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Poll: Freelancers are uniquely better-prepared for current world events like the coronavirus.
Thread poster: ProZ.com Staff
ProZ.com Staff
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Mar 18, 2020

This forum topic is for the discussion of the poll question "Freelancers are uniquely better-prepared for current world events like the coronavirus.".

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Fullevend
 
neilmac
neilmac
Spain
Local time: 16:13
Spanish to English
+ ...
Agree, but Mar 18, 2020

"Uniquely" is a bit strong. I'm sure there are other professions or working models which are in a similar situation in terms of being used to working alone and without a lot of physical social interaction.

So far, my workrate hasn't really been affected, as this year I've been mostly ticking over steadily rather than other years that were more hectic. I live in semi rural surroundings, so there is a bit more leeway in terms of being able to go out and walk the dog without changing m
... See more
"Uniquely" is a bit strong. I'm sure there are other professions or working models which are in a similar situation in terms of being used to working alone and without a lot of physical social interaction.

So far, my workrate hasn't really been affected, as this year I've been mostly ticking over steadily rather than other years that were more hectic. I live in semi rural surroundings, so there is a bit more leeway in terms of being able to go out and walk the dog without changing my daily routine or bumping into other humans.

[Edited at 2020-03-18 08:32 GMT]
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Christopher Schröder
Yetta Jensen Bogarde
P.L.F. Persio
Yaotl Altan
Philip Lees
Sarah Brodacz
 
Maria Teresa Borges de Almeida
Maria Teresa Borges de Almeida  Identity Verified
Portugal
Local time: 15:13
Member (2007)
English to Portuguese
+ ...
Disagree, but (other is missing) Mar 18, 2020

I don’t know if we are better prepared. Time will tell. As freelancers we work at home every day, but we all have families and somebody in your house might become infected…

Vera Schoen
Josephine Cassar
expressisverbis
Angie Garbarino
Aline Amorim
Michael Harris
ipv
 
Liena Vijupe
Liena Vijupe  Identity Verified
Latvia
Local time: 17:13
Member (2014)
French to Latvian
+ ...
Agree, but Mar 18, 2020

In some ways, yes. Nothing much has changed for me except that (almost) everything is closed/cancelled and my travel plans are uncertain.
However, we still depend on our clients. If they go out of business or reduce their activity we're just as well prepared as anybody else.


cuinadelletres
Chris Foster
Kaisa I
Sabrina Bruna
Ventnai
Yaotl Altan
Giuliana Maltempo
 
Eric Zink
Eric Zink  Identity Verified
Local time: 16:13
Member (2012)
German to English
Social distancing is our business model Mar 18, 2020

If I my only income were from freelance translation (I also teach at a translator/interpreter academy), I would naturally go for days if not weeks without talking to anybody except my family and whoever they have over to visit (except for church on the weekends). As long as demand does not slacken due to the economic effects of this thing, lockdown could go on forever and all I would miss is church and basketball. I have met clients face-to-face about three times in the last eight or so years of... See more
If I my only income were from freelance translation (I also teach at a translator/interpreter academy), I would naturally go for days if not weeks without talking to anybody except my family and whoever they have over to visit (except for church on the weekends). As long as demand does not slacken due to the economic effects of this thing, lockdown could go on forever and all I would miss is church and basketball. I have met clients face-to-face about three times in the last eight or so years of doing this.Collapse


 
DZiW (X)
DZiW (X)
Ukraine
English to Russian
+ ...
Out of ~200 familiar freelancers none has $10'000+ reserve Mar 18, 2020

As far as so many self-proclaimed self-employed--even in the developed countries--are very poor businesspersons for they seem don't know how to run their biz properly, let alone nesting a sizable egg or pension.

For instance, I nicely asked about 200 free*lancers living in a city and working for big agencies--none of them could afford living without work even for a couple of months while often having some $5000 unpaid. On the other hand, about 50 freelancers from small towns
... See more
As far as so many self-proclaimed self-employed--even in the developed countries--are very poor businesspersons for they seem don't know how to run their biz properly, let alone nesting a sizable egg or pension.

For instance, I nicely asked about 200 free*lancers living in a city and working for big agencies--none of them could afford living without work even for a couple of months while often having some $5000 unpaid. On the other hand, about 50 freelancers from small towns and suburbs do have reasonable savings to live off-grid for several month. Not a pattern?
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Paul Lambert
Alexandra Frolova
Nikolay Novitskiy
 
Ines Radionovas-Lagoutte, PhD
Ines Radionovas-Lagoutte, PhD  Identity Verified
Germany
Local time: 16:13
Member (2008)
English to German
+ ...
Agree, but... Mar 18, 2020

... only if they don't have kids.

[Bearbeitet am 2020-03-18 09:38 GMT]


Kay Denney
Anna Dzidowska
Tanja Oresnik
Muriel Vasconcellos
Caroline Lakey
Anna Jaffe
 
Mario Freitas
Mario Freitas  Identity Verified
Brazil
Local time: 12:13
Member (2014)
English to Portuguese
+ ...
Disagree Mar 18, 2020

Our routine (at home mostly) may be an advantage, but being "uniquely better-prepared" is a characteristic that applies to people who have thoroughly informed and prepared themselves for the epidemic, not the simple fact that we work at home and remain isolated most of the time. It's an illusion.

[Edited at 2020-03-18 09:44 GMT]


Kay Denney
Josephine Cassar
expressisverbis
Yetta Jensen Bogarde
Kaisa I
Thayenga
Aline Amorim
 
Ana Vozone
Ana Vozone  Identity Verified
Local time: 15:13
Member (2010)
English to Portuguese
+ ...
Agree, but... Mar 18, 2020

We are perhaps uniquely prepared for some sort of isolation, however, we are not prepared for the extent to which this virus will affect our clients' business and therefore our own.

And because we need to keep our spirits up, here is a bit of humour!

signoffs


P.L.F. Persio
Sabrina Bruna
Tanja Oresnik
Muriel Vasconcellos
Isabelle Pelchat
Jean Shearer
Maxim Betmakaev
 
Kay-Viktor Stegemann
Kay-Viktor Stegemann
Germany
Local time: 16:13
English to German
In memoriam
Disagree, but Mar 18, 2020

This question is generalising too much. There are all kinds of freelancers, and their situations are probably extremely different, depending on the profession they work in, their location, the local economy before the crisis, and so on. Some freelancers who already struggled will have an even harder time. Some freelancers who thrived will experience difficulties. Others might be not affected, or at least not yet. Some people became freelancers because they had no alternatives, and that does not ... See more
This question is generalising too much. There are all kinds of freelancers, and their situations are probably extremely different, depending on the profession they work in, their location, the local economy before the crisis, and so on. Some freelancers who already struggled will have an even harder time. Some freelancers who thrived will experience difficulties. Others might be not affected, or at least not yet. Some people became freelancers because they had no alternatives, and that does not necessarily mean they are prepared for anything. Other people became freelancers because they are independent spirits, which might mean that they are prepared to deal with situations, but they also might be used to taking more risks than others, and who knows if this is a good idea right now.

Personally, I became a freelancer after a long career in employed positions, and I did this only because it worked so well. I am not a risk taker, and I am also not what you'd call an independent spirit. I am prepared for a downturn in my work in the sense that I have created enough reserves to last a while. This downturn has not (yet) happened, for that matter. I have fears, but I fear more for the health of people who have the greatest risks here, than for my own situation.

I am also curious. It seems that a crisis situation like this always feels kind of surreal. Normal life is disrupted. You cannot go on like before, shake hands of people, get outside for a cup of coffee and an ice cream in the spring sun. It reminds me of other situations that felt surreal in a similar way. What comes to mind first is the year 1989, when suddenly so many things changed (particularly in Germany) and happened that we thought impossible. Or, of course, it reminds of September 2001, when you simply thought "this cannot happen".

I am scared, and curious, because I am unprepared. How is anyone supposed to be "prepared" for this? Are "preppers" really prepared for this?
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Thomas Pfann
Christopher Schröder
Chris Foster
expressisverbis
Victoria Batarchuk
ahartje
P.L.F. Persio
 
Janet Muehlbacher
Janet Muehlbacher  Identity Verified
Local time: 16:13
German to English
+ ...
disagree, Mar 18, 2020

we´re just lucky to have been working from home before the virus outbreak

expressisverbis
Yetta Jensen Bogarde
Paul Lambert
Tanja Oresnik
 
Eduard Urgell
Eduard Urgell  Identity Verified
Spain
Local time: 16:13
English to Spanish
+ ...
There is a big BUT Mar 18, 2020

In a way it's true we are better-prepared for such a situation, but we depend on our clients no less than any other person... If whoever sends work our way undergoes economic instability, we will end up suffering it as well.

Chris Foster
Yetta Jensen Bogarde
P.L.F. Persio
Rita Utt
Sabrina Bruna
Tina Vonhof (X)
Muriel Vasconcellos
 
Christopher Schröder
Christopher Schröder
United Kingdom
Member (2011)
Swedish to English
+ ...
From another angle Mar 18, 2020

Freelancers who already self-isolate to a degree will have weaker immune systems. Like people who routinely disinfect their surroundings. And the over-vaccinated.

The best-prepared will be those whose work involves close contact with lots of dirty unhygienic people in a dirty unhygienic environment. Nurses spring to mind.


Kaisa I
ipv
neilmac
 
Justin Peterson
Justin Peterson  Identity Verified
Spain
Local time: 16:13
Member (2007)
Spanish to English
Totally Mar 18, 2020

We ALREADY work from home

We're so spoiled we don't even realise it

Imagine owning a restaurant. Closed. Zero revenue.

Now, if one has no clients due to the virus ... that's a problem, of course, but - fingers crossed - my clients continue to need and request translations


Maaike van Vlijmen
Muriel Vasconcellos
Maria Teresa Borges de Almeida
neilmac
Sanjin Grandić
 
Gibril Koroma
Gibril Koroma  Identity Verified
Canada
Local time: 11:13
French to English
+ ...
Agree Mar 18, 2020

I totally agree. The freelance translator is a unique human being in many ways.
Working from home is the work model of the future.


Muriel Vasconcellos
Maria Teresa Borges de Almeida
 
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Poll: Freelancers are uniquely better-prepared for current world events like the coronavirus.






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