Poll: How often do you recommend a colleague to clients for certain jobs?
Thread poster: ProZ.com Staff
ProZ.com Staff
ProZ.com Staff
SITE STAFF
Mar 14, 2020

This forum topic is for the discussion of the poll question "How often do you recommend a colleague to clients for certain jobs?".

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Maria Teresa Borges de Almeida
Maria Teresa Borges de Almeida  Identity Verified
Portugal
Local time: 05:31
Member (2007)
English to Portuguese
+ ...
Every once in a while Mar 14, 2020

I've recommended translation colleagues (some are Prozians) quite a few times either when the language combination or the subject matter is not within my areas of expertise. If I can’t accept an assignment, I don’t want to leave a regular customer without any options just because I can’t do it. I’ve also been recommended by colleagues and I find this highly motivating and rewarding: it warms my heart and heals my soul. It goes both ways.

FRANCESCO FAIETA
P.L.F. Persio
Kevin Fulton
Katya Kesten
Mario Freitas
Philip Lees
Muriel Vasconcellos
 
Elizabeth Tamblin
Elizabeth Tamblin  Identity Verified
United Kingdom
Local time: 05:31
French to English
Never Mar 14, 2020

I don't know any other translators well enough to be sure of the quality of their work.

Dan Lucas
Anna Gorska
Bruno Veilleux
 
Tom in London
Tom in London
United Kingdom
Local time: 05:31
Member (2008)
Italian to English
Only once Mar 14, 2020

ProZ.com Staff wrote:

This forum topic is for the discussion of the poll question "How often do you recommend a colleague to clients for certain jobs?".

View the poll results »



Only once, and not in my language pair. I can't recommend people who are in direct competition with me - but otherwise I'm happy to help, and other Prozians have recommended me on occasion, which I greatly appreciate.



[Edited at 2020-03-14 12:02 GMT]


Aline Amorim
 
Aline Amorim
Aline Amorim  Identity Verified
Brazil
Local time: 02:31
English to Portuguese
+ ...
Very frequently Mar 14, 2020

ProZ.com Staff wrote:

This forum topic is for the discussion of the poll question "How often do you recommend a colleague to clients for certain jobs?".

View the poll results »



I work with two reliable co-workers.


 
Omri Ofek Luzon
Omri Ofek Luzon  Identity Verified
Israel
Local time: 08:31
Member (2019)
English to Hebrew
+ ...
We are not working in a vacuum Mar 14, 2020

To be a professional means knowing what you are good at and what not. Many times I get projects that I know I cannot do by myself, or that I need other professionals with me. I believe in networking, cooperating, helping others helps you - so I refer, I maintain a wide network of people I trust and worked with in the past, and simply recommend.

Vuka Mijuskovic
Salma Madani
P.L.F. Persio
Hawo Abdi
 
Mario Freitas
Mario Freitas  Identity Verified
Brazil
Local time: 02:31
Member (2014)
English to Portuguese
+ ...
Often Mar 14, 2020

In my language pair, we always have to indicate colleagues, as the clients usually do not differentiate between the variants of the language (Brazilian, European, Angolan, etc.), and even Spanish sometimes.
I also do not work in certain areas like medicine and pharmacy, and I refuse to do jobs related to academic papers, thesis, abstracts and the like, as well as jobs for "peanut" agencies.
So when I receive a demand for any of these exceptions, I already have a list of colleagues w
... See more
In my language pair, we always have to indicate colleagues, as the clients usually do not differentiate between the variants of the language (Brazilian, European, Angolan, etc.), and even Spanish sometimes.
I also do not work in certain areas like medicine and pharmacy, and I refuse to do jobs related to academic papers, thesis, abstracts and the like, as well as jobs for "peanut" agencies.
So when I receive a demand for any of these exceptions, I already have a list of colleagues who I can indicate, i. e. European colleagues, Spanish translators, colleagues specialized in health and other fields, colleagues who work with academic papers regularly, and newbies who always ask for jobs and will accept the "peanut" jobs.
Likewise, I'm regularly indicated by colleagues in similar circumstances.
All this also applies to work in excess, which is not as common, but it happens, too.


[Edited at 2020-03-14 20:40 GMT]
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Bruno Dutra
 
Victor Donkov
Victor Donkov
Local time: 07:31
English to Bulgarian
+ ...
Whenever I cannot take the job Mar 14, 2020

I always recommend another (trusted) professional, whenever I cannot do the job myself, or if it is not within my powers. The client is happy because the work is done, the colleague is also happy. Of course one should only recommend reliable colleagues.

Andrea Capuselli
 
Matthias Brombach
Matthias Brombach  Identity Verified
Germany
Local time: 06:31
Member (2007)
Dutch to German
+ ...
Never ... Mar 14, 2020

... again.

Tom in London
 
Muriel Vasconcellos
Muriel Vasconcellos  Identity Verified
United States
Local time: 22:31
Member (2003)
Spanish to English
+ ...
Every once in a while Mar 15, 2020

Sometimes when I have more work that I can handle and the client isn't able to extend the deadline. I only recommend colleagues whose work I'm familiar with.

[Edited at 2020-03-15 06:07 GMT]


Hawo Abdi
 
Vuka Mijuskovic
Vuka Mijuskovic  Identity Verified
Serbia
Local time: 06:31
English to Serbian
+ ...
Client is not the crucial variance Mar 15, 2020

Each time I know someone who'd do that particular job better than me, or would fit better the particular team. It has nothing to do with the client, but with the job at hand.

 
IrinaN
IrinaN
United States
Local time: 00:31
English to Russian
+ ...
Often Mar 15, 2020

Recommend and get recommended all the time; word-of-mouth is a very important source of work.

On the interpreting side, it's crucial to be comfortable with the partner on a personal level and be sure of h/h overall attitude and manner of handling clients.

I'm not the best in the pool but some of my dear colleagues would pick me first because working together will be a breeze. I do my best to pay back every chance I get. When I'm not looking for a partner but need to han
... See more
Recommend and get recommended all the time; word-of-mouth is a very important source of work.

On the interpreting side, it's crucial to be comfortable with the partner on a personal level and be sure of h/h overall attitude and manner of handling clients.

I'm not the best in the pool but some of my dear colleagues would pick me first because working together will be a breeze. I do my best to pay back every chance I get. When I'm not looking for a partner but need to hand the job over, this is even more important because my recommendation = sticking my neck out.
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Poll: How often do you recommend a colleague to clients for certain jobs?






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