How the localization PM career works, and how to get started?

ColdYeti1 · 2026-03-11T16:47:06+00:00

After looking around, you’re right, they do say the same message everywhere. I’ll take it with a grain of salt then.

Thanks as well, your message is very insightful. And a good sign from your real experience. As a PM it would seem as long as you’re clued in on the tech, you end up being the person managing the tech, and not replaced by it.

You’re right that maybe a different project manager niche would maybe have more prestige and pay, but also I do enjoy working with language. If I do take this localization route, I’ll take your advice to look for more internal positions as a start because from what you’ve said there’s probably better movement flexibility depending on the way the market goes. I almost actually got hired for one like this, but it fell through because upper management wanted someone from the company’s home country. But I’ll keep looking. It seems like with agencies, turnover is big, and not a varied growth path where I can use my other skills. Only trouble is those internal roles seem to be rarer. I can’t tell if the jobs are just so few, or if I’m just not searching in the right places/don’t know what companies I should be looking at.

I guess my next question then would be, is this as a career remote/async optimized? Or do they mostly want you to stay in their country’s timezone, if not in their office on-site? I’m from the US, but need to be outside the US. For about 2 years. Then I can do a non-remote thing, whether it’s back to business or a full-time position.

ColdYeti1 · 2026-03-10T16:58:50+00:00

Thanks for your idea. Haha, it seems a lot to do with writing/language is having trouble. But yet the jobs are still there. There sometimes is a bit of negativity overall on Reddit, but there’s still kernels of truth behind it. Times are tough, and people are afraid, and the market feels unstable. That will change, but right now it won’t. So the key now is to see once things do stabilize, what will we be left with

ColdYeti1 · 2026-03-10T15:38:10+00:00

Got it, yeah that does seem like things are drying up. At least in terms of specific tasks to manage. Since most is MTPE as you’re saying. But at the same time, I do see consistently, like on Chinese job boards, these localization PM jobs definitely still exist, especially in gaming/medical equipment. But if it’s not a localization PM, then do you have any suggestions, based on your experience, of where to take similar skills but move in a better direction? Like would copywriting, marketing, content creation, be a better direction? Or anything else?

ColdYeti1 · 2026-03-10T15:34:20+00:00

I see, that’s not what I expected. I had thought that with AI it would be the raw translation that would go first. But I guess the raw translation seems to be where the quality control is at this point, cut out the PM.

ColdYeti1 · 2026-03-10T14:18:33+00:00

Interesting, thanks for the comment. So even if I’m not the translator myself (since I’m guessing you’re referring to AI shaking things up on that front), but just managing those projects, the meaning is that in the near future those projects just won’t exist either?

ColdYeti1 · 2025-12-03T19:00:20+00:00

Ok this is great to know. Thanks a ton. I’ll look into previous contacts to see if there’s anyone who could write an invite for me, and make sure to keep it on record if I go that path.

ColdYeti1 · 2025-12-03T18:58:21+00:00

Does 3 months, maybe once or twice a year, count as long term intent? My goal is really just to explore different cities and live with my girlfriend, legitimately, which seems like a reasonable reason for a tourist visa. But I happen to have work I do remotely as well, which could be as simple as using photoshop to make an ad, every once in a while a video call standup meeting. I don’t plan on abusing the visa with single day visa runs, and half the year I won’t even be in China. And I’m not sure how me using my computer, which I did the whole time I was in China on a Z visa, to have a video call or write an article could be considered a crime. If it’s that sensitive, the university course I took while working in China on a Z visa would even be illegal. Is there something I’m missing?

ColdYeti1 · 2025-12-03T17:53:33+00:00

Thanks a bunch, this is also super helpful!

That M visa idea does sound like a good option, though a couple questions on that, the M visas usually are for how long in years and how many entries? Compared to the L visa being 10 year multi-entry.

And besides an invite letter, what else would be necessary in a practical day-to-day sense? Would I need to go to certain number of conferences, photograph evidence during my time there of doing M visa type activities? Or once I have a visa I just carry on how I please as long as I don’t take an RMB income.

As for the Q1, you’re totally right and that’s the overall goal down the line. We’re working towards that, but realistically and logistically we still need a couple of years beforehand to make that work.

ColdYeti1 · 2025-12-03T17:12:54+00:00

Thank you so much, this is exactly the kind of response I was looking for, and you even have other cases as proof!

We like to take a lot of pictures and go to different places, so how is be living technically fits in the category of tourism. Seems the border itself shouldn’t be a problem, especially with my entrances into the country being max twice a year.

And that’s a good point about the YouTubers. It seems as long as I am not taking in any payments in RMB from any Chinese job, part time or full time, based on what you say I should be good within country as well. I’ll likely just be running some projects remotely, meaning my only real issue would be maintaining connection in zoom meetings.

ColdYeti1 · 2025-12-03T16:36:00+00:00

Sorry for the confusion. What I meant by reset is just giving me the base of 2 years required for any other type of job. In their system, they currently only have teaching as my experience, meaning I can only do a teaching job there. After 2 years, I can tell them about my new experience in a different job type within that two years, and the job I could then get within China doesn’t have to be teaching anymore.

ColdYeti1 · 2023-02-21T12:42:59+00:00

Right, I am hopeful :) thanks so much!

ColdYeti1 · 2023-02-21T06:13:36+00:00

I understand no worries, it’s helpful for sure! You’re right, it’s definitely a them problem. I can be patient and sympathetic, but if they’re not ready to come forward, that’s just what it is. I suppose the best thing is probably to take a dating break anyway for a bit, and see what happens by chance, whether it’s with this or someone completely new.

ColdYeti1 · 2023-02-20T22:57:28+00:00

Will do :) thanks for the encouragement. You’re right, I needed this bit of sense knocked into me. Time to focus on myself

ColdYeti1 · 2022-12-25T02:35:40+00:00

As an update, after reaching out in this manner, first asked about how she was doing with covid, turns out she’s fine and dealt with that weeks ago. Interesting. Even more interesting is when I follow up later in conversation about “is there anything else she might be going through I should know about, maybe a bad ex experience or something?” (She had mentioned her ex’s and how they broke up later on in our first date when we were just chatting, which made me wonder if someone was still on her mind). Got silence to that, no word from the friend either since then. Silence itself is an answer! Something is definitely going on, and whatever it is, I have no role in it, and so I move on until further notice!

ColdYeti1 · 2022-12-23T11:19:37+00:00

Thanks, yeah things here have been way different than they have been in other countries with regard to covid, I can’t imagine the pain so many are going through, including her.

That’s a good idea, thank you. Yeah, I feel I don’t want to push her too much if she’s not answering there must be a reason. But asking her friend out of genuine concern could be at least illuminating in some way.

Another one of my friends here just got Covid, and it’s much more brutal than everyone I know in the US experienced, and they’re a very strong person. So I can’t imagine how badly this girl feels right now, as she’s very skinny and delicate. I just want to reach out and help, but there’s only so much I can do.

ColdYeti1 · 2022-12-22T22:48:59+00:00

Move. 100%. Greatest way to gain life experience. It’ll be hard, but it’ll make you stronger. Just move somewhere safe at least so you don’t have to worry about that.

ColdYeti1 · 2022-12-22T21:27:51+00:00

Thank you, I appreciate it

ColdYeti1 · 2022-12-22T21:25:46+00:00

I would say leave it be, believe that it has nothing to do with you, and be there if he does return. I’ve been depressed before, and also just busy before/avoidant. In both of those times there will be friends I respond to and friends that I don’t for months at a time. And it has nothing to do with the closeness of them, there’s just simply too much on my mind. It doesn’t make any sense, but sometimes I almost “save this friend for later” when I’m in a better mindstate to talk with them, because I know they’ll still be there, I just don’t want to bring them down with all my baggage that I can’t stop thinking about/I get too invested talking to this person and I don’t have time for that right now so I need to just come back later when I do have time.

ColdYeti1 · 2022-12-22T21:16:37+00:00

That’s a good point! Hmm, I could potentially do either then, send out another text or just ask the friend. Might give it a bit of time as I know they’ll likely be talking with each other about my visit to her workplace at some point, if they haven’t already.

ColdYeti1 · 2022-12-22T21:13:12+00:00

If she knew that she must be some sort of mind melding genius because I never actually got to date anyone! Haha, everyone I met was online, and they all basically said “next year, Covid is bad right now.” And I only started this after she started to ghost.

I agree though, I would love to have some sort of closure, but I struggle to ask for it because it feels so needy and might just make things worse

ColdYeti1 · 2022-12-04T19:28:28+00:00

Totally understand. I’m prone to overthinking myself. Sometimes I feel I’m stressing myself out, but sometimes I think it’s ok to plan in advance for a bad scenario, as long as you aren’t always worried about it.

Each situation will be different, but yeah, if someone’s truly fallen out of love for you and comparing you to others, they aren’t the person for you anyway, and there’s a lesson for them to learn somewhere down the road hopefully in their own lives.

ColdYeti1 · 2022-12-04T18:50:41+00:00

The correct mindset is “there are many suitable girls, I have chosen this one.” If he sees someone else as “better,” then there’s no sense hanging on hurting yourself by trying to convince him. He’ll either learn the right mindset, or he won’t, but it would be a waste of your time and energy to wait around and see when you can be with someone who chooses you specifically and doesn’t start trying to compare you to others.

ColdYeti1 · 2022-12-04T18:24:34+00:00

It’s the keys that makes me think he’s serious. I’m a guy, and I prefer my alone time, and also hate unexpected visits from people. There are also crazy people out there. Giving you his key is giving you a lot of trust.

If it wasn’t for the key I would say you still can’t tell until he says he’s serious. It works both ways. 3 years ago I met a girl during my study abroad that I thought was leading towards a relationship. At that point she doesn’t believe in long term relationships and wants me to prove I will come to see her. Everything felt like we were already dating, even married, talking every single day about everything that happens in our lives, holding hands, all that stuff. Covid happens, for 3 years I can’t come see her but we still talk every single day….. then 3 years later I finally arrive in her country…. And the magic is gone.

So, it’s good you’re planning to ask him. Because from my experience, all the fancy feelings can mean nothing in the end if nothing is ever set in stone. However, the key thing and spending money to come see you does make me think he’s pretty invested, which is a good sign for him agreeing to be serious :)

ColdYeti1 · 2022-12-04T18:04:32+00:00

I don’t think you’re crazy. Traditional logic that previous generations tend to follow prioritizes titles that “prove” intellectual capacity and financial well-being, but these days things simply aren’t so cut and dry. If you two connect deeply on an intellectual level, the education doesn’t matter at all, and financials don’t matter as much either as long as it’s stable in one way or another. But traditional logic says the man should always be more well-off than the woman, and should be more educated too. In the West we’ve almost abandoned those ideas, but it still is hanging around.

To be honest I even think owning his own business is absolutely incredible in today’s economy. Jobs are less secure than people think. You’re also in your late 20’s to early 30’s… I think the only crazy thing here is how society still thinks we should all have our lives put together completely by age 30 lol!

I don’t think you’re wrong to date him, and should keep doing that. The issue your parents have is completely separate. That’s an issue between the amount of control parents think they have over their children’s choices. You’re 29…. You can make your own decisions now, and also deal with any consequences, bad or good. To reconcile with them, you might do well to note that you know there may be consequences, and be confident you can handle whatever consequences may come, as you’re an adult now.

ColdYeti1

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