Scope & Career in Foreign Languages

There are plenty of good reasons to learn a foreign language in India.

Of all the people I’ve surveyed, met, taught, and listened to over fourteen years, a career is the most decisive factor people choose to study a new language.

Introduction

Languages are the central theme of communication in every aspect of human endeavor–be it in the social, economic, and political sphere.

With modern-day Indians emerging as a global player in the socio-economic scheme of things, it has become needful for every individual to be well equipped.

The ability to maintain parity with the rest of the world’s multinational and international players is mission-critical. And one can accomplish this through the rudiments of communication, which lies in the invaluable process of using multiple languages.

Gone are the days of relying on one’s native language in communicating with people, especially in business dealings.

The innovative advent of modern technology has made the world a global village. Now, the language barrier has to be broken more than ever.

To remain competitive and increase your career opportunity and job prospect, you have to communicate smoothly to pave the way for unfettered business connection flows.

And here is where learning a new language becomes the latest trend in India and offers careers in foreign languages.

Why Learning Foreign Languages is Important in India?

People don’t jump on the bandwagon of learning foreign languages in India for the fun of it.

There has been a steady increase in business interrelationship, accelerating globally at an unprecedented rate. Indian companies and entrepreneurs operating in the country is no different.

Companies like Amazon, Infosys, Samsung, TCS, HCL, LG, L&T, IBM, Genpact, Fujitsu Technology, Accenture, and Geometric Ltd, among others, are now evaluating employees based on their foreign language proficiency.

Some of the significant incentives to know additional foreign languages involve on-site options and more job openings across various industries.

It also increases the salary level compared to regular graduates, ease of doing business with counterparts, and other stakeholders based outside the country’s shores.

If you are looking to earn extra cash from your peers, learn a foreign language.

For instance, a recent advertisement was published on LinkedIn by IBM, stating: “A core developer is needed, with proficiency in French.”

Imagine if a renowned tech giant like IBM emphasizes a foreign language as a prerequisite for equally important employment.

It speaks volumes on the importance of learning foreign languages. And that is why so many Indians these days are taking foreign language classes.

Following the exploitation of globalization, knowing just the mother tongue is no longer enough.

Your engineering degree or MBA may no longer earn as much cash as a foreign language, especially Mandarin, German, Russian, Japanese, Spanish, or French.

The entire business environment is driven by a massive requirement for foreign language experts, translators, trainers, and software developers.

To compete competitively and stand a better chance of realizing your career dream, you have to see the importance of learning a foreign language.

The Career Mindset

There are several benefits to learning foreign languages. However, the career scope is the most inspiring reason why so many students are interested in that.

We came to discover that there are two main primary categories of people learning foreign languages. These are;

1. People learning a foreign language because it offers them a better career opportunity to gain employment.

2. People start studying a language because of personal reasons. It includes migrating to other countries, hobbies, traveling, peer group influence, or accessing music, movie, and literature in different languages.

At some point, they decided it’s a good idea to use what they have learned to start a career or further the objectives of an existing profession.

These two classes of reasons can be referred to as “extrinsic and intrinsic” inspiration for foreign language learning.

About 200 Chinese firms are doing business in India alone, and about 5,000 Japanese firms operate here.

More than 2,00,000 people with proficiency in various languages are required for employment opportunities in India.

Furthermore, the demand for bilingual credibility increases, ranging more than 20% each year.

Career in Foreign Languages

There are many foreign languages available for you to learn. However, there are many factors to consider when choosing the right language to learn.

The five leading foreign language in India for studies are Mandarin Chinese, French, German, Spanish, and Japanese.

These languages are regarded as the most sought-after for career prospects, employment opportunities, and immigration.

However, other foreign languages in India are gaining increasing attention from Indian individuals at home and abroad.

These are Russian, Dutch, Portuguese, Arabic, Italian, Persian, Korean, and others.

Job Opportunities After Learning Foreign Languages

Academic qualifications and adequate proficiency in foreign languages is the key that opens a more large-scale door for a career in vital sectors.

It includes tourism, diplomatic services, embassies, journalism, mass communication, public relations, entertainment, arts, publishing, interpretation and translation, and federal and international organizations.

It also affords the opportunity of working with multinationals corporations (MNCs) and specialized governmental agencies.

India is the third fastest-growing economy in the world.

India’s high expectations will expand the business and bilateral trade links with many countries in Europe, Africa, Latin America, and Asia in the coming years.

A process that is already in full swing today.

The country seeks to diversify from reliance on traditional markets, like the USA and Europe, in the global economic slowdown.

Thousands of Indian firms are now becoming more proactive—re-strategizing their business outlook across all sectors.

The majority of the Indian businesses are now seeking new business opportunities in Manufacturing, IT, KPO, BPO, Pharmaceuticals, Hospitality, Healthcare, Education, Media, BFSI, and more.

While many of these new markets can boast essential consumption patterns, English may not be the primary language of transition and conversion in these markets.

Thus, knowing a local language in any of these non-English speaking countries is becoming an indispensable factor for Indian firms seeking to do business abroad.

These firms need to improve their business. The only way is to hire personnel with knowledge of the foreign language where their business interest lies.

That explains the continuous rise in demand for employees with foreign language credentials by Indian companies. This exists in trading overseas and non-Indian businesses operating in the country.

Below are some other pros of learning foreign languages.

1. Become a Translator, Interpreter, or Teacher

With your knowledge of a foreign language, you can work as a translator or interpreter for a company. Besides, you can also work as an independent freelancer as a language expert.

There are so many opportunities for translators and interpreters in India these days. Thanks to the increasing entry of foreign firms and large-scale projects outsourcing to Indian companies by their European and American counterparts.

Acting as an interpreter or a translator can be very lucrative, depending on how experienced you are. You can also work for Media houses, Tourist centers, sports clubs, or any international company, and so on.

Translator and interpreter as a career option are pretty popular among students pursuing language courses thanks to many job opportunities.

There are also career opportunities for editor, proofreader, content writer, teacher, lecturer, and corporate language trainer.

The possibilities are just infinite.

2. Work for the Immigration / Custom Services

It is one area in which you can flourish handsomely with your knowledge of a foreign language.

Language Jobs in the embassy or Government agencies such as the immigration and customs departments will find your resume attractive due to your foreign language skills.

Imagine you qualify as e Spanish specialist. The government is out looking for personnel to fill various positions in the nation’s embassies.

It can be in any Spanish-speaking territories like Latin America and Spain itself. As a result, your resume will receive priority, among others, ahead of others who don’t have such a qualification.

Moreover, if you decide to travel or do business in places like Spain or Latin America, your Spanish knowledge would open up doors of opportunity for you.

It will also enable you to have an equal playing and negotiation dealing with business partners and prospects.

3. Jobs in MNC, KPO, BPO, & IT

ITES (Information Technology Enabled Service), the offshoring industry, and Outsourcing have brought many job possibilities paving the way for learning foreign languages in India.

Adding it to your CV is a surefire way to get a decent job in BPO and MNC.

Jobs could involve speaking skills, collecting information, working on documents in the corresponding language, voice-based employment, training, and transaction. Other works like data processing, migration processes, quality management, email support services, etc.

Indian companies have great expertise in providing a wide range of BPO and KPO services across various verticals.

Multilingual call center services are offered to multiple offshore companies in the financial, telecom, medical, insurance, and banking sectors.

Today, there is a high career demand for experts in foreign languages in Delhi, Noida, Gurugram, Mumbai, Pune, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Chennai, and other parts of the country.

The minimum salary range with 0-2 years of experience or Freshers is between 3.5 to 6 lakhs per annum.

Foreign language expert salary is generally 25% to 40% higher than their English speaking counterparts.

4. Hospitality, Travel & Tourism

There is never a time when people don’t move.

There is always an exodus of people from different nations to other countries, especially during the holidays and winter seasons.

Millions of people visit India as tourists from year to year. However, most of them do not speak English nor understand the local Indian.

Attraction centers, shopping malls, 3, 4, and 5-stars hotels & suites need workers that can communicate fluently with these thousands of visitors that patronize their businesses from time to time.

With your knowledge in a foreign language, you might be the customer service staff they need.

Your multilingual credentials can get you hired just about anywhere that has to do with clients and foreign-origin customers.

There are plenty of career choices in Tourism for language learners.

5. Reap big from Import & Export Sector

The world has become smaller and smaller due to its digitized global economy.

These have opened up an enormous opportunity in businesses involving various forms of importation and exportation.

The majority of the more substantial corporations in India now prefer to hire people who can speak new or more foreign languages other than their native language.

For example, your Chinese knowledge will open up a career opportunity to export goods or services from India to China. You also get to deal with companies in Hong Kong, Taiwan, Mongolia, Malaysia, the Philippines, and Thailand.

These are the places where the language is spoken as a first or second language.

Employers who engage in the export and import business with these countries will find your expertise in Mandarin a massive plus for their businesses.

On the other hand, you might decide to go solo by doing business with corporations in the places mentioned above — acting as their rep here in India.

It is a win-win situation for you at any time and in any location.

Final Thought

The career scope of foreign languages is on the rise. The trend will continue until the “alien take over” is complete (pardon my pun).

Now that you have known what career reasons and benefits await you out there in the corporate world.

Why don’t you start a class in one of the languages mentioned in this article?

Don’t forget. You can’t lose out on knowing one or more foreign languages; you will always end up winning.

LanguageNext offers a wide range of French, Spanish, and Foreign language courses in Noida.