What are the most profitable foreign languages to learn for job seekers? In a world that’s increasingly becoming smaller, thanks to rapid advances in communications technology, the only thing that bars communication is language barrier. Not even the most advanced translation apps can work more efficiently than a multilingual employee – and that’s a leverage that’s hard to beat.
If you’re one of the many people joining the ridiculously competitive job market soon, learning the right foreign language has the power to open better opportunities at work. The question is which foreign language is well worth the time and effort to learn?
For this list, we have ranked the languages according to how widely are used and how economically important they are. See, there are languages that are used widely – for instance, Kiswahili which ranks among the top ten spoken languages by a number of countries using it – but is not exactly profitable simply because it is not widely used by economic superpowers.
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We have used suggestions from Business Insider, Investopedia, as well as The Economist to come up with this list of the 8 most profitable foreign languages to learn for job seekers.
Incidentally, some of these languages also made it to our list of The Five Easiest Languages to Learn for English Speakers so picking your first foreign language may just have become easier!
Check out which languages will most definitely give your resume a big boost and make you irresistible to future employers!
8. Japanese
Though Japanese (Nihongo) is officially spoken in only one country, it still ranks among the most widely spoken languages in the world. Not to mention, Japan remains to be one of the most powerful countries in the world economically, and provides great business and employment opportunities both in the US and in Japan.
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7. German
Aside from European powerhouse Germany, the German language is spoken in other economically powerful countries throughout Europe including Austria, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, and large parts of Switzerland.
6. French
The French language is popular among foreign language learners in the UK but it is just as important for job seekers in Northern America because a large part of Canada still uses French as its first language. French is also the official language in many countries in Africa so learning it can prove beneficial for companies that have headquarters in these African nations.
5. Portuguese
With Portugal’s very open and inviting policies for foreign companies, foreigners who can speak the language will get leverage with these potential employers. But aside from Portugal, a host of other countries with great economic potential use Portuguese as its main language especially Brazil, a developing country with a large potential for international trade. Portuguese is also spoken in many African countries (i.e. Cape Verde, Mozambique).
4. Russian
With over 250 million users worldwide, there is absolutely no doubt there are more than enough people to speak with in Russian. Aside from that, there are a lot of companies in North America doing significant and regular business with any of the Russian-speaking countries in Europe that could use a Russian-speaking employee.
3. Spanish
Spanish is not just one of the most profitable foreign languages to learn for job seekers in North America; it also happens to be one of the easiest to learn! With an increasing interest in expat living and doing business in Latin America, as well as the high number of Spanish-speaking people in the US, learning Spanish will always land higher opportunities than for those who only speak English.
2. Arabic
There is not an iota of doubt about the economic importance and power of the Middle East. Many Middle Eastern countries are becoming a hot spot for foreign workers because of its steadily growing economy including industries outside of its massive oil industry. This makes learning Arabic one of the most valuable languages to learn for any job seeker.
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1. Mandarin
And topping the list of the most profitable languages to learn for job seekers is Mandarin! Mandarin is not just one of the official languages of the United Nations. It is not just one of the most widely spoken languages either, with almost a billion users worldwide either. Mandarin is also the language of one of the world’s fastest rising, largest economic powerhouses. Despite Mandarin being one of the hardest languages to learn, Mandarin is one of the most popularly learned foreign languages especially by those in business school because of its profitability.
In any case and for any intention, learning a foreign language will always be an impressive feat. But for all its worth, if you’re looking for a language that will help boost your career or your chances in your chosen field, you’d best further your interests by learning any of the most profitable foreign languages to learn for job seekers featured on this list. And there is not a better time than now to start learning!
What’s your language of choice?
