Expanding Your Skill Set
Here are 10 quick tips for those who want to become business savvy while perfecting their language skills:
- Supplement coursework with classes in business or public relations.
- Gain experience through internships or volunteering.
- Study abroad with the goal of developing "near-perfect" knowledge of the language.
- Follow international news to keep up with developments overseas.
- Brush up on knowledge of geography.
- Develop your computer skills, including using spreadsheets and implementing social media.
- Watch foreign movies, listen to international broadcasts, and seek out opportunities to converse with native speakers to maintain your fluency.
- Seek certification for language skills.
- Join professional associations to make connections and learn about job opportunities.
- Research firms with overseas networks but be prepared to start in a position in the U.S. since very few entry-level positions are available internationally.
Check out the following Psychology Today article for more ideas!
* Marketing and Using Your Foreign Language Skills at Work
So what types of business classes should you take to supplement your coursework in French? Studies in global business might include international financial markets, operations of international business, international management, and global marketing strategy. Coursework in international relations and geopolitics will also strengthen your profile.
Thinking about pursuing an global MBA or other graduate degree capitalizing on your language skills? The University of Texas at Austin offers some excellent tips, including a timeline for applications plus links to global MBA rankings and some of the best-rated international business programs in the U.S. and abroad:
* International Graduate Study (UT-Austin, Liberal Arts Career Services)
Interested in studying abroad? Two ‘cream of the crop’ business schools in France that offer exchange programs and/or joint degrees with a number of American universities are HEC (Paris) and INSEAD (Fontainebleau). Visit the University of Pennsylvania Wharton School of Business website for further details.
See links from our pull-down menu "Expanding Your Skill Set" at the top of this web page to learn about these and other excellent programs worth exploring.