Jobs for Language Enthusiasts
As a language university student I am always asked "What jobs can you apply to?" and for so long I didn't have a concrete answer. Here are many job positions and freelance jobs you can do as a language enthusiast.
First of all, here are some questions you should ask yourself:
Are you good with large groups of people or do you prefer to connect individually with a person?
Do you like traveling and would work well remotely? Do you prefer having a set routine?
Would you be willing to get a teaching degree or seminar?
1. TEACHER: most teaching positions require proof that you can speak the language and a teaching degree or a certification course.
Classroom tutor: This one I’d consider the most rigid. You have a set schedule and you must attend your classroom, being in a language school or a public or private school, according to that schedule. Most times you have to work with a premade program or be able to provide your own program to the administration. on a weekly or monthly basis. This is best for people who can control a large group.
Private tutor: it tends to have more leeway with qualifications and many times you’ll need administration skills as a freelancer if you aren’t working closely with a program or service. If you work better with a small group of people this might be best for you!
Online tutor: this is basically the same as private tutoring but the advantage (or disadvantage, depending on your preference) is that this can be done from wherever since it tends to be remote! You must be able to translate your knowledge through the computer and become familiar with a platform or multiple platforms for classes or resources. Also requires freelancing skills.
2. INTERPRETER AND TRANSLATOR: many people tend to mix up the two and a good way to tell them apart is to remember that an interpreter works with the speaker or the spoken word, and a translator works with the writer or the written word.
Interpreter: Interpreters usually are needed to form a bridge between the speaker and the audience. This can be helpful to speakers at conferences, news anchors, government announcements, court trials, even concerts! If you choose to further your education you can become a specialized translator in a certain field, like medical or legal.
Translator: their job consists of transmitting a written text from one language to another language. The translator can work remotely or not! They are usually paid for the whole project with a certain rate per word. People with a writing background could be good to translate works of literature and you could also become a legal or medical translator.
3. WRITER FOR EDUCATIONAL MATERIAL: Have you wondered who makes the language books that you buy? People who have studied languages and have a metalinguistic understanding of it can choose as a career to create material for other language learners or even authentic material! This includes manuals, book series, and even children’s books! Usually, you’d have to work with a publishing house (although there are authors who self publish their books) and be paid by the project. (I guess I could be considered a writer of educational material for running this blog, and if you wanna support me here’s a link to do so!
4. TOUR GUIDE: tour guides don’t necessarily have to be language enthusiasts but if you’re working on your own or with a company, there will always be tourists that don’t speak your language and you’ll be paid more as a bilingual or trilingual tour guide!
5. DISTRIBUTION OF INFORMATION: the possibilities for this category are truly endless. You could work as a freelancer or not, you could work remotely or not, you could work with a small group of people or not. This includes being a conference speaker, podcaster, interviewer, cultural promoter, or even YouTuber!
6. SERVICE OR ADMINISTRATIVE JOBS: I worked as a representative at a company that will remain unnamed and I had a really bad time but hey! They did pay more to the people who answered calls in both English and Spanish than just people who spoke only Spanish. This doesn’t mean you have to answer phones all day, this includes managers of stores and even includes starting your own company that deals or ships to many countries and therefore needs your language abilities.
I hope this helps you have an overview of the possibilities of language learning, there is truly something for everyone. Tell me if you have any other questions!
