What is a Localization Specialist? Roles, Skills, and Salary

What is a localization specialist? What are the responsibilities of a language and localization specialist? Where to find a professional localization specialist? To unveil the answers that you seek, we invite you to delve into the insights provided by Thao & Co. in the comprehensive article below.

What is a localization specialist?

A localization specialist, or a localization expert, is an individual who performs the task of localizing a specific product to make it culturally appropriate for the target market. Therefore, their role extends beyond mere language translation to include adapting the translation to align with local cultural nuances. 

Localization content may include websites, applications, video games, user manuals, media publications, among others.

What does the job description of a localization specialist encompass?

What are the job responsibilities of a localization specialist? The responsibilities of a localization specialist may encompass:

1. ● Accurately translating content into the appropriate language for the target market.
2. ● Ensuring the translation accurately reflects and is suitable for the cultural nuances of said market.
3. ● Reviewing and proofreading any translation errors such as spelling, grammar, etc.
4. ● Adapting the translation in terms of currency units, measurement units, and geographical information.
5. ● Guaranteeing an optimal user experience through extensive research and understanding of the target demographic, seamless collaboration with associated departments, etc.
6. ● Collaborating with enterprise clients throughout project execution to make sure all requirements are satisfied.

Essential skills for a localization specialist

What abilities does a localization specialist require? To become a professional localization specialist, it is mandatory to possess certain fundamental skills, such as:

1. ● Translation competency: This is an indispensable skill for any localization specialist. This pertains to precisely and seamlessly translating language while preserving the original material’s message.
2. ● Editing and proofreading skills: One of the critical tasks of a localization specialist is ensuring translation accuracy. Therefore, the skills to edit, identify, and correct grammatical, spelling, tone, and errors are requirements for this role.
3. ● Project management skills: A localization project comprises a diverse range of content streams and associated tasks. Hence, proficiency in project management is vital for a localization specialist to ensure high performance throughout various projects. Good project management skill allows the localization specialist to monitor the team’s workflow, and manage project members, thereby guaranteeing timely completion and highly efficient execution of the project.
4. ● Communication skills: Effective communication is a fundamental skill for any profession, especially for localization specialists. During project execution, localization specialists maintain close communication with clients as well as project members. Strong communication skills thus ensure effective collaboration between all sides and contribute to enhancing project implementation efficiency.
5. ● Research skills: During the work process, beyond thoroughly understanding the localization subject, the localization specialist must also meticulously research the target audience and markets. In doing so, the localization specialist can gain a deeper understanding of the public and the characteristics of the local market.

Salary of a localization specialist

Is the salary of a localization specialist high? According to salary.com, the salary of this job ranges from 63,533 USD to 80,690 USD per year. The specific salary is determined based on various factors, such as educational background, qualifications, work experience, specialized skills, and the complexity of the localization projects handled.

How to become a localization specialist?

It is difficult to become a localization specialist? In this article, Thao & Co. will provide you with insights into the career path of this job.

Pursuing studies in translation & interpretation or language-related fields

Most job positions for localization specialists require candidates to hold Bachelor’s degrees in translation & interpretation or specific language-related fields. 

However, certain employers may consider candidates with academic backgrounds in fields not directly related to the job, depending on the particular requirements of the position. For example, a bachelor’s degree in Computer Science can be advantageous for candidates applying for positions such as software or application localization specialists. 

Obtaining certifications form Translation Associations 

To bolster your professional standing, you can consider securing certifications from esteemed local translation associations, such as the American Translators Association (ATA) in the United States. Eligibility for these certifications usually requires a minimum of three years of full-time experience in translation and passing a proficiency exam administered by the association. With certification in hand, individuals can seek out freelance work or positions within translation agencies. 

Accumulating diverse translation experience with various types of documents

Accumulating translation experience across different fields and target audiences is crucial to becoming a professional localization specialist. This approach not only serves to refine skills and deepen expertise but also enriches the portfolio of a localization specialist, making it more varied and appealing to both clients and potential employers.

Developing research skills

This is one of the prerequisites for a localization specialist. During project completion, apart from grasping the translation subject matter, localization specialists need to conduct thorough research on the intended audience, public perception, and the local market. This includes an understanding of relevant regulations and laws, psychological traits, and more.

Keep up with innovations in translation technology

The advancement of technology brings forth numerous remarkable benefits to the field of translation, optimizing and enhancing translation efficiency. Therefore, localization specialists must constantly stay updated with these changes, thereby effectively harnessing new useful features in professional work. 

Where to find a professional localization specialist?

If you are seeking a professional specialist to entrust your translation projects, consider candidates on reputable job platforms such as LinkedIn, Flexjobs, Upwork, and more.

Additionally, you can also reach out to reputable translation agencies to connect with experienced localization specialists. 

Consider the following criteria to evaluate and select a suitable specialist: 

1. ● Candidates with relevant academic backgrounds and expertise in the proposed filed.
2. ● Candidates with excellent professional qualifications and extensive translation experience.
3. ● Streamlined and convenient workflow.
4. ● Transparent project quote.

These are also the factors that Thao & Co. prioritizes to deliver high-quality localization outcomes that bring significant value to clients.

With a team of native linguists, Thao & Co. translation agency rest assured that your translation and localization projects will be implemented with maximum effectiveness. Linguists at Thao & Co. are highly skilled native localization specialists with bachelor’s or master’s degrees in language-related fields and extensive experience in handling various App + Website + Game translation projects.

Furthermore, when collaborating with Thao & Co., you stand to benefit from our proprietary platform Dashboard which has been specially designed for a smooth and convenient project implementation process. With our platform, you can effortlessly monitor the project’s progress and discuss with our linguists to optimize both the translation quality and execution time. This feature also helps highlight the safety, transparency, and professionalism we place in every B2B translation service.

Thao & Co. ensures transparency and clarity from the project workflow and expert profiles to quotations, enabling you to make the most objective decisions. 

The aforementioned are some insights into the question of “What is a localization specialist?” that Thao & Co. would like to share with you. Hopefully, this article has provided you with valuable information and a new perspective on this profession.

If you have any further questions or require consultation on localization services at Thao & Co., please contact us via our Get a Quote page for prompt support.