| Pages in topic: [1 2] > | Poll: Has your location ever worked against you as a freelancer? Thread poster: ProZ.com Staff
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This forum topic is for the discussion of the poll question "Has your location ever worked against you as a freelancer?".
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I can’t remember a single occasion when a client asked me where I’m located…
| | | | Alex Lichanow
Germany
Local time: 20:39
Member (2020)
English to German
+ ...
When I was still regularly working with US clients, the time difference sometimes created a bit of a headache but never caused any real problems. Otherwise, my clients know where I am located, and most of them are located in the Central European time zone themselves. Other than that, nobody has ever had any problems with me working from Germany or Baden-Wuerttemberg (there has been some light-hearted banter with a Berlin-based client; they REALLY love Swabians).
[Edited at 2024-05-02 05:5... See more When I was still regularly working with US clients, the time difference sometimes created a bit of a headache but never caused any real problems. Otherwise, my clients know where I am located, and most of them are located in the Central European time zone themselves. Other than that, nobody has ever had any problems with me working from Germany or Baden-Wuerttemberg (there has been some light-hearted banter with a Berlin-based client; they REALLY love Swabians).
[Edited at 2024-05-02 05:53 GMT] ▲ Collapse
| | | | Iulia Parvu 
United Kingdom
Local time: 19:39
Member (2022)
English to Romanian
+ ...
Some clients set the location of the freelancer in searches based on where the target language is spoken, so if you live elsewhere you won't appear in the search.
On other platforms, you can't apply to certain jobs if the client sets location of the applicant to the country where the target language is spoken.
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While the Netherlands is a great place to live when you translate into Dutch (some clients even require it), I assume that some price-sensitive clients rather hire someone in a "cheaper" country. But there aren't many native Dutch translators in such countries, so I'm not sure if I've actually lost business because of it. I don't work in the cheap market segment anyway, so probably most clients who are seriously interested in my profile are willing to pay normal local rates.
| | | | Baran Keki
Türkiye
Local time: 21:39
Member
English to Turkish
| Thank your ancestors! | May 2 |
Edith van der Have wrote:
While the Netherlands is a great place to live when you translate into Dutch (some clients even require it), I assume that some price-sensitive clients rather hire someone in a "cheaper" country. But there aren't many native Dutch translators in such countries, so I'm not sure if I've actually lost business because of it. I don't work in the cheap market segment anyway, so probably most clients who are seriously interested in my profile are willing to pay normal local rates.
That they thought better of making Dutch the official language of Surinam or Indonesia 
If Surinam was a proper Dutch speaking country, I'd imagine that most US agencies would be working with the translators from there as they're in the same time zone. I'd also think that a good number of Vertaalbureaus might be tempted to follow suit despite the time difference. I'd thank my ancestors if I were a Dutch translator, knowing the consequences of the actions of Conquistadors...
| | | | | Once, but it was weird | May 2 |
For my non-Dutch colleagues you have to know that there is a strange kind of rivalry between the two biggest cities of Holland (mainly about football/soccer), namely Amsterdam (by some also known by its city code 020) and Rotterdam (or 010).
Having said that, a few years ago there was a job poster on Proz of a Dutch colleague from Rotterdam who had accepted a translation, but for some reason was not able to finish it, and asked us if somebody could take it over. I told him that I w... See more For my non-Dutch colleagues you have to know that there is a strange kind of rivalry between the two biggest cities of Holland (mainly about football/soccer), namely Amsterdam (by some also known by its city code 020) and Rotterdam (or 010).
Having said that, a few years ago there was a job poster on Proz of a Dutch colleague from Rotterdam who had accepted a translation, but for some reason was not able to finish it, and asked us if somebody could take it over. I told him that I was available, but the answer I received was: 'I don't do business with 020'.
I think that was the only time my location worked against me.:-)
[Edited at 2024-05-02 10:45 GMT] ▲ Collapse
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Baran Keki wrote:
If Surinam was a proper Dutch speaking country, I'd imagine that most US agencies would be working with the translators from there as they're in the same time zone. I'd also think that a good number of Vertaalbureaus might be tempted to follow suit despite the time difference. I'd thank my ancestors if I were a Dutch translator, knowing the consequences of the actions of Conquistadors...
It's nice in theory, but I doubt if it's common practice. In Indonesia, hardly anyone speaks Dutch anymore - which isn't strange given the history. In Surinam, Dutch is taught in schools and used as an official language, but many people don't speak it as their mother tongue, and it's a different locale. I haven't seen any agencies looking for Dutch translators from Surinam specifically, though it may be true that agencies that do not discern between locales may use the services of Surinam translators when translations are intended for use in the Netherlands.
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Robert Rietvelt wrote:
For my non-Dutch colleagues you have to know that there is a strange kind of rivalry between the two biggest cities of Holland (mainly about football/soccer), namely Amsterdam (by some also known by its city code 020) and Rotterdam (or 010).
Having said that, a few years ago there was a job poster on Proz of a Dutch colleague from Rotterdam who had accepted a translation, but for some reason was not able to finish it, and asked us if somebody could take it over. I told him that I was available, but the answer I received was: 'I don't do business with 020'.
I think that was the only time my location worked against me.:-)
[Edited at 2024-05-02 10:45 GMT]
Haha, this is the first time I ever heard such a story! I know there's quite some rivalry but I hadn't thought it could be so bad I don't think I'll ever encounter this in the 033 region
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Edith van der Have wrote: Robert Rietvelt wrote:
For my non-Dutch colleagues you have to know that there is a strange kind of rivalry between the two biggest cities of Holland (mainly about football/soccer), namely Amsterdam (by some also known by its city code 020) and Rotterdam (or 010).
Having said that, a few years ago there was a job poster on Proz of a Dutch colleague from Rotterdam who had accepted a translation, but for some reason was not able to finish it, and asked us if somebody could take it over. I told him that I was available, but the answer I received was: 'I don't do business with 020'.
I think that was the only time my location worked against me.:-)
[Edited at 2024-05-02 10:45 GMT] Haha, this is the first time I ever heard such a story! I know there's quite some rivalry but I hadn't thought it could be so bad I don't think I'll ever encounter this in the 033 region
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When the phone rings and you’re on the loo.
| | | | Alex Lichanow
Germany
Local time: 20:39
Member (2020)
English to German
+ ...
Robert Rietvelt wrote: Edith van der Have wrote: Robert Rietvelt wrote:
For my non-Dutch colleagues you have to know that there is a strange kind of rivalry between the two biggest cities of Holland (mainly about football/soccer), namely Amsterdam (by some also known by its city code 020) and Rotterdam (or 010).
Having said that, a few years ago there was a job poster on Proz of a Dutch colleague from Rotterdam who had accepted a translation, but for some reason was not able to finish it, and asked us if somebody could take it over. I told him that I was available, but the answer I received was: 'I don't do business with 020'.
I think that was the only time my location worked against me.:-)
[Edited at 2024-05-02 10:45 GMT] Haha, this is the first time I ever heard such a story! I know there's quite some rivalry but I hadn't thought it could be so bad I don't think I'll ever encounter this in the 033 region
As a frequent non-Dutch visitor to 013, I just have to ask: Is this as serious as the Friet/Patat Wars?
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A few days ago, a translator was telling me about how she meets new clients at birthday parties and while walking the dog. If you live in the country of your target language, this kind of casual networking will almost never bring anything useful - connecting with clients in person requires a costly and time-consuming trip abroad. So I'd say my location in the UK does work against me as an into-English translator.
I'm not moving, though, because my life is here.
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As a resident of a relatively poor country, most clients expect you to take less than minimum wage for any kind of job since your country is relatively cheaper to live in. Not only that but also, a lot of other translators would actually do the job for pennies and it just ends up a race to the bottom.
Might be worth mentioning that most freelance websites also exclude you if you're from a non-western country, the biggest example would be Upwork. I've even recently heard of someone... See more As a resident of a relatively poor country, most clients expect you to take less than minimum wage for any kind of job since your country is relatively cheaper to live in. Not only that but also, a lot of other translators would actually do the job for pennies and it just ends up a race to the bottom.
Might be worth mentioning that most freelance websites also exclude you if you're from a non-western country, the biggest example would be Upwork. I've even recently heard of someone "renting" US Upwork accounts which I found very amusing. ▲ Collapse
| | | | Arne Krueger
Germany
Local time: 20:39
German to English
+ ...
Ezz Eldeen Mohammad wrote:
As a resident of a relatively poor country, most clients expect you to take less than minimum wage for any kind of job since your country is relatively cheaper to live in. Not only that but also, a lot of other translators would actually do the job for pennies and it just ends up a race to the bottom.
Might be worth mentioning that most freelance websites also exclude you if you're from a non-western country, the biggest example would be Upwork. I've even recently heard of someone "renting" US Upwork accounts which I found very amusing.
It's sad to see this unfold before our eyes. I know translators from Egypt myself. And they are equally talented than anybody else... I don't know, crazy world! But don't think you are poor by any means. I think any people in this world would be proud to have a documented history of 5000+ years...
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