| Pages in topic: [1 2 3] > | Poll: Who is the boss? Thread poster: ProZ.com Staff
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| | | Nobody of them | Nov 9, 2016 |
Freelance means no boss. You are your own boss.
If you feel like a client or anybody else is your boss - congrats, you are hired!
| | | | | Other - it depends on the issue | Nov 9, 2016 |
In my firm, I am the boss, although in some cases I respectfully do as I am told by my IT, tax and finance consultant - he usually understands these things far better than I do.
When it comes to discussing things with clients, we are partners, and I am boss over the things I understand best, while they are bosses over what they want translated and whether they will pay the rates I ask for. One has just run away screaming, but that is their problem, not mine.
They say they may... See more In my firm, I am the boss, although in some cases I respectfully do as I am told by my IT, tax and finance consultant - he usually understands these things far better than I do.
When it comes to discussing things with clients, we are partners, and I am boss over the things I understand best, while they are bosses over what they want translated and whether they will pay the rates I ask for. One has just run away screaming, but that is their problem, not mine.
They say they may come back, if they get stuck...
On language matters, I am the boss. But I would not dream of telling my clients how to run their business. ▲ Collapse
| | | | | Why do you ask? | Nov 9, 2016 |
Mind you, this probably is a good question, since I'm totally dismayed at the number of people who answered "the client" or "other", so far. Just as if they were employed by their clients. Just as if they simply hadn't noticed it wasn't the case at all, and their situation couldn't be more different. And yes, there has to be a "boss". There's no way around that. Mad, but not surprising, unfortunately. In large segments of the market, rates are dictated by end-clients. And why or how did that bec... See more Mind you, this probably is a good question, since I'm totally dismayed at the number of people who answered "the client" or "other", so far. Just as if they were employed by their clients. Just as if they simply hadn't noticed it wasn't the case at all, and their situation couldn't be more different. And yes, there has to be a "boss". There's no way around that. Mad, but not surprising, unfortunately. In large segments of the market, rates are dictated by end-clients. And why or how did that become possible, do we think? Logical answers. ▲ Collapse
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DZiW (X)
Ukraine
English to Russian
+ ...
Ideally, as far as it's about mutual benevolence in biz, when two parties agree on something and sign a contract, then they are deemed equal.
@Platon, have a look at myriads of Find & Hire Freelancers Ain't it funny, that a freelancer is HIRED every time he finds a client, right?
Yet if a freelancer is clever enough, then they both are da'boss.
[Edited at 2016-11-09 09:23 GMT]
| | | | Michael Harris 
Germany
Local time: 03:50
Member (2006)
German to English
My Wife
Is this poll the reward for renewing your membership?
| | | | Gudrun Maydorn (X)
Germany
Local time: 03:50
English to German
+ ...
The translator and the client should be at eye level. Communication and cooperation are key, so that both can work together to achieve the best end result.
| | | | Mario Chavez (X)
Local time: 21:50
English to Spanish
+ ...
| Tony Danza, of course | Nov 9, 2016 |
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Mario Chavez wrote:
Love it!
But, seriously, in the business relationship with my clients I'm my own boss, the client is their own boss (or answers to/represents someone who is) and we either work together on equal footing or we don't work together.
Before working as a freelance translator, I spent 30+ years working for bosses of various ilks, and the very best thing about being a freelancer is never having to put up with working for a boss ever again.
| | | | Kristina Cosumano (X)
Germany
Local time: 03:50
German to English
Catherine De Crignis wrote:
Mind you, this probably is a good question, since I'm totally dismayed at the number of people who answered "the client" or "other", so far.
Well, I did, but 1) I was thinking specifically about when clients want a certain word or a certain way, and 2) I am still a bit stunned by the US election results and did not think clearly through the aspects of the question.
| | | | | In what sense? | Nov 9, 2016 |
Platon Danilov wrote: Freelance means no boss. You are your own boss. If you feel like a client or anybody else is your boss - congrats, you are hired!
Of course I am "my own boss" in this sense. But my job wouldn't exist without my clients. My aim as a freelancer is to keep them happy. If they insist on a translation that is plain wrong, or want to go against my advice as to how to translate a certain term, then of course we'll talk.
So as Christine says, it depends on the situation.
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I have been my own boss for the last 10 years. I had several bosses over the years (some more difficult than others) and though I had no problems with any of them, I loved my last boss and we remained friends…
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Hello, well, I'm a service provider. This means I have customers that have some needs, and we agree on what is to be done and how much are they going to pay me. As a provider, I can set my own conditions and the customer can set theirs. It's all about an agreement between two parties. Of course, I can lower my expectations, but the customer can too .
| | | | | Dead right: Other! | Nov 9, 2016 |
Gudrun Maydorn wrote:
The translator and the client should be at eye level. Communication and cooperation are key, so that both can work together to achieve the best end result.
It's a matter of checking who is better equipped to do each part of the job.
Taking ONE of countless examples I'd have on collaboration: translating a PPT presentation.
Of course, text will swell/shrink in translation, messing up the layout.
I can translate AND fix the layout for 20~30% of the translation cost.
If the client has a PPT-wizard in their payroll, why not use him/her, and save on costs?
It's always a matter of playing with the cards face up on the table, aka transparency.
| | | | John Cutler
Spain
Local time: 03:50
Spanish to English
+ ...
If I accept the client's conditions for a certain job then they're the boss. As they say in Catalan, "Qui paga mana" (The one who's paying is the one giving the orders).
I, on the other hand, am perfectly free to reject the client's conditions and look for other sources of income. That makes me my own boss but, unfortunately, that doesn't pay the bills.
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