As I started writing the title of this post I saw similar topics popping up, e.g. "outdated rates" from 2012
So this issue is definitely not new, but I will express my opinion nevertheless.
The tendency, at least in this language pair (En-RU), is that the jobs are becoming rarer and the difficulty of the texts is increasing while hardly any of them are priced at Pro rate. The topics are generally very niche (e.g. gaming, cryptocurrency or byzantine bureaucratic terminology), and proper translation would include non-trivial amount of research (unless of course the translator happens to be a cryptocurrency pro who is eager to earn $1.77 which will not buy him a cup of coffee where I live.)
Who decides on the rate? And most importantly, how is it determined? I am thinking that Standard rate should be applied for fairly basic, everyday texts, the ones that could be done mostly through machine translation with some human input.
The discrepancy between quality expectation and reward seems outrageous! Just think about this: three improperly translated words (worth 9 cents) can cost you (a translator) 3 points off your rating. Meanwhile, if I were to walk down a street and would see a dime on the ground -- I would not even bother to bend down to pick it up.
I am really disappointed in Gengo. I guess there is always a new wide-eyed dreamer who comes on board hoping to strike it big. They will take any job, they will work hard and get surprised how much effort it takes, and, inevitably, soon enough they will find out: it is not worth it (cue Napoleon Dynamite's "it's like a dollar an hour" scene)
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