Guest Post: How Learning a Second Language Can Translate into Business Success

I'm happy to welcome a guest blogger today! Emmy from Transparent Language, take it away:

In many cases, knowing a second language will be an assumption rather than something compulsory in your current MBA program. If you are on the cusp of entering the business world, learning a foreign language will help your future. If you second language is something you haven’t practiced since high school, there may be a course that you can take outside of your existing program. If your MBA program does however offer second language courses as a part of the regular curriculum, take advantage of any opportunity to improve your skills. It’ll be the quickest way, and your best odds of actually getting it done. Why should you bother? A second language can be a great help in business, in many ways.

While you may not need to have the proficiency necessary for complicated negations, being able to be conversational in a foreign language will help you to stand out from the crowd. For existing and potential clients, being able to accommodate their language will be a great asset in putting them at ease with you, allowing you to build on a social connection.

The further world markets mesh, the greater the value of being multilingual becomes. The business world and the money that fuels it know no borders and strong language skills will need to reflect that attitude. More and more businesses will deal with international partners, so being the one to help make the connection can create great opportunities for you to shine for your employer. If you run your own business (or plan to), speaking a second language can help make the difference in building clients or forming partnerships.

Where I live, having that second language knowledge is essential, and while it may not keep you from working, it will keep you from moving up in the ladder. Being able to switch on the fly with the correct aphorisms into that second language has helped me put potential clients at ease. I’ve been able to build on a social connection, and increase customer loyalty. Even if you don’t live in a bilingual community, there are many opportunities to make use of your language skills, especially in big cities with larger proportions of international population.

Speaking of other cities, learning a second language can open many international employment opportunities, too. Having an English speaker on staff is handy, depending on the part of the world, so if you can get by with basic communication in their language, you might be unique candidate they’re looking for, giving you a chance to travel as you work. Aside from being exciting and personally enriching, working abroad shows an ability to adapt to challenging new work environments, and will add life to your resume.

The image you project with your language skills will open as many doors in the business world as you can say hello in. It can help you communicate better with and form closer bonds with colleagues where you work that speak the language, help you build better relationships with company clients and partners, and enrich your mind and resume as you face new challenges at home or abroad. Once you do have that second language learned, speak it as frequently as possible. When it comes to language, use it or lose it, definitely applies. If you need, try language learning software to keep your skills sharp. Take your career to the next level!