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What are other job options I can consider from knowing another language?

I have been learning Korean for a few years, and I am planning to continue my studies in college to get to the level of fluency. Are there any jobs other than teaching English in Korea that I can consider? #foreign-languages #language #foreign-language #korean

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Subject: Career question for you

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Angela D.’s Answer

Greetings! This is an important question. I've included a list of potential areas for careers, in no particular order and this is only a starting point. It depends on your interests. Being bilingual/multilingual is a real asset, particularly in fields such as hospitality, customer service, teaching/education, medicine, and law enforcement. In researching these fields, keep in mind that qualifications will vary in terms of educational levels and experience. To get a general sense of the areas that you are interested in, you may want to consider an internship or a temporary lower level paying position to see if there is a fit. Please keep in mind though that each company is different and you may need to explore others as well. It also is helpful to phone or Skype meet with someone at their convenience within an organization of interest. You can explain to them that you are doing research and their viewpoint is valued. My recommendation is to keep the interview short, no longer than 10 minutes. If you need help with interview questions and how to set up an email request for an interview, please let us know. Wishing you the best, Dr. B
P.S. You can also consider online/remote positions as well as concentrating on an area of the country where there are more first language Korean speakers....

a) Interpreter/Translator
b) Editing/Technical Writing
c) Teaching/Education
d) Law Enforcement
e) Social Worker
f) Hospitality
g) Aviation such as Flight Attendant
h) Customer Service
i) Medical Fields
j) Marketing/Sales
k) Financial Areas such as Banking, Investing, etc.
l) Management

Angela D. recommends the following next steps:

Online Research
Phone/Skype Interview
Internship/Temporary Employment
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Justice’s Answer

Yes, there are a lot of opportunities out there with that language.. you can work at any Korean embassy and you can also work as an interpreter for tourists in Korea, you can also work as an international interpreter for a company.. contact me on +233554285471 for more details

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Lynn’s Answer

Hello Tamyko, I highly recommend continuing to study the Korean language and culture. As a linguist and I work as a nationally certified healthcare interpreter (verbal) ,and translator (written text) . In addition I am language proficiency tester. I mention my skills to show you that there are many ways to use your Korean- English for a great career. However, you need to attain a level professional proficiency before I recommend you apply for these positions. Job growth projections for this field as reported by the US Bureau of Labor Statistics until 2026 is about 18% whereas many job growth projected estimates are 5% to 8%.

Best regards,

Lynn recommends the following next steps:

Take the Oral Proficiency Interview test to get an accurate assessment of your verbal Korean language skills. I am assuming that English is your native language so you would not need to have it assessed too.
Study and immerse yourself in learning the culture too. Locally find grocery stores or shops to frequent.
Study abroad in Korea! Contact your school advisor for assistance.
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Mingyi’s Answer

Cross border business development, opportunities such as: organizations who facilitate Korea-US business exchange, international companies who are doing business or would like to develop business relations with Korea.
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James E.’s Answer

Would strongly consider embassy assignments. Perhaps, if open to relocation being an interpreter at United Nations. Assignments with USAID. These should stimulate some thoughts and further inquiries.

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Glory’s Answer

Hi! Apart from being a teacher you can also be a Translator, Interpreter or Liaison Officer.
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Julie’s Answer

Hi Tamyko,

Being bilingual is an asset for many careers. Many businesses operate globally and need people with foreign language skills to fill a wide range of roles, from salespeople to finance to human resources to CEO. Think about whether you want your career to be focused around translation or whether you would prefer bilingual skills to be just one part of your career.

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Raychel’s Answer

Plenty of jobs require translators! For example, translating documents from Korean to English (and vice versa) for litigations (a few key word searches that might be helpful : "legal translators", "forensic translators"), speeches, or even movies (i.e. Netflix, HBO, Hulu)

Raychel recommends the following next steps:

Search for translator needs on LinkedIn / job searching sites to understand additional qualifications for the positions you might be interested in
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Kerry’s Answer

In addition to furthering your studies in Korean, consider a degree or certification in another field that interests you ... business, computer programming, electronics, etc. You'll find having skills in a second language can be instrumental in expanding your career options, and in many cases will make the difference in being selected for opportunities over similarly qualified candidates without foreign language skills.

Kerry recommends the following next steps:

Identify another field of study you find interesting that you get into while continuining your studies in Korean.
Research opportunities at major corporations headquartered in Korea (Samsung Electronics, Kia, Huandai to name a few ) as well as US-based companies who do business in Korea.
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