# 210 The Future of Language Jobs with tbo.'s Charles Campbell

Navigating the Choppy Talent Landscape

Introduction to the Podcast

• The podcast opens with a discussion about the current talent landscape, characterized by layoffs and fluctuating hiring practices.

• Charles Campbell, Founder and President of tbo, is introduced as a guest on SlatorPod.

Background of Charles Campbell

• Charles shares that he is currently in Córdoba, Argentina, describing it as feeling like "a country within a country."

• He discusses the political climate under President Milei, noting significant changes affecting local economies and businesses.

Economic Outlook in Argentina

• Despite local economic challenges due to political shifts, Charles expresses optimism for his business's performance in the global market.

• He highlights that local politics are not the primary driver for their business mood but acknowledges ongoing struggles with currency controls.

Challenges Faced by Language Service Providers

• Previous governments imposed strict currency controls that complicated operations for language service providers in Argentina.

• Charles humorously remarks that if one can succeed in Argentina's complex regulatory environment, they can succeed anywhere.

Personal Journey into Language Services

• Reflecting on his background, Charles recounts how living with a Chilean family during his youth sparked his interest in Latin America.

University Education and Global Expansion

Quality of Education in Córdoba

• The speaker compares their university experience in New Zealand to the demanding academic environment in Córdoba, highlighting the high teaching quality despite run-down facilities.

• Private universities in Córdoba are noted as being very affordable, especially when compared to American standards.

Reasons for Establishing TBO

• The decision to start TBO in Córdoba was influenced by the local talent pool and educational quality.

• Over the years, TBO expanded its operations to Peru (2011), Ukraine and Vietnam (2017-2018), and Mexico (2022).

Geopolitical Considerations for Business

• Mexico is described as a geopolitically favorable location for business due to increasing American investment as interest in China declines.

• Vietnam's inclusion aims to provide global services with a strong team presence, while Ukraine's office was affected by conflict but has since stabilized.

Travel Challenges and Team Dynamics

Travel Logistics to Kyiv

• The speaker shares plans to visit Kyiv, discussing travel routes from Paris via Warsaw, including bus or train options that can take 13-17 hours.

Safety Concerns Regarding Air Travel

• Due to risks of airliner attacks, there are currently no flights into Kyiv; however, ground transportation has been effective for team members.

Talent Landscape Insights

Launch of tbotalent

• A new brand called tbotalent was launched recently; discussions focus on its inception and relevance within the current job market landscape.

Current Job Market Conditions

• The talent landscape is characterized by layoffs alongside hiring freezes; however, opportunities still exist despite economic fluctuations.

Employment Trends Post-Pandemic

• There’s an ongoing transition from an overheated job market back towards more stable employment conditions.

Industry-Specific Talent Demand

Skills in High Demand

• Tech skills remain highly sought after along with persistent needs in life sciences and general localization roles.

Flexibility Expectations from Employers

Job Market Insights and AI Integration

Flexibility in Job Descriptions

• Employers are increasingly seeking flexibility in job descriptions, suggesting that candidates should not be overly rigid or picky about their roles.

• The term "AI" is being overused in various contexts, leading to confusion about its actual application and significance within companies.

Perception of AI Among Workers

• Workers should not panic if an employer mentions AI; it does not necessarily mean a drastic change in job roles or responsibilities.

• Despite fears surrounding job security due to AI, the current market remains positive with quick re-employment opportunities available for those who lose their jobs.

Talent Provision Services

• The speaker's company has been providing talent to the translation, interpreting, and localization industry since 2003, focusing on managed services rather than traditional recruitment.

• They offer a wide range of positions (nearly 50 different job descriptions), including project management and customer service roles.

Evolution of Service Offerings

• Initially focused on project managers for language service providers, the company's offerings have diversified significantly over time.

• Clients may hire anywhere from one person to large teams (70–80 people), showcasing the scalability of their services across various markets.

Addressing Employee Well-being

• The company provides ongoing support for employees facing medical issues, ensuring replacements at no cost to clients while offering additional benefits compared to typical US standards.

• This approach fosters loyalty among talent by bridging gaps in employee support that are often overlooked by American employers.

Employment Stability Across Cultures

• There is a cultural difference in employment stability; American companies tend to be quicker to hire and fire compared to European counterparts who may adopt a more supportive approach during downturns.

The Evolution of Talent and AI Roles in the Localization Industry

The Growth of the Talent Business

• The speaker highlights a significant increase in the talent business, now comprising 57% of their overall operations, with multilingual translation making up the remaining 43%.

• Emphasizes personal passion for working in the talent sector over a span of 15 years.

New AI-Related Roles

• Discussion on emerging AI-related roles beyond traditional post-editing, such as AI quality managers.

• Notes that existing roles are being rebranded to include "AI," indicating a shift in job titles rather than fundamental changes in responsibilities.

Changes in Quality Assurance Roles

• Quality assurance positions are evolving into roles like graders and evaluators, moving away from linguistically focused management.

• Highlights a growing disconnect between language expertise and technology affinity within new AI roles.

Engineering Needs in Translation Services

• Companies must enhance their engineering capabilities to remain competitive, positioning themselves as tech-savvy service providers rather than just translation vendors.

Project Management Transformation

• Reflects on how project management has evolved from manual processes (sticky notes and Excel) to automated systems over recent years.

• Automation is now more about discussing levels of automation rather than whether it exists at all; companies must adapt or risk stagnation.

Balancing Automation with Human Touch

• Stresses the importance of maintaining human oversight despite increasing automation; project managers still bear responsibility for errors caused by automated systems.

Embracing Automation at tbo.

• Describes tbo.'s approach to automation through its development division (tbodev), which focuses on implementing efficient processes without significantly increasing headcount.

Data Annotation Opportunities

Rebranding Challenges and Insights

The Impact of Data Annotation Services

• The speaker reflects on the past popularity of data annotation services, noting that while they provide this service, it wasn't transformative for their company, tbo.

• Emphasizes the necessity to prioritize investments in specific areas rather than trying to do everything at once; mentions a decline in the demand for data annotation.

Rebranding Process Overview

• Discusses a significant rebranding effort undertaken by tbo. in 2023, highlighting challenges faced and lessons learned during this process.

• Shares personal anecdotes about the difficulties of having a long email address that was cumbersome in non-English languages, which contributed to the push for rebranding.

Team Involvement and Brand Development

• Describes how the rebranding was a collaborative effort led by younger team members who aimed to simplify and refresh the company's image.

• Introduces new sub-brands created during this process: tbotalent, tbodev, and tbolab, each reflecting different focuses within the company.

Significance of Name Change

• Explains that "Translation Back Office" became limiting as over half of their business was not translation-related; thus, changing to tbo. allowed for broader service representation.

• Highlights how clients now request teams across various regions quickly—a service not adequately represented by their former name.

Ongoing Rebranding Efforts

• Notes that rebranding is an ongoing process with continued efforts like updating their main website and launching new divisions such as tboplay for games localization.

• Reflects on historical trends where longer names were once considered prestigious but have since become less relevant; emphasizes how their new branding aligns better with current market needs.

Lessons Learned from Rebranding

• Acknowledges that starting as Translation Back Office made transitioning to tbo. easier due to established recognition; discusses potential confusion if they had started as just tbo.

Juntos: Uniting Language Companies in Latin America

The Formation and Purpose of Juntos

• Juntos is an organization representing translation, interpreting, and localization companies in Latin America and the Caribbean. The speaker is a founding member and board member.

• Originally named ALCALS or ALSALC, the organization struggled with its identity until a brainstorming session led to the name "Juntos," meaning "together" in both Spanish and Portuguese.

• The importance of having a meaningful name for organizations is emphasized; it aids in recognition compared to arbitrary names often used by larger companies.

Insights on Naming Conventions

• The speaker prefers names that reflect business models, citing "Translation Back Office" as an example of clarity in branding.

• Critique of Silicon Valley's trend where quirky names are valued over sensible ones; suggests that marketing budgets can influence naming decisions significantly.

Upcoming Events and Personal Reflections

• The speaker shares their recent experiences attending various conferences, including the ALC UnConference in Mexico and Juntos in Lima, Peru.

• Plans for future travels include attending events like SlatorCon in London and reconnecting family members during personal trips.

Family Connections and Future Writing Projects

• Excitement about traveling with family to meet long-lost relatives; plans to document this experience through writing.

• Mention of upcoming speaking engagements at industry conferences while balancing personal life events.

Conclusion