Learning a foreign language is like adding a cherry on the cake that adds extra factors to our profile and career to make it look more fascinating. Globalization has expanded the job opportunities worldwide which offer good packages, benefits and enriches the career to the fitting candidates, and to be a part of this global world, learning a foreign language is the most required aspect. Learning a new language needs a lot of effort, time and dedication, hence learning a foreign language will add value in our career to prosper. Most of the multinational companies hire more bilingual candidates because the firms work across countries and they think bilinguals are the most beneficial people in the growth of the company. Bilinguals earn 10 to 15 percent more than monolinguals and knowing an extra language can empower your access to the world. Some of the most spoken and learned foreign languages across the world are, Mandarin/Chinese language which is also considered as the most difficult language to learn, hits the first place on the list with the highest number of speakers, approximately 1.1 billion, next is Spanish with 527 million speakers, Arabic with 422 million speakers, Malay with 281 million speakers, Russian with 267 million speakers, and French and Portuguese with 229 million speakers.
Following are the advantages of learning a foreign language for better career opportunities -
1. Bilinguals are Considered Smart –
Bilinguals can switch languages according to the needs; they can act according to the situation. They are more active, the brain of the bilinguals functions faster than the monolinguals. The power of multi-tasking and the ability to understand the different environments is much easier to bilinguals. In the multi-national companies, the employer prefers bilinguals more than the candidates who know one language.
2. Job Opportunities –
As the globalization is expanding the demands for the candidates who know multi-languages, especially the one who knows foreign languages, is increasing. Most of the international corporate companies seek for the candidates with good business skills and who know the foreign language because; if they had to travel around the world they get adjusted to the culture of foreign countries.
3. Communication -
The career opportunities for the candidates who know a foreign language are more than the candidates who know only one language. The bilinguals can communicate well with the clients abroad without any barrier in explaining them about the company and the services offered. This will help the clients to know about the company. The employers hire bilinguals to get great business to the company worldwide.
4. Resource –
The total numbers of languages spoken in the world are around 6500, and if the candidates are able to speak, read or write two or three foreign languages than he/she will be given more preference by the employers. In some circumstances the employees receive the source or reports submitted by the foreign clients who will be in their official language; hence if a candidate knows the foreign language he/she will be able to translate the source to the company’s language. This is one of the major factors MNC’s look in the candidates.
5. Better Business Skills –
Research suggests that the candidates who know foreign languages are much better in handling complex situations, for example, if the multi-languages client is facing any problem it will be easy for a bilingual to understand the issue and convinces the client to stay with the firm by gaining his confidence.
6. New Perspectives –
Learning new languages can give you new or different perspectives to understand multi-national clients easily. When the perspectives are understood from the client's point of view it will easy to cater to the quality service to the clients. This also acts as an advantage to the candidate to get an excellent job in foreign countries.
Learning foreign languages can provide personal and professional benefits. To sustain and develop in the global market one has to learn foreign languages, this will also help in gaining more advantages than the other monolingual employees in the firm. Being able to speak foreign languages provide a kind of job security in multi-national companies. In today’s world of business to get the best jobs in prominent international companies or the organizations established abroad, learning a foreign language is a vital factor required.
