In this heavily interconnected world, where distances between cities, nations, and continents is getting smaller by the day, the one thing that sets people apart is their centuries long traditions and cultures. One of the most defining characteristics of any culture, is language. A direct leeway into cracking a connection with a person is to speak in their language, and we don’t mean that just metaphorically. In short, in this extremely close knit world, wouldn’t it be beneficial to master one of the few things that sets us apart?

The answer is yes, absolutely! It is extremely beneficial, and could be life-changing for your professional career if you were to add mastery of foreign languages to your CV!

Read on to find out the 5 Life-Changing Benefits learning a foreign language can have on your career!

1. You Stand Out: As the world gets smaller, companies want to expand out of smaller markets to bigger ones, regardless of the industry. Being multi-lingial or bi-lingual gives you an edge, because your employers will look at you as an asset for their growth, making you a more desirable candidate in comparison to others.
   
   
2. More Job Opportunities: There is no need for us to highlight how competitive the current job market is. Especially after the pandemic, and the downward spiral most economies, all around the world have been on, it is going to get especially difficult to find a job. Being multi-lingual or bi-lingual will give you more opportunities to enter different markets with ease.
   
   
3. Salary Benefits: Were you aware that you can command for a higher salary simply because you know a foreign language? Even though learning a foreign language is a hack into quick career advancement, very few people, in comparison to the population, are aware of just how beneficial it is. Knowing a foreign language makes you more desirable to a company or agency, especially if its a multinational company, and it is definitely a skill you can utlise to derive a better or higher salary from.
   
   
4. Networking: Language is a great way to connect with people. Have you ever spoken to a person in their mother tongue and watched their mood uplift immediately? When you speak to someone in their language they are more interested in you, and open up to you more easily, trust you more and think of you as one of their own. This simple trick can be used when networking with foreign clients. It’s a skill that’s going to help you have an advantage over the others, whether you work for a company or have a business of your own that you want to introduce to new markets, to take your company to the next level. 
   
   
5. Globally Significant: You become a significant candidate globally. Most companies around the world would prefer a bi-lingual or multi-lingual employee. Why? The employee would be able communicate the company’s motto directly to clients who don’t necessarily speak the same language, without causing any communication gap. Being fluent in any foreign language will give you a global edge, especially if you plan to be picked up as an employee outside the country, knowing their language will help you advance in your career as well as open up more opportunities for you! So what are you waiting for?

As many financial and career benefits there are to learning a foreign language, it’s also a whole life-changing experience in itself. Learning any foreign language helps with an individual’s growth as well. It will make travelling around the world a much better experience, boost your confidence, and you’ll be seen as a highly educated and intelligent person. Moreover, learning a foreign language also increases your problem solving skills, reduces risk of alzheimers and dementia, and increases your multi-tasking skills.

However, if you want to learn a foreign language just for career advancement, there are specific languages you can learn that are viewed as assets in particular fields. Spanish is a language spoken throughout North America, South America, Spain, Portugal, if you plan to shift bases to any of the above mentioned places, learning Spanish would be a huge benefit. Mandarin is the national language spoken in China and around a billion people around the world. Moreover, China has the manufacturing units of most of the companies, and therefore people who know how to speak Mandarin are most valued as candidates everywhere. Other foreign languages that you should consider learning for career advancement are French, Arabic, German and Italian.

Are you tempted to learn a new language? Tell us which one!