How to Improve Your Second Language Skills for Your Job

How to Improve Your Second Language Skills for Your Job

Cindy Tracy
If you speak more than one language, you know how impressive it sounds to tell someone that you can speak various languages—being eloquent and fluent in a second language not only helps you while travelling. Still, it also enhances your global job opportunities, like career counselling Perth suggests.

Companies always look for multi or bilingual candidates since it increases their chances of working with foreign clients with effective communication. Your new language learning is directly proportional to an increase in your employability. To learn a second language with perfection, these tips will help you out:

Work on Speaking Skills:

Speaking a new language can be challenging. Do not expect yourself to start talking correctly from the beginning. Things take time! Do not let the fear of embarrassment keep you from speaking the second language. You will sound nothing like a native but practice will make you perfect. Try to say the words correctly by checking their pronunciation. Speak no matter how reluctant you are. If you find yourself speaking the words incorrectly, try looking for the correct pronunciation right away and correct yourself. Figuring out your mistakes and correcting them immediately will help you learn faster. Let others make corrections as well – they will probably catch what you miss.

Find Your Favorite Content:

Listening to a foreign language not only helps you improve your listening skills but also lets you become fluent while speaking it. Learning a new language requires you to listen actively, and for that, you cannot rely on dull and boring content. Choose something you find interesting. For example, watch movies or tv shows in the language you want to learn. Most movies on dvd have subtitles which means you can also learn the meaning of every sentence side by side. The first time you watch the movie, you can leave on English subtitles to understand the meaning on all the words. But then watch it again, either close-captioned in the original language, if available, or without subtitles.  Likewise, if you want to improve your reading skills, choose books with exciting content.

Converse with a Native Speaker:

Engaging in a conversation with a native speaker works like a charm while learning a second language. You get to know the indigenous accent and might learn many new words or idioms that you won’t find in textbooks.

If you are afraid to join a language learning class or have social anxiety and cannot talk to someone face-face, you can find multiple websites and online platforms to help you connect with native speakers. Make sure to use this opportunity to enhance your second language learning skills effectively.  You can look for someone who wants to improve their English and that way you spend half the time talking in English and half the time in the other language!

Work on Your Grammar and Vocabulary:

Vocabulary and grammar are the basics of any language. They are what basically construct the entire speech and its structure. If you understand the grammar, it will help immensely in becoming proficient in speaking, listening, reading and writing in a foreign language.

To acquire a completely new language, you need to immerse yourself in it. When children start speaking, they learn everything from their surroundings. You need to surround yourself with content or people that can help in polishing your language learning skills. Learn new words every day and try using them in your daily life. Use post it notes to label everything around you in the other language.

To Sum it up!

You might have to go through a lot while learning a second language, but the results are always worth the effort. Besides making your resumé attractive and increasing employment opportunities, you will have fun.

A new language introduces you to an entirely different world. You will get access to new literature, culture and history. You will be able to enhance your knowledge, which will broaden your vision. Learning another language is great for your personal growth.

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