Thanks to technology and the internet, business is no longer restricted to local commerce. The global reach of business spans worldwide across borders and cultures. Employees that can speak more than one language have a particular value to businesses.
If you can speak common languages like Spanish, Mandarin, or French, you possess a skill that is in high demand with employers. The ability to communicate directly with international clients and extend the courtesy of cultural equality can set a company apart from the competition. When you are attending a school of business, taking a minor or supportive class in a second or third language could be a boost to your resume following graduation. Let’s look at a few ways that becoming bilingual can help your career.
MARKETABILITY
The job market is tough across most industries. The challenge for candidates is to have skills and qualifications that will set them apart from the competition. With many candidates being equal in experience and education, it often takes a different and unique skill to get the attention of prospective employers.
Learning a second language and putting that skill on your resume can give you a boost when it’s time to look for work. Employers are looking for employees that can bring something useful and unique to their company and fill many duties apart from their assigned position. Having the ability to speak and communicate in more than one language gives you a marketable skill that employers consider valuable.
PROFESSIONAL RELATIONSHIPS
The accessibility of international clients through technology has opened up the world to many smaller businesses. Entrepreneurs and startups are no longer limited to finding clients in their areas. When you are bilingual, you become a valuable asset to your company.
Being able to connect with foreign customers and conduct business and sales in their language is invaluable. Clients from different countries are more comfortable and build trust faster with companies that can communicate with them on their terms. Through bilingualism, cultural barriers can be broken down, opening up the possibilities of forming relationships in any corner of the world.
BUSINESS SKILLS
Educators believe that you enrich your life with more knowledge and flexibility when you learn a different language. Bilingual people tend to have heightened listening skills and can read the subtle nuances in more than one language. Opening your mind to the details of another language can open up the culture for better understanding.
The process of learning a new language has a way of converting your thinking into a more out of the box perspective. Bilingual employees are often better at multitasking and organization. Speaking to an international client in their own language can help you become a better business person. Much of the success in business and sales comes from confidence. When you can easily converse with clients in their own language, it puts you on a more even footing giving you the push that you need to close the deal.
COMPETITIVE EDGE
As a prospective employee, you will be evaluated by the unique skills that you can bring to a company. When you are bilingual, you can offer something that other candidates cannot. With the global market expanding into every corner of the world, having the ability to connect with international clients that speak a language other than English gives you a global appeal to employers.
GLOBAL OPPORTUNITIES
When you aren’t limited to speaking in only one language, a world of opportunities will open for you. The chance to travel to exotic locations on behalf of your company and to meet intriguing people are just a few of the exciting options that you may experience. Forming relationships on a global scale can add a factor of excitement and enrichment to your career.
Also, one thing which is very important is a perfect curriculum vitae. If you can write a unique and good-looking resume that will attract more company owners, as a result, you have more chances to qualify for that specific post or profession that you are applying.
If you are fluent in more than one language, it’s imperative to add this valuable skill to your resume as a highlight. Employers are always looking for candidates that can do more than just fill an open position. When you are bilingual, you will have the chance to connect with people worldwide, give them the respect of conducting business in their language, and represent an essential asset to your company.
