| Pages in topic: [1 2 3] > | Improvements to be made to ProZ.com directory, profiles, job postings Thread poster: Henry Dotterer
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Dear ProZ.com members,
I would like to let you know that ProZ.com developers are going to be working over the next several months to update and improve the usefulness of the ProZ.com directory, profiles and job posting systems. We'll keep you posted in this thread (and in this forum in general).
Henry
| | | | | Looking to enable companies that require DTP and PMs, and freelancers who offer that, to connect | Feb 28, 2013 |
Hi all,
We've been asked to provide better ways for those who offer, and those who require, DTP (Desktop Publishing) and PM (Project Management) services to meet. I've posted topics for each of these service areas; see:
Desktop Publishing (DTP): http://www.proz.com/topic/244217... See more Hi all,
We've been asked to provide better ways for those who offer, and those who require, DTP (Desktop Publishing) and PM (Project Management) services to meet. I've posted topics for each of these service areas; see:
Desktop Publishing (DTP): http://www.proz.com/topic/244217
Project Management: http://www.proz.com/topic/244220
Any information provided in these two threads will help ProZ.com developers to improve the directory, job posting system and profiles. ▲ Collapse
| | | | | Units for rate specification | Mar 1, 2013 |
As to improving the usefulness of the profiles and the directory:
Could we please, finally, have multiple units to specify our rates, and not just "per word" in our profiles?
Job postings and quotes allow rates in other units, such as per character, but the profiles don't. This is a big disconnect.
Let me give you an example:
Where Japanese is the source language, the usual way of billing is per source character. So, if someone looks at the directory or individual... See more As to improving the usefulness of the profiles and the directory:
Could we please, finally, have multiple units to specify our rates, and not just "per word" in our profiles?
Job postings and quotes allow rates in other units, such as per character, but the profiles don't. This is a big disconnect.
Let me give you an example:
Where Japanese is the source language, the usual way of billing is per source character. So, if someone looks at the directory or individual profiles, he/she would expect to see rates expressed as "per source characters". But there is no way to set your rates in your profile in that unit. It is only "per word", and it does not say whether it is source or target words.
So, the translators use this rate field two ways:
A: put in the target word rate
B: put in the source character rate
Given that, if someone's rate in his profile for Japanese-English translations is "$0.08 per word" what does it mean?
We don't know.
If the translator meant $0.08 per target word, it is a very low rate.
If the translator means $0.08 per source character, it is a decent rate, it would be equivalent of $0.20 per target word.
So, if somebody writes $0.08 into the rate field and another person writes $0.20, which one is cheaper? They may be exactly the same, depending on how they decided to use the meaningless "per word" field.
This had been a problem forever, and I am sorry that I sound like a broken record (I have brought this issue up numerous times in the past).
Could this be addressed this time?
Katalin
[Edited at 2013-03-01 03:34 GMT] ▲ Collapse
| | | | Susan Welsh 
United States
Local time: 11:58
Russian to English
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| "Trados only" job postings | Mar 1, 2013 |
There should be a way that translators who do not use Trados do not (if they choose) get postings for which the outsourcer specifies "Trados only." (Or any other CAT tool.) Just as we can now filter for outsourcers who pay below our rates. This would eliminate a fair bit of mailbox trash.
Thanks!
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Sheila Wilson
Spain
Local time: 16:58
Member (2007)
English
+ ...
| DTP-only jobs? | Mar 2, 2013 |
Certainly there should be a straightforward way of posting and quoting for PM jobs. I imagine it's a job that's most often done by salaried staff, mostly on the premises, but it isn't unheard of to outsource the work to a freelancer. Managing a translation project is best done by someone who knows the translation process inside out, so coming to ProZ.com is logical.
I'm not so sure about DTP. I know that I'm in the minority, being a complete duffer at it ... See more Certainly there should be a straightforward way of posting and quoting for PM jobs. I imagine it's a job that's most often done by salaried staff, mostly on the premises, but it isn't unheard of to outsource the work to a freelancer. Managing a translation project is best done by someone who knows the translation process inside out, so coming to ProZ.com is logical.
I'm not so sure about DTP. I know that I'm in the minority, being a complete duffer at it and if I were younger that would be a serious problem. Translators today do need to offer some DTP services, and I know that some offer a lot. However, and it's a big "however", IMO, if someone wants DTP, and only DTP, should they be posting the job on ProZ.com? Aren't there better places for it? Is it language related? Does the fact that it's in what to the client is a foreign language make it a language-related job? Or even the fact that it's been translated from another language in a separate process?
My worries are possibly only valid for the English language. English is a foreign language for the majority of the world's population, but the one in which more and more is being published by and for those non-native speakers. I'm worried that ProZ.com will become swamped with English monolingual DTP jobs, as it's being swamped with English monolingual transcription - a job that is essentially what we used to call audio-typing and that has nothing to do with the translation process.
But then, as I said, I don't offer DTP services of any kind, so maybe I've got it all wrong. ▲ Collapse
| | | | | Adding "language teaching" to the list of services | Mar 3, 2013 |
I have already made this suggestion, and I believe it is on your list, so I'm just using this forum to make it known to a larger audience.
I do believe (and the site short poll about 3 days ago confirms my views) that most of the language specialists taught or are teaching or would like to teach. So it seems only logical to add this option to the profile as one of the language services a person provides.
| | | | 101translations
Ireland
Local time: 16:58
Member (2003)
English to Italian
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| Eliminate the freelancer/outsourcer loophole | Mar 19, 2013 |
Freelancer-only jobs should be only for freelancers.
Right now a translation outsourcer can register as a "freelancer and outsourcer" at which point they are able to bid on jobs that have been marked as "freelancers only". In addition, because of their registration as outsourcers, they are able to sidestep the "native language" requirement - essentially, they can bid on anything.
This wastes a lot of outsourcers' time as well as unfairly competing against genuine freela... See more Freelancer-only jobs should be only for freelancers.
Right now a translation outsourcer can register as a "freelancer and outsourcer" at which point they are able to bid on jobs that have been marked as "freelancers only". In addition, because of their registration as outsourcers, they are able to sidestep the "native language" requirement - essentially, they can bid on anything.
This wastes a lot of outsourcers' time as well as unfairly competing against genuine freelancers.
The ideal would be to stop people from being registered as "freelancer and outsourcer" and require them to have two separate accounts.
Alternatively, one could prevent users who are "freelancer and outsourcer" from bidding on freelancer-only jobs.
As a third option, a "freelancer and outsourcer" who is bidding on a freelancer-only job should be only allowed to bid if they satisfy the "native language" requirement. ▲ Collapse
| | | | | Post removed: This post was hidden by a moderator or staff member because it was not in line with site rule |
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Sheila Wilson
Spain
Local time: 16:58
Member (2007)
English
+ ...
| I agree totally | Mar 19, 2013 |
101translations wrote:
Freelancer-only jobs should be only for freelancers.
Right now a translation outsourcer can register as a "freelancer and outsourcer" at which point they are able to bid on jobs that have been marked as "freelancers only". In addition, because of their registration as outsourcers, they are able to sidestep the "native language" requirement - essentially, they can bid on anything.
The same applies to those registered as companies, who have a "primary profile". This profile should relate to one person, and one person only. But what we normally see is long lists of language pairs, certifications etc. These cannot possibly relate to one person.
The same problem applies when two or more people working together as a team have one profile. There are many couples here with opposite pairs, for example, and I can well see why they'd work closely together, but their joint profile then shows two native languages, loads of credentials, many testimonials etc and is at the very least highly confusing, particularly when they use one name and one photo.
My proposal:
One profile = one person; one profile = one link in the chain (translator OR outsourcer)
| | | | Edward Vreeburg
Netherlands
Local time: 17:58
Member (2008)
English to Dutch
+ ...
| add country of origin to the notification mail | Mar 19, 2013 |
Many jobs are really not worth clicking...
(many translators will have their own least favourite country of origin)
and it will save a lot of time for freelancers
| | | | Edward Vreeburg
Netherlands
Local time: 17:58
Member (2008)
English to Dutch
+ ...
| Allow translators/Proz members to see the job poster | Mar 19, 2013 |
Even after the job has expired
or
if you do not qualify for a job
This allows you to stay up to date with who is outsourcing what in your field / languages
and you can see if it's worth modifying your fields experience (just in case you haven't updated them for a while, or if you recently acquired new skills
Ed
| | | | Edward Vreeburg
Netherlands
Local time: 17:58
Member (2008)
English to Dutch
+ ...
| allow for Proofreading cut off rate | Mar 19, 2013 |
today I don't see proofreading jobs posted at 0,04
because my rates are 0,08 - 0, 12 (actually they are 0,10 and + ) but I don't want to miss out on seeing great jobs, at just a little lower rate)
But what I don't get notified about are proofreading jobs at 0,04 which I actually do want to see...!
Ed
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| Specialisations in the profile | Mar 19, 2013 |
Please introduce a category of "telephone interpreting" within the wider interpreting.
| | | | | CV protection | Mar 19, 2013 |
I think there should be some kind of security with people's CVs.
Either a request system where the translator is notified someone wants to see it and validates once the request is proven legit, or at least a BIG warning that posting a full C.V on your profile is opening the door to identity theft.
This is a suggestion based on a list I made of 75+ translators who got their CV and profile stolen, and are used by a scammer/spammer who's created different e-mail adresses to re-channel p... See more I think there should be some kind of security with people's CVs.
Either a request system where the translator is notified someone wants to see it and validates once the request is proven legit, or at least a BIG warning that posting a full C.V on your profile is opening the door to identity theft.
This is a suggestion based on a list I made of 75+ translators who got their CV and profile stolen, and are used by a scammer/spammer who's created different e-mail adresses to re-channel potential clients. Everyday I receive collaboration offers from this guy posing as the real translators and trying to steal work from them. ▲ Collapse
| | | | | Flexibility in allowing responses to job offers | Mar 19, 2013 |
I would positively welcome more flexibility in allowing me to respond to job offers in the fields which I have not declared as my usual. I am not a bad judge of what I can and cannot do and any doubts on the part of the outsourcer or even mine may be clarified fast in initial correspondence with the former. Each of us has some hidden strengths which do not fit easily into the pigeon holes.
| | | | | Pages in topic: [1 2 3] > | To report site rules violations or get help, contact a site moderator: You can also contact site staff by submitting a support request » Improvements to be made to ProZ.com directory, profiles, job postings | Trados Business Manager Lite | Create customer quotes and invoices from within Trados Studio
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