Localization Careers

Our industry needs talent with both linguistic and technical skills, knowledge and abilities and yet we face challenges with both recruiting and retention of talent. Presenters will cover the following proposals to help meet these challenges:

• Visualizing Career Paths to Improve Recruiting and Retention

On the recruiting side, students passionate about using language skills to connect the world are not aware of their opportunities in the language services ecosystem, and enrollment in language studies in the US has been decreasing at an alarming rate. Winnie Heh will present a web-based tool to help students visualize their roles. On the retention side, newcomers to the language industry struggle to visualize meaningful long-term career paths. Winnie will present opportunities for further exploration by employers and employees based on analysis of interviews.

• Standardizing Core Competencies to Better Connect Employers with Qualified Candidates

Our industry does not currently have centralized guidelines on the competencies necessary for the professional practice of localization management at a time when ever-increasing skills are required to meet market demands. This lack of agreement often creates a mismatch between what employers want and what candidates provide in the localization job market. Alaina Brandt will present preliminary localization management competencies identified through her current research in job descriptions, standards of best practice, and other industry resources. Adam will present findings of related research that addresses the myths and realities of software skills required for common localization jobs.

About the speakers:

Winnie Heh is Career Advisor for the Translation, Interpretation and Localization Management Programs at MIIS (the Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey). She has worn many different hats in the language services industry over the last 30 years – language instructor, translator, interpreter, Adjunct Professor at MIIS, sales, marketing, operations management, technology transformation, merger and acquisition. Heh has set up and run businesses in more than 10 countries. She is a Board Member of the California Healthcare Interpretation Association and a member of the ALC Bridge, a committee within the Association of Language Companies aiming to connect language talents with employers in the language services ecosystem.

Alaina Brandt is an Assistant Professor of Professional Practice of the Translation and Localization Management program at MIIS. Brandt is CEO and founder of Afterwords Translations, LLC. She is a member of the U.S. Technical Advisory Group to ISO Technical Committee 37 Language and Terminology.

Adam Wooten is an experienced localization industry executive and Associate Professor in the Translation and Localization Management program at MIIS. He has headed up translation operations for various companies in California and Utah, including AccuLing, which he co-founded in 2013. Wooten provides consulting services to companies that want to level-up in localization as well as universities that want to add a localization program. He designed new localization programs for Brigham Young University and Weber State University and has advised faculty at other schools. He writes a column for MultiLingual magazine and serves on the ALC Bridge Committee to help bridge the gap between the language industry and academia.

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• Networking 6:30 - 7 PM, and after the talk as time allows
• Directions and parking: http://www.imug.org/adobe/
• Video: will be announced if available after speaker review
• Webcast: RSVP, then contact IMUG via Meetup (*not* in the comments, please): http://www.meetup.com/IMUG-Silicon-Valley/message/?recipientId=11534644

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Admission is free for IMUG members and Adobe employees, and $5 for all others. IMUG membership is only $20 for the first year, $15 for annual renewal, or $100 for lifetime membership. http://imug.org/join