LinkedIn Working On Japanese Localization

not “crazy” but “mental illness” tatoo

TechCrunch Japan reported [J] on its Japan original post that LinkedIn is seeking a Japanese translation contractor.

Japanese Translator (Contractor Assignment) Mt View, CA USA

Mountain View, CA, United States
Job Type: Contractor

Primary responsibilities:
Translate LinkedIn’s site to Japanese language version.

Timing:
This contract will begin on January 4, 2011 and last for approximately 16 weeks (between 30-40 hours per week).

Required Experience/Skills:
• Native level fluency in Japanese.
• Minimum of 2 years of experience as a translator.
• Good understanding of localization and linguistic issues.
• Experience using CAT tools, especially Idiom WorldServer and Trados.

Preferred Experience/Skills:
• B.A. in Translation, Linguistics, or similar.
• Self-motivated, with excellent written and verbal communication skills.

Location:
• LOCAL CANDIDATES ONLY in Mountain View, California, USA.

More:
• Applicants with recommendations are preferred
• Local candidates ONLY, no relocation

There is also a Japanese localization quality assurance contractor post has been posted earlier, both still seem open.

LinkedIn’s Japanese localization was once announced [J] in 2007 by Digital Garage, who helped and succeeded one of the most successful Twitter’s local adaptation, but then there were neither language localization nor visible marketing happened. If they find those two contractors soon, which should be possible in Mountain View, we may see LinkedIn Japanese in this summer 2011.

Japan is known as a barren land of business social networking services, and Facebook Japan sees difficulty to let people use their real name. (see Facebook news covered on Asiajin)

Japan’s job market is less active than in U.S., and does not depend on individual people’s reference networks. But more people ought to leave their life-time workplace in last two decades economic stagnation, situation will be gradually closer to the U.S. If the localization does not only end with message translations, but also care with cultural difference, which should require some system-side changes, they have a good chance to be the first successful social business networking service in Japanese.

See Also:

9 Out Of 10 Japanese Mobile Users Disinclined For Using Real Name

See You, CU – even the mighty Yahoo! Japan gave up within a year (which was not their first attempt)

Link to full article