| Pages in topic: [1 2] > | Poll: Would you be interested in being a mentor/mentee on the site? Thread poster: ProZ.com Staff
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This forum topic is for the discussion of the poll question "Would you be interested in being a mentor/mentee on the site?".
View the poll results »
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I mentored several junior colleagues in the past when I worked in-house and I have informally helped some Proz members, but I’m not interested in doing that formally.
| | | | Kay Denney 
France
Local time: 20:57
French to English
Honestly I don't see the point. I'm just trying to keep earning a living until retirement, I don't see any real future for wannabe translators so mentoring would be a waste of time.
That said, I do enjoy teaching, passing on my knowledge. But I do that in my volunteer work rather than as a translator.
| | | | neilmac
Spain
Local time: 20:57
Spanish to English
+ ...
Unfortunately, I'm much too busy with work... and life in general. Currently dealing with house insurance to see about getting the wall that was blown down by a storm a couple weeks ago fixed. Policy is in the landlord's name but his Spanish is minimal. Also trying to get hold of the local plumber, who is always busy...
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Liena Vijupe
Latvia
Local time: 21:57
Member (2014)
French to Latvian
+ ...
Not for me either. I don't deny advice when asked and being able to consult someone who has more experience is great, but the whole idea of mentorship is rather foreign to me, especially in translation. What could I do anyway, other than answer some questions and/or revise? I have no time or interest to train anyone and, as we can see in discussions here, everyone has a different approach, also situations vary in different countries and languages. I think it's best to let people figure things ou... See more Not for me either. I don't deny advice when asked and being able to consult someone who has more experience is great, but the whole idea of mentorship is rather foreign to me, especially in translation. What could I do anyway, other than answer some questions and/or revise? I have no time or interest to train anyone and, as we can see in discussions here, everyone has a different approach, also situations vary in different countries and languages. I think it's best to let people figure things out for themselves, like I did without ever feeling any need for a mentor. ▲ Collapse
| | | | Lingua 5B
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Local time: 20:57
Member (2009)
English to Croatian
+ ...
A couple of times I tried giving a piece of advice to newbies on the forum and it resulted in their hysteria/rage, as my answers did not match their daydreaming projections.
| | | | Baran Keki
Türkiye
Local time: 21:57
Member
English to Turkish
I once tried to take a young Brazilian lad under my wing and advised him to stop ruining his life by becoming a freelance translator, and suggested that he become a footballer instead (he had a tan like Romario, so I figured he had the talent and aptitude as well).
I even referred him to our agents at Keki Talent Management Ltd. to prepare deep fake Welcome to [insert club's name here] videos on Youtube for him, but, just like Lingua, my efforts were not appreciated. I was as good a... See more I once tried to take a young Brazilian lad under my wing and advised him to stop ruining his life by becoming a freelance translator, and suggested that he become a footballer instead (he had a tan like Romario, so I figured he had the talent and aptitude as well).
I even referred him to our agents at Keki Talent Management Ltd. to prepare deep fake Welcome to [insert club's name here] videos on Youtube for him, but, just like Lingua, my efforts were not appreciated. I was as good as called a scammer. ▲ Collapse
| | | | Alex Lichanow
Germany
Local time: 20:57
Member (2020)
English to German
+ ...
I like to spend my productive working time actually working. If I have nothing to work on, there is a whole bunch of things I do to remain productive and get in shape. Also, I frankly don't think the cynicism towards the translation industry that I have accrued over the past few years would really lend itself to a successful and mutually satisfying mentorship.
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Zea_Mays
Italy
Local time: 20:57
Member (2009)
English to German
+ ...
Wouldn't an in-house position be the best option for beginners? The conflict of interest would also be much less that way.
Personally, I am not convinced of the usefulness of mentoring when the mentor and mentee are from the same niche = competitors.
As is often the case in higher education, there may be also situations where the mentor uses the mentee for their own benefit.
| | | | B&B FinTrans
Germany
Local time: 20:57
Member
English to German
Alex Lichanow wrote:
I like to spend my productive working time actually working. If I have nothing to work on, there is a whole bunch of things I do to remain productive and get in shape. Also, I frankly don't think the cynicism towards the translation industry that I have accrued over the past few years would really lend itself to a successful and mutually satisfying mentorship.
Interesting point I totally agree with. I did some mentoring before the GFC and for a few years after, but I gradually turned into a "blackguard whose faulty vision sees things as they are not as they ought to be" and I kept telling newbies again and again that it would be advantageous to have a solid plan B (e. g. in case of Skynet scenarios). Now one of my former mentees has discovered her love of WWOOFing and another is teaching English and Economics at a private school. They don't seem to regret leaving their lives as freelance translators behind ...
[Edited at 2024-06-27 05:40 GMT]
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Baran Keki wrote:
I once tried to take a young Brazilian lad under my wing and advised him to stop ruining his life by becoming a freelance translator, and suggested that he become a footballer instead (he had a tan like Romario, so I figured he had the talent and aptitude as well).
I even referred him to our agents at Keki Talent Management Ltd. to prepare deep fake Welcome to [insert club's name here] videos on Youtube for him, but, just like Lingua, my efforts were not appreciated. I was as good as called a scammer.
Whatever happened to Pauliñho?
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Lingua 5B wrote:
A couple of times I tried giving a piece of advice to newbies on the forum and it resulted in their hysteria/rage, as my answers did not match their daydreaming projections.
“It’s not what you do, it’s the way that you do it…” 🎶🎶
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Baran Keki
Türkiye
Local time: 21:57
Member
English to Turkish
Christopher Schröder wrote:
Whatever happened to Pauliñho?
That kid was going to be our first ever Brazilian client... But we did represent some world class players from your neck of the woods including Mike Bassett, Tommy Muirhead, Perv Henderson, Mickey Pogg and Andy Carroll.
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Baran Keki wrote:
That kid was going to be our first ever Brazilian client... But we did represent some world class players from your neck of the woods including Mike Bassett, Tommy Muirhead, Perv Henderson, Mickey Pogg and Andy Carroll.
That's a pretty crazy gang.
After last night, maybe you should mentor your own countrymen and help them challenge those stereotypes
As for me, I'm considering offering my lot a ten-part training programme in where the goal is and why they should try kicking the ball towards it.
Back on topic, though, I'd be happy to offer newbie translators similarly incisive nuggets of advice drawn from more than 30 years of simply applying a bit of common sense and taking pride in what I do.
Unfortunately, though, that doesn't fit the ProZ narrative. It's all about leveraging technology and AI and kowtowing to exploitative agencies.
| | | | Baran Keki
Türkiye
Local time: 21:57
Member
English to Turkish
Christopher Schröder wrote:
18 cards!
I got mine in the post this morning...
That ref needs serious mentoring.
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