Poll: The main reason I am a part-time freelancer is because... Thread poster: ProZ.com Staff
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This forum topic is for the discussion of the poll question "The main reason I am a part-time freelancer is because...".
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I have been a full-time freelancer for the the last 18 years (and overtime when and if necessary), after 20 years as full-time staff translator and a good couple of years part-time…
| | | | Heather Oland 
United States
Local time: 21:25
Member (2005)
Spanish to English
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I have been a full-time freelancer for the past 20 years, after working for 8 years at a language services company.
| | | | John Fossey
Canada
Local time: 21:25
Member (2008)
French to English
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The main reason I am a full-time freelancer is because, after 16 years as a freelance translator, there is too much work for me to consider another job.
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David Mossop
United Kingdom
Local time: 02:25
Member (2010)
German to English
I was a full-time freelance translator from 2009 and until 2022, when my order volume - which had already fluctuated heavily during the pandemic - went of a cliff edge and has never recovered. I was extremely lucky to be offered the opportunity to work (part-time) as a freelance copywriter in the legal marketing sector, which has been an essential lifeline.
I now spend 80-90% of my time copywriting, whilst still doing the occasional translation job. But these are now as rare as hen... See more I was a full-time freelance translator from 2009 and until 2022, when my order volume - which had already fluctuated heavily during the pandemic - went of a cliff edge and has never recovered. I was extremely lucky to be offered the opportunity to work (part-time) as a freelance copywriter in the legal marketing sector, which has been an essential lifeline.
I now spend 80-90% of my time copywriting, whilst still doing the occasional translation job. But these are now as rare as hen's teeth (I specialise in DE-EN marketing and PR translations). I refuse to do MTPE, as it feels too much like aiding in the destruction of the profession I once loved. I am now considering retraining as a personal trainer and/or counsellor, because I enjoy the feeling of helping people and because I believe that it's going to become increasingly important to work in a field where people value the human touch and where AI cannot replace you. ▲ Collapse
| | | | Kevin Fulton
United States
Local time: 21:25
German to English
| Sometimes part-time isn't a choice (to return to the original question) | Aug 21 |
When I bought a computer and quit my office job in 1984 with the intention of earning a living translating I was in for a rude awakening. Although I had been making good pocket money translating documents for the local academic community and small businesses, attempting to work full-time did not automatically translate into multiplying my income. I had to personally visit Detroit-area agencies to present my credentials (graduate degrees) and work samples, mainly journal articles, birth certifica... See more When I bought a computer and quit my office job in 1984 with the intention of earning a living translating I was in for a rude awakening. Although I had been making good pocket money translating documents for the local academic community and small businesses, attempting to work full-time did not automatically translate into multiplying my income. I had to personally visit Detroit-area agencies to present my credentials (graduate degrees) and work samples, mainly journal articles, birth certificates and property descriptions. With my background, direct industrial clients were out of reach. The jobs I got had to be hand-delivered, either in hard copy or on disks. At the time, a "fast" 1200 baud modem took an hour to transmit a 5-page document in ACSII format, and if the connection was interrupted, the process had to be restarted. It was faster to drive the document to the client. Finally I stumbled upon an agency owner who also belonged to the same computer club. He took me under his wing and gave me overflow work, and since he also provided technical writing services, gave me writing assignments once he realized that I could create coherent sentences. It still wasn't full-time employment, but it was training and gave me hope that I might make a career of translating.
Then life happened. We had a baby. Since my wife made much more than I did, and had employer-sponsored health insurance, I became the primary caregiver. Trying to expand my business was out of the question, and I remained underemployed. Since deadlines were more generous then, I could receive documents per post and deliver them personally after hiring a babysitter, or bringing the child with me as needed. As my daughter got older and modems became faster, I was able to increase my workload.
With the advent of the internet and subsequent globalization, competent translators starting out could achieve a sufficient income in a year or two. Rates were increasing, and in some language combinations, double-digit agency rates were standard. Globalization meant that corporate newsletters were translated and distributed worldwide. Thus, field engineers at a wind farm in Nebraska could read about the Christmas parties at the home office in Erlangen. This provided easy and regular work for translators.
That's all changed now. Rates are declining, and AI has decimated some market segments such as the "for information only" segment. With the decline in available translation work, it's become harder to make a living even if there's enough work to occupy 40 hours a week. ▲ Collapse
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Kevin Fulton wrote:
When I bought a computer and quit my office job in 1984...
...for sharing your story, I only had an idea how tough it was in those times. I hope things will turn out well for you at the end (of your career).
| | | | | Enjoy time with my children | Aug 21 |
I'm a hard-worker freelance interpreter and I try to do all my remote assignments during the morning and midday, and administrative tasks in the afternoon so that I can enjoy free time with my husband and children - so necessary!!!!
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Kay Denney
France
Local time: 03:25
French to English
I work part-time because I don't need to work full-time. I turn down boring jobs nowadays. If a new client comes along, I'm still interested, I don't mind working full-time now and then, but I also do important counselling and advocacy work as a volunteer.
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Because i have to be at home with the kids. And once I realized the benefits of working from home, it is hard to give it up for a full-time office job.
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