More Languages Can Equal More Money
There are many reasons to learn a new language, from easier travel to the ability to enjoy books and films from other cultures. But in addition to this, there are many strong financial reasons why it’s a good idea to add to your native language. In this article, we’ll introduce some of the ways being bilingual (or even trilingual!) can help you in your professional life.
Valuable connections
Technology is making the world more and more connected all the time. These connections are not only happening between people, they are also happening between businesses. As more cultures connect and work with each other, people with the ability to speak more languages will naturally be more valuable to companies. Let’s take a closer look at the specific ways it can help.
More job opportunities
You can’t begin working until you’ve first found a job. Most people who search for jobs on the Internet probably only search in their native language. But what if you spoke another language as well? If you searched in that language, how many more jobs would you find?
One of the biggest benefits of being bilingual is that there are more jobs available to you. Additionally, if a job requires someone with skills in multiple languages, there will be less competition for it since fewer people are qualified to do them. So even before you begin working, your language skill is a big advantage!
Also, don't forget that people who can speak foreign languages can find jobs in their home country as well as opportunities in a different part of the world. Working remotely has become more common in recent years, so you may even be able to work for a foreign company without needing to move from where you live now. This means more choices for jobs and more freedom in where you can do them.
A stronger résumé
One very important section of a résumé is the part that lists your skills. Knowing how to write code or having experience leading a team can help you stand out from other people looking for jobs. Similarly, being “proficient,” or highly skilled, in another language will make you more attractive to companies and give you a big advantage over your competitors.
If the company you want to work for has international clients or partners, they will need people who can help communicate with them smoothly. But there's more: learning a language also means you are learning about the culture it comes from. So being multilingual not only helps with things like translation and interpretation, it also means you have cultural knowledge that can help companies market their products and services successfully in different parts of the world.
Higher pay
Research says that professionals who speak additional languages earn a salary that is 10 to 15 percent higher than for people who speak only one language. The amount of extra money you can earn will depend on the languages you can speak. You probably already know that English and Mandarin Chinese are important languages for international business. However, even though it is spoken by fewer people than languages like French and Spanish, German is also considered especially valuable because of Germany’s powerful economy within Europe.
However, two is always better than one, so any additional language you learn will help you to earn more money.
Time to study
In addition to all of the points we’ve mentioned above, there are even more benefits. Learning a new language can help keep your brain healthier for longer and give you a wider view of the world we all share. It can even help you to think more rationally and make better decisions about money and other areas of your life. That's a lot of motivation to study hard!
