Localization career development requires a strategic approach. The key to this approach for those who want to advance their careers, build teams, and work better cross-functionally is to be conscious and proactive in the way they demonstrate knowledge within their organizations.
At a recent workshop accompanying the launch of Smartling’s new e-book Pro Guide: How to Unleash Success in Your Localization Career, Localization Coach, Hristina Racheva outlined a career development strategy that all localization professionals will find useful.
“The more senior you become, the more you are expected to have a broader impact within your organization, develop an executive voice, lead others, and gain the support of stakeholders,” Racheva said.
Localization impacts all departments, so naturally pairing with other departments from the start makes sense. Whether it’s teaming up with product design, marketing, customer support, or sales, including stakeholders as part of the conversation will set you up for success.
Kickstart the next stage in your career by downloading How to Unleash Success in Your Localization Career today
As you work on this buy-in, it is crucial to position yourself as your company’s localization expert. You can do this by —
- Showcasing ROI for new locales and languages
- Sharing industry takeaways in an exciting way that engages and educates
- Sharing results from external speaking engagements and market research
- Raising awareness and promoting your team’s successes
In addition to positioning yourself as a thought leader, your strategy must include providing value to the company as well as to the stakeholders you need on board to execute your localization projects.
You Don’t Have to Reinvent the Wheel
Based on a poll during one of Hristina’s workshops, we learned that the majority (81%) of localization professionals found themselves stuck in a position where their localization skills were not enough to advance them to the next level.
Catch up on the localization career workshop series by watching the videos and downloading the e-book, How to Unleash Success in Your Localization Career
If you feel stuck, a great place to start is by looking at what other companies are doing.
Did another B2B company just launch in Japan? Reach out to learn where they were successful and where they fell short. Have a question or need advice from the greater community? Tap into your social media networks to see what insights you can gather.
There is so much value in learning from others and — in case you need to hear it — it is absolutely okay to lean on your peers.
No matter which stage of the localization journey your company is in, this e-book is full of tips on successful onboarding, team collaboration, building authority in your organization, and much more. Download “How to Unleash Success in Your Localization Career” today.
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