Is it normal to be contacted via email after someone finds you on ProZ?
Thread poster: Eliza Hall
Eliza Hall
Eliza Hall
United States
Local time: 05:30
French to English
+ ...
Sep 20, 2018

I just got an email saying the person found me here and has a short project in my language pair. They ask for my rates and availability. Is this normal? Why wouldn't they just post the job here and request quotes?

 
Tom in London
Tom in London
United Kingdom
Local time: 09:30
Member (2008)
Italian to English
Yes, it's normal Sep 20, 2018

Eliza Hall wrote:

I just got an email saying the person found me here and has a short project in my language pair. They ask for my rates and availability. Is this normal? Why wouldn't they just post the job here and request quotes?


Yes, it's normal. It happens to me every few days. They may specifically want someone in your language pair with your specific skills, or (more probably) they are just mass emailing a lot of people in search of the best deal. Mostly these mails are just a nuisance. I don't think I've ever responded to any of them other than to say "sorry, I'm busy".

If someone really wants YOU for a job, the email will give much more detail and will clearly have been sent to you only.

[Edited at 2018-09-20 14:10 GMT]


Thomas T. Frost
Ester Vidal
John Fossey
Morano El-Kholy
P.L.F. Persio
Eleonora_P
Maria Teresa Borges de Almeida
 
Eva Stoppa
Eva Stoppa  Identity Verified
Germany
Local time: 10:30
English to German
+ ...
Just happened to me a few minutes ago Sep 20, 2018

[quote]Tom in London wrote:

Yes, it's normal. It happens to me every few days. They may specifically want someone in your language pair with your specific skills, or (more probably) they are just mass emailing a lot of people in search of the best deal. Mostly these mails are just a nuisance. I don't think I've ever responded to any of them other than to say "sorry, I'm busy".

I just got contacted by someone saying "I am from xxx Language services". They are looking for translators, but the person didn't state the subject field. Of course, they'd first need a translation test from me. No introduction from the person, so no clue if it was a male, female or whatever. I wrote back saying I don't do unpaid translations, even if it is a test. Oh, how I loathe such requests!


Tom in London
José Henrique Lamensdorf
 
John Fossey
John Fossey  Identity Verified
Canada
Local time: 05:30
Member (2008)
French to English
+ ...
More normal than posting Sep 20, 2018

From my experience, posting is the exception rather than the rule. When an outsourcer posts they get dozens of responses from translators and then have to spend a good part of the day sorting through them. It's a better use of their time to filter profiles, pick one or two good fits, and contact them directly by email.

P.L.F. Persio
Sheila Wilson
Sabrina Bruna
Jane F
Nikki Scott-Despaigne
Maria Teresa Borges de Almeida
Vera Schoen
 
Sheila Wilson
Sheila Wilson  Identity Verified
Spain
Local time: 09:30
Member (2007)
English
+ ...
They can be the best contacts Sep 20, 2018

John Fossey wrote:
From my experience, posting is the exception rather than the rule. When an outsourcer posts they get dozens of responses from translators and then have to spend a good part of the day sorting through them. It's a better use of their time to filter profiles, pick one or two good fits, and contact them directly by email.

That's my experience too. Of course some of the emails are mass calls or ridiculously urgent (as though you'd be sitting there waiting!). But other clients have done a specific search and then contacted one potential supplier, or maybe a few - so there's a high chance of landing the job if you want it. I've even had cases of direct clients who've found the site and created a basic profile here simply because otherwise they can't contact me through my profile. It's one of the main advantages of the site, IMO. I doubt that a freelancer's website would ever be found when Googling for a supplier, but ProZ.com is always up there on page one, and with just a couple more clicks those freelancers who best match the client's needs are visible to them.

But do make sure you do due diligence, Eliza. There are a lot of scammers around at the moment so check out the Scam Centre here.


Yolanda Broad
Soonthon LUPKITARO(Ph.D.)
Maria Teresa Borges de Almeida
José Henrique Lamensdorf
Ivana UK
 
Thomas Pfann
Thomas Pfann  Identity Verified
United Kingdom
Local time: 09:30
Member (2006)
English to German
+ ...
It's what ProZ is for Sep 20, 2018

I'd say this is exactly what the ProZ directory is for and how it is meant to be used.

If you needed a translator for a specific job, what would you do? Would you rather post the job and invite quotes or would you search the directory for suitable translators and contact them directly?


Yolanda Broad
Andy Watkinson
Sabrina Bruna
Soonthon LUPKITARO(Ph.D.)
Maria Teresa Borges de Almeida
José Henrique Lamensdorf
Daniela Slankamenac
 
Samuel Murray
Samuel Murray  Identity Verified
Netherlands
Local time: 10:30
Member (2006)
English to Afrikaans
+ ...
@Eliza Sep 20, 2018

Eliza Hall wrote:
Is this normal? Why wouldn't they just post the job here and request quotes?


ProZ.com staff repeatedly stated over the years that most jobs gotten via ProZ.com are gotten through being found in directory searches, and not through bids on posted jobs. I'm not sure how they measure that, but it seems plausible.


José Henrique Lamensdorf
Jessica Noyes
 
Eliza Hall
Eliza Hall
United States
Local time: 05:30
French to English
+ ...
TOPIC STARTER
Thank you! Sep 20, 2018

That's all very reassuring, and it makes sense. I will of course, as Sheila suggested, be on the lookout for any signs of a scam.

[Edited at 2018-09-20 16:39 GMT]


 
DZiW (X)
DZiW (X)
Ukraine
English to Russian
+ ...
To Eliza Sep 20, 2018

While the due diligence is always a must, according to many recent cases, I think the problem is not contacting via external email: all the other way round--it's very not logged in/not registered senders who abuse Proz messaging and other credible portals or platforms, swindling gullible and inattentive

 
Soonthon LUPKITARO(Ph.D.)
Soonthon LUPKITARO(Ph.D.)  Identity Verified
Thailand
Local time: 16:30
English to Thai
+ ...
Best client!!! Sep 20, 2018

Sheila Wilson wrote:
That's my experience too. Of course some of the emails are mass calls or ridiculously urgent (as though you'd be sitting there waiting!). But other clients have done a specific search and then contacted one potential supplier, or maybe a few - so there's a high chance of landing the job if you want it. I've even had cases of direct clients who've found the site and created a basic profile here simply because otherwise they can't contact me through my profile. It's one of the main advantages of the site, IMO. I doubt that a freelancer's website would ever be found when Googling for a supplier, but ProZ.com is always up there on page one, and with just a couple more clicks those freelancers who best match the client's needs are visible to them.


Proz.com bidding page is obsolete for me since the bid price and job conditions are becoming deteriorated gradually. Direct job contact or e-mail contact is ideal. My only negative view is that they offer job with badly small job volume, probably as low as 5 words as well. This is not worth even replying to the client's mail.

Soonthon L.


 


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Is it normal to be contacted via email after someone finds you on ProZ?







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