The Bilingual Edge
How your foreign language skills can help you land a job.

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This article was published in Abroad View's fall 2009 magazine.

By Sherry Schwarz

The job outlook for recent grads may not be bright, but if you’re proficient in a foreign language there’s a ray of hope. According to The Association of Departments of Foreign Languages, you have a distinct career advantage with which to market yourself. An increasing number of U.S. businesses are working closely with companies in other countries and need employees who can both communicate in foreign languages and understand other cultures. Similarly, The Modern Language Association surveyed American businesses operating overseas and found that many companies give preference to candidates with foreign language skills when hiring new management personnel, provided other business experience and abilities are equal.
If government positions are of interest, some 80 federal agencies rely on professionals with intermediate-
to high-level competence in foreign languages.

The job possibilities are many for those who speak more than one language. To narrow the options, SUNY Oswego offers the following seven areas as fields that are particularly in need of bilingual and multilingual employees:

Business, Industry & Commerce:
Import-Export, Advertising, Banking and Finance, Engineering, Research, Translation

Government, International Intelligence, and Law Enforcement:
Foreign Service, Translation, Aid Agencies, Overseas Dependents’ Schools, Radio, U. S. Armed Forces

Teaching: Elementary & Secondary Schools, Colleges & Universities, Commercial & Government-Operated Schools, Overseas Dependents’ Schools, Peace Corps Locations

Interpreting and Translation: Freelance, Escort, Courtroom, Conference, Simultaneous & Consecutive
Media: Journalism, Radio & Television, Film, Publishing

Travel & Tourism: Transportation, Hotels & Motels, Excursions & Tours

Services: Health Professions, Social Work, Library Science, Service Organizations, Law & Law Enforcement, Volunteer Agencies

Your language skills may also make you a standout candidate for scholarships, fellowships, and graduate study. Many advanced degree programs require at least a reading knowledge of one foreign language.
As you refine your resume and prepare for interviews, consider how you can highlight not only your language skills but also your global experience, understanding of cultural differences, appreciation of diversity, ability to adapt to new environments, and your specific knowledge of the country where you studied abroad.

It’s also important to communicate the skills you’ve gained and the experiences you’ve had in the process of learning a foreign language. Consider the internships, work experiences, campus activities, volunteer services, and advanced coursework you’ve undertaken, as well as the cultural competencies, communications skills, analytical abilities, and organizational skills you’ve developed to get to where you are today.

If you’re interested in finding a job in which you can use your language skills, check out the following sites as starting places­—and don’t forget to make an appointment with an adviser at your college’s career office:
• LanguageJobs.us
• Multilingualvacancies.com
• Bilingualcareer.com
• Federal Government Jobs