| Pages in topic: [1 2] > | Poll: What would be your primary reason for ever turning down a job offer with a high pay rate? Thread poster: ProZ.com Staff
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This forum topic is for the discussion of the poll question "What would be your primary reason for ever turning down a job offer with a high pay rate?".
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| | | | | Two main reasons | Oct 27, 2021 |
"An offer with a high pay rate" is not the right way to put it: if the offer is inadequate, I state my rate and the client can take it or leave it. On the other hand, pay rate aside, the two main reasons for me to turn down a job would be either being too busy, or not working in the subject field in question. In fact, I am surprised these reasons aren't listed as poll options.
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My main reasons to turn down a job are (in no particular order):
1. Some source formats (non-editable PDFs and/or PowerPoint files);
2. CAT tools;
3. Discounts.
4. Language combinations (I am frequently asked to translate into Brazilian Portuguese);
5. Illegible material (handwritten documents);
6. Tight deadlines;
7. Long payment terms;
8. Translation platforms;
9. Subject areas outside my fields of work.
(...)
O... See more My main reasons to turn down a job are (in no particular order):
1. Some source formats (non-editable PDFs and/or PowerPoint files);
2. CAT tools;
3. Discounts.
4. Language combinations (I am frequently asked to translate into Brazilian Portuguese);
5. Illegible material (handwritten documents);
6. Tight deadlines;
7. Long payment terms;
8. Translation platforms;
9. Subject areas outside my fields of work.
(...)
Over the years, I have become rather picky. I haven’t mentioned rates because these are set by me, not by my clients… ▲ Collapse
| | | | Kevin Fulton 
United States
Local time: 09:25
German to English
| I can't imagine being freely offered a higher rate than I already charge | Oct 27, 2021 |
My first thought would be that such an offer was a scam.
If due diligence revealed it to be a genuine proposal, I would question the motivation behind the offer: poor quality source material, either in form (handwritten/2nd generation pdf, illegible, unusual source format, etc.) or content (needing substantial transcreation); insane deadline; confidential/secret subject matter offering the risk of criminal/civil prosecution.
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Mario Freitas
Brazil
Local time: 10:25
Member (2014)
English to Portuguese
+ ...
There are two issues when the rates are very good, that would still make me dump the job:
1. Unfeasible deadlines. No use having a great rate if you have to transalte 10,000 words per day.
2. High discounts for fuzzies and zero rate for repetitions. High rates sometimes imply discount matrices paying like 10% for fuzzies above 75%, or Zero for 101% matches. Both conditions are farewell for me, even if the rate is $0.20 per source word.
PS: I did not consider the company's reput... See more There are two issues when the rates are very good, that would still make me dump the job:
1. Unfeasible deadlines. No use having a great rate if you have to transalte 10,000 words per day.
2. High discounts for fuzzies and zero rate for repetitions. High rates sometimes imply discount matrices paying like 10% for fuzzies above 75%, or Zero for 101% matches. Both conditions are farewell for me, even if the rate is $0.20 per source word.
PS: I did not consider the company's reputation, because if that's negative, I won't even reply the email, and I won't get to know the rates, conditions, etc. This is too obvious.
[Edited at 2021-10-28 01:27 GMT] ▲ Collapse
| | | | | Outside my comfort zone | Oct 28, 2021 |
If it's a subject area I'm not comfortable in, I wouldn't bother to inquire about the deadline. But if the time frame is too tight, I would even turn down a job in one of my favorite areas. Another reason would be tricky formatting, but I can usually cope with that if I have the time and the money compensates for it. Two of my regular customers add an extra 10%. If it's going to take more than 10% of my effort and there isn't enough compensation for my time, then I would turn it down for that re... See more If it's a subject area I'm not comfortable in, I wouldn't bother to inquire about the deadline. But if the time frame is too tight, I would even turn down a job in one of my favorite areas. Another reason would be tricky formatting, but I can usually cope with that if I have the time and the money compensates for it. Two of my regular customers add an extra 10%. If it's going to take more than 10% of my effort and there isn't enough compensation for my time, then I would turn it down for that reason. Some PowerPoint files can be maddening. But I'm usually a pretty good sport about formatting.
[Edited at 2021-10-28 00:53 GMT] ▲ Collapse
| | | | Kamal Idkaidek
Local time: 16:25
Member (2019)
Hebrew to English
+ ...
| Outside my comfort zone | Oct 28, 2021 |
I consider this as the main reason to turn down a high pay rate taken into consideration that they state the rate in their initial email.
If they don't state it, I won't even bother to ask. A polite decline is what they'll get.
The reputation is as previously stated taken for granted. I won't even bother to reply to them if they have a bad reputation.
| | | | neilmac
Spain
Local time: 15:25
Spanish to English
+ ...
Being too busy to meet the deadline.(As well as most of the rest of the situations described).
Comfort zone is also important to me. I think I have a rather broad scope, and am willing to have a bash at most things I think I can tackle. However, a couple of years ago I took on a more literary translation job than usual from a client who usually sends me other types of text. This time, it was stuff that he had written in his younger days, when he was at university and later, and achieving a... See more Being too busy to meet the deadline.(As well as most of the rest of the situations described).
Comfort zone is also important to me. I think I have a rather broad scope, and am willing to have a bash at most things I think I can tackle. However, a couple of years ago I took on a more literary translation job than usual from a client who usually sends me other types of text. This time, it was stuff that he had written in his younger days, when he was at university and later, and achieving a similar style and turn of phrase in the translation was a real struggle for me. So, I ended up outsourcing it to a friend because I knew she would be better at it than I was. And she did a great job, which I simply checked and returned to the client, and in the end everyone was happy. So, nowadays I am more cautious about accepting that type of material, which thankfully doesn't come my way very often. Horses for courses.
[Edited at 2021-10-28 07:52 GMT] ▲ Collapse
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Kay Denney
France
Local time: 15:25
French to English
How can you list reasons for turning down a job without mentioning deadlines?
Among the reasons cited:
Company reputation - most of those who I don't work with because of their reputation have a
reputation for paying badly. One pays badly and only after six months.
Location - I only work with companies in the euro zone to avoid currency hassle
Ethical or religious conflict - I wouldn't touch it with a barge pole
Disability - If I had a disability th... See more How can you list reasons for turning down a job without mentioning deadlines?
Among the reasons cited:
Company reputation - most of those who I don't work with because of their reputation have a
reputation for paying badly. One pays badly and only after six months.
Location - I only work with companies in the euro zone to avoid currency hassle
Ethical or religious conflict - I wouldn't touch it with a barge pole
Disability - If I had a disability that prevented me from working, it would apply to all jobs not just highly paid ones so I'm not sure why this is even listed?
Outside of comfort zone - it depends how far. I don't do medical for example but I have translated vulgarised texts. I don't do technical but I have translated some very technical stuff about bikes simply because I'm a committed cyclist and want to learn about the mechanics of my bike. I don't do legal but Terms & Conditions for use or notices about the use of cookies and GDPR don't faze me.
Basically any one of these conditions could make me refuse a job but more often than all the others combined it's the deadline that's the crunch. After all I very rarely get offers from disreputable companies, or those outside the euro zone, my clients don't work in any dubious fields and they know my (wide-ranging) comfort zone. ▲ Collapse
| | | | Tom in London
United Kingdom
Local time: 14:25
Member (2008)
Italian to English
There is almost no reason why I would turn down a job with a high pay rate, other than the following:
- the client is based in a particular country with which I refuse to do business;
- unacceptable subject matter such as prisons; weapons/war/military stuff; heavily polluting industries; anything that might potentially be libellous.
| | | | Mr. Satan (X)
English to Indonesian
Ethical or religious conflict - I wouldn't touch it with a barge pole
unacceptable subject matter such as prisons; weapons/war/military stuff;
Guess I'm the one who will have to deal with these hot potatoes, then. 
| | | | | More than one | Oct 28, 2021 |
There are many reasons for which I would refuse a job, the company's reputation or location, a subject matter with which I'm not comfortable, and mostly a lack of time if it's impossible to fit the job in my generally packed schedule.
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Baran Keki
Türkiye
Local time: 16:25
Member
English to Turkish
| Company reputation? | Oct 28, 2021 |
What does this mean? Since most of us work with translation companies (agencies), does it mean their BB record? Or does it mean a direct client like Apple who exploit the sh*t out of people in the sweatshops of China, whose products we love to use?
I must admit I'm a bit biased towards certain parts of the world, but the 'companies' from those parts are usually likely to ask for 'best rates', not to offer 'high rates'. So I tend to steer clear of them.
I guess the only reason why I ... See more What does this mean? Since most of us work with translation companies (agencies), does it mean their BB record? Or does it mean a direct client like Apple who exploit the sh*t out of people in the sweatshops of China, whose products we love to use?
I must admit I'm a bit biased towards certain parts of the world, but the 'companies' from those parts are usually likely to ask for 'best rates', not to offer 'high rates'. So I tend to steer clear of them.
I guess the only reason why I would turn down an offer with a high pay rate would be if the agency offered to pay only by Paypal and accepted no other alternatives.
Btw I'd be curious to know how many Newcastle United fans would choose 'company/state reputation', 'religious, ethical', 'location' etc. if this poll somehow applied to them with a different wording. ▲ Collapse
| | | | expressisverbis
Portugal
Local time: 14:25
Member (2015)
English to Portuguese
+ ...
| Other. I would see it probably as a scam. | Oct 28, 2021 |
I would be very careful if people offered me with a high pay rate, as they may be trying to trap or cheat me.
'There's always free cheese in a mousetrap'.
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Kay Denney wrote:
Disability - If I had a disability that prevented me from working, it would apply to all jobs not just highly paid ones so I'm not sure why this is even listed?
I suspect "disability" is a cackhanded way of saying "unable (too busy) to take the job".
I do think a translation website should set an example and make the effort to use correct English even if it chooses to use cheap labour in non-English-speaking countries for backoffice tasks.
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