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Department of World Languages, Literatures and Cultures

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Careers using foreign languages


Did you know...?

9.3% of Americans are bilingual, compared to 56% of people in the European Union.

Only 1% of undergraduate students study abroad.

Multinational corporations based in the United States employed 21.8 million people in 2003.

48% of Americans polled deal on a weekly basis with someone whose native language is not English.

30% of large corporations surveyed in 2002 stated that they failed to benefit fully from international business opportunities because of employees’ lack of international skills.

80 federal agencies employ workers with proficiency in over 100 different languages.

2/3 of the world’s purchasing power lies outside the United States.

US companies lose approximately $2 billion due to employees’ inadequate language and cultural skills.

42% of firms surveyed consider foreign language skills during the hiring process; 60% consider them in retention decisions.

Knowing another language gives students an edge—
no matter what they study.

Competition for the best jobs is intense. To be an effective professional, such as a doctor, lawyer, educator, artist, or scientist, communicating and investigating new knowledge in other languages as well as in English are essential in the increasingly international workplace. The study of languages and their cultures and literatures will provide you with important job-related knowledge and skills that can give you a competitive edge. Leaders and decision makers must be able to access information, to understand it, and to interpret it critically; linguistic and cultural knowledge is essential to meeting these challenges. Because you can communicate and connect with people of other cultures and nationalities, you will be able to establish and maintain personal and professional contacts. In business, any cross-cultural effort for cooperation, sales, or negotiation will benefit from your experience of other languages and their communities. Exposure to another culture through its language will position you more favorably for success in your career, whatever career you may choose.

Download the brochures below to read more about languages and careers in your field of study:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Watch area professionals talk about the many ways language is important to their work: