Networking

Modern Languages and Literatures graduates engage in academic study of the world, communication, society, cultures, and the human condition from a range of perspectives that make them well-rounded and thoughtful contributors to society. The 'Alumni Spotlight" series profiles selected ML&L graduates to illustrate the range of life experiences, achievements, and employment opportunities that they have. Be sure to to click this link to learn about different alumni experiences. 

Bilingual and Multilingual Graduates Appeal to Employers Because You...

• have enhanced cognitive, memory, and problem-solving skills.
• are able to work well with people of diverse backgrounds and perspectives.
• have a heightened understanding of verbal and non-verbal communication.
• have advanced speaking and writing skills, both in English and in your additional language(s).
• are able to multi-task and code-switch more quickly than average.
• have refined reading skills, including an enhanced alertness for how language is being applied.
• See Why You Should Hire Bilinguals Even If You Don't Need Their Language Skills

   

SSU Modern Languages Graduates Have Advanced Degrees in:

SSU Modern Languages Graduates Work For:

• International Industrial Companies
• Hospitals and Medical Offices
• Public and Private Schools
• Local, State, and Federal Agencies
• Law Firms and Criminal Justice Organizations
• International Student Programs
• Corporate Programs for Study Abroad
• Non-Profit Organizations
• Hospitality, Restaurants & Hotels
• Banks and Financial Institutions
• Airlines, Cruise Lines, Travel Websites

Career Tips & Ideas

1. Be familiar with current world events and use that knowledge in interviews.
2. Include your travel to other countries in your resumé.
3. Undertake work/study in the country where the target language is spoken.
4. Become more fluent by reading books, and using streaming audio and video.
5. Network and attend job fairs.
6. Get connected with local commerce organizations.
7. Develop business and technical skills to complement language skills.
8. Apply to or intern with international companies based in the U.S.
9. Consult a directory of foreign firms based in the U. S.
10. Consult a directory of U. S. firms abroad.

The SSU Career Center can help you prepare

Check the website for drop in hours or you can make an appointment.

Career Center
Contact: Becky Young, Career Advisor
careerservices@sonoma.edu

10 Reasons why Multilingualism Makes You a Better Candidate

In a globalized world, where mobility and flexibility are key to success, knowing a second or third language is a wonderful benefit to employers. Second- or third-language learners develop mental abilities and perspectives that give them an advantage over their monolingual colleagues.

1. Boosts Brain Power
A foreign language is a completely new intricate system of rules, structures, and lexis. Learning a new language means your brain has to cope with complexity as it makes sense of and absorbs new patterns. As our brains work out the meaning, endeavoring to communicate, we develop key learning skills such as better cognitive thinking and problem solving. Highly developed critical thinking skills are a significant benefit both personally and professionally.

2. Improves Memory
Use it or lose it. How many times have you heard that phrase? It is a simple fact – the more the brain is used, the better its functions work. A new language requires not only familiarity with vocabulary and rules, but also being able to recall and apply this knowledge. Learning a language gives your memory a good work out in the brain gym. This means that multilingual people have brains that are more exercised and quick to recall names, directions, facts, and figures.

3. Enhances the Ability to Multi-Task
Multi-tasking is very stressful for those who are not used to it or do not do it well. According to a study from the Pennsylvania State University, people who are multilingual and proficient at slipping from one language system to another are practiced at this very demanding work for the brain. People who have developed the ability to think in different languages and move from one to the other become much better multi-taskers, reducing stress levels.

4. Sharpens the Mind
A study from Spain’s University of Pompeu Fabra revealed that multilingual people are better at observing their surroundings. They easily spot anything that is irrelevant or deceptive. They are also better at spotting misleading information. The study was conducted comparing multilingual and monolingual subjects and the former notably had the edge. Is it any surprise that famous, fictional detective characters such as Sherlock Holmes and Hercule Poirot are skilled linguists?

5. Keeps the Mind Healthy Longer
Several studies have been conducted on this topic, and the results are consistent. Language learning keeps your brain healthy. For monolingual adults, the mean age for the first signs of dementia is 71.4. For adults who speak two or more languages, the mean age for those first signs is 75.5. Studies considered factors such as education level, income level, gender, and physical health, but the results were consistent.

6. Enhances Decision-Making
According to a study from the University of Chicago, decision-making ability becomes an easier process for multilingual people. Aside from the rules and vocabulary that go with learning a foreign language, there are nuances and regional expressions that a student of language frequently judges for appropriateness and hidden meanings. Multilinguals are more confident in their decision-making choices as a result of practice, practice, practice!

7. The First Language Is Improved
Learning a new language makes you more conscious of the nuts and bolts of your own language. Terms such as vocabulary, grammar, conjugation, comprehension, idioms and sentence structure become everyday phrases, whereas your own language is probably absorbed more intuitively. Learning a new language also makes you a better listener as you are used to having to interpret meaning and judge nuances.

8. Improves Performance in Other Academic Areas
Because of higher cognitive skills, studies show that the benefits of learning a new language include higher scores on standardized exams in math, reading comprehension and vocabulary by multilingual students compared to the scores of monolingual students. Children may ask why they have to learn this language, but parents and teachers know better! Language skills boost your ability to do well in problem-solving tasks across the board, a fact recognized through compulsory foreign language learning curriculum in schools.

9. Increases Networking Skills
Opening up to a culture allows you to be more flexible and appreciative of other people’s opinions and actions. As a result, if you are multilingual, you have the advantage of seeing the world from different viewpoints, enhancing your ability to communicate in today’s globally connected world.

10. Provides Better Career Choices
A 2017 report from the New American Economy shows that employers increasingly desire workers who speak multiple languages, particularly in industries that provide services involving a high degree of human interaction. Roughly 18% of Americans report speaking a foreign language versus 26% of Canadian and 54% of Europeans, providing a huge opportunity for American students willing to dive into another language.