Re: Please Review My Profile!

inspire77 · ‎06-19-2017

Hello everyone,

I'm a new freelancer here and in the past few days I proposed for many jobs but couldn't get a single one or even an interview.

Could it be something wrong with my profile?

Please check it and tell me what you think.

Thank you.

datasciencewonk · ‎06-19-2017

I'll leave the specifics of translation to the experienced translation experts who respond in the forums.

However, in terms of expecting a contract within a few days of being on Upwork, you find that realistic?

It takes a while and you have to keep in mind whether or not there is a demand in your field of translation. Also, is your field of translation a saturated market?

Opening contracts (and successfully closing them) takes more effort than merely setting up an account, your account being approved, and then submitting proposals. There are more factors at play (is what, essentially, I'm saying to you).

inspire77 · ‎06-19-2017

However, in terms of expecting a contract within a few days of being on Upwork, you find that realistic?

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Thanks, Kat.

No, I don't find it realistic. I know it takes time. It's just something I don't get. I proposed for a job for which "less than 5" proposed and 3 got hired but not me. Is it because of that "Preferred Qualifications" thing (Job Success Score/Include Rising Talent)? The client sees that I have no job success and I'm not a rising talent.

I can't have these things if no one hires me!

petra_r · ‎06-19-2017

There is nothing particularly "wrong" with your profile, it just doesn't stand out.

You REALLY need a portfolio.

Data Entry is an oversaturated "entry level" cheap field. You are unlikely to win contracts at a half decent rate for data entry, as there are literally 100s of thousands of freelancers who are happy to work for next to nothing offering "Data Entry" Services. Just having it on your profile puts you in the "no marketable skills" category in a lot of clients' minds.

Leaves translation.

Here the problem is that the better clients will be looking for "French French" (generally hiring from France or Canada) and you'll be competing with the mass of other "Not French French" providers for the rest.

Personally I also find the "trilingual" claim a bit problematic. There are mistakes on your profile. Your English is obviously very very good (for a non-native speaker) but I'd never hire you to translate into English (or French, probably) simply because it's clearly evident on your profile that your English isn't at the level to translate into it (from it, sure, into it, probably not)

This is also where your lack of a portfolio really hurts. Two JPEGs do not make a portfolio, you know? So the only thing clients can use to gauge your language skills from is your profile. Then they see things like "My works " and "Please be free.." and "Compnay" and it's game over...

You say you have certification from Microsoft. Why is it not included in your profile?

You haven't taken any translation tests. Why?

Overall the whole profile speaks to a lack of effort on your part.

I also think your profile picture could be better. The background is weird, your eyes hidden behind sunglasses, it looks stiff and unapproachable. It doesn't make the client think "Let's have a chat with him about my project" - Try something "warmer", more approachable, less stiff, maybe?

inspire77 · ‎06-20-2017

Thank you so much, Petra.

That is really helping to know things that should be fixed.

versailles · ‎06-21-2017

→ English-Arabic translation and vice versa

→ English-French translation and vice versa

Nope. This is not true.

And English to French is probably not true either. I understand that you may want to maximize your chances by offering as many language pairs as possible, but you're gonna to get burned.

The only thing that your profile clearly states at this point to anyone who heve some experience in translation is that you are not a professional translator.

Except in some very rare occasions, a translator only translates in the language they speak with a native level. Never the other way around.

What you can do is:

English to Arabic and French to Arabic.

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"Where darkness shines like dazzling light" —William Ashbless

inspire77 · ‎06-21-2017

Thank you for having a look at my profile, Rene.

I really appreciate it and I'll take your remarks into considertaion.

martinceisel · ‎06-21-2017

There's also the subjectivity of it all. You could have the spiffiest profile in the galaxy and the client might still choose someone else.

inspire77 · ‎06-21-2017

Yes, Martin.

This is what happens. Clients tend to hire "top rated" and "rising talent" freelancers which means no chance to new ones.

reinierb · ‎06-21-2017

@Lahcen S wrote:
Yes, Martin.
This is what happens. Clients tend to hire "top rated" and "rising talent" freelancers which means no chance to new ones.

What's with the huge font size? We can all read the default font just fine- there is no need to shout.

petra_r · ‎06-21-2017

@Lahcen S wrote:
Yes, Martin.
This is what happens. Clients tend to hire "top rated" and "rising talent" freelancers which means no chance to new ones.

So, how do you think the rest of us got started?

patty_pretty · ‎06-22-2017

Hello, Lahcen

I have to say that may be you are being a littlle unrealistic, me and my husban got our first jobs really quick, and now we are working in daily basis. He is a top rated since the very first day, just because his skills tests were awesome. Have you tryed taking a test? may be it will give u more chances.

busanitoday · ‎06-22-2017

Hi Lahcen

I have checked your profile and do not see anything wrong with it. I am no expert at writing profiles but I find it easy to attract clients. However, I think you should write it in a manner which indicates that you are selling something you are confident of. If I was an employer, I would want to know more than the few words you have there. Think of the profile as a sales pitch.

I think you should omit the fact that you already work as a teacher and translator. Many clients will think that you do not have the time to dedicate to their work. Make every client think that their job will take precedence when they give it to you.

Do not worry; getting the first job is always difficult. I felt like that in the beginning too.

inspire77 · ‎06-24-2017

@Busani M wrote:
Hi Lahcen

I have checked your profile and do not see anything wrong with it. I am no expert at writing profiles but I find it easy to attract clients. However, I think you should write it in a manner which indicates that you are selling something you are confident of. If I was an employer, I would want to know more than the few words you have there. Think of the profile as a sales pitch.

I think you should omit the fact that you already work as a teacher and translator. Many clients will think that you do not have the time to dedicate to their work. Make every client think that their job will take precedence when they give it to you.

Do not worry; getting the first job is always difficult. I felt like that in the beginning too.

Thank you.

cupidmedia · ‎06-22-2017

I'm a translation client. Some advice (which echoes some of the advice you've already received, but haven't acted on):

* I usually skip over freelancers who say they can translate in both directions. That shows me that you're not a professional translator. Professionals specialise in one direction, generally.

* Your portfolio isn't really a portfolio. One item isn't actually an example of your work at all. The other one, it's not very clear exactly what you did here. Did you write an article in Arabic and translate it to English? Did you write an article in English and translate it to Arabic? Did you take someone else's article in Arabic/English and translate it to English/Arabic? You also need more examples of your work.

* Your profile is very sparse and general and doesn't give me any solid indication of your real-world experience and what you can do for me. "I've translated a large number of documents over 4 years" is completely meaningless.

* Like Petra said, both your French and your Arabic are not really from the target native speaking countries. If I want an Arabic speaker I want one from somewhere like Saudi Arabia or Egypt.

* Basically you don't stand out at all. Arabic translation is a *hugely* saturated market. As a translation client it is the language I hate recruiting for the most, because I just get inundated with huge numbers of very low quality proposals. To compete in that over-saturated market you need to have a very impressive profile and an excellent proposal.

Rising Talent or JSS has much less to do with it than you think. You're using it as an easy excuse instead of really looking at ways to improve and work with the system.

inspire77 · ‎06-24-2017

@Jennifer D wrote:
If I want an Arabic speaker I want one from somewhere like Saudi Arabia or Egypt.

Thank you so much for your valuable advice.

And also someone from Morocco...etc.

petra_r · ‎06-26-2017

@Lahcen S wrote:
@Jennifer D wrote:
If I want an Arabic speaker I want one from somewhere like Saudi Arabia or Egypt.
Thank you so much for your valuable advice.

And also someone from Morocco...etc.

But the Arabic spoken in Morocco differs significantly from Modern Standard Arabic.

cupidmedia · ‎06-26-2017

@Petra R wrote:
@Lahcen S wrote:
@Jennifer D wrote:
If I want an Arabic speaker I want one from somewhere like Saudi Arabia or Egypt.
Thank you so much for your valuable advice.

And also someone from Morocco...etc.
But the Arabic spoken in Morocco differs significantly from Modern Standard Arabic.

Exactly. Which is why Morocco was not on my list.

inspire77 · ‎06-27-2017

Petra R wrote:

But the Arabic spoken in Morocco differs significantly from Modern Standard Arabic.

Jennifer D wrote:

Exactly. Which is why Morocco was not on my list.

Slightly different, but Moroccans master Modern Standard Arabic compared to people from the two mentioned countries.

cupidmedia · ‎06-27-2017

@Lahcen S wrote:
@Petra R wrote:
But the Arabic spoken in Morocco differs significantly from Modern Standard Arabic.

@Jennifer D wrote:
Exactly. Which is why Morocco was not on my list.

Slightly different, but Moroccans master Modern Standard Arabic compared to people from the two mentioned countries.

Sorry, are you saying that Moroccans speak/write Arabic better than Saudi Arabians?

Not in my experience.

I see you have also neglected to make any of the changes suggested to your profile. Why did you ask for a profile review if you were going to ignore all the advice you received? Clearly, you know better than the very successful freelancers (and clients...in your niche...) who have given you advice.

inspire77 · ‎06-28-2017

Jennifer D wrote:

Sorry, are you saying that Moroccans speak/write Arabic better than Saudi Arabians?

Yes, and to be more precise, the best speakers come from Morocco, Syria, Jordan and Palestine.

Not in my experience.

Maybe you weren't lucky enough to work with a professional one.

I see you have also neglected to make any of the changes suggested to your profile. Why did you ask for a profile review if you were going to ignore all the advice you received? Clearly, you know better than the very successful freelancers (and clients...in your niche...) who have given you advice.

No, I'm just working on my portfolio. I'm also not bidding. I'm not ignoring the precious advice you and other successful freelancers/clients gave me. I'll take enough time to apply those changes.

Thank you

cupidmedia · ‎06-28-2017

I suppose you think that Moroccans speak/write better French than French people too, then?

inspire77 · ‎06-29-2017

Jennifer D wrote:

I suppose you think that Moroccans speak/write better French than French people too, then?

Why should I even think about it for a second? Morocco has its own language and so is France.

Morocco is an Arab country just like Egypt and Saudi Arabia and others. They have the same language: Modern Standard Arabic. The differences only exist in the spoken dialects.