Language Skills
The native language that someone speaks-be it English, Spanish, French or even Swahili- is of course the main way that communication with others in their culture takes place. When looking to fill an open job, employers are always looking for someone who has the language skills to interact productively with co-workers, subordinates and superiors. This is why it is so important to speak your native language exceptionally well. Without solid language skills, a person is prejudged to be less educated than they actually are, and that spells disaster when searching for a job.
Beyond this, if you do happen to get the job, not being able to properly tell others something can lead to mistakes on the job, and in the worst cases, can lead to expensive mistakes, injuries, or even death. If someone cannot tell someone something in the case of an emergency, it can truly be a tragedy. This leads to the consideration of language skills in a second language.
Your chances of a successful job search can be greatly increased if you can speak a second language well. Especially in light of the increasing cultural diversity that so many countries are encountering given the modern world where people routinely relocate in search of better opportunities, the average person is bound to find themselves working with people who speak another language, causing a communication problem. If you are able to speak a second language well, this will be a huge plus in terms of the job search itself. As a matter of fact, those who are fluent in a second language often are able to secure well paying jobs in government, law enforcement, and more because of their ability to bridge the language barrier and simply get things done effectively and correctly. Language skills, as you can see, are not limited simply to one's native tongue.
If you do not have solid language skills, do not despair. There are a wide variety of resources available that can help someone to either sharpen skills in their own language or expand their abilities by learning to speak a second language fluently. If the second language that a person wishes to speak is in high demand in a given profession or community, many times, free training in the language can be obtained. Jobs can even be obtained upon the promise of learning a given language.
Be flexible, and take the chance- it could be the break that you are seeking! To sum it up, the more language skills you can develop, the better off you will be, whether you are looking for a new job or simply to improve your image in the eyes of others. To communicate well is to relate to others in a new way, and it will definitely be worth the effort.
