Improve Job Prospects with a Language Course


More than ever, employers are looking for multilingual people, even in roles you would not necessarily expect. Why? Thanks to the internet and mobile technology, the world is getting smaller by the day. It is not uncommon for a small company in Tokyo to do business with a company in London and that company to do business in New Delhi. Adding a language to your resume is an excellent way to demonstrate that you are a forward thinker preparing for the business world of tomorrow. Being able to communicate in the native language of a customer or business is a great way to establish a common bond and build trust.

The choice to take a foreign language course also speaks to a desire for consistent betterment of oneself. Employers looking for long-term members of their teams are not interested in stagnant minds that want to stay mired where they are at. Why? Strong, innovative minds are the catalyst for new developments. Communicating that desire and ability is a bit difficult to do directly through a resume. Putting forth the effort to learn a foreign language is a great way for you to demonstrate in a way they can easily interpret and understand.

There should be some thought put into what direction you should take with a foreign language. While the prospect of learning Latin might seem exciting, it won’t do you a whole lot of good. Instead, take a look at the industry, business, and its areas of operation. India is a major player in a number of different industries and on the internet, making Hindi a very good candidate. Korean, Japanese, and Chinese are all good choices. And, of course, there is Spanish. Spanish speaking people comprise a very large segment of the world’s population. It would be pretty difficult to go wrong with learning Spanish.

The great thing about developing your skills with a foreign language is that there are no downsides. It is a skill you can and will use moving forward. It can help you develop a more-worldly attitude that can add a lot of depth to your life, your character, and your employment appeal. With a little self-improvement, you could be opening up new and exciting avenues in your career!

Languages – Key to Resume Success

There are many things that can make your resume stand out from the pile. One of those things is often overlooked. Employers in today’s changing world need people who can speak a number of different languages. This can help an international company with its existing client base. It can also help a smaller company that wants to expand in the coming years. When crafting your resume, you must be sure to highlight your language experience. This can be done in a number of different creative ways by individuals who want to get the most out of their application package.

Why Language Skills Matter in the Job Search

Imagine that you are a hiring manager at a company. You put out an ad for a new employee. Your company deals with many different types of people from all over the world. You then receive hundreds of resumes for the open position. Each of those individuals has a relevant degree and some job experience. What if one of those people could speak a foreign language? Wouldn’t that make the single resume stand out against the crowd? Language skills give you an edge on those people who are directly competing for the job opening.

Including Any and All Proficiency

The first rule of resume building is that you must be honest when putting together your resume. The second rule is that you should include anything that might be helpful. This means that you should include language information even if you are not fluent in a given language. It would be helpful if you could speak and write fluently in a language. You should include a resume line even if you have conversational language skills, though. This can help give you an edge on those people around you.

Where to Include the Language Skills on Your Resume

There are a few different ways to highlight your language skills. Some people will choose to include a separate section for language competency. This is a good idea if you have full fluency in a given language. If you have some skills that you would like to include, then you might include it under the interests’ section of your resume. That would be the appropriate place for you to include a conversational language component. If your language skills have been an important part of your work history, then you might include the language skills there. This will highlight your talents in a way that shows the employer your worth.

Much of the magic of language, of course, lies in its fluidity.

Meghan Daum

Putting together a good resume requires you to think through all of your different skills and competencies. This means including your language skills if you have them. People who have serious language skills should be willing to feature those skills on their resume. People who simply have light language skills should find a useful place to work those skills into the prospectus. This can give you a huge edge over the other applicants for that position. This has become even more important with the difficult modern economic conditions.