How Does My Regional Language Experience Affect My Career in English Content Management?

Hello seniors, Thank you all for responding to the queries of members in time. I have a serious concern regarding my career, an issue which has been bugging me day in and day out. I am an MBA with 10 years of experience in content management (print and web) - content development, editing, proofreading, web publishing, image editing, etc. I have worked for three companies during these 10 years. The second company is the world's second-largest market research company, and the third is a British media giant (I am currently working here).

My Previous (First) Experience:

The first firm I worked with is a really small firm - a home-based proprietary publishing firm (sole proprietorship) that publishes almanacs (a book on Hindu religious traditions, etc.) and travel guides (for four different cities) in our regional language (Telugu). On and off, it published travel guides in English. I worked here as an Editorial Assistant from October 2002 to August 2007 (almost 5 years). The publishing firm was not registered under the Companies Act, 1956. However, it was registered with the Registrar of Newspapers of India (RNI), which is like a license to run a publishing firm.

Is my experience working for quality checking and proofing books in regional languages a bane when applying for big companies in web-based content management in the English language?

I wonder how HRs of big companies, especially in the content industry, would view my previous experience. I mean, content is content at the end of the day, may it be any language. I have already proven my expertise in the English language having worked for over 5 years in web content management for global giants - the second company is the world's second-largest market research company, and the third is a British media giant (where I am currently working).

Please advise me.

Regards, Kamal Raj

When you attend any interview, the interviewers look for "experience" of their interest. As long as you meet their requirements, there is no issue. However, if the areas shown as "experience" are outside their interest, they would not take the total number of years into account.

Suppose you have ten years of experience with 6 years in the field of their interest and 4 in some other field, then they would consider you as a 6-year experienced person. If the 6 years include the current period, then it is relevant. However, if the 6 years are not recent, then it can be an issue.

Regards,
V. Raghunathan
Navi Mumbai

Thank you very much for your response/advice. From what you said, I think it's good news for me. You actually relieved me of my worry.

My Case:

Out of my nearly 10 years of experience:
* 4 years + 10 months are in content development/editing/quality check in a regional language [Telugu] - THIS IS PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE - 2002 - 2007
* 5 years go into web content development, editing, management, publishing, etc. in English [and that too with two of the top players in their respective fields] - THIS IS THE RECENT/CURRENT 5 YEARS - 2007-2012

Please advise if I am right.

Thank you once again and cheers,

Regards,
Kamal Raj

Wow! Your advice opened my eyes. Your quote amazed me. Let me admit, you are the best mentor I have ever met in my life. In fact, you have swept away the dust of worries all over my current career path in just one go, one clean swipe. You are right. I am now positive and confident enough to present my previous experience to prospective employers in a better way.

These are the times when thanks seem like too small a word, but I am left with no words but to say thank you very much.

Wish you the best of luck in all your endeavors.

Regards,
Kamal Raj

Apply for the jobs and then gauge the response. We can think and analyze forever whether the water is too cold or just about okay, but the real input would only come when you dip your feet in it.

Kamal, I believe you have received replies that will put your mind at ease. I was in corporate HR until recently, and my experience is that as long as your recent experiences are pertinent to our required skill sets, you are in a good position. All the best in finding your dream profile.

Personally, I don't think regional language experience is a negative. However, it needs to be seen in a different context. Your total experience is 10 years, and you are aiming for work at the same level. When HR professionals compare your experience with others at the same level but with English language throughout, you might lose out. Try focusing on your current job rather than the total experience. I think you need to project yourself differently.

Thank you very much for your response. You are right—in fact, you have hit the bull's eye here.

"When the HR guys compare your experience with others at the same level but with English language throughout, you lose out."

This is what I am worried about. Could you please advise me on how better I could project it so I could be considered at par, if not really ahead, of others with experience in English content throughout their career?

Regards,
Kamal Raj