Do you really need to pull a far-fetched stunt to advance your career?
Not necessarily. For some positions, having an advanced degree from a prestigious university or decades of experience in the field isn’t nearly as important being what one in five people in the U.S. already are: bilingual. In fact, a report from the New American Economy has found that the demand for bilingual workers more than doubled from 2010 to 2015. What’s more, the need for employees who speak another language in addition to English has grown “at both the low and high ends of the skill spectrum.” The ability to speak Spanish, Arabic, or Chinese are among the most sought-after skills, the report added.
In order to find jobs where foreign language skills are most important, Stacker took a look at the U.S. Department of Labor Employment & Training Administration’s O*Net database. Jobs were ranked by how important having foreign language skills are to that particular position.
The research revealed some interesting trends in the fields with the highest demand for foreign language speakers. Nearly a third of the jobs that placed the highest value on bilingualism was in teaching, postsecondary education, and related fields—including the top occupation on this list. Health care positions like pediatricians, neurologists, and physician assistants also ranked highly—an understandable trend, considering that being able to communicate medical issues with a diverse community of patients could be a prized skill at hospitals and private practices. But there were also some surprising outliers. Who knew roofers, for example, would have such a high need for a second language?
If you have a knack for learning languages and you’re considering your career options, click through to see the best jobs where foreign language skills are very important.
#39. Geographers (tie)
- Importance of knowing a foreign language: 35 out of 100
- Level required: 45 out of 100
Geographers study nature and aspects of the Earth’s surface such as land formations, climate, and soil. Since these tasks may require travel to different parts of the world, as well as looking at research from other countries, the ability to understand various languages could help a geographer achieve greater success.
#4. Anthropologists (tie)
- Importance of knowing a foreign language: 64 out of 100
- Level required: 61 out of 100
Anthropologists research different parts of the human experience like behavior and culture, or the origins of mankind. Proficiency in the language of the groups they study could bring anthropologists a much deeper understanding as they conduct research.
#3. Archeologists
- Importance of knowing a foreign language: 67 out of 100
- Level required: 64 out of 100
Archeologists research human remains, artifacts, and architecture recovered from excavation sites to understand past human life. English may not be widely spoken in areas where an archeologist is conducting research, so they may need to rely on a second language. Furthermore, key early texts from archeologists were written in French and German, not English, according to the Habits of a Travelling Archaeologist.
#2. Interpreters and Translators
- Importance of knowing a foreign language: 98 out of 100
- Level required: 95 out of 100
It should come as no surprise that interpreters and translators rely heavily on their second- and third-language proficiencies to do their jobs. The main tasks of their work involve translating written materials and interpreting speech from one language to another.
#1. Foreign Language and Literature Teachers, Postsecondary
- Importance of knowing a foreign language: 100 out of 100
- Level required: 94 out of 100
You can’t be a foreign language and literature instructor at a university or college without being fluent in another language. These instructors are primarily responsible for teaching students how to speak and read a second language and understand literature from other countries.