Poll: When potential clients put out calls for CVs, I...
Thread poster: ProZ.com Staff
ProZ.com Staff
ProZ.com Staff
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Sep 24, 2018

This forum topic is for the discussion of the poll question "When potential clients put out calls for CVs, I...".

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Maria Teresa Borges de Almeida
Maria Teresa Borges de Almeida  Identity Verified
Portugal
Local time: 09:48
Member (2007)
English to Portuguese
+ ...
Other Sep 24, 2018

Usually my client base keeps me busy, so it depends on who is the potential client. I always respond to direct clients and colleagues, but I’m very selective with translation agencies (I never respond to agencies from certain countries)…

Jan Truper
Ricki Farn
Sid Ralph (X)
Melanie Meyer
Muriel Vasconcellos
 
Christine Andersen
Christine Andersen  Identity Verified
Denmark
Local time: 10:48
Member (2003)
Danish to English
+ ...
Other Sep 24, 2018

I check them out to see whether I want to work with them.
I have weeded out fairly thoroughly in my clients, so I am loyal to the ones I have, but am still open to a good offer.

On the other hand, when clients I dropped several years ago send requests, I usually ignore them.
If they actually send a personal mail, I tell them I am semi-retired.


Ricki Farn
Sid Ralph (X)
 
Marjolein Snippe
Marjolein Snippe  Identity Verified
Netherlands
Local time: 10:48
Member (2012)
English to Dutch
+ ...
may reply Sep 24, 2018

I reply only to personal emails (using my name); if the potential client seems interesting enough (asking specifically for a translator in my fields of interest, good BB score, likely to be willing to pay my rates) I will probably send them my CV.

Liena Vijupe
Jennifer Forbes
Ana Florencia Fernandez
Ricki Farn
Melanie Meyer
 
Nikki Scott-Despaigne
Nikki Scott-Despaigne  Identity Verified
Local time: 10:48
French to English
Respond only if... Sep 24, 2018

If it is a client who has contacted me directly and individually and wishes to see my CV, then, of course, I will provide it.
The question asks about would-be clients putting out a call for CV. Mailshots of that type are of no interest to me and I delete them almost immediately.


[Edited at 2018-09-24 11:56 GMT]


Ricki Farn
 
Kay Denney
Kay Denney  Identity Verified
France
Local time: 10:48
French to English
Sure they can have my CV Sep 24, 2018

Provided they're in the euro zone, don't look fishy in any way, and it looks like they might have work I'd consider doing.
Most potential clients will have already had an opportunity to view either my Proz or LinkedIn profiles, which contain more or less the same information, but I suppose they need something to pop in their database.


Ricki Farn
 
Nina Khmielnitzky
Nina Khmielnitzky  Identity Verified
Canada
Local time: 05:48
Member (2004)
English to French
Depends what country they are from Sep 24, 2018

If they are from a low paying country, I delete their emails. If they are from North America, I check if they are a reliable agency, then send my cv. Anyway, I don't know why they would ask for my cv. They can download it from my proz profile or see it on LinkedIn.

 
EvaVer (X)
EvaVer (X)  Identity Verified
Local time: 10:48
Czech to French
+ ...
Only if... Sep 24, 2018

Yes, the country counts - not only "low paying" or not as Nina says, but also in view of my ability to communicate with them (cultural compatibility) and to get paid at all from that country - both technically and to enforce payments.
In acceptable countries, I nowadays only bother 1) if the language pair is one that interests me (= generally speaking, not involving English) and/or if the subject is one of my main subjects, and 2) if they don't require specific SW and generally are user fr
... See more
Yes, the country counts - not only "low paying" or not as Nina says, but also in view of my ability to communicate with them (cultural compatibility) and to get paid at all from that country - both technically and to enforce payments.
In acceptable countries, I nowadays only bother 1) if the language pair is one that interests me (= generally speaking, not involving English) and/or if the subject is one of my main subjects, and 2) if they don't require specific SW and generally are user friendly (no complicated procedures).
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Ricki Farn
 
Thayenga
Thayenga  Identity Verified
Germany
Local time: 10:48
Member (2009)
English to German
+ ...
The reason matters Sep 24, 2018

If they contact me directly, addressing me by my name, offering a specific job in my fields (requires that the potential customer does her/his homework), and are willing or able to pay my rate, I could send them my business brochure (without any contact/payment details other than the email address) if my profile hasn't answered all of their questions, or I'll do so in an email exchange. Of course only after I've done my homework.

Updating their data base/pool of translators is no re
... See more
If they contact me directly, addressing me by my name, offering a specific job in my fields (requires that the potential customer does her/his homework), and are willing or able to pay my rate, I could send them my business brochure (without any contact/payment details other than the email address) if my profile hasn't answered all of their questions, or I'll do so in an email exchange. Of course only after I've done my homework.

Updating their data base/pool of translators is no reason to even reply to... undisclosed recipients.
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Ricki Farn
 
Yaotl Altan
Yaotl Altan  Identity Verified
Mexico
Local time: 03:48
Member (2006)
English to Spanish
+ ...
Link Sep 24, 2018

As I don't want to write the same text over and over, I decided to copy and paste it everytime they ask for my CV:

"Please read my CV by clicking here: http://www.yam.com.mx/CVyam.pdf "


 
Gianluca Marras
Gianluca Marras  Identity Verified
Italy
Local time: 10:48
English to Italian
respond only if Sep 24, 2018

- I receive an email addressed to me and not to all the translators in the world (dear translator, dear colleague...)
- I see a call specifically addressed to people who work in my field


 
Gibril Koroma
Gibril Koroma  Identity Verified
Canada
Local time: 05:48
French to English
+ ...
Always Sep 25, 2018

I always send it even though it's right there on my Proz.com profile. You never know. Also, it's not hard work. Just a click or two.

 
Mario Freitas
Mario Freitas  Identity Verified
Brazil
Local time: 06:48
Member (2014)
English to Portuguese
+ ...
Respond only if Sep 25, 2018

1. The email is personal, with my name on top and theirs in the end, with some information about themselves in the signature.
2. The client has an average above 4.6 in the Blue Board
3. The message is well written and objective. Generic searches for translators just for database purposes are trash.
4. They answer a few standard questions I make about method/terms of payment, document or platform, and other basic criteria.
5. They are not from certain countries we already
... See more
1. The email is personal, with my name on top and theirs in the end, with some information about themselves in the signature.
2. The client has an average above 4.6 in the Blue Board
3. The message is well written and objective. Generic searches for translators just for database purposes are trash.
4. They answer a few standard questions I make about method/terms of payment, document or platform, and other basic criteria.
5. They are not from certain countries we already know will end up in nothing.

That way you'll find out easily if it's worth sending a CV or not. Usually not.
It's curious that most of these e-mails I actually reply that way are commonly not replied back with any answers. This proves that most of these are BS anyway.

[Edited at 2018-09-25 03:45 GMT]
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Thayenga
 
Edith van der Have
Edith van der Have
Netherlands
Local time: 10:48
Member (2016)
English to Dutch
+ ...
Respond only if... Sep 25, 2018

... they start their email with my name, are a good match for my skills/specialisations and have a good track record on the ProZ Blue Board and/or Paymentpractices.net.

Jennifer Forbes
 
Julian Holmes
Julian Holmes  Identity Verified
Japan
Local time: 18:48
Member (2011)
Japanese to English
Other Sep 26, 2018

I send them my CB or Capabilities Brochure on the provision that they handle my personal information VERY carefully - I worked effing hard to develop my portfolio.
I'm not a newbie fresh out of college and job hunting. I have around 33 or so years of experience under my belt. The last thing I want to send out is a CV, FFS.

My CB showcases my skill set with examples of how I can help their company, and gives examples of successful projects to date and why they were successful.
... See more
I send them my CB or Capabilities Brochure on the provision that they handle my personal information VERY carefully - I worked effing hard to develop my portfolio.
I'm not a newbie fresh out of college and job hunting. I have around 33 or so years of experience under my belt. The last thing I want to send out is a CV, FFS.

My CB showcases my skill set with examples of how I can help their company, and gives examples of successful projects to date and why they were successful. It also explains my commitment to quality translation, work I accept/do not accept and my business approach. This should be more than enough for potential clients.
If they want more than this, then I will simply ask that personal data I have sent so far to be deleted as I do not want to deal with complete effing idiots.

Nuff said
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Poll: When potential clients put out calls for CVs, I...






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