January 08 2022

Five advantages of learning a foreign language to grow your career

If you write your CV in the German language in Germany, you can get an edge over others. Japan and South Korea, two countries highly preferred for job opportunities, prefer candidates from other countries who can speak their language to some extent. Even a report by Industry Week says that 56% of people worldwide feel that foreign language skills demand will rise in the coming years.

Learning a foreign language helps your resume stand out, no matter which industry or sector. Recruiters will notice you amongst the herd when you are looking for jobs, especially foreign job positions in European and Asian countries. If knowing English is essential, knowing a foreign language is an extra advantage that you should not miss out on if possible. And nowadays, it's not that difficult to learn a foreign language; there are numerous online resources and courses available, and recruitment agencies like Magic Billion are also helping candidates get skilled and trained in a foreign language using cutting-edge pedagogy, institutional design, and tech-enabled learning. Explore more about how Magic Billion does it here

So, what kind of career advantages would you get if you learned a foreign language?

1. Create more job opportunities for yourselves

The world is becoming global, and the demand for bilingual or multilingual professionals is growing. Hence, there are a lot of companies that require employees who are at least bilingual, especially companies in North America. Therefore, being well versed in multiple languages will help you grab opportunities at a global level faster than others.

2. Fill the communication gap

When you go abroad for your job, the cultural difference between that country and your home country can deter communication and adaptability. If you learn the local language, you can blend in with people from that country, which will make you more proficient in people skillsone of the most crucial skills necessary for recruiters nowadays.

3. Steer interviews your way

If you know the country's language where you are applying for a job, the recruiters will for sure open up to you more despite you being a foreigner to them and will give you a preference from all the monolingual candidates. A British Chambers of Commerce study suggests that language barriers limit around 60% of companies- hence the lookout for multilingual candidates for global business development is ever rising!

4. Be at the forefront of career growth

Many companies pursue business opportunities in different parts of the world. Such companies would always prefer sending employees or managers well versed in the local language to bridge the communication gap with the clients. This will help give the employees a global appeal, thus accelerating your career growth. Knowing your client's native language will elevate the professional and business relationship, leading to better business results and personal career opportunities.

5. Command higher salaries

Salary is the most crucial factor for many when they go for foreign jobs. And, it is very accurate that learning a foreign language can help you command a higher salary than your peers. We are not bluffing; we have proof! A report states that knowing a foreign language can help you increase your salary by 10-15% than your colleagues, and result in faster promotions!

So, now that we have told you about the five most important advantages of knowing a foreign language, you must wonder which language I should learn. English, French, Mandarin, Italian, German, Japanese, Korean and Spanish are some of the most in-demand languages to be learned, simply because the countries speaking these languages have better business opportunities and some of the top companies residing. Thus these countries are the focus of good global career prospects.

So, don't wait and ponder more; pick a language, and start learning! And if you are still confused and want to get a headstart, visit Magic Billion to know about our certified and recognized foreign language upskilling courses!