Finding the Right Project Managers in the Language and Localization Industry
As a hiring manager in language and localization companies and now a company owner at Treehouse Strategy, one consistent and persistent challenge I have is that localization project managers I'm looking for do not have the requisite technical, project management, communication, and client-facing skills needed to meet the demands of the client projects. (I'm using the term 'localization project managers' loosely to refer to those working for translation companies, interpretation companies, and client-side companies alike.)
Many of the translation and interpretation degree programs--at least those in the United States--are training students on how to become translators and interpreters. To be sure, we need talented translators and interpreters in the language industry. However, when it comes to filling our needs for localization project managers, localization engineers, program managers, and other challenging and fulfilling roles, these degree programs are not equipping the students. In all fairness, this is changing. Many translation and interpretation degree programs are adding project management and business courses or adding a project management track. Here at Treehouse Strategy, our view is that it is not changing fast enough.?
I know I am not alone. Many industry colleagues and friends I have spoken to echo this sentiment. I went to my first language industry conference in 2006--the now defunct LISA conference--in Boston. Over the years, I have attended and presented as a speaker at many language and localization industry conferences in London, Amsterdam, Vienna, Munich, Washington DC, Miami, Chicago, Boston, Huntington Beach, San Francisco, Puerto Rico, Seoul, and Guiyang. One universal complaint that I hear from our industry colleagues is how difficult it is to recruit good project managers. At Treehouse Strategy, we frequently talk to many language companies as well as client-side companies. Just today, I was speaking with a language company in New York and the hiring manager expressed that very sentiment--that good project managers are hard to find. In our increasingly technically complex globalization and localization field, the demand for localization engineers is also on the rise. What this discipline entails--its best practices, techniques, and skill sets--is still rapidly evolving. In fact, what the term localization engineering means could vary widely from one localization and language company to the next.?
This is the talent gap that we see in the industry. The demand for technically savvy project managers who know TMS tools, CAT tools as well as strong soft skills and localization engineers who can handle complex, technical engineering tasks is growing as our industry expands. Yet, the labor supply side is not keeping up. This isn't the only talent gap we witness. When I spoke to a client company last week, the head of localization at this streaming company said that his challenge is not just in finding project managers but also people who are strategic thinkers--those who can think out-of-the box to fill more senior roles such as program managers or strategic account managers. In trying to tackle this particular talent gap, I am proud and pleased to announce the launching of the Fordham Localization Project Management Certificate Program. The Glocalization Organization of Asia Pacific (GoAP)--an organization I also founded--in partnership with Fordham University--is launching a six-month project management certificate program. Fordham is in the top 3% of universities in the United States. This program is designed to prepare students to become project managers and localization engineers in the language industry.?
For more information about this project, please see the Program link below.?
Our vision and hope is that this isn't just a program to train students but an open dialogue to begin a discourse about the talent pool, training, academic preparations, and other labor force related topics in the industry. Just last week, representing GoAP, I participated in a meeting organized by Caitilin Walsh at the ATA that brought together many partner industry groups to discuss education initiatives in the translation and interpretation industry. To build upon that dialogue, GoAP is hosting a webinar on "Solving the Language Industry Gap" on November 4 at 11 AM New York Time. The link to register for this free webinar is:?
I would be interested in hearing from our industry friends and colleagues on what you see as the talent gap, what your recruiting challenges are, what you think the industry as a whole can do to address these issues. Let's keep the conversation going!