6 Examples of How Knowing Foreign Language Can Help You Succeed at Work

Knowing another language is becoming increasingly important, both in our private and professional lives. Whether you only speak one or more foreign languages, you can benefit in many ways. But what are they?

Better Market Employability

It doesn't matter whether you want to work in your home country or abroad. Knowing another language can significantly broaden your opportunities. Many prestigious international companies globally are looking for employees who speak German, French, Spanish, Chinese or other languages.

Practical tip: When creating your CV, indicate your knowledge of each language using the official standards, such as CEFR (Common European Framework of Reference for Languages), ILR (Interagency Language Roundtable) or ACTFL (American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages).

More Business Opportunities

If you’re in business and considering expanding abroad, then you probably can’t avoid communication with international suppliers, business partners or customers. Without language skills, you’ll likely miss out on numerous opportunities.

In contrast, if you have a good command of the language spoken by your key partners, then you can likely negotiate more favourable terms. You'll also find it easier to resolve problems, and your business will run more efficiently.

Better Remuneration

According to these statistics from 2019, knowing a second language can secure 11-35% in pay rise. You will likely benefit most if you speak a less common foreign language, yet one that is crucial to the company. For example, you can easily find employment with a product importer working with Chinese suppliers. If you learn Chinese, then it can generate significant financial gain.

In general, a large percentage of companies perceive the lack of adaptation to international markets as a significant obstacle to further development. This is why companies increasingly desire employees who speak additional languages. Furthermore, they are willing to pay extra for this knowledge.

Opportunities to Travel Abroad

Many companies offer their best employees the opportunity to travel abroad and work for a parent or partner company. This is both in the short- and long-term. If you have a strong command of another language, then you can advance more easily in your field and gain many new experiences.

Moreover, language skills are beneficial for business travel. If your employer knows that you speak excellent Spanish, then they will happily send you to exciting presentations or meetings with international partners. This let’s you explore the world.

Faster Career Advancement

Although knowledge of another language may not be required for low-level positions at many companies, it’s often crucial in more senior positions. Therefore, if you want to build your career and advance faster, then you should speak at least one other language; any additional ones are a benefit. When your employer is deciding who to promote, they will more likely to give you the opportunity.

Better Brain Function

According to a New York Times article, which backed by a lot of scientific research, the brain of a bilingual person performs more efficiently. They have a higher ability to plan, adapt flexibly to change and solve problems or mentally demanding tasks. All of which you will appreciate at your job or business.

No matter how old you are, you're never too old to learn a new language. Learning languages keeps your brain active, even with advancing age. It can help you feel better and get ahead in life. Today you can learn a language even from the comfort of your home or via mobile language learning apps.