Careers today are increasingly more demanding than in the past. Professionals need to have more skills than ever before when entering the work force. One of these skills is the ability to communicate, particularly fluency in more than one language. The benefits of speaking another language can range from a very specific skill set to much more generalized needs.

“German is good to know for engineering and auto makers,” said Ryan Grabijas, a peer adviser at the Grand Valley State University Padnos International Center.

Additionally, foreign language is useful for those seeking a career in a hospitality-related field because it is a job opportunity that can be found all around the world, Grabijas said.

Megan Lendman, another peer adviser currently enrolled in Chinese studies, said seven of the 15 students she studied abroad with now live and work permanently in the country where they studied abroad. However, she also said it is common for jobs today to require professionals from the United States to visit other countries on a regular basis.

Using foreign language skills in this way can be difficult, Lendman said.

“I feel like I could take care of myself, but I don’t think I could be proficient in a Chinese business setting,” Lendman said. “You need to be there, you need to have immersion.”

GVSU peer advisers recognize the limitations in a classroom setting when attempting to master another language. Often, students attempting to be proficient in a foreign language need the experience of being surrounded by native speakers in their respective fields of study. This option may be too demanding or too out-of-focus of their career goals, but foreign language skills are valued in many other ways.

“It’s not always just understanding a language but the process that goes into that,” said Stephanie Dombrowski, the assistant director at the Career Center. “It requires a lot of skills you are gaining, such as discipline. Employers look at that as being very important.”

Though there is a large commitment involved with learning another language, employers will see students’ hard work as an indication of their ability to commit to their perspective job.

The ability to understand different viewpoints and maintain cultural competency are assets to any employer, Dombrowski said.

“It boils down to a skill base – employers want to hire students that have real, tangible skills,” Dombrowski said.

For this reason, regardless of career fields, a base knowledge of language and other cultural elements can bring a lot to a job.

The amount of additional money employees can make based off of their language skills may depend on their career field and the job requirements. However, according to Dombrowski, being more skilled than other applicants always gives leverage when applying for jobs.

“The market for new grads is very competitive; knowing a language helps your marketability,” Dombrowski said. “It gives them a tool in negotiations. If they want to negotiate, they have something tangible to negotiate with.”

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