Finding work through fellow translators

expressisverbis wrote:

Try to attend job fairs in your country, if you can.

They are a great opportunity to network with industry members and find good clients, or even translators.

See, for example:

https://commission.europa.eu/translating-europe-workshops/technical-translation-today-romania-2023-11-16_en

https://10times.com/top100/romania

This is just a thought... Who knows if it works?



[Edited at 2023-10-13 09:58 GMT]

S_G_C wrote:



I didn't turn anything down, but it's true that I do not hold an international tax code. I've explained why elsewhere.
The fact that it seems I am not considering or applying people's suggestions doesn't mean I truly do nothing. I just didn't publicly detail what I tried/did so far.

S_G_C wrote:

For those of you who might believe I simply complain and do nothing: I missed a small translation today because I had to take my daughter to the ER. Luckily, she didn't need admittance, but will be on antibiotics and anti-inflammatory drugs for a few days, staying home and not attending school.

Such situations have been happening frequently during the last 12 months. They are impossible to predict and are one of the reasons why me being an employee, whether as a translator or anything else, may well not work. No employer would have kept me on board with the number of days I would have had to take off since September 2022. Another reason is that I got rejected multiple times. I am either too old, too not presentable (yup, that matters, too), or simply unqualified (and they are not willing to train newbies). Online tutoring did not work out so far either (I've been advertising myself since last year).

But yes, I will keep on searching and trying and hoping.



[Editat la 2023-10-18 12:55 GMT]

[Editat la 2023-10-18 13:09 GMT]

Rita Translator wrote:



I'm glad to hear your daughter didn't need to be admitted and hope she recovers quickly.

I was surprised to hear you say that you would have been fired for taking off work too often for a sick child. In the US that would not have surprised me at all, but it does in the EU. I looked it up, and at least on paper, Romania seems to have a pretty lenient policy for sick leave for children: https://ec.europa.eu/social/main.jsp?catId=1126&langId=en&intPageId=4750 It looks like up to 45 days / year at 85% of your regular pay. Now, I understand that the realities of the workplace are not always in line with what legislators claim to be fact, but I wouldn't dismiss the possibility of in-house employment out of hand.

Remote work might be another great possibility. You can work "in-house" but not actually need to be present and, in some cases, can adapt your hours flexibly to your needs. This will depend on your employer, but I have had such a situation in the past, and when I've needed to take a sick child to the pediatrician, I've just let my colleagues know I'll be gone for an hour or two, and then I tacked those hours on to the end of the workday or later in the evening when the kids were in bed. That's one of the great things about being a translator - generally even for in-house positions people don't care *when* the work is done as long as it's done by the deadline.

You seem to be quite pessimistic and are shooting down everyone's suggestions. I understand you have reasons for doing so, but if you think it's impossible for you to be able to work reliably enough for an employer, that's not exactly going to endear you to the fellow translators you're asking for work. I don't work in your language pair, so it's irrelevant, but if a colleague were saying that they would never be able to hold down a regular job because they are constantly dealing with emergencies at home, and then in the same breath they asked me to send them work, I would be very hesitant to do so. I'd be afraid they'd leave me or my clients in a lurch.

Edit: typo

[Edited at 2023-10-19 06:10 GMT]

Rita Translator wrote:

You seem to be quite pessimistic and are shooting down everyone's suggestions.

Manuela C. wrote:

Just to clear things up, I sent Sorana a few tasks when I had more projects than usual and when it was possible to work without invoice and she did an excellent job, she is a very skilled, professional translator able to work with tight deadlines and applying all instructions. But lately I had a regular work load, so I could not keep on doing that.
I am considering Sorana for other jobs and I really recommend her for the quality of her work.
(...)

Zea_Mays wrote:

@Sorana: You might consider improving your profile instead, for example by having your identity verified by Proz (this does not imply that your real name will be displayed), or just stating "Available on request" regarding your CV. The tagline below your profile name could be improved as well.
Earning KudoZ points could also help you get more visibility.
If you have worked with agencies who were happy with your work, ask them for references/letters of recommendation too. You'll use agency references for other agencies, not for direct clients of course.
You may also consider creating a website (even a free one) for a more detailed presentation of your services. This adds to a professional presentation and gives you more visibility on search engines.

S_G_C wrote:
@Lingua 5B

You can only gift others what you bear in your heart. Romanian saying.