Jobs for Bilingual Graduates

Bilingual graduates have a number of roles open to them.

Bilingual graduates are always in great demand throughout America, especially if the graduate has knowledge of a much- needed language, such those spoken in countries that a lot of U.S. trade is conducted with. The range of jobs available means that bilingual graduates have many careers to choose from, many of which allow for a long and successful career to develop.

Teaching

Bilingual graduates can teach English to foreigners in special language schools located throughout the United States. Urban areas such as big cities provide the largest numbers of teaching employment possibilities, although there are schools dotted around the country. Contact the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages for information and employment possibilities. Bilingual teachers are also in demand in many public schools.

Interpreter

Interpreters and translators held about 50,900 US jobs in 2008 according to Bureau of Labor Statistics. They worked in industries including the judicial, medical and tour guide industries. Interpreters work in a wide variety of settings, with 26 percent working on a freelance basis. A bachelor's degree is usually required to work as a translator, so this is a perfect job for a bilingual graduate.

Tour Guide

In 2010, 25 million visitors visited the United States, many of whom do not speak the language. Bilingual graduates find jobs working as tour guides at various U.S. landmarks for groups of tourists, explaining information and helping them understand American culture. These jobs are available all year round and can even be found in foreign countries, helping U.S. or other English speakers who visit other parts of the world.

Air Steward

To be an air steward, excellent communication skills are required, including English. However, bilingual graduates are highly desirable, especially for airlines with international routes. According to avjobs.com, graduates who can speak languages such as French, German, Hindi, Mandarin and Japanese are highly sought after.

References

• Bureau of Labor Statistics: Interpreters and Translators
• American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages
• Reuters: U.S. draws fewer visitors than in 2000, Bernd Debusmann Jr., New York Feb 12, 2011
• avjobs.com: Flight Attendant Interviews