Is it possible to get jobs without the pro membership?
Thread poster: Zahra Zafar
Zahra Zafar
Zahra Zafar
India
Local time: 17:49
French to English
+ ...
Jan 25, 2021

Hello All,

I have just joined ProZ, and I wanted to know if its even possible to get jobs here without becoming a member? By reading other posts, I have gotten a feeling that it is nearly impossible to get jobs without being a paid member.

Regards,
Zahra


 
matt robinson
matt robinson  Identity Verified
Spain
Local time: 13:19
Member (2010)
Spanish to English
Purpose Jan 25, 2021

In my opinion ProZ is not first and foremost a platform for job offers. I have been a paying member for about a decade and I have rarely received work directly through the site. However, potential clients can and do look at my profile and contact me if they see fit, and there are some very useful directories you can use in order to contact translation agencies directly. Being a paying member also shows long-term commitment on your part.
I would look at it as an investment which may or may
... See more
In my opinion ProZ is not first and foremost a platform for job offers. I have been a paying member for about a decade and I have rarely received work directly through the site. However, potential clients can and do look at my profile and contact me if they see fit, and there are some very useful directories you can use in order to contact translation agencies directly. Being a paying member also shows long-term commitment on your part.
I would look at it as an investment which may or may not provide an immediate return in terms of work, but would be useful in the short term and possible valuable in the future.
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Eduardo Davi Geraldo
Beatriz Ramírez de Haro
Anne Muehlematter
 
Sheila Wilson
Sheila Wilson  Identity Verified
Spain
Local time: 12:19
Member (2007)
English
+ ...
It isn't impossible, but it is unlikely to be a frequent occurrence Jan 25, 2021

Firstly, let's consider the public job board. There are two ways clients can ask translators to reply: via the site or by email. Replying via the site used to be possible for registered users (i.e. non-paying members) by paying a small sum, but that facility has been withdrawn. AFAIK, there is no way you can apply for jobs that way. You can reply by email, but only if the client allows it. Even then, I think the details (including the email address) are always hidden for the first twelve hours. ... See more
Firstly, let's consider the public job board. There are two ways clients can ask translators to reply: via the site or by email. Replying via the site used to be possible for registered users (i.e. non-paying members) by paying a small sum, but that facility has been withdrawn. AFAIK, there is no way you can apply for jobs that way. You can reply by email, but only if the client allows it. Even then, I think the details (including the email address) are always hidden for the first twelve hours. During that time, the job will most likely be offered to a paying member, who can quote from the first second. But you could be lucky and land the job after twelve hours.

Alternatively, clients can choose instead to use the directory of translators to select freelancers that seem to match their requirements. This is very common and accounts for many of the better-paid jobs. Clients can make a general search for a particular language pair or they can use filters to search very selectively. For example, they can search for a native speaker of the target language who specialises in their subject area and has several years of experience and several testimonials. They can even search for a translator who lives near them, or one who has listed a particular keyword. Obviously, filtering has a tremendous impact on the number of names on the list. A general search will come up with thousands of translators in a common pair. The fact to bear in mind is that every paying member will appear before you, no matter how experienced or qualified you are. So practically speaking, your name, as a registered user, isn't going to be seen unless they use very specific filters.
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Jorge Payan
 
Samuel Murray
Samuel Murray  Identity Verified
Netherlands
Local time: 13:19
Member (2006)
English to Afrikaans
+ ...
@Zahra Jan 25, 2021

Zahra Zafar wrote:
I have just joined ProZ, and I wanted to know if its even possible to get jobs here without becoming a member?


Yes, in fact, the most jobs you get will be from people visiting your profile page (so make it complete!) and from you having contacted hundreds of agencies on the Blue Board.


Jorge Payan
Joanna Posylek
 
Zhilin Lyu
Zhilin Lyu
Australia
Reply to Zahra Jan 26, 2021

Zahra Zafar wrote:

Hello All,

I have just joined ProZ, and I wanted to know if its even possible to get jobs here without becoming a member? By reading other posts, I have gotten a feeling that it is nearly impossible to get jobs without being a paid member.

Regards,
Zahra


From my point of view, having membership would definitely being helpful for getting a job. However, I think it is not the only way to get a job, do you have any certificate? Did you apply jobs through other platform? Do you have friends providing related information? If you want to get a job, I think, the point should be "how to get a job" instead of "would this way help me get a job".

Or you can buy a membership, give it a shot. If it helps, that's great. If it doesn't, that's OK, at least you have the access to more opportunities.


 
Inna Borymova
Inna Borymova  Identity Verified
Kyrgyzstan
Member (2013)
English to Russian
+ ...
Yes, once in a... Jan 26, 2021

I had been registered for a number of years (over 5) just for the sake of self-presentation (as I've had several permanet clients and enough work) before I accepted the invitation to purchase the Pro membership with a good discount. Within that period I had applied for several jobs and got ONE (very specialized and not for a good rate) but had never been contacted by potential clients. After I got the Pro account the situation has changed completely.

 
María C Turri
María C Turri  Identity Verified
Argentina
Local time: 09:19
Member (2019)
English to Spanish
Paid membership helps clients find you Jan 26, 2021

Although it is not impossible to get jobs without a paid membership, the work you need to put in is much more without it. In my experience, after completing my profile (almost) as best as I could, and earning enough Kudoz points in my specialty areas, prospective clients started contacting me instead of it being the other way around.

 


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Is it possible to get jobs without the pro membership?







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