In our last blog post we talked about the many ways that bilingualism can benefit a person. As stated before, a person who is bilingual enjoys an extraordinary amount of benefits. While learning a new language as an adult is entirely possible, multiple studies have proven that children have a much easier time both grasping and retaining new information, and a new language that is acquired at a young age will help this child become a unique individual with many advantages. As explained in the last blog post, those bilingual children experience many cognitive benefits, all of which carry over into their adult life. And so, how is a second language helpful to an adult in a professional setting?
Professional Benefits:
Currently, many countries are experiencing economic difficulties. This has led to many people being laid off, unable to secure a job position or even land a promotion. Being bilingual sets a person apart from others who possess similar qualifications and work experience. A person who can speak more than one language shows the employer that they are unique, able to communicate effectively , and are flexible (for instance, if they need to relocate). The best part is that its advantages stretch to all types of professional fields. A medical professional will be able to speak with and understand a wide range of individuals, not just those from his native country. A person working in customer service will be better able to serve his/her clients, and vice versa, his/her clients will feel comfortable as well.
Also, many large, well-known companies and organizations have centers in most of the major metropolitan cities around the world. A company from the U.S. that has branches in Spain, for example, will need to hire employees who speak both English and Spanish. If not, how on earth would both branches be able to communicate with each other? What if a popular nonprofit organization hired only English speaking volunteers and employees, what are the chances that many things would be lost in translation, or even misinterpreted completely? Surely this would create many obstacles for both parties.
So remember, it is never too late to learn a new language, and its advantages are incredible!
