming. Last February I worked from the Florida Keys. My mother wasn’t feeling well and couldn’t go far from where we were staying, so it was a good thing I had my laptop with me. I put in a full week and a half of work that week.
I am going on vacation on Thursday. My cousin is getting married on the beach in Lauderdale by the Sea, so my parents and I are going down there and staying in a condo in Naples for a few days afterward. I’ve even hired a pet sitter to stay at my place with the critters. I made a conscious decision to bring my laptop that does not have Trados installed on it so that I wouldn’t be tempted to work. That said, I turned down a sizable job yesterday from my favorite client that would have arrived on Wednesday and taken up most of the weekend. I said no, and the PM was okay with that (and let everyone else know I was unavailable for the next week). However, I still had a mental debate of whether or not I should take it. I’m still having moments of “oh, I should have accepted it” and then “no, I need a vacation. I haven’t had a proper one in years.” It is really hard for me to say no to clients. But I am resolute that I will be enjoying a week with no work. I just wonder if I can do it…
E-mail etiquette 101 June 13, 2011
Posted by Jill (@bonnjill) in Business practices, Tech tips.19 comments
I received an e-mail from a translation agency today informing me that they have made some recent changes to their Vendor Portal. They sent the e-mail to all the vendors in their database. Do you know how I know this? I then proceeded to get e-mails from their vendors from all over the world because they hit Reply All simply to say “thank you” to the person who sent the e-mail. I’m about ready to set up an e-mail filter to filter the replies to that subject line straight to the Trash. I don’t have the time or energy to delete hundreds of e-mails today (and since this is one of the Common Sense Advisory’s “top 20 translation agencies” there must be thousands of vendors…).
Sounds like some professionals need some schooling in e-mail etiquette. Here are my top 15 e-mail etiquette tips. If I missed one please feel free to share in the comments.
1. Use a subject line. I hate receiving e-mails with no subject line at all. I can’t believe people still do this.
2. Understand the difference between To:, CC: and BCC: and please use CC: and BCC: sparingly. And while I have your attention, don’t use Return Receipts on every single email. I decline them as a rule.
3. Do not hit Reply All unless you truly want to reply to every single person listed in the e-mail header. If one of the e-mail addresses is a generic one, do everyone a favor and delete it before you hit send.
4. Be polite at all times and be mindful of your tone. E-mail is a medium that too easily creates misunderstandings. Use sarcasm sparingly. If something gets “lost in translation,” you risk offending the other party. The more matter-of-fact you can be, the better.
5. Keep your e-mails brief and to the point. We all know people who write diatribes to listservs. I don’t know how they get any work done!
6. Reply in a timely manner. Even if it is a simple “thanks for your inquiry, but I am afraid I am booked up through the rest of the month.”
7. Don’t use e-mail to criticize others (or complain about a third party). Criticism is best conveyed in person or over the phone so that you can immediately mitigate any misunderstandings. Plus, you never know what might happen with your e-mail after you hit send and it arrives in the other person’s e-mail address. Worst case scenario: your e-mail will be forwarded to the third party in question. Ouch!
8. Don’t reply to an e-mail in anger. Write the e-mail and walk away from it for an hour or two (or a day or two) until you’ve had a chance to cool down. Better yet… vent your feelings by writing the e-mail and then hit Delete instead of Send.
9. Don’t forward chain letters. Nine times out of ten, the information is an urban legend. Just don’t do it! If in doubt, check it out at Snopes.com, a website devoted to tracking down and debunking urban legends and rumors.
10. Don’t write in ALL CAPS. This is the digital equivalent of shouting. No one likes to be shouted at.
11. Include your full name and contact information in your e-mail signature, but keep it to 4-5 lines. Also, if you are participating in a listserv please use your given first name so people know who they are dealing with. I have seen people sign their e-mails to listservs with an initial or, even worse, a pseudonym.
12. Don’t send or forward emails containing libelous, defamatory, offensive, racist or obscene remarks. It seems self-evident, but surprisingly it happens.
13. Remember e-mails aren’t private. E-mails sent to a listserv go to everyone on the list. E-mail can be intercepted and read by just about anyone if they choose to do so. Think of e-mail as being the equivalent of sending a postcard through the mail.
14. Use your spellchecker. Nothing reflects on a language professional worse than an e-mail riddled with grammar errors and typos.
15. Reread your e-mail before sending it. Better yet, read it out loud. Make sure you are communicating clearly and that no words have been accidentally dropped in your zeal to write down your thoughts.
For more e-mail etiquette tips, check out 101 Email Etiquette Tips. Your clients and colleagues will thank you!
When you assume… May 18, 2011
Posted by Jill (@bonnjill) in Business practices, Random musings.7 comments
You all know the saying – and for those of you who don’t… “When you assume, you make an ass out of you and me.” I don’t know what is in the air today, but I have had two clients send me files for translation (needed back as soon as possible – of course) assuming I am available. One particular client in the Czech Republic sent me an e-mail at 2:30 in the morning (8:30 a.m. in Europe) and his colleague in China proceeded to send me the files to work on – and the files again because they had been updated and could I please use them. BTW, this was a client I fired last year… The second one just sent a PDF with the text they needed highlighted in a red box. Lots of single words (I think the context is chemistry but I’m not sure. And I don’t do chemistry.) in a QA form with no other context. And it isn’t even noon yet!
I am waiting on a large job that I was booked for two days ago, so I politely thanked both clients and told them that I was unfortunately booked and unavailable.
The grass is not necessarily greener on the other side… May 16, 2011
Posted by Jill (@bonnjill) in Business practices, Random musings.4 comments
I did a really dumb thing last week – I switched Internet service providers. I have been unhappy with my Internet connection through Time-Warner Cable for a while now. It has never been very fast and recently it started kicking me offline 3 to 4 times a day. The connection would be glacial until I was booted offline. I would then have to reboot my cable modem and router. I called a service tech, who came out and told me I was losing the connection somewhere on the line, but he never actually fixed the problem and I never heard from TWC again.
I was ripe for the pickin’ when a U-Verse salesperson came door-to-door in early May. I decided to sign up for Internet and cable through U-Verse. I should have left well enough alone…
After two install no-shows and numerous phone calls to “customer service” in which they told me they could install it in a little over a week I tweeted my frustration and a rep from AT&T contacted me and scheduled an install two days later. The tech showed up on-time and things looked promising. I loved the U-Verse set-up and the DVR that allowed me to watch the shows in the living room or the bedroom. The tech had problems getting one computer online, but Susanne Aldridge III quickly helped me solve that problem. The only problem that remained was my inability to send e-mail from my e-mail program.
Then my landlady came home from work – and had no phone or Internet service. After calling the supervisor and Mike at HQ I had two techs back at the house to fix the problem. They had turned off her service when mine was installed because there was a mix-up with our addresses. When they left everything looked great.
And then everything went to hell. My landlady had her Internet turned off Friday night, and after calling AT&T Saturday morning and them confirming everything with me I woke again an hour later to find I had no cable or Internet – and neither did she. She was on the phone with them for 2 hours and I was on hold for an hour trying to figure this out. Turns out some yahoo turned off our services pending “address verification” and it would take 48-72 hours (business hours – so starting Monday) to get service turned back on. As you all know, we can’t work without Internet so I called Time-Warner Cable in tears begging them to take me back and had a tech out this afternoon (Monday) who reinstalled everything. In the meantime, AT&T also turned off my landlady’s phone service in addition to her DSL. It was a looooong weekend…
Everything is working on my end again, and I am shipping the U-Verse equipment back first thing in the morning. I have a new “drop” (the technical term for the line from the pole to the house), so my Internet connection appears to be faster. I don’t have a DVR, but I can watch cable in my bedroom through my old VCR. I’m not complaining, because TWC’s customer service is a million times better than AT&T’s. I’ll live with it.
My landlady went out and bought a pay-as-you-go cell phone, and I will be hooking her into my Internet tomorrow until AT&T fixes her service. She is considering telling them to go fly a kite too.
So the moral of this story is even though it may seem like it, the grass is not necessarily greener on the other side. At least my blood pressure is back down, and I am calmer again.
Update: My landlady now has her phone and Internet working, but it took a week!!! That is simply unacceptable in this day and age.
ATA-TCD conference wrap-up May 3, 2011
Posted by Jill (@bonnjill) in ATA, Business practices.3 comments
Seventy of the industry’s top freelancers and translation agencies attended the ATA’s Translation Company Division Business of Translation conference in Washington D.C. this past weekend. The focus of the conference was on business practices. The TCD opened up its conference to freelance translators for the first time and featured two session tracks, one for freelancers and one for agencies. Many people complain that the ATA allows agencies to be members, but I think it makes perfect sense. Although there are some behemoth translation agencies out there, many agencies are one- or two-people operations. In fact, many freelancers sometimes subcontract work when they have too much or have a client who needs a language that they don’t work in, essentially making them function as agencies themselves. The line is so fluid that I don’t feel we can or should draw a line.
I also wholeheartedly believe that the smaller ATA regional conferences offer more bang for your buck. I met two of my most valuable clients at the ATA Working for the Federal Government conference in DC back in 2004, and one of them still accounts for 25% of my income and is my favorite client (the other one is no longer in business). The smaller conferences allow you to network more and really get to know each other. Don’t get me wrong – I still love the Annual Conference, but the size of it can be intimidating and doesn’t ideally lend itself to really meeting potential clients. You exchange business cards and a potential client picks up your resume from the 100s of resumes on the Job Exchange table, but at the smaller conferences you can sit down with a potential client and truly devote time to getting to know them and what they need.
The TCD conference is without a doubt the best conference I have ever attended. Every single presentation I attended had outstanding and eye-opening content and really made me think about my business practices. Chris Durban was the keynote speaker and literally (!!) threw down the gauntlet (in this case a gardening glove) and urged us to stand behind our work and sign it. She was funny and kept our attention from start to finish with her description of a Mystery Shopping exercise where she hired 5 agencies to translate a small French text into English. The resulting work examples she shared made me confident of the quality I offer to my clients. And we were just getting started…
If you take away just one new idea you can view a conference as successful. I had many this weekend and will be sharing them over the next few days. One “aha moment” for me was a comment Ana Iaria made during Chris’ session on “10 Habits of Translators Who Prosper as Freelancers” in which she suggested freelancers take an hour lunch break to run errands and/or grab a bite to eat as if you were working in a proper office. It seems simple, but I think it will really change things for the better for me. When I get too overwhelmed I frequently let errands slide or forget to eat. I intend to implement this tip right away and see what a difference it will make.
Musings from an overworked translator 