Languages For Your Career

Whether you want a career change, a promotion, or to become a more successful job interview candidate, learning a second language is a step in the right direction. In the past, learning a new language, especially from scratch, could be quite a daunting prospect for someone who was already busy at work or looking for a new job. Nowadays, however, the great availability of online, often tailor-made, foreign language courses and schools means that you can succeed in your language training at a pace and time that suits you, whether you wish to learn at home or in your office.

How Does A Second Language Improve My Chances?

In today's increasingly globalized working world, employees with the ability to communicate with customers, colleagues or partner companies in a foreign language are in demand. Mastery of a foreign language will improve your ability to meet the needs of your current or potential employer, whether those be reading and replying to emails; translation of important documents; talking to foreign customers or colleagues; or preparing presentations. Therefore, learning a new language or improving your existing foreign language skills is an important career development tool.

Learning Online

One thing that many of us lack in the modern world of work is time. That's why online language learning is such great solution when it comes to enhancing your career. A simple internet search will soon lead you to a wide range of online language courses and schools who charge for their services at varying rates. One thing they almost all have in common, however, is flexibility. Whether you opt for a completely independent learning program which allows you to log in at your own discretion or for private lessons with an experienced language teacher via VoIP or video conferencing, almost all courses will allow you to draw up a learning schedule that suits your timetable. You could even arrange for lessons with groups of colleagues who have the same learning needs. Wherever you are, be it at home, in your office, or traveling on business, as long as you have an internet connection and your laptop (and, possibly, some headphones and a microphone) you have access to your learning material. With online language-learning, your "teacher" comes to you.

Tailor-Made Courses

Many online language schools will prepare courses specifically designed to meet the needs of their customers. Whether your specialist area is business, medicine or information technology, for example, you can request a course that focuses on the type of language and vocabulary you will need to work your sector. Many online schools will also ask you to complete a short test before your learning begins, so that they can start you off at exactly the right level.

Disadvantages

By its very nature, learning online requires independence and self-discipline, but it is also a lot of fun. If you are very pressed for time, you might find it useful to schedule private lessons at specific times and think of them as meetings just like any others - then you'll be more likely to attend them. Some people find that online learning lacks the communicative atmosphere of a classroom; however, learning with a group of colleagues could be a way of solving this problem and even a great team bonding exercise.