Poll: Do you usually have a quiet spell in a year? Thread poster: ProZ.com Staff
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The year is usually dotted with particularly busy and somewhat quieter spells. I answered "the third quarter" as the summer often seems a little quieter when many people are presumably out of the office, but there's no very regular pattern.
| | | | neilmac
Spain
Local time: 17:04
Spanish to English
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They key word is "usually". It used to be that January-February was slacker for me, but in the last 2 years I have had enough work to keep me busy and out of trouble all year round, and I've learned to take the opportunity of any gaps in demand to do things I would be too busy to get round to if working flat out - which may often be simple things like household repairs and chores, going shopping or having a haircut (or learning how W7 works without tearing my hair out).
In summer, ... See more They key word is "usually". It used to be that January-February was slacker for me, but in the last 2 years I have had enough work to keep me busy and out of trouble all year round, and I've learned to take the opportunity of any gaps in demand to do things I would be too busy to get round to if working flat out - which may often be simple things like household repairs and chores, going shopping or having a haircut (or learning how W7 works without tearing my hair out).
In summer, many translators take their holidays and the offers from agencies thus tend to increase, so if I can be bothered working through summer, I can usually do that too. ▲ Collapse
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Catherine Knight wrote:
The year is usually dotted with particularly busy and somewhat quieter spells. I answered "the third quarter" as the summer often seems a little quieter when many people are presumably out of the office, but there's no very regular pattern.
In the last ten years or so, the first quarter has been the busiest by far for me, and the third quarter the quiet one, but there is no regular pattern...
[Edited at 2011-09-03 09:18 GMT]
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Interlangue (X)
Angola
Local time: 17:04
English to French
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Used to be "no" or "when I take off for a holiday" but this year, the first quarter was VERY quiet - first time in 20+ years.
| | | | Simon Bruni 
United Kingdom
Local time: 16:04
Member (2009)
Spanish to English
| QuietER maybe | Sep 3, 2011 |
I have spells when I am turning down less work, but only very rarely spells when I am not at full capacity. That said I do have spells when I am compelled to accept the more boring and/or poorly paid jobs.
| | | | Chun Un
Macau
Member (2007)
English to Chinese
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I haven't noticed any quiet spells since I started my career as a freenlance. Summers have been quite busy actually (this summer in particular) presumably because many translators take time off at this time.
| | | | | No - almost never a break | Sep 3, 2011 |
It's rare that I don't have two or three jobs in the pipeline that clients are willing to wait for. If I want to take a break, I have to announce it. I'm already only working for my favorite clients, and about twice a year I have to ask for a week or so off. It's exhausting, and I'm looking for a way to cut back.
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Lenah Susianty
United Kingdom
Local time: 16:04
Member (2004)
English to Indonesian
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| this summer it was busy too | Sep 3, 2011 |
This summer was a bit strange for me too! I did lots of work during my holidays! then I went back home and 2 weeks gone without any work at all! The problem is because I never know when it will be quiet and when it will be busy, I always have to accept jobs whenever they come... (thinking they might be any job offer in the future...)
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