Our working lives have changed since the pandemic started in 2020, and even now that companies are welcoming their employees back into their offices, people’s interests are no longer the same. As recent polls prove, choosing to stay at home is no longer a matter of safety, but of comfort and convenience.
So How Does the Localization Field Fit In This New Panorama?
Companies of all domains adapted their localization jobs and projects to be carried out remotely. Language experts are natives of different places in the world, so now they can stay in their home countries while working for another.
In fact, many companies have discovered that allowing their employees to work from home is even more productive and cost-effective.
Roles to Look For if You’re Searching for Localization or Translation Jobs From Home:
The Global Language Industry covers many business areas, and since international companies want to enter different market regions, there is always a need for localization.
You can aim for a position in either the “internal” or “external” Localization team, they work alongside, but they’re not hired by the same employer. The “internal” team refers to members handling the globalization of their company’s product; whereas the “external” team is a Language Service Provider (LSP) that supports that company in their globalization plans.
The role you play in the Localization team determines the needs you will have when working from home, as well as the expectations you’ll need to meet. Here are a few examples:
- Translator
- Copywriter / Reviewer
- Editor
- Proofreader / QA Specialist
- Terminologist
- UI Tester
- Technical Illustrator
- Language Manager
- Localization Project Manager
- Vendor Manager
- Technical Writer / Communicator
- SEO / Media Specialist
- Product Designer
Benefits WFH Brings to Localization Jobs:
- No commuting
- Comfort
- Space for self and family time
- Costs saving
- Possibility to work worldwide
- Mental and physical health wellness
- Flexibility to organize your day to day
How to Succeed in Localization Jobs While You Work From Home
- Plan your day/week ahead: consider all your pending tasks and prioritize them by urgency. Organize and balance your activities; you must be very careful to not confuse projects, clients or vendors.
- Stay online: always be available during your shift, make sure you attend online meetings and reply to messages on time.
- Keep the networking alive: not being physically present doesn’t mean you don’t get to form relationships. Reach out to your teammates, you might even land professional growth opportunities.
- Get familiar with the technical side of things: you can love or hate CAT tools, but you should get to know them, especially the most popular ones. Also, since you’ll be at home, you must have deep knowledge of working with CMSs, online documents, computer hardware, sending emails, etc.
- Monitor your projects: once you kick off a job, keep an eye on it while it’s in progress; not being at the office with your boss looking over is no excuse. Check for updates and possible actions needed from you, and always deliver everything by the deadline.
Feel ready to enter the Localization world?
If you want to learn more or if you’re interested in looking for translation jobs from home, there are many ways in which you can get prepared! Google offers a “Localization Essentials” course through Udacity, and it’s free! You can also check GALA’s Global Talent Initiative or, my strongest suggestion, the “TCLoc: Online Master’s Degree in Technical Communication and Localization” that The University of Strasbourg offers.
