Combining languages with my career . (Languages & Work) Language Learning Forum

Combining languages with my career .
Tags: Business \| Career \| Foreign Languages
Language Learning Forum : Languages & Work

albysky
Triglot
Senior Member
Italy
lang-8.com/1108796Registered users can see my Skype Name
Joined 4380 days ago
287 posts - 393 votes

Speaks: Italian*, English, German

Message 1 of 3

12 March 2014 at 12:54pm | IP Logged

How can I better combine my languages with my career in the future ? In about a year I 'll be done with my
bachalor in industrial/management engineering .I am not planning to go on to enroll on a master program
. I would like a job not so much engineering related ,but something like export /import ,dealing with
customers and buisness partners and so on . i want to point out that i learn languages in then first place
for myself .,but i am aware that they could be an incredible bonus . Are 2 languages enough ? Should i
take some certifications ?
1 person has voted this message useful

Ogrim
Heptaglot
Senior Member
France
Joined 4631 days ago
991 posts - 1896 votes

Speaks: Norwegian*, English, Spanish, French, Romansh, German, Italian
Studies: Russian, Catalan, Latin, Greek, Romanian

Message 2 of 3

12 March 2014 at 3:01pm | IP Logged

This topic has been discussed in several threads in this section (Languages and Work) so you can find some good opinions there. Nevertheless, I'll try to address your questions from my perspective.

If you want to deal in import/export or work in any internationally oriented company, English is of course a must. And then it all depends on what countries the company does business with, possibly the job sector etc. Clearly German is a plus in Europe, given the strength of German industry and the German economy, but you could also say that French or Spanish is very useful. If you find a company dealing with emerging economies, you could add Russian, Portuguese and Arabic to the list, to name but a few.

In general, having languages should be a plus, but it will depend on the company and the employer how much importance they will give to this. Clearly, companies will first and foremost look for other qualities, i.e. your engineering degree, your ability to deal with customers, to negotiate, be persistent and persuasive etc etc.

As for certifications, I know people have various views on this. Again it will probably depend on the employer. I have gone into an international career where languages are very important without having a single certification (unless you consider a university degree in Romance Philology as such). On the other hand, if you are ready to make the investment, it can never hurt to have a diploma from the Goethe-Institut or similar.

5 persons have voted this message useful

albysky
Triglot
Senior Member
Italy
lang-8.com/1108796Registered users can see my Skype Name
Joined 4380 days ago
287 posts - 393 votes

Speaks: Italian*, English, German

Message 3 of 3

12 March 2014 at 5:03pm | IP Logged

Ogrim wrote:

This topic has been discussed in several threads in this section (Languages and Work)
so you can find some good opinions there. Nevertheless, I'll try to address your questions from my
perspective.

If you want to deal in import/export or work in any internationally oriented company, English is of course a
must. And then it all depends on what countries the company does business with, possibly the job sector
etc. Clearly German is a plus in Europe, given the strength of German industry and the German economy,
but you could also say that French or Spanish is very useful. If you find a company dealing with emerging
economies, you could add Russian, Portuguese and Arabic to the list, to name but a few.

In general, having languages should be a plus, but it will depend on the company and the employer how
much importance they will give to this. Clearly, companies will first and foremost look for other qualities,
i.e. your engineering degree, your ability to deal with customers, to negotiate, be persistent and persuasive
etc etc.

As for certifications, I know people have various views on this. Again it will probably depend on the
employer. I have gone into an international career where languages are very important without having a
single certification (unless you consider a university degree in Romance Philology as such). On the other
hand, if you are ready to make the investment, it can never hurt to have a diploma from the Goethe-Institut
or similar.

Thanks for your clear and straightforward analyisis .

1 person has voted this message useful

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