The world of business is an extremely competitive one these days no matter what type of business you are in. With companies now competing on a global level, it has become increasingly difficult to make yourself stand out from the crowd. However, there are certain things that can help to boost your success when it comes to operating a business or getting into a rewarding career in the world of business. One of the things that can help you to stand out and enable you to do more business is being able to speak other languages.
We live in a multicultural society these days, with people from all sorts of ethnic backgrounds now living or working in the UK. With this in mind, having language skills can really help you along when it comes to business. People that struggle with English are often affected by the language barrier in many areas of their lives. This includes the ability to liaise with businesses. Similarly, businesses that do not have people who speak other languages can end up missing out on a lot of custom as a result of the language barrier that this creates.
Deciding on the best languages to learn
When deciding which languages are going to be most beneficial for your business, you need to think about the different ethnicities that live within the UK. In addition, it is worth remembering that it is not just people from different ethnic backgrounds within the UK that you will be able to deal with more effectively by learning new languages. You can also do business more easily on a global level if you have the right language skills.
So, let’s take a look at some of the top languages to learn in the world of business:
- Cantonese: This is a language that is commonly spoken within Chinese communities in the UK. In addition to this, it is also spoken in many areas of mainland China as well as Hong Kong. These places are very important business and financial hubs so it makes sense to be able to speak the language if you plan to do business on a global level. In addition, many of the Chinese people that emigrated to countries such as the UK came from areas where Cantonese was the main language, which also makes this ideal if you plan to have business dealings with Chinese communities within the UK.
- Arabic: The Middle East is known for its excellent business opportunities and being able to speak Arabic can put you ahead of the competition when it comes to conducting business dealings with companies and individuals in the Middle East. With the business success of places such as Dubai, being able to speak this language can open up many new and lucrative business opportunities. This is a place that is known for success and wealth when it comes to the world of business, and with the right language skills you can get a foot in the door of this successful business hub.
- Mandarin: Learning Mandarin is an excellent way to open up doors and opportunities in several key countries of high global standing. This includes China, Singapore, and Taiwan. For those that want to do business in countries that are known for business growth and success, this language can prove to be a huge asset. In addition, there are many Mandarin speaking Chinese investors and business people that are now conducting business around the globe, which means that you can take advantage of new opportunities more easily.
- German: With one of the largest economies in the world and the largest in Europe, Germany is another place that can offer huge business opportunities in many areas. Being able to speak the lingo means that you can take advantage of these opportunities to help your own business to grow and flourish. In addition, it can also help when it comes to dealing with businesses in Switzerland and Austria, the former being a global financial hub that can open up many new doors for businesses.
- Spanish: Spain has long been a tourist destination for Brits escaping the cold weather for some fun on the sunny Costas, and that has brought a great deal of business to places such as Barcelona, Alicante and of course, Benidorm. Britain invests heavily in Spain’s tourism and ties are strong between the two countries. Let’s also not forget that there are also 19 other countries in the world whose main language is Spanish.
- French: The language of love is spoken in 29 countries as the main language. Everywhere from France to Canada and many parts of Africa all communicate primarily in French. Having this language in your arsenal is sure to open up many worldwide job opportunities, whether it has to do with tourism, trading or finance. Most A Level courses in the UK teach a sector on business where specific terminology is learned in preparation for advanced language courses combined with business.
- Polish: The Polish community within the UK has rocketed over recent years, with many people from Poland now having settled in the UK. However, English is not their first language and this means that they sometimes struggle to do business with companies where nobody speaks the language. The ability to speak Polish therefore means that you can connect more easily with Polish communities within the UK and this can help to boost business.
There are various options available when it comes to learning a new language for business, such as attending part time language classes or even opting for distance learning. Once you have a language qualification under your belt, you can look forward to many new opportunities in the world of business.