5 Reasons to Learn Foreign Languages for Your Career

As English has become the most spoken language in the world, the ability to understand and speak another foreign language is a valuable skill for an aspiring employee. Uncommon languages such as Mandarin, Chinese or Japanese and common ones like Spanish, French or German are proving to be a great advantage when applying for a job. In many international companies, an entry-level specialist who is able to translate from French to English, and visa versa, has more chances of getting a job compared to someone who is more suitable for the job, but not multilingual.

Companies are more interested in going global and therefore businesses look for employees who can surpass language barriers. Recent studies have shown that people who are multilingual think faster and are more confident in their choices. This is because they tend to think it again in a different language and see if their conclusion is still realistic and doable.

Here are five reasons why speaking one or more foreign languages can help you in your career:

• Marketability: Looking for a job can turn into a long and difficult process. One way to differentiate yourself from others is through a strong CV. Referencing to a second or more languages is a great way to showcase yourself as a better candidate than your contemporaries.

• Get Noticed: There are many cases in which people with similar skills apply for the same job. One way to distinguish yourself is through knowledge of foreign languages. This can sometimes be that unique talent that gets you the job.

• Connect With New People: Speaking to someone in their language can help break the language barrier and make new connections. If you feel confident and comfortable during a dialogue, you build new relationships with people, this has many advantages in a business environment. The more people you know, the better chances you have to make your company successful.

• Global environment: As companies go for expansion in new markets and cultures, fluency in foreign languages can give you the opportunity to grow as a global employee. Your job will be filled with more fulfilling and professional opportunities. Your language skills can also put you in line for promotion or relocation.

• Improve your Business skills: Overall, learning foreign languages can improve other skills such as multitasking, creativity and solving complex problems. Also, thinking about the same problem in different languages and from different cultural perspectives can help you make the best decision.

If you want to be one step ahead of your competitors when looking for a new job, use your language skills as an advantage. Start adding to your resume the languages you know and be one step closer to getting the job you want.