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As a sole proprietor, I have a lot of things to address apart from the actual translation work on which my business is based. There’s bookkeeping, website maintenance, blogging, marketing, book promotion, filing… the list often seems endless. But since my business is still relatively small, I can’t afford to hire someone to assume some of those responsibilities. It has been suggested that I hire a translation student, who may even do it pro bono to gain experience and get a firsthand look at what it means to be a freelancer. But do I want to hire someone, and spend my time managing or directing? Wouldn’t it be easier to just do what needs to be done? More importantly, would I feel comfortable asking someone to work for no pay?
| The issue of undervalued work is often front and centre in my mind, particularly when I receive offers that I find absolutely insulting. |
I’ve also been considering the notion of a virtual assistant. It seems they can be found for very reasonable (read: cheap) rates, but that leads me to consider how that profession is being undervalued, and how I hate it when that happens to me. Perhaps a very inexpensive virtual assistant is simply someone who lives in a country where the cost of living is much lower than it is here, so they can afford to charge a lower rate. Fair enough. As long as they are qualified. But what about those assistants here in our own country, who are qualified, but have to charge more because of the cost of living?
The issue of undervalued work is often front and centre in my mind, particularly when I receive offers that I find absolutely insulting. Just last week, a very prestigious translation agency contacted me about a 350 word job. They needed it back within the hour (of course!), and they were willing to pay $15 for the privilege. Fifteen dollars? For an hour of work? The last time I made $15 per hour was one summer when I was at university, working at a casual secretarial job – and, come to think of it, I may have been paid more! Or I suppose that my monthly salary of approximately $300 when I taught in Peru fifteen years ago would be another example. But in neither of those cases did I have the degrees, certificates, on-the-job training, experience, and track record that I have now.
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The economic crunch, particularly in the United States, has meant that several agencies have asked me to reduce my rates this year. I’ve been working with one company in particular since 2005. When I took their translation test, the assessor told me my work was better than some of what they received from their regular translators. I have always delivered translations that are top quality, on time, and according to their specifications. They have reciprocated by being a pleasure to work with: the projects are clear, communication is good, and payment is timely. I only raised my rates with them in 2008 – an increase of 20% after three and half years, quite reasonable I thought – but just last month they asked me to reduce them to less than what I was charging four years ago! We negotiated and reached what I thought was an acceptable compromise, but since then I have not received a single word of work from them
Yes, I lost a client. Yes, it hurts. But I know what it costs me to run my business, I know what my time is worth, I know that I will not compromise for less than excellent service, and I therefore know what I have to charge to stay afloat and ensure that quality.
So, if I need help with running my business, shouldn’t I think of hiring a similarly qualified professional in translation, or marketing, or website design, or bookkeeping, and pay them accordingly? Absolutely! But that leads me back to the beginning, knowing that I currently can’t afford any extra expenses. Thus, I suppose I’ll continue to change hats several times a day to accomplish everything that needs to be done.
| The economic crunch, particularly in the United States, has meant that several agencies have asked me to reduce my rates this year. |
If you’ve thoughts or tips on how to manage some of these issues, please visit my blog (www.intralingo.com/blog) and post a comment. Maybe together we can come up with a few workable ideas.
Lisa Carter is a freelance translator (ATA & ATIO certified, Spanish to English), sometimes blogger and aspiring essayist who lives and works in Ottawa. She can be contacted via her website, www.intralingo.com. |
