Moving on from freelance translation, starting a new career

Christopher Schröder wrote:

Surely the problem is the chickenshit translators who accept big-agency prices and practices, MTPE and the rest?

They got themselves into this mess and are now making life harder for everyone.

I understand why, but they made that choice, so is it fair to make their struggles a collective responsibility?

Carlos A R de Souza wrote:
The power disparity between employer and employee, particularly where the employer dictates terms, is precisely why unions were formed.

Lieven Malaise wrote:


Except that agencies/direct clients aren't employers and freelancers aren't employees.

Carlos A R de Souza wrote:
Statistically, at least half of this forum's members fall into the average category. But there's a common tendency to perceive oneself as unique or superior to the average,

Christopher Schröder wrote: The fact that no direct client has ever asked me for a discount for repetitions...

Carlos A R de Souza wrote:
You are absolutely correct. They aren't in the strict sense of the word.
However, it still stands that there is an imbalance in these dynamics, and one of the core reasons there has been a race to the bottom.
That is the main point here, and this is why translators must unite.

[Edited at 2024-02-22 14:55 GMT]

Carlos A R de Souza wrote:
However, it still stands that there is an imbalance in these dynamics, and one of the core reasons there has been a race to the bottom.

That is the main point here, and this is why translators must unite.

Lefteris Kritikakis wrote:
What's very useful, is to inform translators about how much the end-client pays. It's weird that translators don't know.

Lefteris Kritikakis wrote:
It's weird that translators don't know.

Carlos A R de Souza wrote:



You've essentially highlighted the core issue: "They make life harder for everyone."
This indicates that the actions of a significant segment of the market have repercussions for the entire community.

Carlos also wrote On the top of that, we also need to acknowledge that many translators find themselves without alternative means to support themselves financially.

Christopher Schröder wrote:

What makes you think they don't?

Lieven Malaise wrote: there are quite a few agency websites that provide an automatic price calcualation engine that everybody can use... (it seems to be from 0,15 - 0,25 for the most specialist translations or most expensive language pairs). So why do you think translators don't know?

Charlie Bavington wrote:
Here I am less sympathetic. Any decent translator (& maybe that qualifier is important) will almost certainly have some knowledge and skills that can be used elsewhere, and if that is not the case, they will definitely have the brains to be able to acquire them. This may not apply to "chickenshit translators", who no doubt have caused harm to certain segments of the industry.

Lieven Malaise wrote: (it seems to be from 0,15 - 0,25 for the most specialist translations or most expensive language pairs).

Lefteris Kritikakis wrote:


These prices in the calculators are to get the client through the door to initiate contact. They are "bare minimum" for straight text not needing anything else, and only 1 step.
Then starts the party: "you need proofreading and QM and formatting too?" etc etc. For proofreading they charge $100 for a text that pays the proofreader $20-$25 (the more aggressive agencies, $15).
On top of that (different topic) we have the negotiating/betting platforms: "Take it now at $10 or it will be gone in two seconds!".
Even the good agencies caved after that - for them to be competitive, they have to follow the big shark.
How about a separate PROZ section informing the translators what are end-client prices on average, more or less? And how about translators also diversifying their income? Both good suggestions I think.