3 Reasons to Learn a Foreign Language

1) Gain a Competitive Edge in the Job Market

Employers who do business internationally value candidates who can communicate in more than one language. Adding a foreign language to the skills section of your resumes is bound to set you apart from the stacks of resumes submitted by your peers when looking for your first career role upon college graduation. Most US citizens speak only English. Set yourself apart by picking up a second or third language to give you a competitive edge.

2) To Expand your Global Network

As you will see in the chart below, there are more than 7,000 living languages spoken in today’s world. By learning to speak a second language, you significantly increase the number of people you can network with.

3) Feel Comfortable Traveling Abroad

In some countries, you can get by communicating in English. That’s because English is one of the world’s most commonly taught second language. However, when you venture to more off the beaten path locations, you will find that English may not serve you even in the slightest. Nicole Berry, Founder of Linguistic Horizons, found this to be true in her recent travels to some of the former Soviet Union countries. “Often times all I could do to communicate was to use hand gestures or the Google translate app. In Belarus, I went a whole week without being able to have a conversation in English. I was glad to have found a woman who could speak Italian on one of my bus rides. With her I was able to somewhat communicate by listening to Italian and responding in Spanish. On a couple of other occasions, I was able to communicate using my basic German skills. This trip was a reminder of what it feels like to be lost in translation.” Knowing at least one foreign language will serve you well when traveling abroad.