How to find multilingual jobs abroad
If you’re lucky enough to be fluent in more than one language, there are some superb opportunities up for grabs. It’s a competitive jobs market, but speaking multiple tongues gives you an edge over other candidates, and opens the door to a range of possibilities. Indeed, there’s growing demand for bilingual and multilingual professionals in myriad different fields, from marketing to banking, law and beyond.
What’s more, first-class linguistic skills mean you’re not confined to living and working in a single country. If the grey chill and rising prices are getting to you, how about the warmer climates of the Mediterranean and a spell in a nation such as Spain or Portugal? In an increasingly globalised world, if you have more than one language under your belt, and can communicate across international borders, you’ll be in great demand with employers, potentially boosting your earnings and widening your professional and personal horizons by living and working abroad.
That just leaves two questions – where to start looking and where to go?
What countries have the best openings for language jobs?
Especially if you’re looking to work in a call centre, or in sales, cities including Barcelona, Dublin and Lisbon are full of opportunities for an array of language jobs. But clearly there are great multilingual jobs abroad in numerous other locations too, from Poland in the heart of eastern Europe to Malta in the centre of the Mediterranean.
Amsterdam is a thriving cultural hub, with many Dutch people speaking several languages and numerous multinationals based here. Elsewhere in northern Europe, Ireland is a welcoming land with some superb multilingual openings. Meanwhile, for the keen linguist on the lookout out for language jobs in Portugal, Spain and Greece offer a sun-soaked lifestyle together with some fantastic job opportunities.
How can I search for jobs with languages?
Narrowing down where you would like to search for your next dream languages job is just the first step. With so much information available, even knowing where to start can feel overwhelming. But there are a number of things you can do to find that multilingual role that’s perfect for you.
Here are some of them:
- LinkedIn – This is a great source of opportunities and a way to network and use contacts online.
- Use your own network – Think about the people you know: friends, colleagues old and current, even family members. Consider those you have met at events or worked for previously. Who can you contact who may be able to point you in the right direction?
- Recruitment agencies – For many, multilingual recruitment agencies are the safest, easiest and quickest way of finding multilingual jobs. They have access to extensive databases of current language vacancies, including some which are never advertised via online jobs boards or indeed anywhere else. This gives you the chance to be considered for multiple opportunities at once, and so could make all the difference between finding any old job and one that’s perfect for you. Equally, agencies often hire for temporary or contract workers, which could be an excellent way of finding out whether an employer is the perfect long-term fit for you. Finally, an agency’s insight into and relationship with employers increases the chances of a good match with multilingual job seekers.
Talk to us
At Recruitment Direct, we specialise in multilingual vacancies, especially in sales and call centres, on a temporary, contract or permanent basis. Get in touch or browse our multilingual vacancies here, or register here.