First Steps

You should achieve an advanced-level of proficiency in a world language, and you should spend time studying in countries where the language is spoken, in order to develop the skills necessary for practical application in your career. You should also choose a wide-variety of upper-level language courses in your studies.

The guidelines below, adapted from the American Council for the Teaching of Foreign Languages, provide concrete examples that demonstrate an advanced level of competence:

Speaking

• You should be understood without difficulty by natives, and converse in a clear and participatory fashion.
• You should be able to initiate, sustain, and bring closure to a wide variety of communicative tasks.
• You should be able to narrate and describe concrete and abstract topics using sustained, connected discourse.

Reading

• You should easily follow the essential points of written text.
• You should be able to understand parts of texts which are conceptually abstract and linguistically complex.

Writing

• You should be able to address a variety of topics with significant precision and detail.
• You should be able to write competently about topics relating to particular interests and write clearly about special fields of competence.
• You should be able to organize writings with a sense of theoretical structure.

Listening

• You should understand the main ideas of most speech in a standard dialect.
• You should demonstrate an emerging awareness of culturally implied meanings beyond the surface meanings of the text.

Learn more about the ACTFL guidelines on strong world language skills

Strong content areas such as International Business Administration, Marketing, Engineering, and Law, combined with world language studies at the major or minor level, will greatly increase your possibilities of finding your ideal job.

Learn more about how strong content areas are important to your career

Advanced level communication skills will help you develop useful professional and personal communication techniques, and enhance your level of comprehension, as well as your ability to respond and react appropriately. It will prove extremely helpful to:

• Learn to become a good listener
• Read body language of native speakers
• Be aware of appropriate body posture
• Understand when eye contact is appropriate
• Interpret gestures and social cues

These skills will help advance your career in subtle ways. As you become proficient with effective communication strategies in the foreign culture, you will win over colleagues and build valuable relationships with business partners, which will ultimately make you a highly valuable employee to your company. 

Cross-cultural awareness plays a key role in international career pursuits. Second only to linguistic competence, openness to other cultures and intercultural competence are vital components of global interest.

Employers welcome candidates who are aware of differences, as well as parallels, between their country's business practices and that of the candidate. People everywhere appreciate individuals who are interested in getting to know them and learn about their culture.

Learn more about Intercultural Competence and the Intercultural Development Inventory (IDI)

A work or study abroad experience or applicable work experience offer complete immersion in another culture and the opportunity to interact in business dealings and at social events, as well as in informal day to day situations.

Learn more about study abroad, fellowships, internships, and work experience