Career Strategies in Foreign Languages: Employers, Industries, and Education, Study notes of Education Planning And Management

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EMPLOYERS STRATEGIES

U.S. GOVERNMENT

Translation/Interpretation Teaching Journalism/Broadcasting Linguistics Diplomacy Civil Service Foreign Service Immigration/Naturalization Armed Forces Customs

ARTS, MEDIA, ENTERTAINMENT

FOREIGN LANGUAGE

AREAS

Advertising Translation/Interpretation Journalism/Broadcasting Publishing/Editing

Overseas dependents' schools Overseas aid agencies Intelligence and law enforcement agencies The Foreign Service Armed forces Library of Congress United Nations Voice of America

Learn federal, state and local job application procedures. Plan to attend a specialized school that teaches foreign languages. Join armed forces as a way to get experience.

Museums Foreign news agencies Book publishers Hotels, motels, restaurants TV networks/Radio stations Film companies

Learn about the customs and culture of the country in which your language of study is primarily spoken, possibly by spending time in that country. Read international newspapers to keep up with developments overseas.

INDUSTRY AND COMMERCE

Translation/Interpretation Customs Banking Secretarial Services Sales/Customer Services Manufacturing Market Research Consulting Imports/Exports

Banks, finance-related institutions Import/Export companies Foreign firms operating in the U.S. American firms operating in foreign countries Manufacturers Retail/Department stores

What can I do with this degree?

Find out which companies do business with the countries in which your language of study is spoken. Consult resources such as the Directory of Foreign Firms Operating in the U.S., Directory of Ameri- can Firms Operating in Foreign Countries, and American Register of Exporters and Importers. Supplement coursework with business classes.

EMPLOYERS STRATEGIES

TRAVEL AND TOURISM

(Foreign Language, Page 2)

AREAS

Translation/Interpretation Airline Services Hospitality Industry

Tour companies Travel agencies Hotels, motels, restaurants Airlines/Airports Cruise lines

Take courses in hotel/restaurant administration. Get a part-time job in a hotel or restaurant to gain experience. Spend some time abroad to learn the traditions of fine dining, wines, etc. Brush up on your knowledge of geography. Contact airline headquarters or call the Future Aviation Professionals of America (1-800-JET- JOBS) to find employment opportunities. Plan to attend a travel school. Develop office skills such as typing, organizing and working with computers. Read international newspapers to keep up with overseas developments.

Computer Science Engineering Law Medicine Library Science

SCIENTIFIC AND PROFESSIONAL

Corporate and research libraries School and public libraries Hospitals/Laboratories Foreign firms operating in the U.S. American firms operating in foreign countries

Develop good oral and written communication skills. Look into M.L.S. Programs (Master's degree in library science). Develop clerical skills such as typing and organiz- ing. Work on computer skills. Read newspapers and magazines to keep up with world events. SERVICE AND EDUCATION

Translation/Interpretation Teaching Educational Administration Linguistics Civil Service Social Work Library Science Health Services

Hospitals Religious and volunteer organizations International organizations Law enforcement agencies Social service agencies Universities/Colleges Pre-schools K-12 schools Professional language schools English language institutes

Learn state certification process for teaching. Develop superior written and oral communication skills in the English language including proper sentence structure and comprehensive vocabulary. Notify local hospitals, schools and chambers of commerce of your availability to translate or interpret for international visitors. Minor or double major in another subject that you could also teach. Investigate teaching English in another country.

- Participate in summer programs, co-ops and internships to improve your skills. - Pen pal with a correspondent from a foreign country. - Contact professional associations and read their publications to find out about job opportuni- ties. - Look through newspaper want-ads to get an idea of jobs in which knowledge of a foreign language is useful.

Service and Education, Continued

Plan to get a graduate degree to teach in colleges or universities. Get experience by becoming a teaching assistant or teacher's aide. Be familiar with the cultural base of your language (literature, art, politics, etc.) as well as with cultural traditions. Specialize in an area of research. Plan to take both written and oral examinations to become an interpreter. Get a part-time job teaching English as a second language. Volunteer with government programs such as Peace Corps or VISTA.

STRATEGIES

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AREAS EMPLOYERS

GENERAL INFORMATION

- Choose an additional academic area of study to supplement the foreign language, preferably one that requires a high degree of technical skill. Most people with foreign language ability use the ability to assist them in a different career field. - Related courses to study include geography, history, civilization, foreign relations, interna- tional law and world economics. - Decide and choose which language is necessary for your career. Decide the level of foreign language ability you will need to acquire for success in your career. Possible languages to study: Spanish, German, French, Rus- sian, Japanese, Chinese, Italian, Hebrew, Arabic and Portuguese. - Plan to attend a Berlitz School, a school that teaches every foreign language and that is located all over the world, or the Latin Ameri- can Institute or the School of Languages and Linguistics in Washington, D.C. - Travel to a foreign country or study abroad in international exchange programs to learn different cultures. - Study and practice your foreign language skills by reading foreign newspapers, magazines and books. - Watch foreign movies and listen to foreign broadcasts to keep up your fluency. - Volunteer your language skills to churches, community organizations and programs that work with people who speak your target language.

Prepared by the Career Planning staff of Career Services at The University of Tennessee, Knoxville. (1996) UTK is an EEO/AA/Title VI/Title IX/Section 504/ADA/ADEA Employer