Career options in Foreign Languages

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With the world turning into a global village, there is a consistent need for experts in foreign languages in all countries. India is currently going through the economic development. Several MNCs are opening their offices here. Also, more people are now travelling abroad for work purposes. This requires translation of their documents in the language of that country. Tourism is another sector that is seeing a surge here. There is an increasing number of tourists visiting the country. Not all of them know English. Many of them are native Spanish, Korean, French speakers. They need interpreters to travel easily. As a result, there is a growing need for experts who are fluent in some foreign language.

Career Opportunities in Foreign Languages

There are various career options in diverse fields for those who are apt in one or more Foreign Languages. Some of those are as follows:

Interpreter
MNCs, hotels and many other organizations get foreign nationals regularly. If an MNC is originally from China, then the officials from there are bound to visit India regularly. But not all of them know English or any Indian language. So, interpreters are needed who can translate Mandarin to English or any Indian language. The same is the case with hotels, tourist agencies, NGOs etc. They all need interpreters to better entertain the guests. If you are fluent in one or more foreign languages, you will easily bag a job with these enterprises. MNCs do pay really good. You can expect to get 30k/month initially. You can even choose to work as an interpreter in the country whose language you know. There you can work in translating the local language into some Indian language

Air Hostess
Air travel can become cumbersome if you don’t have anyone who understands your language. All international airlines have air hostesses who know foreign languages. This allows them to better serve their flyers. If you are eligible for the job of air hostess/steward, you can go for this post too. Not only will you earn pretty well, you will also get to travel the world. Air hostesses in international flights earn 60k-1L/month.

Embassies Officials
All embassies need local people who can foresee their office work. If you have ever been to an embassy, you must have noticed that all their employees are fluent in that country’s language. This allows the embassy to better serve the people. You can start from 10-20k per month. The best part of this job is that you get to interact with a lot of people. Better networking ensures more possibilities.

BPO Executives
Most BPOs serve one or more foreign clients. They need employees that can interact with their mother tongue. If one BPO is serving Japanese clients, then most of the queries will be obvious from the Japanese speaking people. Not all of them know English. So a Japanese speaker helps them in explaining their issues. Foreign language expert employees can expect to start from 25-30k in this industry.

Importers and Exporters
The world is going through dynamic business relations.. all countries know the power of healthy business deals. There are several import-export firms in our country that deal with overseas firms based in countries like China, Spain, Japan etc. they seek employees that are fluent in the language of their business partners. This helps them in better communications and also in knowing all technical details. There are instances when the contracts are presented in some foreign language. Being oblivion to the details of the contract can put the business in danger. A foreign language expert comes handy in such times. They read the contract and translate them for their employer. This job is expected to grow at a tremendous rate. India is already working towards promoting her trade ties with countries around the world. So, if you know one or more foreign language, this sector is the one paying literally gold. Also, you get to travel with your employer and explore new places.

Translator
You can also start your work as a translator. You must be having the obvious question, how is a translator different from an interpreter? Well, both have a completely different set of responsibilities. A translator has to simply translate the text into another language. But the interpreter has to interpret the meaning in the right context. Many times, different languages and cultures have a different meaning of the same phrase. If interpreted incorrectly, it can be a disaster. An interpreter ensures that the meaning remains intact. But the job of a translator requires strong language skills in both the languages. You need to have equal command and complete knowledge of the vocabulary. Most of the times, foreign language experts go for a specifies niche to translate. You can choose business, law, international relations, embassy work etc to work in. This ensures that you get good clients and also your workload is balanced. Otherwise, it can become overwhelming for you to translate a piece of business contract and then move on to translating a literary piece. Most translators charge a per page rate. You can work independently or with a firm. Starting salary can be around 25k per month. This will definitely increase manifold as your speed increases and you gain more experience.

Teacher
You can also start working as a foreign language teacher in schools and colleges. Most schools impart one or more foreign language training tot heir students. This helps them in making the students better equipped for their after-school life. Most colleges are going for foreign language courses. Apart from the dedicated programmes like BA and MA in foreign languages, different colleges are also offering a foreign language as a semester paper. This is particularly true for the engineering and management colleges. You can start working as a full-time teacher in these colleges. The best part of this job is that you get to teach what you learned. You can address the issues that you faced as a student. Foreign language expert teachers are paid pretty well. The average salary for a fresher is around 25-30kmonth. You can also go for the government colleges. If you hired on the permanent post, this will give you job security as well as better prospects to explore the language.

Intelligence Bureau Officer
India is the home to one of the best intelligence institution. To combat threats from around the world, they need skilled interpreters. You can apply for the job of foreign language intelligence expert or interpreter in these organizations. Not only you need to have the utmost command over the language, you also need to have a sharp and analytical mind. The job is demanding. So, you can be even away from home for several days. This demand extreme mental strength. But if you get into this role, you get the opportunity to serve your nation. You can also work for the private detective agencies. Most businesses try to learn most about their business clients, partners or upcoming projects. If they are from some other country, it is hard to know about the record. A foreign language expert can track down the details and help the clients. You can expect to earn around 15k per month. But the salary after experience and good client base can be several times more than this.

Content Creator
Good content is needed in every language. Businesses that cater to clients all over the globe need their company content to be truly global. You can work on creating content about their firm in different languages. You can solo work as a freelance content creator. There are several online firms that allow freelance writers to connect with their employer. Your salary will depend very much on the project and also how much you charge. Initially, it can be as low as 5k/month. But this will get around 50-60k/month as you gain experience, good client base, better projects and above all content creation speed.

Blogger
In this digitized world, you can look for work as a full-time blogger in a foreign language. This will help you in getting your voice read even in foreign nations. You can earn around 25-40k/month after your blog gains popularity.

 

List of Best Institutes to Learn a Foreign Language in India

Here is the list of best foreign language colleges in India. Look out for their admission process, fee structure and other details.