Poll: What's your usual deadline for a job of around 2000 - 2500 words? Thread poster: ProZ.com Staff
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This forum topic is for the discussion of the poll question "What's your usual deadline for a job of around 2000 - 2500 words?".
This poll was originally submitted by Marisa Schiavi. View the poll results »
| | | | neilmac
Spain
Local time: 16:43
Spanish to English
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My deadlines are normally set by (or negotiated with) the client 99% of the time.
I usually tell clients to count on me being able to deliver 2000-2500 words a day when calculating their own deadlines, which doesn't stop them turning up occasionally with 5K or 10K words needed desperately and "urgent" for the next day.
If a client asks me who long it will take to deliver 2500, depending on the client (long-standing, good payers, proactive and appreciative or prestigio... See more My deadlines are normally set by (or negotiated with) the client 99% of the time.
I usually tell clients to count on me being able to deliver 2000-2500 words a day when calculating their own deadlines, which doesn't stop them turning up occasionally with 5K or 10K words needed desperately and "urgent" for the next day.
If a client asks me who long it will take to deliver 2500, depending on the client (long-standing, good payers, proactive and appreciative or prestigious) and my current workload, I may tell them same day/next day or ASAP. ▲ Collapse
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Not in theory, but in practice.
One day to finish off the current job, another for actually performing the order, plus the third one for proofreading and contingencies.
| | | | | For me, it depends mostly on the subject... | May 28, 2011 |
If a client asks me how long I will take and the text is complex, I might set the deadline for 1 or 2 days later (depending on the work at hand), but deadlines are often set by the client (and accepted or negotiated).
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wonita (X)
China
Local time: 10:43
Iza Szczypka wrote:
Not in theory, but in practice.
One day to finish off the current job, another for actually performing the order, plus the third one for proofreading and contingencies.
For the same reason as Iza's. Fortunately all my clients know this problem and set reasonable deadlines for me. Some will ask when I can finish this project, in which case it will be a week.
| | | | Emma Goldsmith 
Spain
Local time: 16:43
Member (2004)
Spanish to English
Iza Szczypka wrote:
Not in theory, but in practice.
One day to finish off the current job, another for actually performing the order, plus the third one for proofreading and contingencies.
Quite agree, and this also gives me enough time to do smaller jobs for regular clients ("Hi Emma, please can you fit in 500 words for tomorrow morning / 300 words for this afternoon", etc.)
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on the current workload. Can be 1 day, can be 2 weeks.
| | | | | Agree with Iza and Emma | May 28, 2011 |
Although in practice it may be two days or 24 hours, I do try very hard to negotiate for the three days. This applies especially at 2500 words, as that is the absolute upper limit of what I can do in a day when counting Danish or Scandinavian words.
If the client cannot allow me time to do the job properly, I normally turn it down, because I am rarely short of work.
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I CAN do it in one day if they need it, but 2 days is optimal and sufficient. It gives me time to do a careful proofreading.
It also depends on things like the text itself, how complicated or demanding it is and if I have any other projects going on.
| | | | Henry Hinds
United States
Local time: 08:43
English to Spanish
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In memoriam
Get it out, move on. That is, at least if it arrives in the morning; if in the afternoon then it will be delivered early the next day.
[Editado a las 2011-05-28 16:27 GMT]
| | | | Dave Bindon
Greece
Local time: 17:43
Greek to English
In memoriam | If the question had been... | May 28, 2011 |
..."What turnaround time would you agree to if you had no other work lined up at the time of the request?" then I'd have said 48 hours or so.
It wouldn't actually take me 2 days to translate that many words, but I need to allow extra time in case my main client sends through another batch of work (his files are always urgent, but so well paid that I always give them priority).
Generally, though, my clients either give me - or allow me to negotiate - ample deadlines. Mo... See more ..."What turnaround time would you agree to if you had no other work lined up at the time of the request?" then I'd have said 48 hours or so.
It wouldn't actually take me 2 days to translate that many words, but I need to allow extra time in case my main client sends through another batch of work (his files are always urgent, but so well paid that I always give them priority).
Generally, though, my clients either give me - or allow me to negotiate - ample deadlines. Most seem happy to wait 4-5 days for 2000 words. ▲ Collapse
| | | | Amandine Added
United Kingdom
Local time: 15:43
Member (2010)
English to French
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| Depends on reception | May 28, 2011 |
I've said one day but I'd rather count in 24 hours because if the document arrives in the afternoon it will be for the following day but I always try to discuss the deadline and most of time my clients know that if I propose another deadline it's to get a good work and agree to my proposed deadline. And of course, it also depends on my current workload...
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Robert Forstag
United States
Local time: 10:43
Spanish to English
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| Important to avoid doing rush work for non-rush rates | May 28, 2011 |
In line with what Dave has said, "rush work" can be defined as a project "having a completion deadline that allows you to do nothing else until you've finished it."
In my view, working under such conditions deserves a premium, because it typically involves various inconveniences to the translator (e.g., sudden change of plans/priorities, unavailability for other work, staying up late, etc.).
It is one thing to decide to quickly get something done and move on (as Henry ... See more In line with what Dave has said, "rush work" can be defined as a project "having a completion deadline that allows you to do nothing else until you've finished it."
In my view, working under such conditions deserves a premium, because it typically involves various inconveniences to the translator (e.g., sudden change of plans/priorities, unavailability for other work, staying up late, etc.).
It is one thing to decide to quickly get something done and move on (as Henry says). It is another thing to be put into a position where you *must* do so.
So I would normally ask for a 2-3 day deadline for a 2500-word job, assuming that I was not working on anything upon receipt of such a request. Such a deadline would give me the freedom to take on other work (and perhaps better-paid work), should it be offered. ▲ Collapse
| | | | Interlangue (X)
Angola
Local time: 16:43
English to French
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Though the job can be done in less than a day, I need a night to sleep on it and go through the last reading with a clear mind the next morning.
My availability for “less than a day” can start anywhere from the same day (if the client is VERY lucky) to a month. In the latter case, I accept only “snacks” to be done at the end of the day and delivered the next day. I no longer drop everything else to switch subjects, languages and rush to please everyone.
[Modifié le ... See more Though the job can be done in less than a day, I need a night to sleep on it and go through the last reading with a clear mind the next morning.
My availability for “less than a day” can start anywhere from the same day (if the client is VERY lucky) to a month. In the latter case, I accept only “snacks” to be done at the end of the day and delivered the next day. I no longer drop everything else to switch subjects, languages and rush to please everyone.
[Modifié le 2011-05-29 08:16 GMT] ▲ Collapse
| | | | Thayenga
Germany
Local time: 16:43
Member (2009)
English to German
+ ...
Robert Forstag wrote:
In line with what Dave has said, "rush work" can be defined as a project "having a completion deadline that allows you to do nothing else until you've finished it."
In my view, working under such conditions deserves a premium, because it typically involves various inconveniences to the translator (e.g., sudden change of plans/priorities, unavailability for other work, staying up late, etc.).
It is one thing to decide to quickly get something done and move on (as Henry says). It is another thing to be put into a position where you *must* do so.
So I would normally ask for a 2-3 day deadline for a 2500-word job, assuming that I was not working on anything upon receipt of such a request. Such a deadline would give me the freedom to take on other work (and perhaps better-paid work), should it be offered.
I completely agree with Robert.
A couple of days ago I finished a job of about 2500 words, and the 2.5 days' (due to the client's time zone) deadline seemed fair. However, this particular job required much research because it was filled with abbreviations, some of which I've, admittedly, never heard of. And the the extra pay was, well, only a little more than the usual rate.
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