Poll: I have been working for my oldest client for: Thread poster: ProZ.com Staff
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This forum topic is for the discussion of the poll question "I have been working for my oldest client for:".
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| | | | neilmac
Spain
Local time: 10:52
Spanish to English
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| I met most of my regular clients ... | Nov 30, 2007 |
... through my TEFL activities. For example, a couple that I used to teach conversational English to in the early nineties went on to occupy top managerial posts in regional and local government and so sent me anything they needed translating, which ended up to mean quite a lot, as thanks to word of mouth several of their colleagues have also approached me with their own projects over the years.
Another student of mine on a business English course recommended me as translator for his compa... See more ... through my TEFL activities. For example, a couple that I used to teach conversational English to in the early nineties went on to occupy top managerial posts in regional and local government and so sent me anything they needed translating, which ended up to mean quite a lot, as thanks to word of mouth several of their colleagues have also approached me with their own projects over the years.
Another student of mine on a business English course recommended me as translator for his company, which has since expanded worldwide and is a big success in the electronics sector, and as a result I have been translating all their correspondence, manuals and other texts into English for over 10 years.
The same goes for software and market research, as 2 of my best, most regular clients in these sectors initially approached me for Englsh classes. ▲ Collapse
| | | | | Over 15 years | Nov 30, 2007 |
My oldest and most favored client is my chosen profession!
| | | | Jack Doughty 
United Kingdom
Local time: 09:52
Russian to English
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In memoriam | Over 42 years | Nov 30, 2007 |
The first freelance work I ever did was for a firm which has been sending me work ever since, originally Russian to English, and when that supply of work dried up for them abut 30 years later, they asked me if I could do any other languages. I never had, but I hesitantly suggested I might try German, they seemed happy with what I did and are still sending it to me.
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| CONGRATULATIONS, JACK! | Nov 30, 2007 |
Jack Doughty wrote:
The first freelance work I ever did was for a firm which has been sending me work ever since, originally Russian to English, and when that supply of work dried up for them abut 30 years later, they asked me if I could do any other languages. I never had, but I hesitantly suggested I might try German, they seemed happy with what I did and are still sending it to me.
I started my freelance career in 1989 and have kept all of my first clients to date. I hope to live long enough to achieve what you've done!!
My sincerest congrats,
María Eugenia
| | | | Magda Dziadosz
Poland
Local time: 10:52
Member (2004)
English to Polish
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| Hard to beat that, Jack! | Dec 1, 2007 |
But it's wonderful to know that such good relationships exist.
I still work for an agency who gave me the very first interpreting job when I was still a student (only 20 years ago!). Funny that I also changed the language after some years and we still cooperate very well.
Best,
Magda
| | | | Henry Hinds
United States
Local time: 02:52
English to Spanish
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In memoriam | Not as good as Jack, but... | Dec 1, 2007 |
I started doing translations for a local language school acting as an agency over 36 years ago. Years later it failed and the owner has since died, but based on that business another one was created by a former staffer of the first business, who more years later sold it to a former staffer of the second business she had created.
While not the same business entity, nonetheless I consider it to be the same client because it follows the same tradition and has continuity with the origin... See more I started doing translations for a local language school acting as an agency over 36 years ago. Years later it failed and the owner has since died, but based on that business another one was created by a former staffer of the first business, who more years later sold it to a former staffer of the second business she had created.
While not the same business entity, nonetheless I consider it to be the same client because it follows the same tradition and has continuity with the original business started by the first owner whose mark has been left on those who followed her (including me of course).
I'm doing a translation for that client right now. ▲ Collapse
| | | | Niraja Nanjundan (X)
Local time: 14:22
German to English
| Two of my best clients.... | Dec 1, 2007 |
.....are also my oldest. I have been working for them for ten and seven years respectively. In 2001 I took a two months' break and they still continued to give me work when I got back after such a long absence. It's good to have such dependable clients, especially when things may not work out so well with the newer, more recent ones.
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| My first, second, and third are still with me! | Dec 1, 2007 |
My friend Pedro wouldn't appreciate being called my "oldest" client, though, so it's a good thing my first client was a university that's 104 years old. (The second "oldest" is an agency.)
[Edited at 2007-12-01 04:29]
Later: I see I failed to mention how long I've actually worked with my oldest clients. I began my first professional project in the spring of 1997, so that was 11 years ago. I'm still working regul... See more My friend Pedro wouldn't appreciate being called my "oldest" client, though, so it's a good thing my first client was a university that's 104 years old. (The second "oldest" is an agency.)
[Edited at 2007-12-01 04:29]
Later: I see I failed to mention how long I've actually worked with my oldest clients. I began my first professional project in the spring of 1997, so that was 11 years ago. I'm still working regularly with that client.
[Edited at 2007-12-01 22:13] ▲ Collapse
| | | | Parrot
Spain
Local time: 10:52
Spanish to English
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| Can't beat Jack | Dec 1, 2007 |
but I've had experiences like Henry's. For instance, one PM left an agency to set up her own outfit and began her career by "buying" priority (she knew about rates and hiked them).
Then she had a PM who later left to go abroad. I also work for that PM now.
This thing about the movement of PMs seems the order of the day. I got several new-generation clients this way that I can trace back to an old client.
| | | | Fabio Descalzi
Uruguay
Local time: 05:52
Member (2004)
German to Spanish
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| Herzlichsten Glückwunsch, Jack! | Dec 1, 2007 |
Jack Doughty wrote:
The first freelance work I ever did was for a firm which has been sending me work ever since, originally Russian to English, and when that supply of work dried up for them abut 30 years later, they asked me if I could do any other languages. I never had, but I hesitantly suggested I might try German, they seemed happy with what I did and are still sending it to me.
This thread has got somehow off-topic: a celebration to Jack's long career!
Well, regarding myself: the oldest coming-back client is from 2004, the year I started working thru ProZ.
But I have met again some older relationships here... such as the very English teacher I had when I was 15 years old, and other acquaintances from my teens. ProZ = a workplace... and a meeting point!
| | | | TextTrade
Local time: 11:52
English to French
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| 5 years is the limit | Dec 1, 2007 |
as you can see so far, more than 50% of the voters don't have clients older than 5 years. i think that most of us get rich and stop working after a couple of years. good luck to you all!
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