The language industry is always evolving to meet the needs of consumers around the world by creating unique avenues for language professionals to provide solutions. In addition to common job titles — such as translator, interpreter, account manager, and quality assurance specialist — many lesser-known roles exist in the industry. This article highlights ten career paths that you may not have heard about, but that offer exciting opportunities. By combining language and localization skills with other in-demand skill sets, such as human resources (HR) or information technology (IT), you just might find your perfect professional fit.
1. Language Lab Manager
Language lab managers help train future translators and interpreters, including students at language flagship-supporting universities (as designated by the United States (US) Defense Language and National Security Education Office). With each flagship university focusing on a specific language, language labs often become a critical avenue for implementing language curriculum in real time. These language labs are run by professionals who possess both IT skills and a background in teaching foreign languages. Language lab managers hold the key for students to access foreign language resources that are not available outside of the university.
2. Language Cataloging Specialist
Language cataloging specialists generally work with an American university’s Cataloging and Metadata Services Department for long-term contracted positions that focus on a specific language within the library based on existing collections. Primary responsibilities generally include creating, processing, and revising target language records within the library system according to standard practices encouraged by the US Library of Congress. Catalogers play a crucial role within the language industry by allowing readers access to global material originating from other languages and time periods. These professionals often need a minimum of a master’s degree along with a target language proficiency certification.
3. Director of Curriculum Assessment
In the US, nationally recognized organizations such as The College Board set the standards for high school and college curriculum in all subject areas, including foreign language. The College Board administers exams such as Advanced Placement (AP) to give students the chance to verify their knowledge in subject matter areas in exchange for college credit. AP exam criteria must be vetted by experts before the tests are administered to students. That is why, for each of the 11 AP language exams, there is a director of curriculum assessment who at a minimum possesses a master’s degree in the target language or a directly related discipline with years of experience. The director’s main responsibilities include assessing the presented exam curriculum as it pertains to current linguistic use, training educators to adequately author the test, and leading the successful scoring of the student exams. This sets the academic standard for the next generation of language learners who wish to further their language skills by certifying their knowledge.
4. Market Research Analyst
A major reason for rapid growth in the language industry is up-to-date data that is made available by market research analysts. As a professional market researcher for the language industry, you allow stakeholders to better understand the current market landscape in its entirety by providing an aerial view through various research models. This gives the industry time and space to adjust how it conducts business for a more competitive edge. This work can often be seen in companies dedicated to providing crucial market intelligence, such as Nimdzi Insights. Some of the main responsibilities of this role are being able to adequately examine language industry market trends and demographics to properly advise companies on product optimization, advertising channels, and pricing. This is a perfect career path for those with a passion for language and studying market conditions who want to help companies grow.
5. Linguistic Field Worker
Linguistic fieldwork is necessary for better understanding the role language plays in a society or community. This job is more than just the documentation of endangered languages in remote villages. It involves the collection of accurate data on a language with the goal of understanding how it affects that specific group of speakers. Fieldwork can be conducted inside and outside the natural environment, as the primary focus is analytical use with a strong emphasis on ethics. Therefore, fieldwork can take place in a classroom setting, corporate office, or even town hall meeting. Most professionals who undertake linguistic fieldwork as a career become university professors, which increases the odds of getting ethics approval and funding to support your work. As the concept of fieldwork has gained more attention over the past decade, this profession is perfect for those who wish to dedicate their careers to preserving languages and better understanding language loss.
6. Language Access Coordinator
Language access coordinators (LACs) in the US identify language accessibility needs within the jurisdiction they serve and create tailored solutions that break down language barriers for non-English-speaking, limited-English-proficient, deaf, and hard-of-hearing communities. These professionals provide pipelines to language service providers (LSPs) by implementing funding regulations across city, state, and federal levels through the creation of procurement opportunities. LACs are responsible for overseeing pre-approved budgets for language access programs, as well as assessing diverse linguistic needs. They are also responsible for evaluating language service contracts and for quality assurance. This is the perfect job for those who have a passion for language, civil rights, and social action.
7. Linguistic Recruiter
Linguistic recruiters are responsible for supplying LSPs with qualified vendors so that they are able to contract them out to entities who need professional language services. Recruiters generate analytical and well-documented linguist sourcing, recruiting, and selection reports and metrics. They source qualified professionals for specific teams and projects all while building and maintaining long-term relationships. They are responsible for facilitating orientation, testing, on-boarding, and follow-ups, all while managing the company’s list of contracted and full-time linguists to successfully complete language service requests. Most notably, recruiters are responsible for reporting and analyzing current on-site translation needs to identify recruitment needs as they evolve. Not only does a linguistic recruiter need to be familiar with national translation and interpreting standards for each industry, but they should also have a passion for statistics and helping new team members through HR-style work.
8. Language Museum Director
In addition to preserving the world’s languages and cultures through research and documentation, language museums play an important role in providing the public with unique ways to learn about language. There are currently more than 55 established language museums across the globe that cover every component of human language. Being a museum director requires candidates to hold advanced degrees along with extensive training in either education or museum and cultural studies. These professionals have a passion for both public service and language education.
9. Cultural Trainer
Cultural trainers come from many backgrounds, but ultimately provide the same crucial service of relaying expectations and practices across foreign cultures for the purpose of helping people understand one another in the workplace. Whether this be in high-stakes environments, such as the federal government or a corporate office, or in educational settings such as a classroom or conference, cultural trainers bridge gaps between cultures through tailored curriculum that caters to the learning needs of the target audience. They must assess learners’ progress through tests, assignments, and interactive activities that promote cultural immersion, all while developing cultural awareness and sensitivity to the target culture. Trainers are responsible for providing feedback to learners that encourages cultural understanding as it evolves in the workplace. These professionals are critical to overcoming language learning and cultural barriers in our globalized world. Generally, candidates must possess fluency in two or more languages and have a minimum of a bachelor’s degree.
10. GIF Creator for International Languages
A Graphic Interchange Format image (GIF) is a type of media file that displays an animated picture with no sound. As most cellphone users know, GIFs are commonly used in text messaging apps. However, for those who do not read or write in English, using this form of communication can be difficult due to language and cultural barriers. Therefore, GIF creators are needed to convey the intended meaning from the source language into the target language. In addition to translating pre-existing GIFs, these professionals are expected to create new ones for global clients that match with current linguistic and cultural trends. Qualified candidates are expected to possess professional-level proficiency in both the target and source language, along with knowledge of creative software common with GIF creation processes.
