Currently, more companies in the United States and around the world are expanding their businesses to international markets due to the diverse and changing economy worldwide. This tendency leads to a growing need for the recruitment of qualified bilingual and multilingual employees to meet the language preferences of non-English speaking customers and thus avoid the possibility of communication gaps and miscommunication.

According to a survey conducted by Ipsos Public Affairs for ACTFL, most employers report that the demand for diverse language skills is higher nowadays than in previous years and will continue to rise. Although English is used around the world as a business language, the study also pointed out that fewer than 25% of people speak English globally, and among them not all have adequate proficiency.

High Demand for Languages Other Than English in the Hospitality Industry

In the United States, the languages in highest demand are Spanish, Chinese, French, Japanese, and German. Therefore, having two or more languages as part of your skillset will be useful for your career advancement, especially in an industry like hospitality which is known for its international business scope. As mentioned in the article The Benefits of Bilingualism in Business, “Focusing on these dominant languages is always a good idea, but learning a language that is outside of the usual pool of second languages will also be beneficial, as your talents in that language will be rarer, and might considerably raise your salary.” In addition, each company must decide which language is most important to recruit for depending on its location and the demographic characteristics of the market they are engaging with. Among the advantages of speaking more than one language are the opportunities to be able to travel to different destinations and communicate with a wide range of clients, vendors, and customers. Being bilingual gives you the possibility of choosing between different job options, domestically or internationally, as well as contributing to being able to influence a future employer to hire you.

Read more –> Why It Pays to Be Bilingual

Business revenue growth depends on strategies and resources such as hiring employees capable of delivering clear and effective messages that provide the best customer experience to clients in their preferred language. This helps companies navigate a diverse economy and holds true especially in the hospitality industry, a sector with a wide range of business focuses driven by serving a multicultural clientele.

The hospitality sector and its large pool of job opportunities includes businesses that offer services in tourism and transportation, as well as lodging, events (cultural, sports, or entertainment), and the food and beverage industry. As stated by EHL Hospitality Business School in Switzerland (which is the world’s first hotel management school founded in 1893), “The career paths are as diverse as the industry, and with so many hospitality concepts and innovation changing the industry, the career paths will continue to grow and evolve with technology.” Being part of a workforce fluent in more than one language will allow you to build strong business relationships with people of diverse cultural backgrounds and heritages; and these relationships can also help you work your way up the ladder in your career.

If you are a bilingual and enthusiastic professional aspiring to secure a position in the expansive hospitality sector, contact Language Testing International (LTI) and get certified. LTI is an exclusive licensee of ACTFL, a global authority in language learning and assessment, and has been a leader in providing remotely proctored assessments for language proficiency, offering valid ACTFL language credentials in over 120 languages.

Watch –> Why You Should Certify Your Language Skills

 

References

“What is hospitality? What is international hotel management?” EHL. https://www.ehl.edu/en/what-is-hospitality

“The Benefits of Bilingualism in Business.” United Language Group. 2022. https://www.unitedlanguagegroup.com/blog/benefits-bilingualism-business

“Making Languages Our Business: Addressing Foreign Language Demand Among U.S. Employers.” American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL) and the Lead with Languages Campaign commissioned Ipsos Public Affairs, with the support of Pearson LLC and Language Testing International. (2019). https://www.leadwithlanguages.org/report

Madeline Martínez is a Multicultural Navigator Specialist at URBANDER, a Woman and Minority Business Enterprise (WMBE) specializing in transforming businesses to advance humanity. URBANDER’s role is to serve as an extension of Marketing, Diversity, Human Resources, Procurement, Community Relations, and Social Responsibility teams, providing innovative approaches in the areas of strategic marketing, content development, workforce development, community outreach and IDEAS (inclusion, diversity, equity, accessibility, and sustainability). Madeline holds a both a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Communications from the University of Puerto Rico and is an experienced copywriter and content developer dedicated to amplifying the voices of URBANDER’s clients. From blogs and articles to social media posts and interviews, Madeline is a skilled writer across diverse topics integrating her marketing, business and academic acumen. Though her earlier work as a Publications Officer at the Inter American University in Puerto Rico, and her most recent performance as a Spanish Interpreter, Substitute Teacher, and Instructional Assistant for English-language learning elementary school students, Madeline has impacted countless families as they have navigated migrating to the U.S. from Spanish-speaking countries. As a bilingual professional, Madeline is also proficient in translating written documents from English to Spanish, and vice versa. She has received LTI issued ACTFL Language Proficiency Certificates in Spanish as follows: Advanced Writing, Advanced Listening, Advanced Reading and Superior Speaking. During her downtime, Madeline loves spending time with her family, and enjoys dancing, movies, photography, and coffee. She considers herself a continuous learner. “A well-educated mind will always have more questions than answers”- Helen Keller

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