Why You Should Learn a New Language to Get Ahead

I’m sure you want to get a good career and do better in life. Don’t we all? The good thing is that there are many things you can do to have a stronger resume, be more interesting in recruiters’ eyes, and get the job you dream of. The somewhat hard truth is that it does take a lot of work. If it didn’t, everyone would have the same skills and experiences under their belt. Standing out in a group of skilled and motivated people is not easy. And that’s why you should learn a new language.

Don’t worry, it’s not as hard as it sounds. And you don’t have to be perfect. Even if it seems like everyone else has a long list of special skills and they have worked in what seems like countless impressive jobs, they are not perfect either. They too are bad at certain things and they lack many kinds of experiences. So there is plenty of room for you. Especially if you learn a new language.

It might be old advice, it might sound scary or unreasonable, but it’s true. Being able to speak different languages pays off. Depending on the country you live in, knowing a foreign language might be more or less common, but it’s always a good skill to have. It can also increase your salary. And I assure you, it’s not impossible nor does it necessarily take years and years to learn a new language.

If you have been thinking about learning a second language or maybe you have studied a language in school but didn’t become quite fluent, keep reading. Learning a new language has plenty of benefits and the journey to fluency can be quite fun, even if people often say it’s too difficult. Just believe in yourself! If learning a language feels way too difficult, it’s likely due to the wrong techniques. But I’ll write about that another time. In this post, I will share with you all the reasons why you should start learning a new language today.

1. New job opportunities

Getting a new job is not easy for most people, and there seems to be more and more competition every year. But if you can speak a foreign language fluently, you can apply to many more jobs.

Even if you can’t speak the language fluently, but you can read basic texts and have fairly simple conversations in that language, it might very well be an advantage in certain jobs. Recruiters might also appreciate knowing that you are actively studying the language.

That means, that even though you are not quite fluent yet, you can be a real gem in a few months, especially if you can practice the language at work!

An additional thing to keep in mind is, that people often list all the languages they have studied even a little bit in their resumes. I don’t recommend mentioning a language in which you can’t have a simple conversation or in which writing a simple email would be a challenge.

Rather spend a few months reaching a minimum of B1 level, so that you can be more confident of your skills. It is also better to be clear about how well you know the language. “Spanish” doesn’t tell anyone anything, but “Spanish: Writing: A2 Speaking: B1 Reading: B1” does.

2. Can be useful in your current job

It is not only recruiters that are interested in your language skills. Depending on the job, new language skills might be useful in your current job. Whether you work in customer service or an international company, it’s worth considering if you could already benefit from an additional language – after all, it will be an advantage even when you leave this job.

3. Opportunity to move abroad

Have you ever dreamed of moving to another country? Maybe you have wondered what it would be like to live in Paris or Barcelona? Or somewhere less conventional, like Nairobi or Buenos Aires?

Moving abroad is not easy and it may require months or in some cases even years of planning and arranging things. But it can be done and knowing the language (or at least the basics), makes everything a lot more doable and leaves you feeling less stressed.

Whether you have big dreams of living abroad or have simply wondered if it would be possible to spend a few months somewhere warm, I definitely recommend making those dreams a reality! You don’t have to live abroad forever, but even a short time is a guaranteed unforgettable experience. And if you know foreign languages, the world is that much more open to you!

4. Understanding the world

Languages don’t just make you understand text and conversations, but the world itself! Each language offers a unique window to the world. If you are interested in Spanish culture, what greater way to try to understand it than by reading Spanish newspapers or books, or maybe watching a documentary in Spanish.

And of course, once you know the language, you are able to communicate with the people who speak it as their native language, which helps you connect with them on a completely different level than you would in English.

5. It is a healthy challenge to your brain

Language skills and language learning aren’t only beneficial to your career, they are good for your brain too. There are dozens of studies that show the positive impact of language learning on the brain. Most interestingly, it protects your brain against Alzheimer’s disease.

Our brains need to be used to function properly and stay young. What would be a better way to ensure that, than something that also gives you an advantage in your career and other areas in life?

6. Easier to learn a new language in the future

Some people have big goals and they want to be able to speak several languages fluently. That might sound crazy, but it is doable for those who are committed. Even those who don’t dream of speaking 7 languages will benefit from having some language learning experience.

If you have studied a language before, it will be easier to memorize new words and new grammar the next time around. Not to mention you won’t have to spend so much time on trial and error when you already know a good technique.

7. You can make new friends

While most people you meet will likely speak English, not everyone does. And many people speak something else as their native language. This means that the new language you learn will give you the ability to make more friends and get to know more people.

Not to mention that people can be very different in their native language and it could be fun to talk with your foreign friends in their language. If you don’t know any people who speak a different language than you, why not go and meet some!

8. More movies and music to consume

A new language opens doors to a whole new world when it comes to movies and music. American and British movies are great, but there is so much more to enjoy! Watching a film in the original language and understanding it is very different from watching a dubbed film or a film with subtitles.

And when it comes to music, you will notice that different countries and cultures produce very different kinds of music. After a while, you might find yourself needing just the right kind of Korean or Persian music, because it’s something English doesn’t offer.

9. You will gain self-esteem

There are many ways to improve your self-esteem, but one is to learn new skills. Learning a new language all by yourself is a long process that requires a lot of effort. Not everyone can have a fluent conversation in French or watch a film Chinese.

Putting in the effort and slowly getting better will prove to you that you are capable of growing and handling challenges. This in turn will improve your self-esteem and make you more confident. You will definitely feel better about yourself when you notice that you actually can speak the language better than quite a few other people.

10. You will also learn other skills

Committing your time to learn a language won’t just teach you vocabulary. Balancing your job, university, side hustle, or social life with language learning will also teach you valuable time management and organizational skills. Your ideal might be to sit down for two hours every evening to study, but if you are very busy, you might have to get more creative and study during your lunch hour or on commute.

You will also learn project management skills: you have to set goals, find resources, evaluate your progress and prioritize what you work on. These skills will definitely come in handy later on.

11. You can make learning fun

Studying doesn’t have to be just staring at tuition books and feeling awkward in the class. When you have a good technique and you make it work for you, studying can actually be a lot of fun. If you don’t like tuition books, you don’t have to use them.

Instead, you can watch Youtube videos, follow Instagram accounts, find tandem partners or make brownies using a recipe that is in the language you’re learning.

Not to mention there are many apps to use for learning vocabulary, creating your own flashcards, or listening to songs in the target language. You might even be able to watch a TV show while you revise words or do something else simple.

12. It’s rewarding

I know revising new words is frustrating and studying grammar is no walk in the park. But learning a new language isn’t as bad as people make it sound.

First of all, it can be extremely rewarding. If you study every day, you can see progress every few days as you learn new words and remember the grammar rules you have studied. If you start in January, you will definitely be able to form simple sentences and recognize the most common words in February. Depending on how much you study, you might very well be able to read some news or write emails in the summer.

And while I have tried to emphasize that studying doesn’t have to be pure agony but it can actually be fun, it does still require some effort. Which just means, that the feeling you get when you realize you have learned hundreds of new words the past month or that you understand the lyrics of a certain song is amazing.

Conclusion

Do you know any foreign languages? Have you been thinking about learning a new one? Let me know about your language learning plans in the comments. It’s always fun to hear what other people are doing. And if you liked these tips, I would love for you to pin this post!