5 Career Benefits Of Being Multilingual

Career Benefits Of Being Multilingual

More businesses are expanding on an international scale—and they are on the search for multilingual professionals that can make that happen. FlexJobs reports that listings for bilingual jobs have increased by 30 percent since February 2020. Now that the economy has become more globalized, multilingual workers have become in demand in corporate settings, government institutions, educational centers, and more.

The globalization of institutions will only continue to expand. So if you’re still contemplating on whether you should learn a new language or not, here are five reasons that will convince you to make a start.

Five Career Benefits Of Being Multilingual

1. Increased Employability

Your multilingualism can increase your employability, since there are multiple career paths that require one’s mastery over different languages. By investing in your language skills, you can open yourself up to more work opportunities that most professionals cannot apply for. But aside from that, multilingual speakers are also more likely to be hired than monolingual speakers due to their additional communication skills. Thanks to your knowledge of different languages, it'll be easier for you to score jobs across different industries.

2. Smooth Communication During Work Trips

Given your talent in multiple languages, your institution may provide you with international work trips on their behalf. This is why we believe that your knowledge in multiple languages can enrich your travel experience since it will help you in finding directions towards designated meeting centers. On top of that, your proficiency in foreign languages will help you communicate with local professionals so that you can successfully carry out your business ventures.

3. Greater Access To International Markets

There is a high demand for multilingual professionals, since your language skills are critical for an institution’s globalization efforts. Through your knowledge of different languages, businesses can establish partnerships with international companies and connect with different markets. But if you’re flying solo, your multilingual skills will definitely be an advantage in networking with international clients. This allows you to have more work opportunities, now that you can properly communicate with clients from all over the world.

4. Stronger Client Relationships

Language barriers can get in the way of professional relationships. So if you want to have a stronger client base, then you have to invest in your multilingual skills. Your proficiency in different languages ensures that there will be very little room for miscommunication during meetings or discussions. As a result, your work output can meet the expectations of international clients. Due to your ability to understand your clients, you can increase their satisfaction with your services.

5. Higher Pay Range

The previous career benefits of being multilingual highlighted the advantages of multilingualism for globalization effort. So, it’s no surprise that professionals that are fluent in dominant languages earn 10-20% more than most professionals. Your talent in languages is an asset to most teams, since you can represent your team or your institution to a wider audience. It is also worth mentioning that your knowledge of dominant languages in certain world regions can further boost your earnings because you can communicate with bigger populations.

Career Paths That Require Proficiency in Multiple Languages

Interpreters and Translators

If you have a passion for various languages and want to enjoy the career benefits of being multilingual, then you’ll enjoy a career as an interpreter or a translator. Translators and interpreters are in demand in various professional environments, since they use their skills to produce written and spoken materials in different languages.

Translators make texts more accessible to audiences in different parts of the world, while interpreters give non-native speakers a voice in legal, medical, and other settings. Due to the nature of their work, these professionals are expected to be quick-minded in translating and extremely proficient in various languages. Since their language training can be intensive, these professionals earn a median salary of $52,330.

Humanitarian Aid Worker

Are you dreaming of making a positive change in the world? You can pursue a career as a humanitarian aid worker so that you can use your language skills to connect with individuals in need.

Large-scale organizations, like the United Nations and the Red Cross, employ human aid workers to tackle global issues through hands-on relief efforts. Since you’ll be interacting with community members at the grassroots level, you need to have a background in international studies, a strong command of different languages, and knowledge of human rights. Due to the importance of this work, humanitarian aid workers earn a median annual salary of $60,000.

Teachers

Multilingual skills are highly sought after when it comes to the educational field. While you can pursue a straightforward path and become a foreign language teacher, there are also various educational fields where your multilingual skills are valued.

Your proficiency in several languages is an advantage if you want to pursue an educational career in history, philosophy, literature, and cultural studies, since important texts are often written in other languages. Meanwhile, teachers in archaeology will do field work in foreign places, so they have to communicate directly with local teams. Given the importance of multilingualism in education, proficient educators are paid more than the average, but the annual median salary depends on the level and subjects they’re tackling.

Healthcare Workers

Everyone needs access to proper healthcare, but language barriers may stand in the way of giving quality services to patients. So now that more individuals are migrating to different countries, multilingual skills have become increasingly important among healthcare professionals.

Recognizing that communication is crucial to effective healthcare, a global study on language barriers revealed that medical providers require interpretation services for 43.2% of their patients. This is why there is an improvement in satisfaction, healthcare delivery, and safety when medical professionals can communicate with their patients in their own language. As such, bilingual doctors earn an annual median salary of $83,000.

Businesses and institutions are going global, there are so many career benefits of being multilingual, and you need to follow suit. By investing in your language skills, you can expand your work opportunities and increase the satisfaction of your employers or clients. This allows you to achieve greater stability and success in your career.

Article written by Irene Newton

Exclusively for idyoma