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Poll: As a general rule, in August you have...
Thread poster: ProZ.com Staff
ProZ.com Staff
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Aug 28, 2017

This forum topic is for the discussion of the poll question "As a general rule, in August you have...".

This poll was originally submitted by Cristina Gonzalez. View the poll results »



 
Maria Teresa Borges de Almeida
Maria Teresa Borges de Almeida  Identity Verified
Portugal
Local time: 15:34
Member (2007)
English to Portuguese
+ ...
Other Aug 28, 2017

Usually, I have a lot of work during the first two weeks of August, mostly from new clients...

 
Natalia Pedrosa
Natalia Pedrosa
Spain
Local time: 16:34
Member (2012)
English to Spanish
+ ...
More work Aug 28, 2017

I have had a lot of work this August, I guess because many translators are on vacation.

Happy translating!

Natalia


 
neilmac
neilmac
Spain
Local time: 16:34
Spanish to English
+ ...
Less than usual Aug 28, 2017

Although this year I have more than usual, due to a combination of circumstances. Technical issues with a major client's online translation platform and the time I had to take off due to bereavements added up to a large backlog which will probably take me until roughly the end of October to deal with.

 
Angus Stewart
Angus Stewart  Identity Verified
United Kingdom
Local time: 15:34
Member (2011)
French to English
+ ...
Less work Aug 28, 2017

August is normally my quietest month of the year due to it being a holiday month in my source countries.

 
Terry Richards
Terry Richards
France
Local time: 16:34
French to English
+ ...
Totally random Aug 28, 2017

August is my most variable month. There's less work about but also less translators to do it. If you get some of that work, it can be a busy month, if you don't it isn't. Over the last 11 years, my August has varied by a 23:1 range. The next most variable month is July which has varied by a 10:1 range.

 
Yetta Jensen Bogarde
Yetta Jensen Bogarde  Identity Verified
Denmark
Local time: 16:34
Member (2012)
English to Danish
+ ...
Two weeks were more quiet Aug 28, 2017

but I enjoyed it and took a couple of days to do my own stuff - great!

 
Agneta Pallinder
Agneta Pallinder  Identity Verified
United Kingdom
Local time: 15:34
Member (2014)
Swedish to English
+ ...
July quieter Aug 28, 2017

July used to be the universal holiday month in my source language country of Sweden - the joke used to be that there were signs at the borders "Sweden closed for summer holidays". Even if this is no longer the case quite as much, the July dip is noticeable, and August is the month when it all starts up again.

 
Gitte Hoveds (X)
Gitte Hoveds (X)
Denmark
Local time: 16:34
Danish to English
+ ...
There are no general rules... Aug 28, 2017

If there's one thing I have learnt as a translator, it is that there are no 'general rules' as to when workloads peak and plummet.

Clients' needs and financial means vary all the time, and the frequency and extent of their translation orders reflect this. Nothing is predictable – at least not in my experience.


 
Nikki Scott-Despaigne
Nikki Scott-Despaigne  Identity Verified
Local time: 16:34
French to English
varies from year to year Aug 28, 2017

August is traditionally a month when France shuts down. I either have either a lot more work, or a lot less. This year, I had more in the first couple of weeks and have had less in the last two. It will probably work out to be like an ordinary month.

 
Kay Denney
Kay Denney  Identity Verified
France
Local time: 16:34
French to English
France Aug 28, 2017

I too live in France and rarely get much work. I'm often off on holiday myself too of course. This year I have only had one week off in August, for various reasons, and have enjoyed relaxing at home instead.

 
Michael Harris
Michael Harris  Identity Verified
Germany
Local time: 16:34
Member (2006)
German to English
Other Aug 28, 2017

Why should August differ from any other month?
I have a pretty steady flow during the whole year. I can only take on as much as I can do.


 
Edith van der Have
Edith van der Have
Netherlands
Local time: 16:34
Member (2016)
English to Dutch
+ ...
Other Aug 28, 2017

Three weeks of holiday, followed by a very good week.

 
Julian Holmes
Julian Holmes  Identity Verified
Japan
Local time: 00:34
Member (2011)
Japanese to English
Other Aug 28, 2017

So, what earthshaking conclusions can be drawn from the results of this poll?

I'm sure we have this poll at least a dozen times a year. Just swap the month. Hey presto, boom, instant poll that serves absolutely no purpose at all.

How about:

Do you work at night during Ramadan?
Does work come back to life during Easter and the Resurrection?
Does work flood in during the Typhoon or Monsoon season?
Does work palpitate with your biorhythm?
... See more
So, what earthshaking conclusions can be drawn from the results of this poll?

I'm sure we have this poll at least a dozen times a year. Just swap the month. Hey presto, boom, instant poll that serves absolutely no purpose at all.

How about:

Do you work at night during Ramadan?
Does work come back to life during Easter and the Resurrection?
Does work flood in during the Typhoon or Monsoon season?
Does work palpitate with your biorhythm?
Does work disappear in a flash with total eclipses of the sun?
Do you work faster when meteorites fly by the Earth?
Does work take a tumble with the Spanish Inquisition?

At least, these would make some kind of sense.


[Edited at 2017-08-28 11:45 GMT]

[Edited at 2017-08-28 12:23 GMT]
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Jean-Yves Préault
Jean-Yves Préault  Identity Verified
France
Local time: 16:34
English to French
+ ...
May depend according to your area of specialisation? Aug 28, 2017

In my opinion, such an answer may deeply vary according to the area of specialisation.

Since I mostly work for ready-to-wear and high fashion industry at the moment, summer months are really busy due to AW collections...

I think it's also a great period to work with new clients or get work from old clients due to the possible shortage of translators on the market... provided you're not on holiday too.
...
See more
In my opinion, such an answer may deeply vary according to the area of specialisation.

Since I mostly work for ready-to-wear and high fashion industry at the moment, summer months are really busy due to AW collections...

I think it's also a great period to work with new clients or get work from old clients due to the possible shortage of translators on the market... provided you're not on holiday too.
Collapse


 
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Poll: As a general rule, in August you have...






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