Dickinson College Career Center

Language skills alone will not always get you an international job.
Plan to combine your language ability with a skill valued in your field of interest.

Translation/Interpretation Careers

Translating and interpretation careers require the strongest language skills. Your personality is an important factor when considering a translation or interpretation career.

If you enjoy working alone, appreciate careful semantic phrasing, have a good eye for detail and precision, you may want to consider translation.
If you're a "people person", think quickly and respond immediately to changes in your environment you should consider interpreting.

People with strong translating/interpreting skills can be self-employed as consultants, or may work for:

Commercial language schools
Publishers
Hospitals
Foreign firms located in the US
Government Agencies
Export/Import companies
Translation agencies

Education Sector

Many students studying foreign languages think about teaching or working in an educational setting. If you're considering a career in education, consider the following jobs:

Sample Teaching Positions

Foreign Language Teacher in a public school (certificate required)
Foreign Language Teacher in a private school (usually no certificate required)
Bilingual elementary school teacher
College or University Professor
ESL Teacher
Teacher in professional language institute such as Berlitz
Teacher in American-sponsored private schools abroad
Professor in American college programs abroad
Foreign study exchange programs

Sample Administrative Titles in Education

Immigration Specialist for college or university
International Hiring Specialist for college or university
Foreign Student Advisor
Foreign Faculty Advisor
International Admissions/Credentials Officer
Program Coordinator
Counselor of International Students
International Center Administrator
Study Abroad Coordinator

If you'd like to teach abroad, and you have a teaching certificate, view the international teaching resources web page.

These sites may be able to help you:

Nonprofit Sector

View the nonprofit international employment web page for a complete presentation on international nonprofit careers.

Sample Job Titles include:

Community organization worker
Social Worker
Librarian
Museum Guide
Program Coordinator
Social Worker
Development Director
Public Relations Director
Human Services Worker
Volunteer Coordinator
Fund-raiser
Publications Director
Media Relations Coordinator

Government Sector

Look at local, state government opportunities as well as federal resources to find foreign-language based jobs. See the Government Job Search Links for more information.

Sample government job titles:

Border Patrol Agent
Customs Officer
Foreign Affairs Specialist
Foreign Service officer
Immigration Inspector
Import-export Agent
Intelligence Specialist
International Relations Specialist
Peace Corps Volunteer
Research Assistant
Scientific Linguist

Business Sector

In general, you will need to supplement your language skills with specialized business skills to be valued in this area. The types of positions are virtually unlimited.

Some of the more common fields within business where foreign language skills might be appreciated include:

Sales positions
Environmental firms
Sports organizations
Advertising/Marketing departments
Computer services-- hardware and software
Travel Industry: Airlines/ RR/Cruises, hotel, motel, and hospitality
Hospital/Health Care
Publishing
Banking and Finance
Public Relations

Sample business job titles which might involve using foreign language skills include:

Airline Customer Service Agent
Computer programmer
Copywriter (advertising)
Flight attendant
Banking Loan Officer
Lawyer
Management Consultant
Manufacturer's Representative
Market Analyst
Public Relations Specialist
Travel Agent
Tour Guide
Technical Writer

Content for this page provided by:
Dr. Kate Brooks, Director, Liberal Arts Career Services, University of Texas at Austin