Being able to fluently speak in two or more languages makes you a highly eligible candidate in the job market today! The number of non-English Speakers is on the rise, so various organizations, from businesses to nonprofits, are in need of people with bilingual or multi-lingual skills. In fact, according to The Wall Street Journal, a survey carried out by the University of Phoenix Research Institute established that the demand for American workers with proficient foreign language skills will keep soaring through the next decade.
Before diving into the jobs where the demand for bilinguals is hitting the roof, it is essential to note that your choice of second language significantly influences your employment prospects. An English speaker who learns Gujarati, for instance, certainly won’t have the same demand as that of an English native who pursues Spanish. From the findings of its survey, the University of Phoenix recommends Spanish and Chinese as the most marketable foreign languages in the US. Others include Hindi, Russian, German and Portuguese.
Without further ado, here are the jobs that are trending for bilinguals:
1. Translators and Interpreters
Translators and interpreters serve as a bridge between two languages. Translators convert written information from one language to another, while interpreters do the same with verbal information. The services of these professionals are more commonly needed in hospitals, conference centers, educational institutions, media houses, courts and immigration facilities. The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) projects that between now and 2024, the employment of translators and interpreters will increase by 29 percent, significantly faster than the 7 percent average for all occupations.
2. Human Resource Professional/Specialist
Many organizations are actively looking to hire bilingual human resource specialists. Unlike monolingual HR professional, bilinguals are able to help companies bring foreign language-speaking workers on board with ease. This helps to improve workplace diversity, a concept that is currently driving organizations to greater financial success. According to research by McKinsey and Company, companies with an ethnically diverse workforce are 35 percent more likely to do better than those without.
3. Customer Service Representative
Customer service representatives are tasked with handling customer queries and complaints. They are typically the first line of communication with a company’s customers. As the number of people speaking foreign languages increases, so does the need for businesses to hire bilingual customer representatives in a bid to eliminate language barriers with customers who don’t speak English. By hiring employees who can speak the language of the customer, companies are able to grow their customer base and enhance customer loyalty. The BLS reports that the demand for these professionals will grow by 10 percent within the next 10 years.
4. Paramedic
Paramedics provide emergency healthcare services. Their job is to sit tight in an ambulance and wait for a call dispatching them to a specific location. Together with emergency care technicians (EMTs), bilingual paramedics are more desirable employers since they can effectively attend to patients without any difficulties in communication. With the BLS estimating a 24 percent increase in the demand of EMTs and paramedics, you would have a better chance of securing a job in this field if you are a proficient speaker of a second language.
5. Social Worker
The provision of quality social services is a key objective of not only the federal government, but also of the state and local governments. Social workers are the professionals tasked with visiting families, identifying their needs and facilitating the provision of services such as health care and counseling to those who need it the most. Since American families come from diverse ethnic backgrounds, bilingualism helps social workers to overcome communication problems and attend to as many households as possible. Up until 2014, the employment of social workers rose by 12 percent annually, according to BLS projections.
6. Bank Tellers
Although money knows no language, its owners do! The customers who walk into banking halls speak different languages, so it’s essential that bank tellers are proficient in a second language. Particularly in the United States, the demand for bank tellers who are fluent in English and Spanish is sky-rocketing as more and more banks look to tap into the growing number of Spanish-speaking populations.
These are just some of the top jobs that you have a better chance of securing after learning a second language…but why stop there?! Alternatively, if you are already employed, then your newfound foreign language skills can come in handy when seeking a promotion. If you have been sitting on the fence wondering whether to learn a new language or not, it’s high time you jumped over into the nearest foreign language class!
Want to take up one of the trending jobs mentioned above? Start your foreign language course now!