| Pages in topic: [1 2] > | Poll: How do you manage your translation tasks when you have more than one with the same delivery date? 投稿者: ProZ.com Staff
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This forum topic is for the discussion of the poll question "How do you manage your translation tasks when you have more than one with the same delivery date?".
This poll was originally submitted by Eva María Ruiz. View the poll results »
| | | | | Come again, chief | Aug 20, 2013 |
The gray matter in my head makes sure that I don't confuse the content of each and send the wrong job to the wrong customer.
I thought multi-tasking or doing lots of different tasks on the same day -- including humdrum tasks such as the washing up and putting out the rubbish -- was a sign of intelligence.
Am I missing something in this poll? Duh!? 
| | | | | What about two at the same time? | Aug 20, 2013 |
One with the left hand and the other with the right hand: that's what I call multitasking!!!
| | | | Diana Coada (X) 
英国
Local time: 18:34
ポルトガル語 から 英語
+ ...
accept two projects that have the same deadline. That would show very poor organisational and negotiation skills on my part.
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Ventnai
スペイン
Local time: 19:34
ドイツ語 から 英語
+ ...
Diana Coada, BA RPSI wrote:
accept two projects that have the same deadline. That would show very poor organisational and negotiation skills on my part.
Why not? If you have time for both. I wouldn't accept two jobs for the same deadline if there wasn't time enough to complete them both to a high standard.
If I am doing two jobs at the same time, I may do one, then the other. Or do them both at the same time if one is particularly difficult or repetitive.
| | | | | Not a problem | Aug 20, 2013 |
Diana Coada, BA RPSI wrote:
accept two projects that have the same deadline. That would show very poor organisational and negotiation skills on my part.
I don't see why? Right now I have 11 or 12 projects - small ones, big ones and a huge one - in my calendar. Almost all of them due for delivery late next week. It is what I do with theese projects in the days UP to delivery date that can say something about my organisational style, not what I do with them next thursday or Friday. Most of them are already done. Now they rest in my computer, and in a couple of days I can check them, proof them and make sure I feel ready to deliver them. Sending 12 mails with file attachments to my customers during two days - well, that's project management I can handle!
| | | | | I can manage four or five some days... | Aug 20, 2013 |
... or else I would starve! I simply take the most urgent first.
I have never kept serious statistics, but many of the jobs I do er smaller than 1000 words, and anything over 5000 is large for me. Press releases, one-page letters from lawyers or public bodies granting permission for this and that... I make out a dozen or so invoices a month, most of them with more than one job for the same client.
I used to love it when I worked in house... in the section where we picke... See more ... or else I would starve! I simply take the most urgent first.
I have never kept serious statistics, but many of the jobs I do er smaller than 1000 words, and anything over 5000 is large for me. Press releases, one-page letters from lawyers or public bodies granting permission for this and that... I make out a dozen or so invoices a month, most of them with more than one job for the same client.
I used to love it when I worked in house... in the section where we picked up all the bits and pieces that were too small or too time-consuming for freelancers - forgotten sentences, rushed last-minute adjustments, terminology lists ...
We met up for lunch breaks with another section who worked in teams on the really big projects - millions of words, coordinated terminology and the lot. The types who celebrate meeting a deadline two or three times a year, with a night out, maybe champagne, or an extended weekend after working round the clock for a solid fortnight.
They would not accept more than one deadline in the same month!
So I could really stress them out when they asked how my job was going, and I said happily 'Great - I've already crossed off three deadlines today, only two more to go!' 
But I never celebrated with champagne either... ▲ Collapse
| | | | Mario Chavez (X)
Local time: 13:34
英語 から スペイン語
+ ...
| As Sean Connery said... | Aug 20, 2013 |
Diana Coada, BA RPSI wrote:
accept two projects that have the same deadline. That would show very poor organisational and negotiation skills on my part.
... Never say never.
Having at least two projects with the same deadline is a matter of course in our profession. The trick is to get an extension from one of the clients. If an extension is not possible, one can always finish Project 1 first and deliver it earlier in the day, then wrap up Project 2 and deliver it hours later on the same day.
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Mario Chavez (X)
Local time: 13:34
英語 から スペイン語
+ ...
| It's difficult to manage... | Aug 20, 2013 |
...especially when you have to spellcheck polls:
I negociate the delivery date with the client...
We can't always get the deadlines we want. That's why acquiring and cultivating negotiation skills is useful in this profession and in life in general.
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is the spice of life
having another translation to do at the same time can be really great if one of them is incredibly boring.
I generally have a couple larger translations on the go and fit in little ones as and when they come (if I have time, of course).
It is very rare for me to misjudge (but I did ask for a slight delivery delay today - quite simply because I know no-one is going to read my 18000 words on Friday afternoon or over the weekend, so they are happy to get it M... See more is the spice of life
having another translation to do at the same time can be really great if one of them is incredibly boring.
I generally have a couple larger translations on the go and fit in little ones as and when they come (if I have time, of course).
It is very rare for me to misjudge (but I did ask for a slight delivery delay today - quite simply because I know no-one is going to read my 18000 words on Friday afternoon or over the weekend, so they are happy to get it Monday!!)
Diversity is a challenge and I love it! ▲ Collapse
| | | | Thayenga
ドイツ
Local time: 19:34
2009に入会
英語 から ドイツ語
+ ...
It's all a matter of one's organizational (and translation) skills, one's daily output and, perhaps, of the projects' fields. Not to mention the deadlines themselves.
Projects with a total word count of, let's say, 80.000 to be delivered within two or three weeks can be handled, while the same number of words within one week can result quite problematic. Aside from the fact that I wouldn't accept that amount of words with such tight deadlines.
Working on several small... See more It's all a matter of one's organizational (and translation) skills, one's daily output and, perhaps, of the projects' fields. Not to mention the deadlines themselves.
Projects with a total word count of, let's say, 80.000 to be delivered within two or three weeks can be handled, while the same number of words within one week can result quite problematic. Aside from the fact that I wouldn't accept that amount of words with such tight deadlines.
Working on several smaller, medium sized or larger projects in one day constitutes no problem, although I would try to get the smaller projects out of the way first, if possible.
After all, there's never been any clients who has complained about receiving their translated projects earlier than the agreed upon delivery date. ▲ Collapse
| | | | | Several smaller projects | Aug 20, 2013 |
I tend to take on smaller projects, and often have more than one deadline per day, usually all deadlines fall on EOB. I usually do the first draft for one, then the first draft for the next... then go back to the first project to proofread and so on. Sometimes I may have a day or two in between each step, which is always nice.
[Edited at 2013-08-20 14:32 GMT]
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Allison Wright (X)
ポルトガル
Local time: 18:34
| Is this a trick question? | Aug 20, 2013 |
My answer: Normally quite well, actually.
| | | | | Finish one, start the other one. | Aug 20, 2013 |
It's as simple as that.
If I didn't have enough time to do that, I wouldn't accept one of those projects in the first place.
Anni
| | | | | The starting date is far more important | Aug 20, 2013 |
I actually like having two projects in different states of completion in the same time period. I do a better job of proofreading if my mind has focused on something else for a while.
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