| Pages in topic: < [1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8] > | How much do you make? Thread poster: Vytautas Kacerauskis
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| Should we tell them? | Jun 1, 2010 |
Hahaha, wow, that is a doozie. I wonder if they know about that particular "typo"?
| | | | Nicole Schnell 
United States
Local time: 01:45
English to German
+ ...
In memoriam | Talking about costs, yes. Talking about income? Not really... | Jun 1, 2010 |
Felipe Gútiez wrote:
Maybe my information was not certain, but I have heard that in the US people usually tell each other how much they make a year, and usually is a question that is asked when someone is going to be hired.
It is true that in Germany is quite different...
I have never been asked this question or heard any such conversation in all those years, neither from friends, nor family, and most certainly not from business associates. Maybe it's a regional thing. It also may be a question of the social setting.
I wouldn't mind participating in an anonymous survey. Being asked by an anonymous asker however is like being asked by a total stranger on the street while providing a copy of your ID.
He, he.. You are right about things being different in Germany.
| | | | DZiW (X)
Ukraine
English to Russian
+ ...
| Well, I have nothing to hide | Jun 1, 2010 |
even from my tax inspector for I get some €800+, where '+' is from OK to VERY GOOD
Cheers
| | | | Rebekka Groß (X)
Local time: 09:45
English to German
| it is cultural and can be deemed offensive indeed! | Jun 1, 2010 |
Nicole Schnell wrote:
If you are an employee at a German company, you will find a little paragraph in your contract that reads: "Discussing each other's salaries among employees is highly discouraged."
Great point, Nicole! I was wondering why I am so reluctant to share this information - in general, nothing to do with this thread! I've never worked for a German company but I remember being very surprised when arriving in the UK 20 years ago I found that people discussed their salaries much more openly. In the meantime and with age progression I'd forgotten that little detail found in empoyment contracts. You just don't talk about how much you make in Germany.
That's why some posters consider the question intrusive or even offensive.
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Edwin den Boer
Netherlands
Local time: 10:45
Member (2009)
English to Dutch
| Revenue of translators in the Netherlands | Jun 1, 2010 |
There has been a recent survey of the revenue (not income) of freelance Dutch translators.
Average annual revenue for self-employed translators: € 36,300
Average annual revenue for self-employed professionals: € 85,900
Based on a survey of members of Dutch professional organizations, who have no other sources of income. Source: Arjan van den Born, The drivers of career success of the job-hopping professional in the new networked economy, Born To Grow, 2009.... See more There has been a recent survey of the revenue (not income) of freelance Dutch translators.
Average annual revenue for self-employed translators: € 36,300
Average annual revenue for self-employed professionals: € 85,900
Based on a survey of members of Dutch professional organizations, who have no other sources of income. Source: Arjan van den Born, The drivers of career success of the job-hopping professional in the new networked economy, Born To Grow, 2009. ISBN 978-90-9023961-3. Free download at http://www.hetisdeventnietdetent.nl/DownloadBoek.html
Among highly-educated self-employed professionals, translators were the group with the lowest revenue from 15 professions, substantially below artists and journalists, and even below 'facility professionals' (personal and management assistants, security specialists) among fulltimers. So the comparison with other professions is the reverse of what Vytautas reported for Lithuania.
I'm not going to disclose my income, but my revenue is considerably lower than € 36,300. Collegues have told me this figure is quite high. I don't think it represents the average translator, but rather the experienced translators who work more than fulltime. Those are to people who tend to be members of professional organizations.
[Edited at 2010-06-01 10:35 GMT] ▲ Collapse
| | | | | An East/West thing | Jun 1, 2010 |
I read the whole thread and it saddens me to say that I've become disillusioned about the amount of money that the average West European translator/interpreter makes. A gross annual income of some 30k euros is almost two times lower than the figure that I've had in mind.
Then again, judging by the standard West European rate of about 0.15 euros/word, this income corresponds to a modest annual workload of 200,000 words/year, i.e. 800 words/work day. This in turn means that the avera... See more I read the whole thread and it saddens me to say that I've become disillusioned about the amount of money that the average West European translator/interpreter makes. A gross annual income of some 30k euros is almost two times lower than the figure that I've had in mind.
Then again, judging by the standard West European rate of about 0.15 euros/word, this income corresponds to a modest annual workload of 200,000 words/year, i.e. 800 words/work day. This in turn means that the average West European Joe Trados works only 2-3 hours a day!
Another conclusion that can be made is that translators/interpreters from "New Europe" make more money compared to the average incomes in their respective countries and also to the incomes of other professionals with university education.
This is also true in my case. I have an MA degree in architecture, but I've been working as a translator/interpreter for five years. During that time I have applied to openings for architects in some of the best construction companies in Serbia and Macedonia. After passing tests and interviews, I've received eight job offers and the highest offered monthly salary was two times lower of what I make today as a translator. ▲ Collapse
| | | | CecileLavis
Belgium
Local time: 10:45
English to French
+ ...
| surprised/puzzled/worried about rates | Jun 1, 2010 |
Hello all,
I know this may have been discussed before but I have already spent 15 minutes trying to find the best place to post this question and I have to say I feel it is enough. (they are so many subjects,sub-subjects etc..)
I'm new to the business, well, officialy. I'm starting to "launch" my freelance career and still work part-time, trying to do the thing properly let's say and not rush into it.
... See more Hello all,
I know this may have been discussed before but I have already spent 15 minutes trying to find the best place to post this question and I have to say I feel it is enough. (they are so many subjects,sub-subjects etc..)
I'm new to the business, well, officialy. I'm starting to "launch" my freelance career and still work part-time, trying to do the thing properly let's say and not rush into it.
I start to have little jobs, not that much but I'm happy, it is normal, I have to prove my abilities first and I totally understand that.
BUT, a translation agency is now proposing me an editing job of tourism texts at the rate of 2 USD cent/word! I know I'm a beginner but still, do I really have to "sale" myself like that?? They say that the volume will be huge, yeah, it could be because at that price it won't help me to pay the bills and put food on the table! Not saying that I live in Belgium, I can't go to the bakery with $ and exchange rate is, well, not good.
On one hand it drives the average price down and that's good for none of us. On the other hand, as I said, I'm a beginner and I need/must gain some experience (but what experience is that he?).
Relationship with them is nice (at least!) but I don't really know what to do. I feel it is nearly working for nothing but I want to put my two feet in that job so what is the solution?
I'm not expecting any of you to take the decison for me of course but any advise/experience would be nice.
Thx to all! ▲ Collapse
| | | | Lingua 5B
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Local time: 10:45
Member (2009)
English to Croatian
+ ...
No, you don't have to sell yourself cheap, that's not the solution - either for paying bills or for gaining experience.
Determine your minimum rate and stick to it. It's simple as that.
If you are saying you must offer a low rate because you are a beginner, does that imply you are producing low-quality work?
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| I'm with you... | Jun 1, 2010 |
DZiW wrote:
some €800+, where '+' is from OK to VERY GOOD
| | | | CecileLavis
Belgium
Local time: 10:45
English to French
+ ...
No, not at all! I have done other works, sticking to my price, and people were very satisfy. This gives me confidence that I don't only think my work is of good quality, it is good quality.
Things is, I don't have (yet) plenty of samples to provide/refences to give to support my work. I was more thinking about that.
| | | | Lingua 5B
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Local time: 10:45
Member (2009)
English to Croatian
+ ...
| Well, fine then | Jun 1, 2010 |
you produce quality work, then do not accept low pays or bad treatment. If someone is trying to (ab)use you, you will know and feel it. Just do not ignore the feeling, and act accordingly. Your main goal as a translator is to get paid sufficiently.
Many low-paying agencies are known for very friendly approach. Do not fall for that.
| | | | | maths and stuff | Jun 1, 2010 |
Janet Rubin wrote:
Using the average level of average net income, (all in euros):
UK: 23,360
up against the average gross income in the “manufacturing and service sectors”..., below is listed the percentage of a translator’s annual earnings compared to the average manufacturing/service employee:
UK: 72%
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That all makes sense.
23k EUR net is very roughly 18-20k GBP net, which in turn would be the net take home pay of someone earning about 25k GBP a year, which is indeed both approximately the average salary in the UK and what I am led to believe (I forget the source) is (was) also the ballpark figure for a freelance translator here.
Not only that, but 72% also rings true as the the approx percentage of net pay you get from gross revenue, especially at those kind of income levels.
[Edited at 2010-06-01 15:08 GMT]
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| 0.15 EUR/wrd a standard?? | Jun 1, 2010 |
Hello Aleksandar,
Aleksandar Stanković wrote:
.............Then again, judging by the standard West European rate of about 0.15 euros/word
äh?
If it were true that the Western European average is like that, I didn't have to struggle with the nearly overwhelming need to spit fire each time I have to hear that there is an endless number of colleagues, who work for between half and 1/3 of my standard (minimum) rate - and I am not rate-wise top of the market in my segment, know for a fact .
Unfortunately, I dare say that a significant number of Western translators work for (much) less than the half of that rate, and in very specialized fields.
In this sense, the (average) Western "Joe(Jane) Trados", as you put it, works much longer than two - three hours in a day (I don't say "a day" intentionally**), for much less and **when (s)he manages to get a job assigned, which isn't a sure fact since early or late (according to which field you work in, i.e. financial world or real economy) 2008.. or early 2009. Many can't count on a regular - forget a daily! work flow. And tragically enough, some are no newcomers, but experienced translators.
Even long before the financial crisis was an issue I was asked by some fellow translators if I managed to "make" EUR 30K p.a. I admit that I had to ask whether gross or net.
I consider myself lucky, I have been in this business for ages, long before the Internet age, and managed to survive some turmoil & crises writing - in the light of the reported average, quite nice figures.
Giuliana
| | | | | Straight to the point | Jun 1, 2010 |
As originally requested in this thread, here's some anonymous figures from France.
I got this information chatting with other translators during meetings, Powwows, and team projects. It's true some people don't want to talk about it, but some do because exchanging this kind of information can be helpful.
Perhaps its will fuel further debate. But, how you choose to interpret it is up to you, especially since I'm not giving any specific information about the person's geo... See more As originally requested in this thread, here's some anonymous figures from France.
I got this information chatting with other translators during meetings, Powwows, and team projects. It's true some people don't want to talk about it, but some do because exchanging this kind of information can be helpful.
Perhaps its will fuel further debate. But, how you choose to interpret it is up to you, especially since I'm not giving any specific information about the person's geography in France, specialization, experience, etc. I will say that these translators have been working established freelancers for at least 18 months and at most 7 years.
Monthly revenue after income tax (French - English)
Translator 1 : 2083 euros
Translator 2 : 4200 euros
Translator 3 : 1400 euros
Translator 4 : 400 euros
Translator 5 : 3380 euros
Translator 6 : 2800 euros
Translator 7 : 4700 euros ▲ Collapse
| | | | Tatty
Local time: 10:45
Spanish to English
+ ...
| Not a lot of point talking about what you make | Jun 1, 2010 |
as people invariably lie.
I reckon some the translators above may have been trying to impress you. It's so easy to blow your own trumpet...
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