Learn a Language to Boost your Career Options

In such a saturated job market, keeping a comparative advantage can be difficult even for the most talented and experienced professionals. However, there is one skill set which stands out and always captures recruiters’ attention: the active knowledge and mastery of one or more foreign languages. Whether for trading posts (international business growth) or those related to procurement functions (increasing margins and optimising prices and supplier lists), linguistic competence is considered a major asset. Developed language skills therefore, are a strategic bonus and have the potential to boost any career. 

Whether you goal is to assert more influence within your company, evolve internally or take your career into a new direction, mastering a second language can help you stand out from the crowd and from potential competitors. Recruitment experts agree that the following are the four most lucrative and beneficial languages to learn: English, Mandarin, German and Spanish. 

English as a language no longer holds the monopoly: it is the third most spoken language in the world, the official economic language and the language of business. Spanish is the second most spoken language in the world with 470 million native speakers; it is particularly useful for commercial careers and for the field of marketing and health. Mandarin and German are on a par as the most popular language in the world especially in professional fields related to industry and finance. In the context of a global business world, the success of these two sectors is measured by their employee’s ability to communicate effectively with foreign and international partners. 

Learning a new language certainly requires more motivation and determination for adults than it does for young learners, but this should not be seen as an obstacle, quite the opposite! In order to make rapid progress and successfully retain the learning results in the second language there is a rule: study, practice daily, immerse yourself in the language as much as you can and take part in activities. While daily committed study is an essential part of learning a language, it is also important to capture the cultural and conversational nuances of a language that make the difference and give you confidence. OISE language coaching programmes can not only enable the right study environment to learn a language to boost your career options but also to give you the tools to express yourself fluently, eloquently and develop international know-how.