Careers for Linguists

Heather Gorrie

Whether it be for business or pleasure, being able to interact with others in their native language is a huge advantage. Speaking more than one language is a powerful asset in many increasingly competitive and multinational business sectors. Language Services Direct makes it possible for businesses and organisations to reach more people and improve the services they offer by providing dynamic and communicative language training. For those wishing to use their language skills regularly in their working life, there are many different options.

Working in international business

Despite English being the international language of business, speaking multiple languages is still an advantage in many sectors, such as sales, marketing and procurement. Among the most important languages for business are: Spanish, Mandarin Chinese, Russian, Arabic and German. Whatever your job role, if you can greet a colleague or customer in their language, you’ll make a great impression and you can reach a conversational level in a foreign language by attending weekly group language lessons. An equally useful by-product of learning a language is also beginning to understand and appreciate the culture of the country or countries in which the language is spoken. In terms of business, this knowledge can help companies to win new business and build strong relationships with their customers in local markets. And if the company expands into a new market, it can help the company to understand their local employees’ motivations and expectations.

Interpreting or Translation

A more obvious pathway for linguists to take is to use their language skills to help others communicate. However, being able to speak two or more languages isn’t sufficient to work as a professional interpreter or translator and many undergo specialist training in their chosen field.

Interpreters are present at meetings and conferences to bridge the gap between two or more people who do not speak a common language. It can be a high-pressure role since the interpreter is expected to orally translate each speaker’s dialogue into the other language immediately. This requires excellent notetaking skills and the ability to recall information quickly and precisely. Interpreters commonly work in public organisations such as the NHS, local councils and with the police and judicial system, for which they may take the DPSI (Diploma in Public Service Interpreting). Interpreters with more of a focus on international businesses and organisations may undertake training in consecutive, simultaneous or conference interpreting through completing a postgraduate degree. Most interpreters work independently and through agencies on a freelance basis.

Translators also tend to work on a freelance basis and may also take on short in-house projects for their clients. Translators are required to produce an accurate and fluent version of a written text in another language. As they’re required to make the translation sound like an original piece of writing, most translators only translate into their native language. They may undertake a degree in languages and translation or a specialist qualification such as the Diploma in Translation. Most companies expect translators to have several years’ experience of translation and also expertise in their chosen field in the form of a degree (e.g. law, engineering) or previous experience of working in their chosen sector.

Language teaching

Another way to use language skills is to become a teacher and share your knowledge with others. Language teachers work in many different settings and the qualifications required vary accordingly: schools, colleges for a which a PGCE is generally required, or for those who teach adults at institutions and businesses, a foreign language teaching certificate such as the CELTA and City and Guilds certificate. Teaching is a varied and very rewarding career. There are plenty of opportunities to teach in language schools around the world and also routes to professional development such as moving into education management.

In summary …

Speaking multiple languages really can open doors in many sectors of the business world. Grasping the basics of a language through an app such as Duolingo or Memrise is a great way to get started and can help accelerate learning alongside a weekly class.