The rising tide of globalization means there has never been a better time to be bilingual. The ability to fluently speak, read or write in more than one of the world’s 6,809 languages opens up a variety of interesting career options – from translating classified governmental communications to interpreting witness testimony in a court of law.

According to the Chamber Weekly CEO/Business Leader Poll by COMPAS, ‘Business leaders believe that individuals derive a great deal of benefit from knowing a second language. Many say that those who speak another language are more culturally sensitive and more likely to get better jobs.’.

The choice of second language and the country in which the speaker seeks employment will dictate the ease with which particular jobs can be found. For example, 28 million people in the US can speak both English and Spanish, making jobs requiring this ability more competitive than those requiring more unusual language combinations, such as English and Swedish.

Translation

Translators convert written materials from one language into another and most often work for publishers. They need excellent writing, editing and analytical ability. Translators with additional specialist knowledge will be able to charge a higher premium for their services. For example, those with a scientific background that are able to translate complex scientific studies from one language to another for publication in journals are highly prized.

Some translators – especially those working on a freelance basis – choose to make themselves more saleable by learning additional languages, for example by studying French at UICLanguages.com.

Interpreters

Interpreters convert one spoken language into another, using their skills to relay ideas and concepts between languages. They must possess an exceptionally good memory and mental dexterity, while also being sensitive to the cultures of the speakers. For would-be interpreters learning Spanish UIC Languages provides native speaking teachers who infuse lessons with the requisite cultural depth. Interpreters can work in the legal system, tourism and for multinational corporations.

Government agencies

Part of the job description of a country’s government is to protect its citizens’ interests in the world arena. This requires an almost constant dialogue with countries large and small. The ability to do this relies on governmental staff being fluent in as many languages as possible.

According to CIA Director, Leon Panetta, ‘Foreign languages are extremely important … to understanding that part of the world that we have to gather intelligence from.’ With this in mind, the US agency has been seeking to recruit speakers of Korean, Pashtu, Arabic, Persian, Russian Chinese, Dari and Urdu.