Are you looking for ways to stand out after college?
College students typically prioritize grades, internships and choosing the right major. But there is one critical career advantage that goes overlooked by most. Speaking another language.
Learning a second language in college opens doors that your degree alone will not. It helps you:
- Earn a higher salary
- Get a better job
- Beat the competition
The problem?
Most college students don’t take it seriously.
Languages classes are often treated as elective credits that you can “check off” instead of opportunities to turbocharge your career. But they don’t have to be. Not when you know what you’re doing.
In this guide, the top reasons to become bilingual in college are broken down. By the end you’ll understand clearly why Business English Courses and learning second languages are a smart investment of your time.
Ready to learn more? Let’s jump in!
What you’ll learn
- Why Speaking Two Languages Leads To Higher Salaries
- There Is Growing Employer Demand For Language Skills
- Business English Courses Help You Build Career Ready Skills
- Being Bilingual Helps Your Brand & Network
Why Speaking Two Languages Leads To Higher Salaries
Salary. Everyone cares about it. If you’re reading this you probably want to be paid well too.
That’s why this is the big reason to become bilingual in college. Learning a second language = more money.
Studies show bilingual employees consistently earn 5% to 20% more per hour than those who only speak one language. Over time that advantage adds up into real dollars.
It works like this:
Employers know bilingual graduates are more marketable. They can speak to more consumers, work with international teams and communicate with people that monolingual employees cannot.
And the salary premium doesn’t just go for translators or minority language speakers. It spans industries like finance, healthcare, marketing and technology. Companies will pay more to hire bilingual staff because they provide value.
Starting those language skills in college at a reputable English school or through dedicated Business English classes can set you up to earn more for decades to come.
Bottom line: Being bilingual is one of the best ROI decisions you can make as a college student.
There Is Growing Employer Demand For Language Skills
Here’s another secret…
Desire for bilingual employees is at an all time high. In fact, 9 out of 10 employers say they rely on staff who speak languages other than English. And 56% of those employers anticipate their need for bilingual staff will only increase.
That is a huge opportunity.
College students everywhere are competing for the same job openings. If you have a second language on your resume, you instantly set yourself apart from the crowd.
Don’t think that it is limited to translation or customer service positions either. Here are just a few industries where bilingual employees are in-demand:
- Sales and marketing — reaching new audiences
- Healthcare — serving patients from different cultures
- Finance — working with international markets and documents
- Technology — collaborating with global teams
Demand is so high that certain careers (like financial managers, editors, industrial engineers) have seen the fastest growth in bilingual job postings.
Investing in Business English courses now can give you a leg up on these kinds of careers later.
Smart huh?
Business English Courses Help You Build Career Ready Skills
Want to know the best part about becoming bilingual?
It doesn’t just open doors because of the language skills. It helps you develop critical skills that employers care about.
Here’s how:
Bilingual people have been proven to be better at:
- Problem solving
- Multitasking
- Decision making
These “soft skills” are exactly what hiring managers are looking for. When you learn another language, you train your brain to:
- Think on different systems
- Process information quickly
- Adapt to new situations
Which means that someone who is bilingual is:
- Not only a better communicator
- But a better thinker overall
Plus, there’s the cultural aspect.
When you spend time learning another language, you learn about different cultures as well. Knowing how to do business in other countries and communicate across cultures is a massive advantage in itself.
Suddenly that Marketing professional who is bilingual in English and Spanish can craft campaigns that will resonate with that audience because they understand them.
Companies notice things like that.
Business English Courses in particular teach you how to:
- Write Professional Emails/Reports
- Give presentations with confidence
- Negotiate and communicate in business English
- Understand workplace specific terms
That is real career training you can take straight into the workplace. No fluff. Just applicable skills that will make you a more effective employee on day one.
Being Bilingual Helps Your Brand & Network
Have you ever thought about how becoming bilingual in college can impact your network?
A lot.
Think about the sheer volume of people you will be able to network with and serve once you are fluent in another language. Instead of one, you can do business with two communities. That’s double the chance at new careers, job referrals and partnerships.
But there’s another side of the networking coin that people often don’t realize…
Being bilingual sets your personal brand apart.
When employers see you know more than one language, they know you:
- Are disciplined
- Are culturally aware
- Have a strong work ethic
All traits that make them want to hire you.
And when companies are looking to expand into new international markets, who do you think they call on? Bilingual employees!
Bilingual = bigger opportunities for you.
Students that take Business English Courses seriously while in college are building a personal brand others will recognize. One that will continue to help you stand out long after you graduate.
Bringing It Home…
Becoming bilingual is one of the best decisions you can make for your career before you even graduate college. Students who speak more than one language enjoy:
- Earning a higher salary
- Landing a job sooner
- Developing marketable skills
- Networking with more people
The great thing is these benefits compound the sooner you start. By jumping into a Business English Course or language learning classes as a freshman, you’re setting yourself up to capitalize on these benefits for years to come.
In a world where the job market is becoming more competitive every year, being bilingual doesn’t just give you an edge. It can define your career.