What is a rush project?
Rush projects have shorter deadlines than usual. So, you need either overtime work or extra resources to meet the deadline.
With such a project, you can only meet the deadline either by working your regular hours + some extra hours or by taking support from some of your colleagues.
What is your regular capacity?
If you miscalculate your capacities, it’s unlikely you can meet the deadline of a rush project.
So, it is important to know your translation speed or capacity, so you know exactly how much you can deliver and when you have to work extra.
Translation speed is subjective. It can vary from translators to translators and texts to texts.
Usually, translators can translate 300-500 words per hour. It is important that you know your average translation speed when you calculate your capacity.
Also keep in mind that as a full time translator your work hours are divided into billable and non-billable hours.
Billable hours are the time you can spend on actual translation for which you are compensated either hourly or by word.
Non-billable hours are all the administrative tasks and communication that you do in a given day.
When you calculate your capacity, do consider your non-billable hours so you can stay away from overestimation.
For me the billable or productive hours are usually 20-25 per week. Which means I can work on actual translation a maximum of 5 hours per day.
Find out how many hours you can spend a day on actual translation work and multiply that with your translation speed per hour. The number you get is your daily capacity.
(words translated in an hour) x (daily productive hours) = daily throughput
What to consider before taking a rush project?
- Lay out a plan: Before you say yes to a rush project, you need to figure out how you can deliver the project on time. Can you meet the deadline by working extra hours or working on the weekend? Do you have colleagues who can give you a hand so that you can deliver on time? Do not commit to it if you cannot make it.
- Get rid of false rush: Before you go any further with the project first make sure the project at hand is truly a rush project. Remember, working extra hours or sacrificing the weekend or taking the trouble to manage a project for the client is a sign of serious commitment from your side. You can give it to the clients who are serious about it. Add a rush fee on it to filter unnecessary overworking.
- Plan and Prioritize: Rush projects can be toiling. Have a plan and break down the projects into smaller milestones and commit to it. If you are working with other translators, prioritize and stick to the plan.
- Use CAT tools: Try to use CAT tools to streamline the process. If you are working with other translators consider using a cloud-based CAT for effective collaboration.
- Take breaks and naps: Working long hours can reduce your productivity significantly. No matter how pressed you are, take a quick nap and you will see a sudden boost in your translation speed. Also, take regular breaks to avoid burnout.
- It’s ok to say no: If you see you are already overstretched with your capacity, feel free to decline the project. It will not hurt your long-term relationship.
- Don’t forget to charge a rush fee: Have a policy to add a rush fee. You can consider the level of urgency as a factor to set the rate. Translators often set 15% to as high as 200% to a rush project. So, if the project costs $1000, a 15% rush fee would make it $1150 in total.
Assess your capacity and set realistic expectations to effectively manage rush projects. Though it shows a higher commitment to your relationship with the client, but also focus on keeping a work-life balance to avoid burnout.
