Why Your Next Career Move Should Be Learning a New Language

Posted: 11.16.2021
Learning a new language is a career move that’s becoming increasingly important. The ability to communicate and negotiate in more than one language increases your confidence, gives you a better employment prospect, and guarantees a higher salary. In addition, if you study abroad and gain language proficiency that way, you’re likely to be equipped with several soft skills (management and people skills) that employers seek. So, no matter what country you’re in or your industry, learning another language is beneficial for your professional and personal life.
 
There are different reasons why people learn new languages. It may be because of the love for language, travel, fun, or work. Whatever reason you choose to learn a new language is valid. However, this article focuses on learning a new language and its benefit for your career, hard to quantify. 
 
In a simple sense, language learning improves you as a human and has similar effects to acquiring any knowledge, such as mathematics or philosophy. In this article, we will be discussing a few reasons why learning a new language should be your next career move. 
 
You stand out from the others.
As a professional, you should always look for ways to stand out from other people in your industry, especially if you’re job hunting. It is challenging to secure employment, and many people struggle with this, as they try different ways to stand out from the sea of people seeking the same jobs. 
 
One of the best ways to give you an edge is to demonstrate your competency in a foreign language. Then, you are easily going to stand out from the others. Learning a language is not an easy feat, and it’s a sign of worldliness that many people lack. It also shows that you’re a more intriguing person than many others, which doesn’t hurt your chances at a job interview. 
 
You may be able to attract a higher salary.
Several studies prove that bilingual or multilingual employees are likely to receive salaries 4% - 15% higher than other monolingual employees. In most cases, though, it depends on the company’s nature, but your employers are going to note your diligence at learning a new language as a sign of your diligence at work. Regardless, language skill is always beneficial, whether working at a café or in a global business. 
 
You’re likable to foreign clients.
If you can speak to foreign clients in their native language, communication becomes smoother, and the clients feel more comfortable talking to you. This makes you more likable and gives you an upper edge in business communications. In addition, communicating with clients on their terms helps build a strong rapport, even within a business setting. This makes language learning a crucial skill if you work in an industry where you have to pitch regularly for projects. 
 
Developing empathy and awareness for other cultures may also help boost sales and understanding how other people think will help build more meaningful connections. 
 
It gives you more relevance within the global economy.
The world feels smaller than it used to be, with cheaper flights and the internet connecting people to far ends of the earth. Several trade partnerships promote globalization and the economic boundaries that countries share continue to shift and grow constantly. This means that the ability to speak two or more languages makes you highly beneficial in the global economy today, even if you don’t travel. The long-distance calls in the 90s are nothing compared to the free Skype calls today. It is also cheaper and more effortless to work with people abroad now than before. There may also be a significant shift in economic zones, Brexit, for instance. So, speaking several languages makes you more desirable in several international cities, such as London. 
 
Opportunities to travel.
Another effect of globalization is the willingness of large companies to build offices in several countries. You can experience a new country by moving for work, and your company will cover the cost of relocation and travel. Suppose you don’t speak the language of the country. In that case, the fact that you already went through learning a foreign language once gives you the right experience and mental readiness to learn another one quickly and more efficiently than other people who understand nothing about learning a foreign language.
 
Conclusion
Regardless of the subject, the learning process is beneficial. We must continue to learn and grow as humans. It makes us better humans. There is a profound effect that language learning has on us as it helps us connect with other people and bridge the communication gap. It is one of the best decisions that you can make for your career. Both professionally and personally, there are many different reasons why you should consider learning a new language. You can never go wrong with it. 
 
Author Bio:
Charlie Svensson is a fast and engaging writer. In addition, he is skilled in content writing and blogging. The favourite topics of his posts are education, social media, marketing, SEO, motivation blogging, and self-growth. Excellent adaptability of skills to reach diverse audiences. 
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