Poll: What makes you happier: winning a project or finishing it? Thread poster: ProZ.com Staff
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This forum topic is for the discussion of the poll question "What makes you happier: winning a project or finishing it?".
This poll was originally submitted by Natalia Pedrosa. View the poll results »
| | | | Mary Worby 
United Kingdom
Local time: 21:36
German to English
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Getting paid for it!
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Mary Worby wrote: Getting paid for it!
| | | | | Getting work, finishing it, and getting paid | Sep 17, 2015 |
Those are the thrills I live for.
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I guess I feel happiest when I've satisfactorily completed an order and dispatched it in good time - and getting paid on time, of course, which this poll didn't mention.
I don't view the situation as "winning a project" but rather as receiving an order.
| | | | DianeGM
Local time: 23:36
Member (2006)
Dutch to English
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though the expression 'winning a project' is odd.
I also like sending the invoice.
And like Mary said, getting paid for it doesn't hurt either.
| | | | | What's 'winning' a project? | Sep 17, 2015 |
Muriel Vasconcellos wrote:
Getting work, finishing it, and getting paid
Those are the thrills I live for.
That's it, Muriel!
I don't take translation as a spectator sport.
Though some athletes earn a living from their performance in sports, it's not my case.
I definitely don't race against a crowd, anxiously hoping to win for having offered the lowest rate among them.
When I am offered a job, I first check if I am skilled do it properly. (If not, I'll suggest them a colleague who is, if I know one.) If yes, I'll tell the prospect my price, terms, and conditions to do it. If they think my offer represents a good cost/benefit, they'll hire me, I'll finish it, and get paid.
What really makes me happy?
Two possibilities:
a) When they return - between a few days and a couple of years later - with more work for me to do; and
b) When a new prospect contacts me, saying that I was recommended by a previous client who liked my work.
| | | | Helen Hagon
Local time: 21:36
Member (2011)
Russian to English
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Winning a project, especially a large one, is exciting, but also a little bit scary. No matter how carefully I may have planned, there are always 'what ifs' in the back of my mind. What if the project is not what I had expected? What if something unforeseen happens and I can't meet the deadline? What if there is terminology I don't understand? And so on. Finishing a project, though, is a different experience entirely. There is a sense of relief that I managed to get to the end on time and hand o... See more Winning a project, especially a large one, is exciting, but also a little bit scary. No matter how carefully I may have planned, there are always 'what ifs' in the back of my mind. What if the project is not what I had expected? What if something unforeseen happens and I can't meet the deadline? What if there is terminology I don't understand? And so on. Finishing a project, though, is a different experience entirely. There is a sense of relief that I managed to get to the end on time and hand over a quality piece of work, keeping my side of the bargain. The bigger or harder the project, the greater the relief at the end. Of course, if payment then arrives on time, that is even better. ▲ Collapse
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| Post removed: This post was hidden by a moderator or staff member because it was not in line with site rule | Julian Holmes
Japan
Local time: 05:36
Member (2011)
Japanese to English
The Champagne at the end. Of course, as Helen says "The bigger or harder the project, the greater the relief at the end." Thumbs up for that! Especially, if you get a pat on the back from the customer.
In fact, I got two big 'Thank yous' from two customers, one today and one yesterday. That made me very happy since both projects were very challenging for entirely different reasons.   ... See more The Champagne at the end. Of course, as Helen says "The bigger or harder the project, the greater the relief at the end." Thumbs up for that! Especially, if you get a pat on the back from the customer.
In fact, I got two big 'Thank yous' from two customers, one today and one yesterday. That made me very happy since both projects were very challenging for entirely different reasons.
Oh dear, there seems to have been an immoderate comment removed before mine. I really can't imagine why for such a benign poll topic. Was it a 4-pointer? ▲ Collapse
| | | | Vera Schoen
Sweden
Local time: 22:36
Member (2008)
German to Swedish
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Jenny Forbes wrote:
I guess I feel happiest when I've satisfactorily completed an order and dispatched it in good time
My feelings exactly.
| | | | | neither, really | Sep 17, 2015 |
Like a few colleagues have mentioned, projects aren't something to be "won". We get translation requests, accept the ones we are qualified for and have the time for, do them, send them, and get paid. After a few thousand it tends to be routine. I do feel happy if I've done an especially good job on something less routine, or on the rare occasion when my work has actually made a clear difference in someone's life.
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Kay Denney
France
Local time: 22:36
French to English
| what really makes me happy | Sep 18, 2015 |
is when the client comes back for more
and what makes me ecstatic
is when they tell me they like my work
and what sends me right over the moon and round again
is when they tell me they loved the little pun I squeezed in (against the advice of my proofreader) and add that, since it works in the source language too they're going to start using my pun all over the place
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