Poll: Have clients ever reviewed your online behavior (forums, social networks) in the screening process?
Thread poster: ProZ.com Staff
ProZ.com Staff
ProZ.com Staff
SITE STAFF
Oct 30, 2017

This forum topic is for the discussion of the poll question "Have clients ever reviewed your online behavior (forums, social networks) in the screening process?".

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Maria Teresa Borges de Almeida
Maria Teresa Borges de Almeida  Identity Verified
Portugal
Local time: 11:09
Member (2007)
English to Portuguese
+ ...
I don't know Oct 30, 2017

I must say though that my online behavior is limited to Proz and other translation portals. I’m not on social networks!

social-noise-FB


 
Edith van der Have
Edith van der Have
Netherlands
Local time: 12:09
Member (2016)
English to Dutch
+ ...
Just wondering ... Oct 30, 2017

... how approx. 20% of the respondents can say 'no' about this. How would you know, if they don't tell you (and most wouldn't)? Even if you never post anything on the internet or use pseudonyms, potential clients could have looked and not found anything in the process.

 
Julian Holmes
Julian Holmes  Identity Verified
Japan
Local time: 20:09
Member (2011)
Japanese to English
Haven't a bloody clue! Oct 30, 2017

In fact, how the hell am I supposed to effing know?

Should I mail them and ask them along the lines of "Oh, by the way, have you been monitoring my online habits these days? Of course, I hardly spend any time online in chat rooms or SNS when I should be working on your work, do I."

Does the poster of this poll think anybody would be stupid enough to wave a red flag under their clients' nose?

Yet another effing stupid poll question from guess-w
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In fact, how the hell am I supposed to effing know?

Should I mail them and ask them along the lines of "Oh, by the way, have you been monitoring my online habits these days? Of course, I hardly spend any time online in chat rooms or SNS when I should be working on your work, do I."

Does the poster of this poll think anybody would be stupid enough to wave a red flag under their clients' nose?

Yet another effing stupid poll question from guess-who, the person-who-can't-be-named Anonymous who's been able to post whatever they like (i.e. Proz.com staff's) as their 35th consecutive Anonymous poll on the trot.



Added a 'bloody', got rid of an 'effing' and added a 'Yet'

[Edited at 2017-10-30 09:45 GMT]

[Edited at 2017-10-30 12:21 GMT]
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Yetta Jensen Bogarde
Yetta Jensen Bogarde  Identity Verified
Denmark
Local time: 12:09
Member (2012)
English to Danish
+ ...
I have no idea Oct 30, 2017

but I suppose in this day and age we'll have to be prepared for it.

To Julian: I am afraid the way you are coming down on 'Anonymous', you are actually discouraging others to give their names.


 
Christopher Schröder
Christopher Schröder
United Kingdom
Member (2011)
Swedish to English
+ ...
No Oct 30, 2017

I think I can say no with some certainty.

For one thing, who would have the time?

For another, I don't get "screened". They ask if I can translate something, and I say yes or no.

This is a shame given how much more charming and charismatic I am online than in reality.


 
Julian Holmes
Julian Holmes  Identity Verified
Japan
Local time: 20:09
Member (2011)
Japanese to English
The opposite Oct 30, 2017

Yetta J Bogarde wrote:

To Julian: I am afraid the way you are coming down on 'Anonymous', you are actually discouraging others to give their names.


I disagree, Yetta. I think the problem is quite the reverse.

As I posted perhaps a day or two ago, it becomes meaningless for anybody to actually suggest a poll and put their name to it if Proz.com is going to post 'Anonymous' polls, i.e. polls that nobody is going to put their name behind, in preference over poll suggestions from actual people with actual names.
This makes a mockery of suggesting polls and providing a 'Suggest a Poll' option in the first place. Besides, poll suggestions aren't going to be inflammatory or shameful, so why hide behind a harmless question, anyway?

IMHO


 
neilmac
neilmac
Spain
Local time: 12:09
Spanish to English
+ ...
Yes Oct 30, 2017

The US division of one of my best clients posted a text on a social media website. I mentioned in the comments section that it was a shame their English in the ad (or whatever it was) wasn't better (they have some Hispanic Americans working there whose spoken English is excellent, although their written skills are not always as good as they could be IMHO).
It turned out that their head of department, a direct contact of mine, had drafted the content himself. He soon got in touch with me an
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The US division of one of my best clients posted a text on a social media website. I mentioned in the comments section that it was a shame their English in the ad (or whatever it was) wasn't better (they have some Hispanic Americans working there whose spoken English is excellent, although their written skills are not always as good as they could be IMHO).
It turned out that their head of department, a direct contact of mine, had drafted the content himself. He soon got in touch with me and gave me a ticking off for what he perceived as slagging off the company and giving it a bad name. Nevertheless, I'm still working with them
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Mario Freitas
Mario Freitas  Identity Verified
Brazil
Local time: 08:09
Member (2014)
English to Portuguese
+ ...
In a way, yes Oct 31, 2017

I've never received any comments from clients about my behavior in social media, but I've done several jobs for people that only know me from such forums, who, of course, thought my behavior and my participation in the forums was positive, otherwise they wouldn't have outsourced me.

 
EvaVer (X)
EvaVer (X)  Identity Verified
Local time: 12:09
Czech to French
+ ...
No idea Oct 31, 2017

but if they tried it, they would find very little.

 
Kay Denney
Kay Denney  Identity Verified
France
Local time: 12:09
French to English
No Oct 31, 2017

I'm careful never to use my real name online so they can't possibly judge anything. It's none of their business anyway.

 
Diana Obermeyer
Diana Obermeyer  Identity Verified
United Kingdom
Local time: 11:09
Member (2013)
German to English
+ ...
Yes Jan 18, 2018

I'm sure it happens more often than I know.
I am only certain about 1 case a few years ago, where I engaged in a heated FB discussion on a controversial topic, arguing in favour of the controversial activities involved.
Soon after, I was contacted by a company engaged in said activity and keen to hire a translator that supports it. It was a good-size project.

I don't really mind, either.
I do it myself. I check if e.g. a plumber I want to hire posts drunken pub pos
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I'm sure it happens more often than I know.
I am only certain about 1 case a few years ago, where I engaged in a heated FB discussion on a controversial topic, arguing in favour of the controversial activities involved.
Soon after, I was contacted by a company engaged in said activity and keen to hire a translator that supports it. It was a good-size project.

I don't really mind, either.
I do it myself. I check if e.g. a plumber I want to hire posts drunken pub posts several times a week, or complains and moans day in day out, whether about personal stuff, economic conditions - or even clients.

It's very simple - the internet is a public space. Treat is as such.
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Poll: Have clients ever reviewed your online behavior (forums, social networks) in the screening process?






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