Poll: As a freelancer, your income comes from...
Thread poster: ProZ.com Staff
ProZ.com Staff
ProZ.com Staff
SITE STAFF
Aug 24, 2021

This forum topic is for the discussion of the poll question "As a freelancer, your income comes from...".

This poll was originally submitted by André Fachada. View the poll results »



Farzanda Murad
Kindi Parker
 
Maria Teresa Borges de Almeida
Maria Teresa Borges de Almeida  Identity Verified
Portugal
Local time: 18:39
Member (2007)
English to Portuguese
+ ...
My profession Aug 24, 2021

My full income comes from translation: in part from a pension (for 20 years I was a member of the permanent staff of one of the EU institutions) and in part from my freelance work. I started freelancing full-time when I retired. Most people my age are retired, but I have no intention of stopping…

Farzanda Murad
Barbara Cochran, MFA
Korana Lasić
Muriel Vasconcellos
Philip Lees
Josephine Cassar
Peter Simon
 
Thayenga
Thayenga  Identity Verified
Germany
Local time: 19:39
Member (2009)
English to German
+ ...
More than one source Aug 24, 2021

My professions are, translator, writer, poet and creative writer, aside from receiving pensions.

 
Muriel Vasconcellos
Muriel Vasconcellos  Identity Verified
United States
Local time: 10:39
Member (2003)
Spanish to English
+ ...
My profession Aug 25, 2021

Like Teresa, I early-retired from my position as a full-time translator with an international organization. I receive a pension from them plus my freelance income. Also a small amount of Social Security from the U.S. Government. In addition, I get infinitesimally miniscule royalties from a couple of books.

[Edited at 2021-08-25 03:58 GMT]


 
Peter Simon
Peter Simon  Identity Verified
Netherlands
Local time: 19:39
English to Hungarian
+ ...
Translation and pension Aug 25, 2021

My story is complicated as I used to be a teacher full-time. I became a translator after I left it and will possibly never stop doing translation beside my new pension(s) as it is/they are/will always be rather meagre and because I like translating. But we never see the future (fortunately).

[Edited at 2021-08-25 06:36 GMT]


 
Baran Keki
Baran Keki  Identity Verified
Türkiye
Local time: 20:39
Member
English to Turkish
Asking questions like this Aug 25, 2021

shows that translation is still not considered a 'real job'. It's something you do to earn some 'pocket money' while living under the financial security of your parents or family.

JPMedicalTrans
Tiina Linnamaa
expressisverbis
 
Kay-Viktor Stegemann
Kay-Viktor Stegemann
Germany
Local time: 19:39
English to German
In memoriam
Numbers Aug 25, 2021

Baran Keki wrote:

shows that translation is still not considered a 'real job'. It's something you do to earn some 'pocket money' while living under the financial security of your parents or family.


Right now, only 62% of respondents have replied that their income comes from their profession alone, so that the impression that many do it on the side only could be justified.


Arjan van den Berg
 
Christina Pauly
Christina Pauly  Identity Verified
Local time: 19:39
Member (2008)
English to German
+ ...
I have a second source of income Aug 25, 2021

Baran's remark that translation is still not considered a 'real job' reminds me of a joke which is popular with translators here in Germany:
Two people meet at a cocktail party and have a small talk:
Person #1: I'm a yacht dealer / real estate developer / investment manager... And what do you do?
Person #2: I translate.
Person #1: No, what I meant was: what do you do for a living?
Person #2: Oh, I make so much money with my translations that I don't need to work at
... See more
Baran's remark that translation is still not considered a 'real job' reminds me of a joke which is popular with translators here in Germany:
Two people meet at a cocktail party and have a small talk:
Person #1: I'm a yacht dealer / real estate developer / investment manager... And what do you do?
Person #2: I translate.
Person #1: No, what I meant was: what do you do for a living?
Person #2: Oh, I make so much money with my translations that I don't need to work at all...
Collapse


Baran Keki
 
Edoardo Bitti
Edoardo Bitti  Identity Verified
Italy
Local time: 19:39
French to Italian
+ ...
My profession Aug 25, 2021

My income comes completely from my profession of translator.

I am 28 and I have not any pension or royalty. The issue is that I have a big client I work for (80 % of the income) and other small clients (remaining 20%).


 
Mario Freitas
Mario Freitas  Identity Verified
Brazil
Local time: 14:39
Member (2014)
English to Portuguese
+ ...
My profession Aug 25, 2021

I used to have another job and translation was the "extra". BIG mistake. I make twice as much money as a full-time transaltor. And I'm the one who helps the family, too. I'll never have an in-house job again.

Kay-Viktor Stegemann
 
expressisverbis
expressisverbis
Portugal
Local time: 18:39
Member (2015)
English to Portuguese
+ ...
As a freelancer, my income comes from... Aug 26, 2021

... my profession and from my hard work, but "satisfaction lies in the effort"

 


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Poll: As a freelancer, your income comes from...






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