| Pages in topic: [1 2] > | Poll: Do you take risks in your professional life/work? Thread poster: ProZ.com Staff
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This forum topic is for the discussion of the poll question "Do you take risks in your professional life/work?".
View the poll here
A forum topic will appear each time a new poll is run. For more information, see: http://proz.com/topic/33629
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Otherwise, life would be too boring!
The first professional risk I took was to leave my in-house job to go freelance, without any guarantees whatsoever. I decided to do so while I was still young and childless, cause I knew I would not have done it some 5 or 10 years later.
Other risks I take are for instance to work with clients that have a quite poor BlueBoard (I mean, under 4) or no BlueBoard at all. It doesn't happen too often, so I think that is something I can aff... See more Otherwise, life would be too boring!
The first professional risk I took was to leave my in-house job to go freelance, without any guarantees whatsoever. I decided to do so while I was still young and childless, cause I knew I would not have done it some 5 or 10 years later.
Other risks I take are for instance to work with clients that have a quite poor BlueBoard (I mean, under 4) or no BlueBoard at all. It doesn't happen too often, so I think that is something I can afford. One of them turned out to be my biggest client. ▲ Collapse
| | | | | Life's full of risks | Jul 7, 2009 |
Yes, like Sophie, I think the choice to be self-employed involves an element of risk in itself. The various investments that I make are also a risk, e.g. investing time and money in advertising without knowing whether or not it will pay off.
| | | | Rebecca Garber 
Local time: 16:42
Member (2005)
German to English
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| Hadn't thought about it | Jul 7, 2009 |
but going freelance might be considered risky.
But then, it beat unemployment, which was riskier.
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John Cutler
Spain
Local time: 22:42
Spanish to English
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| Calculated risks | Jul 7, 2009 |
I have a simple philosophy: I only take calculated risks. I'm a big believer in the idea that "nothing ventured, nothing gained" but the benefits for me of any sort of risk I take have to outweigh the losses that might be incurred.
| | | | Anthony Baldwin
United States
Local time: 16:42
Portuguese to English
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I've taken risks in investing in marketing.
Most of them have paid off (like using Proz, for instance, or advertising on the local Bar Assoc. website, sending postcards to local law offices, etc.), while others have not (Intl. Business Times didn't result in a single job).
| | | | | Can you explain the question? | Jul 8, 2009 |
Please, explain the question so that we know what the question is about! I have voted Other for now.
| | | | Alessandra Martelli (X)
Italy
Local time: 22:42
English to Italian
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...Who doesn't?
Freelancing is risky on an on-going basis, as you'll never be sure of what your income will be, it just goes better as you go on if you manage to get good contacts with a nice workflow, otherwise every new client is a risk (and "old" clients are sometimes risky too).
Going freelance was a major risk (in my former life I was a bank employee, figure out HOW risky it was), but I was young enough and brave enough - my mother says silly but I'm proud of my pr... See more ...Who doesn't?
Freelancing is risky on an on-going basis, as you'll never be sure of what your income will be, it just goes better as you go on if you manage to get good contacts with a nice workflow, otherwise every new client is a risk (and "old" clients are sometimes risky too).
Going freelance was a major risk (in my former life I was a bank employee, figure out HOW risky it was), but I was young enough and brave enough - my mother says silly but I'm proud of my professional results so I just move on ▲ Collapse
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Heike Kurtz
Germany
Local time: 22:42
Member (2005)
English to German
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| Please elaborate | Jul 8, 2009 |
Tomás Cano Binder, CT wrote:
Please, explain the question so that we know what the question is about! I have voted Other for now.
I agree: please give more details on what kind of "risks" you mean. I have no tendencies to go and fool around like e.g. bungee jumping or translating technical manuals for subjects I have no clue of.
On the other hand, I do not just sit around with my hands in my lap because there might be a risk as soon as I step out of my door.
In the end, it's a matter of making informed decisions. Most of us are freelancers. That is a risk in itself, so I don't really get the question.
| | | | | Calculated risks | Jul 8, 2009 |
Hi,
I agree with John, I take calculated risks, such as a job from a new agency. Many times the "calculation" includes the information posted on the blue board.
Best,
Rocío
| | | | | With some things | Jul 8, 2009 |
I voted yes - like others, it's a case of 'nothing ventured, nothing gained'.
But there are some things I do not take risks with.
Once I have taken a job on, I keep looking in dictionaries, asking colleagues or other experts, googling, asking the agency or contacting the client until I am sure I have done my very best to check the terminology and whatever else is important in the translation.
Often it is not too difficult - luckily - but I try to contact th... See more I voted yes - like others, it's a case of 'nothing ventured, nothing gained'.
But there are some things I do not take risks with.
Once I have taken a job on, I keep looking in dictionaries, asking colleagues or other experts, googling, asking the agency or contacting the client until I am sure I have done my very best to check the terminology and whatever else is important in the translation.
Often it is not too difficult - luckily - but I try to contact the client if I draw a blank on reasonably routine sources. Often they have a ready answer, or else we agree on how to solve the problem, and usually I learn something.
Then they can't complain afterwards either ▲ Collapse
| | | | Francesco Mai
Spain
Local time: 22:42
Portuguese to Italian
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I voted yes
during last year, I translated a book.
Then, me and the author proposed it to some editors: now, I am going to "sell" them my translation "for free", but I will receive a % of the income related to this book.
normally, I would never to this.
It's a professional risk, I dare say, but I'm convinced the book is going to sell very much!
let's see...
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Latin_Hellas (X)
United States
Local time: 22:42
Italian to English
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As others have alluded to, generally speaking, life is, by definition, risk.
Specifically, to be sure, it is risky to become a freelancer.
One tries not risk the value of one's word, tries not to risk satisfying the customer's expectations, not to risk taking on too much at once. In my experience, customers want an optimal combination of speed, accuracy and price, so one tries to ensure that outcome every time.
The risk, then, in my view, is becoming... See more As others have alluded to, generally speaking, life is, by definition, risk.
Specifically, to be sure, it is risky to become a freelancer.
One tries not risk the value of one's word, tries not to risk satisfying the customer's expectations, not to risk taking on too much at once. In my experience, customers want an optimal combination of speed, accuracy and price, so one tries to ensure that outcome every time.
The risk, then, in my view, is becoming too greedy with a revenue-maximization strategy. ▲ Collapse
| | | | Adele Oliveri
Italy
Local time: 22:42
Member (2007)
English to Italian
+ ...
| As freelancers, we are entrepreneurs... | Jul 8, 2009 |
... and all entrepreneurial activity entails some risk. So whether we like it or not, we are always taking risks
| | | | Amy Duncan (X)
Brazil
Local time: 17:42
Portuguese to English
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I am a HUGE risk-taker, both professionally and personally. Wish I had time here to tell of all my adventures, but my autobiography is nearly done, and when it is, I'll be sure to post about it here in a shameless, self-promoting way! 
OK, here's one little example: When my daughter was 5 years old I (a single mom) quit my job, took her out of school and we drove (in my VW bus) from Boston to Guatemala, where we sta... See more I am a HUGE risk-taker, both professionally and personally. Wish I had time here to tell of all my adventures, but my autobiography is nearly done, and when it is, I'll be sure to post about it here in a shameless, self-promoting way!
OK, here's one little example: When my daughter was 5 years old I (a single mom) quit my job, took her out of school and we drove (in my VW bus) from Boston to Guatemala, where we stayed for two weeks while I sold the van and bought tickets for Porto Alegre, Brazil...we ended up staying in Brazil for two years. This was back in the late 60s. ▲ Collapse
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