In the current economic climate, it is of utter importance to improve one’s competitiveness on the labor market. Gaining better computer or people skills can do the trick, but in today’s globalized world, knowledge of certain languages has become increasingly important in both business and government jobs.
Although important in international contexts, the more obvious languages such as French, Spanish or English will not make one stand out from other job applicants. Knowledge of one of the following languages will however impress potential employers and it might just be that one detail that convinces them to invite one for an interview.
Learn Mandarin
It should not come as a surprise that Mandarin is number one on the list of must-learn languages. China is already one of the largest economic powers and its importance is still increasing. Although many Chinese businessmen speak some English, knowledge of their language can give any business an important advantage in the competitive international business world.
Learn German
Germany is the world’s third largest economy and the German language ranks third in the world when measured in terms of GNP, behind only English and Japanese.
Germans are traditionally big players in mechanical engineering, the automotive industry, aerospace, logistics, and the pharmaceutical and chemical industry. More recently, German companies have started to lead the field in new technologies such as the IT sector, renewable energies and biotechnology.
Although most German businessmen speak fluent English, one will make a much better impression if attempting to speak their language.
Learn Arabic
Even though Arabic is the fifth most commonly spoken native language in the world and the Middle East is constantly gaining importance in international affairs, only few Westerners have attempted to learn this language. This has resulted in a shortage of Arab-speaking workers in the West and provides huge opportunities for those who are proficient in Arabic in the fields of business and industry, finance and banking, consulting, foreign service and education.
Learn Portuguese
One of the up-and-coming economies of the world is undoubtedly Brazil. It is currently the eighth economy of the world. Brazil is the United States’ second largest trading partner in Latin America. But unlike Spanish, Portuguese is not widely studied by Americans.
As Ted Fischer, the director of the Center for Latin American and Iberian Studies, puts it: “It’s a huge market in the United States, it’s wide open, and if you speak it – even if you’re not fluent – it’s going to open all sorts of doors for you in the private sector.”
The study of any foreign language improves one’s career prospects, but in particular the knowledge of one of the above foreign languages is an important asset on today’s labor market.
Natalie Lefevre - Natalie Lefevre has lived in several places around the world but now lives and writes from her home country, Belgium. Her expertise is in ...
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