Is it normal for work volume to go up and down? Thread poster: Emily Balkwill
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I work with several agencies, one of which is really big on a global level.
This week I noticed that I got very few job requests compared to the past few weeks. I'm a little worried, but kind of figured it might be normal for requests to go up and down? Also considering it's the end of the month as well as the end of the quarter.
I've only been freelance since the beginning of June, so I still haven't experienced the ups and downs properly for myself. So I guess I'm j... See more I work with several agencies, one of which is really big on a global level.
This week I noticed that I got very few job requests compared to the past few weeks. I'm a little worried, but kind of figured it might be normal for requests to go up and down? Also considering it's the end of the month as well as the end of the quarter.
I've only been freelance since the beginning of June, so I still haven't experienced the ups and downs properly for myself. So I guess I'm just trying to get a bit of insight.
Just wondering if others have experienced this with global agencies.
Thanks ▲ Collapse
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The answer to your question is Yes. Ups and downs (also known as feast and famine cycles) are inherent to freelancing. You will have to learn how to live through them (the downs I mean). Stay calm, cherish your clients, be on the lookout for new ones, and polish your skills. Things will just work out if you stay focused. Good luck!
| | | | | It is normal | Jun 30, 2022 |
Hence you should always be on the lookout for new and potential clients, and maintain a good relationship with existing clients. Not to mention always upgrading yourself on the new translation technologies and how that will affect your income.
It may be daunting and scary at first, but once you got the habit, it can be fun.
To summarize, I will quote the late Steve Jobs: "Stay hungry, stay foolish".
| | | | Kay Denney 
France
Local time: 00:13
French to English
Yes, everything fluctuates. There are seasons for certain work: financial stuff tends to happen around the end of the financial year, fashion translations are needed whenever a new collection is to be presented, usually during fashion week. If you specialise in the automotive industry, there'll be a flurry of work in the run-up to various motor shows, held once a year or every other year. I work a lot in the arts: I was doing a lot of stuff for a big exhibition at a major Paris museum earlier th... See more Yes, everything fluctuates. There are seasons for certain work: financial stuff tends to happen around the end of the financial year, fashion translations are needed whenever a new collection is to be presented, usually during fashion week. If you specialise in the automotive industry, there'll be a flurry of work in the run-up to various motor shows, held once a year or every other year. I work a lot in the arts: I was doing a lot of stuff for a big exhibition at a major Paris museum earlier this year, but I only did one little job at the beginning of this month for that agency. I imagine there's a bit of a lull before they gear up for the next exhibition.
Also, I think project managers tend to get on a roll with certain translators. You might have to turn them down for one project because it clashes with something else, and then the PM will simply give all the jobs for that same end client to the person who did take it on (why change translator when the end client is happy!). And they know that person is relatively free so they'll often end up giving them other bits too.
I had a crazy time in May/early June and turned down a lot of work, now it seems that agencies have found other translators. I expect they'll be back once those translators get too busy/go on holiday.
So it's best to have more than one specialist subject, unless you earn enough during the busy season to weather the lean. And especially, as others have said, it's best to have lots of clients.
I just sent out a little email to clients letting them know of my availability this summer, and mentioned that I'm available now, minutes later, a PM sent me a job ▲ Collapse
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Lieven Malaise
Belgium
Local time: 00:13
Member (2020)
French to Dutch
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| You've just started, so it's normal. | Jun 30, 2022 |
Since you've just started, this is very normal. 17 years ago it took me a year to have 3 regular clients, so calm periods are almost a certainty in the beginning.
You can however avoid this (mostly) in later years (at least I managed to do that) by 'specializing' very broadly, meaning you accept basically every possible subject and technicity you are offered from the beginning on, so you learn to master those subjects. Thanks to the internet that's absolutely possible.
... See more Since you've just started, this is very normal. 17 years ago it took me a year to have 3 regular clients, so calm periods are almost a certainty in the beginning.
You can however avoid this (mostly) in later years (at least I managed to do that) by 'specializing' very broadly, meaning you accept basically every possible subject and technicity you are offered from the beginning on, so you learn to master those subjects. Thanks to the internet that's absolutely possible.
In my experience there are for example no season-bound highs or lows. You could think it would be calmer in summer, but the mere fact that also a lot of translators are on holiday means that there's actually more (or at least the same amount of) work coming your way (or could be coming your way).
Furthermore I agree with what Mohammad says: use calm periods to look for new clients. Write to hundreds of agencies or companies.
One last piece of advice (afther you've gained enough clients of course): you could work based on the "first come first served" principle. I've always done that and I think it's a good idea because you are less dependent on 1 single or a few clients. I'll give you an example: last year I received a ridiculous amount of work from 1 single client, about 45% of my annual turnover. This year so far it's 'only' just over 15%. The reason: other clients were 'first'. This might be difficult in the beginning (you could be scared to say 'no' to clients that offered you very nice jobs in the past), but if you deliver quality they will always come back. If I've learnt one thing in the past 22 years, then it's this: an awful lot of translators deliver low quality. So the simple fact of delivering quality already gives you an advantage.
Good luck!
[Edited at 2022-06-30 08:22 GMT] ▲ Collapse
| | | | Joakim Braun
Sweden
Local time: 00:13
German to Swedish
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Even in an otherwise good year, you may suddenly have three or four weeks with no work at all.
Just as suddenly all the customers return and you have more work than ever.
Of course you can never be sure that they WILL return... so it's unpleasant... but typically a few weeks of no inquiries doesn't mean a lot.
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Yes, absolutely: for instance, in Summer for Western countries or during the Chinese Lunar New Year for Asia.
| | | | Adieu
Ukrainian to English
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Some European nations tend to treat summer like one long vacation, especially if your work is tied to the output of state-employed bureaucrats.
Aim to specialize in something, but keep a source of less-desirable work offers (outside your specialty, annoying to work with, more difficult, less profitable, etc.) that you only take when you have nothing better to do.
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