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Poll: You receive two good assignments at once. You... Thread poster: ProZ.com Staff
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This forum topic is for the discussion of the poll question "You receive two good assignments at once. You...".
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Mary Worby 
United Kingdom
Local time: 03:49
German to English
+ ...
If two come in virtually together, i.e. I haven't responded to the first before the second comes in, I'll prioritise the first unless the second is paying more, looks more interesting, etc. If I accept one, I'll try to negotiate deadlines on the other but feel no guilt if it doesn't work out!
Edited out typo.
[Edited at 2012-12-05 08:24 GMT]
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Michael Harris
Germany
Local time: 04:49
Member (2006)
German to English
Depends on their size, the deadline, customer.
If they are the same size and have the same deadline, I would see if I could put off one of the deadlines and if that is not possible, I would "have" to turn one down, as quality would suffer if both are forced - better to deliver one good translation than two rubbish ones.
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Vadim Kadyrov
Ukraine
Local time: 05:49
Member (2011)
English to Russian
+ ...
a combination of these options.
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Thayenga
Germany
Local time: 04:49
Member (2009)
English to German
+ ...
| Negotiate plus... | Dec 5, 2012 |
I'd first have a look at both assignments and their delivery dates.
Then it depends on who the client is (good/regular, new or sproadic client), the field of the translation, and if I'd be able to work those required extra hours.
Actually, there is no general answer to this poll, because this needs to be decided on a case by case basis.
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Allison Wright (X)
Portugal
Local time: 03:49
| The response options did my head in | Dec 5, 2012 |
Decline one and don't worry: Depends on my mood (!) and the client/agency.
Decline one and feel guilty: Less guilt now
Accept both and work long hours: Only if I am confident I can do both assignments justice.
Contact a colleague for help: I will occasionally pass on the entire job (but with no further involvement on my side).
Try to renegotiate delivery dates: This option works well, sometimes.
So, I suppose I have to vote "Other"... See more Decline one and don't worry: Depends on my mood (!) and the client/agency.
Decline one and feel guilty: Less guilt now
Accept both and work long hours: Only if I am confident I can do both assignments justice.
Contact a colleague for help: I will occasionally pass on the entire job (but with no further involvement on my side).
Try to renegotiate delivery dates: This option works well, sometimes.
So, I suppose I have to vote "Other" again. ▲ Collapse
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neilmac
Spain
Local time: 04:49
Spanish to English
+ ...
A sort of combination - initially trying to negotiate better deadlines, but if that doesn't work then I usually just accept both anyway and work my **** off to finish them on time.
PS: I would not turn down a job I'd already accepted just because a better-paying one had come in later. I'd consider it money-grubbing and unethical, if not dishonest, both to myself and the client I was letting down for the sake of a few more beer tokens.
[Edited at 2012-12-05 08:40 GMT]
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By taking all factors mentioned so far in this poll into consideration and try to find a way that will not compromise quality. 
If, ultimately, I won't be able to give my best to both projects, then like Michael I would have to bid farewell to one of them. Sigh...
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Mike Sadler (X)
United Kingdom
Local time: 03:49
Spanish to English
+ ...
| Spot on, Thayenga | Dec 5, 2012 |
Thayenga wrote:
I'd first have a look at both assignments and their delivery dates.
Then it depends on who the client is (good/regular, new or sproadic client), the field of the translation, and if I'd be able to work those required extra hours.
Actually, there is no general answer to this poll, because this needs to be decided on a case by case basis.
My thoughts entirely
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DianeGM
Local time: 05:49
Member (2006)
Dutch to English
+ ...
Negotiate ...
Mostly bottle necks like this can be freed up with negotiation for the benefit of all parties.
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| 30% of us don't get enough sleep | Dec 5, 2012 |
I guess that will be one of my New Year resolutions. No crazy working hours, no weekends. I guess I am still too fresh to be able to resist. If I decline one project, another one will eventually appear. There is just no good reason to ruin one's health!
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Caro Maucher
Germany
Local time: 04:49
Member (2005)
English to German
+ ...
| feel guilty????????? | Dec 5, 2012 |
Not an option.
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Helen Hagon
Local time: 03:49
Member (2011)
Russian to English
+ ...
| It is the due date that matters | Dec 5, 2012 |
Just because I receive two assignments at the same time, it does not mean they have to be completed by the same date. As long I can negotiate appropriate deadlines, there is no reason why I should not accept them both.
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| Negotiate and/or work like crazy | Dec 5, 2012 |
Most of my jobs are comparatively small, so asking for another day or even a couple more hours may be enough to make both jobs feasible. Clients can often go along with a small extension of the deadline.
The last couple of weeks I have been working really hard after a slow month most of November.
However, the clients that did send me jobs were some of the best - earnings were average to respectable for me. I must bear that in mind...
So far good clients are flood... See more Most of my jobs are comparatively small, so asking for another day or even a couple more hours may be enough to make both jobs feasible. Clients can often go along with a small extension of the deadline.
The last couple of weeks I have been working really hard after a slow month most of November.
However, the clients that did send me jobs were some of the best - earnings were average to respectable for me. I must bear that in mind...
So far good clients are flooding my mailbox in December, so the option about recommending a colleague will come into play.
Hope others have the same 'problem'!
But feel guilty? No, that is why I work for agencies - they have other options.
Irritated and disappointed at losing a good job is another matter.
Back to work again... ▲ Collapse
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David Wright
Austria
Local time: 04:49
German to English
+ ...
New customer vs old customer - old one gets priority
2 new customers - if both jobs are equally attractive in financial and content terms (i.e are interesting) then I'd try and guess which is likely to be a regular client and turn the other down.
2 old customers, assuming again equality of other parameters - I'd try and renegotiate the deadline or, if not possibla and they are both really very good clients, work my arse off to get them done and take a week's break afterwards.
<... See more New customer vs old customer - old one gets priority
2 new customers - if both jobs are equally attractive in financial and content terms (i.e are interesting) then I'd try and guess which is likely to be a regular client and turn the other down.
2 old customers, assuming again equality of other parameters - I'd try and renegotiate the deadline or, if not possibla and they are both really very good clients, work my arse off to get them done and take a week's break afterwards.
-assuming of course that the deadlines conflict!
[Edited at 2012-12-05 13:36 GMT] ▲ Collapse
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