The 9 Best Jobs for Polyglots Today [Career Advice]

The ability to speak more than one language is a gift that many people in this day and age possess. However, many people rarely utilize this skill other than at home.

Language skills are an incredible asset which can inevitably enrich the work place. There are many obvious career paths for polyglots like a language teacher or a translator, but we now live in a world where the job opportunities for polyglots are endless.

In this post, we will outline the 9 best jobs for polyglots today and help you to utilize your polyglot skills in a working environment.

1. A Language Teacher

Language teachers continue to be in high demand in many English-speaking countries. This is due to the fact that the ability to speak multiple languages is highly desirable in many jobs.

Becoming a language teacher is arguably the most obvious choice for polyglots, and it can become a highly successful career path for those who choose to enter this profession.

In particular, native speakers can help to bridge the cultural gap many students may face when language learning. After all, for many students, this gap can cause frustration when learning languages and make it a challenging process.

Many foreign language teachers find this profession rewarding and enjoyable. So, why not utilize your foreign language skills and become a teacher?

By doing so, you will help people gain the confidence to speak a second language or have very basic interpretation skills needed for a wider range of job positions.

2. A Translator

The translation sector is another great way to use your foreign language skills to help bridge communication gaps in the workplace. As a translator, you may find yourself in a range of different situations where your skills and knowledge are required.

You will also find that many international companies based in other countries are constantly recruiting employees who can speak different languages. This provides you with the opportunity to move and work abroad, making that dream of moving to Paris, Madrid or Rome a reality.

Should you wish to stay closer to home, organizations like the British council are always in need of translators.

Whilst there is a common perception that translation jobs require only the ability to speak other languages, this is far from the truth. In today's workplace, business skills and other essential skills are key in the translation industry.

3. A Private Tutor

Language teaching is not limited to the classroom. Indeed, skilled linguists can use their language knowledge to teach people languages privately.

Understandably, many monolingual adults in full-time employment or in the process of raising a family do not have the time to undergo the whole process of going to a school or community centers to learn a new language.

Private tutors are always in demand and becoming one is likely to bring guaranteed work. You will find teaching privately gives people who want to learn more languages the opportunity to learn without eating too much into their personal time.

4. A Tour Guide

Whilst it is not the most obvious career choice, the world truly is your oyster if you are a tour guide.

By becoming one, you'll soon learn that foreign languages are the key to discovering the world and seeing foreign land. And, the more languages you know, the better chance you have of becoming a tour guide abroad.

Knowing a country's native language allows you to immerse yourself within that culture better than you would otherwise be able to. Tour guides are exposed to cultures around the world and if you become one then you will discover the hidden gems that every corner of the world has to offer.

Travelling the world and discovering new and wonderful places is only the beginning of what this job position will offer.

5. A YouTuber or Course Creator

Online streaming services have given us the opportunity to reach a target audience and teach languages through platforms like YouTube. In addition, modern technology allows you to create online courses to teach foreign languages to people with hectic busy lives.

Technology has developed so much and your audience need not be limited to the U.S. As a Youtuber or language course creator, you can reach any target country and teach any target language to people around the world from the comfort of your own home.

6. A Liaison Officer

A liaison officer helps companies or businesses to facilitate communication or overcome cultural issues between people who do not speak the same language.

This may be for business transactions or other scenarios that require a common language to help bridge the communication gap.

Liaison officers are frequently needed for various languages, particularly in places such as police stations and detention centers.

As a liaison officer, you need strong interpersonal skills and the ability to communicate and translate tense situations quickly and on the spot. You will utilize these skills frequently with colleagues and the public.

7. Customer Service Representative

Customer service is another great field for polyglots. Being able to speak foreign languages allows you to aid companies that have a global footing with an international clientele.

Having another language under your belt will optimize your chance of succeeding in a role like this and can lead quickly to team-leading positions. Furthermore, working in a client-facing, customer service-based role is the perfect way to diversify your language skills in a way that is very different from teaching in a classroom, for example.

It is an amazing way to chat freely and in a friendly manner in the target language to people with particular concerns.

With a team of customer service representatives who can speak several languages, executives within any company can feel confident that any issue within the company is being dealt with properly and to a high professional standard.

8. An International Trade Specialist

This is a technical job that will most definitely require a range of skills and expertise.

However, it is a perfect opportunity for someone with an interest in law and foreign policy.

This job role will involve understanding a country's policies and foreign trade laws to help companies with international business transactions.

You may even find yourself lucky and get the opportunity to do some environmental research when looking at importing biological products like plants (or even animals).

Fields that may seem restrictive can be endless when you take a deeper look.

9. A Subtitling Specialist

And finally, we finish with subtitling. Becoming a subtitling specialist is a great way to put your linguistic skills into action, perhaps more than the other jobs mentioned.

Learning languages can be very hard but many find that with films and TV shows the process becomes much more enjoyable.

This profession certainly falls under the umbrella of translation. However, it is also a step into the film-making industry and is in constant high demand by media manufacturers.

If you have an interest in film and media, why not take it a step further and use your language base for a foreign film project?

FAQs Relating to Jobs for Polyglots

What Jobs Can Polyglots Have?

Polyglots have a magnitude of jobs available to them, from the more obvious teaching or translator jobs to the less obvious policy and regulation-centric roles.

Knowing more than one language opens doors to jobs all over the world and enables you to form career paths unavailable to monolingual professionals.

How Much Money Do Polyglots Make?

There is no fixed salary for polyglots and the amount of money you can earn as a multilingual professional depends entirely on the field in which you work, your level of experience, your location, etc.

However, according to Zip Recruiter, the average salary for polyglots in the United States is roughly $160,000 a year pre-tax.

What Job Can I Do If I Speak 4 Languages?

Any! Knowing 4 languages opens so many doors, you can be a teacher and impart your knowledge on others, or you can travel the world as a tour guide and delve into a wide variety of different cultures.

Polyglots are able to take their interests with them and are (generally) not restricted by borders. So, travel the world and make the most of your skillset!

How Do Polyglots Make Money?

Polyglots make money though a variety of jobs. Whether you are seeking full or part-time work, there is something for everyone.

Whether you choose to teach abroad, create a Youtube channel, or enter the field of translation, you should not struggle to find a job in a healthy economy.

As a polyglot, you can travel the world or work from your own front room.

Summing up: The 9 Best Jobs for Polyglots Today

The list of options available within the job market for polyglots is extensive. Start searching for positions if you are looking to earn money for your language skills.

As a fluent speaker of multiple foreign languages, you can enter an array of fields and the opportunities available to you are endless.

When you have finished a hard day of work, why not learn your next foreign language with Lingopie? This platform enables you to learn foreign languages through TV shows and movies in a fun, engaging way. It is the perfect place to start or continue your learning. Good luck!