Foreign Languages and Job Opportunities
Lucinda Branaman

In our increasingly global society, knowledge of other languages and cultures is crucial for students and professionals who work, or plan to work, in a wide range of fields, whether in the United States or abroad. Many opportunities exist in business, education, nonprofit organizations, associations, and government for individuals with backgrounds in foreign languages and linguistics, particularly when this knowledge is combined with expertise in another field.

Careers in international business and other professional and technical fields require extensive preparation. However, language study alone is usually not enough to prepare college graduates for entry into, or for graduate training in, these specialized fields. A much more promising route to international employment involves extensive coursework in a particular area of interest (for example, international studies, business, economics, or political science) combined with courses in foreign languages, computers, technical writing, and liberal arts and with participation in an international exchange or internship program. Many universities make second language study an entrance requirement to encourage participation at the high school level (Adelman, 1994).

Students who choose to study languages or international fields have an advantage if they enter college with a foundation in one or more foreign languages and cultures. Students entering technical or administrative training in fields such as medical services or office administration can also benefit from foreign language knowledge as they prepare for jobs such as nursing assistant, medical technician, bilingual secretary, or office manager. Early career exploration programs can provide elementary and secondary school students with firsthand examples and testimonials about how foreign language study can open doors for them as they proceed through college, enter the work force, and become active citizens in a global community.

Students should be aware that if they do a little planning and preparation, they will find that many exciting and rewarding careers await them in which they can use foreign language skills. Within these fields, personnel with second language skills are needed at all levels. For example, it is not only the international business executives who need to know the languages and customs of the country with which they are doing business; their assistants, secretaries, and other office staff may also need second language skills.¹

Education-Related Jobs That Require Proficiency in a Second Language Bilingual Classroom Aide Elementary School Teacher (foreign    language, ESL, bilingual) Language Program Administrator Language Trainer (workplace program    or executive training program in    businesses and industries) Librarian Overseas Instructor (English as a    foreign language) Secondary School Teacher (foreign    language, ESL, bilingual) Teacher Educator (training language    teachers) University or College Professor (foreign    language, ESL, linguistics)

For those interested in a career specifically focused on language, there are opportunities in the fields of translation, interpretation, and linguistic research. Careers in these fields generally require advanced study, certification, or specialized training. Information about specializations within linguistics, career opportunities, needed skills, and special training programs for translators and interpreters is available in publications from the Center for Applied Linguistics.²

Of course, there are also many career opportunities for those interested in teaching languages or in working with students who speak languages other than English. Public and private schools--both elementary and secondary--hire foreign language teachers and English as a second language (ESL) teachers. Bilingual teachers may also be hired to teach in bilingual education programs or in regular classes in which many students speak another language. Specific certification (varying by state) is usually required for public school teachers. Additionally, foreign language, ESL, and bilingual teachers may teach adults in commercial language schools, in nonprofit or community-based organizations, in overseas businesses, or as consultants in workplace programs or executive training programs in large U.S. businesses and industries.³

Foreign language skills and knowledge may also prove useful in ways one might not immediately think of, such as working with international students as a college or university administrator, providing social services in a community with many nonnative English speakers, counseling refugees in their native language, memorizing a French opera for an upcoming stage performance, providing travel services for non-English-speaking clients, cataloging and referencing library books in other languages, working as an administrative assistant in an organization that serves a multilingual population, or translating multimedia CD-ROMs and computer games into other languages so that they can be used and enjoyed in other countries. Additional job and career areas in which second language skills may prove useful are shown in this article.

The Occupational Outlook Handbook (Bureau of Labor Statistics, 1996) is an excellent source of information about occupations, salaries, and employment trends. For a more comprehensive list of careers that involve foreign languages, see Opportunities for Foreign Language Careers (Rivers, 1993).

Other Fields in Which Second Language Skills May Be Useful
Advertising	Arts Administration	Career Counseling
Customer Service	Education Sales/Marketing	Engineering
Fire Fighting	Hospital Administration	Hotel and Catering Services
Information Technology	International Education Organizations	Journalism/News Media
Law	Law Enforcement	Library Services
Market Research	Medicine	Military
Missionary Work	Multimedia and Computer Game Design	Performing Arts
Politics	Public Health	Public Relations
Publishing	Restaurant Services	Sales/Marketing
Scientific Research	Social Services/Social Work/Counseling/ Casework	Travel and Tourism
University/College Administration	Volunteer Organizations (for example, Red Cross and VISTA)

References

Adelman, C. 1994. What Employers Expect of College Graduates: International Knowledge and Second Language Skills. Washington, DC: Office of Educational Research and Improvement, U.S. Department of Education. ERIC Document Reproduction Service No. ED 375 660.

Bureau of Labor Statistics. 1996. Occupational Outlook Handbook, 1996-1997 Edition. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Labor.

Carland, M. P., and M. Trucano, eds. 1997. Careers in International Affairs. Washington, DC: Georgetown University Press.

Center for Applied Linguistics. 1992. "What Is Linguistics?" ERIC Digest. Washington, DC: ERIC Clearinghouse on Languages and Linguistics. ERIC Document Reproduction Service No. ED 350 882.

Garshik, E., ed. 1995. Directory of Professional Preparation Programs in TESOL in the United States, 1995-1997. Alexandria, VA: Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages.

Grosse, C. U., and D. P. Benseler. 1991. "Directory of Foreign Language Teacher Preparation Programs in the United States: A Preliminary Report." In R. M. Terry, ed., Acting on Priorities: A Commitment to Excellence Dimension: Languages 90. Valdosta, GA: Report of Southern Conference on Language Teaching.

Packard, C. 1996. "Foreign Languages and Careers." ERIC Minibib. Washington, DC: ERIC Clearinghouse on Languages and Linguistics.

Rennie, J. 1983. "Foreign Language Careers: Translation." ERIC Q&A. Washington, DC: ERIC Clearinghouse on Languages and Linguistics. ERIC Document Reproduction Service No. ED 232 484.

Rivers, W. R. 1993. Opportunities for Foreign Language Careers. Lincolnwood, IL: VGM Career Horizons.

Voght, G. M., and R. Schaub. 1992. "Foreign Languages and International Business." ERIC Digest. Washington, DC: ERIC Clearinghouse on Languages and Linguistics. ERIC Document Reproduction Service No. ED 347 851.

Notes

¹ For more information about careers in international business, see Voght and Schaub (1992) and Carland and Trucano (1997). Resources on foreign languages and careers can be found in Packard (1996).

² See also Center for Applied Linguistics (1992) and Rennie (1983).

³ For more information about foreign language, ESL, and bilingual teacher training programs, see Garshik (1995) and Grosse and Benseler (1991).

Lucinda Branaman is Project Coordinator and Research Assistant for the National K-12 Foreign Language Survey at the Center for Applied Linguistics in Washington, D.C. She is a fluent speaker of French.

Web Sites/Electronic Resources

Go to the ERIC Systemwide site

Putting It All Together: Fostering a Language-Proficient Society