Afni News

Which Industries Have a High Demand for Bilingual Professionals?

April 03, 2024 in

In today’s globalized industry, the need for bilinguals has never been greater. These language skills provide employees with a broader range of abilities, including the ability to assist clients and foster trust through communication. According to several job statistics, this holds particularly true in the US, where there is an increasing number of employment opportunities for bilingual workers. Did this catch your attention? Are you now interested to know which industries have a high demand for bilingual professionals?

In the following, you’ll reveal the top five industries that praise bilingualism and understand the importance of language skills and proficiency in the modern professional landscape.

Which Industries Have a High Demand for Bilingual Professionals?

Communicating fluently in two or more languages can make wonders on your resume and make you more competitive in the job market. As immigration rises, you can see more and more native workers turning to learn at least one more language to stay in the competitive market and potentially earn better pay. So, which industries need bilingual experts? Let’s dive into the five industries with a growing need for employees with bilingual careers.

Healthcare industry

Regardless of the country or the economy, there’s always a need for quality medical staff. Healthcare is an industry with massive potential for bilingualism, as bilingual healthcare workers provide great service to patients who must clearly understand their diagnosis and treatment options.

With the highest migrant population in the world, the healthcare industry in the United States needs bilingual professionals in different positions. Many immigrants who are only fluent in their native language have limited knowledge of English, so they may require services in their mother language.

Imagine the consequences of language barriers. Patients may struggle to describe their symptoms, and healthcare professionals might diagnose them incorrectly based on miscommunication.

Since you can't always reach a medical interpreter, having a bilingual healthcare professional on the spot is best. The roles where bilingual healthcare workers are highly valuable are doctors, nurses, sports medicine specialists, physical therapists, nutritionists, psychotherapists, health insurance account managers, etc.

Marketing, sales, insurance, and customer service

Bilingual professionals are highly required in industries where effective communication is crucial. These include marketing, sales, insurance, and customer service.

In marketing, language skills help engage with clients and develop effective strategies. One of the best contributions of bilingual marketing experts is that they can create targeted and culturally sensitive marketing campaigns. This is important because it will deliver a message the audience can understand. The message can make or break a campaign’s success.

Bilingual sales representatives provide personalized service and address customer concerns in their native language. The ability to communicate in the client’s first language builds trust and loyalty.

Insurance is another industry where bilingual professionals are important. With a diverse customer base, communicating clearly the policy terms and conditions or informing clients with limited English proficiency about changes in insurance plans or claims may pose a struggle. Moreover, future customers feel more comfortable sharing sensitive information in their native language.

When multilingual team members work in customer service, they can ensure great service. A bilingual customer support team solves problems faster and ensures that there is no risk of miscommunication.

Technology and IT sector

English is, first of all, the language of information technology. The technology and IT sector is an industry with a growing demand for bilingual professionals. One of the reasons is that many tech companies are expanding globally and need to provide customer support in many languages.

Moreover, language skills are essential in software localization and international product launches. Bilingual professionals can adapt software and other tech products to meet the linguistic and cultural needs of different regions. This way, they will make them more accessible and user-friendly.

They can also assist in launching products in international markets by creating content in different languages and negotiating with foreign partners.

Hospitality and tourism

Many hospitality workers, from restaurant staff to hotel guest coordinators and event planners, find their career opportunities through bilingualism. Bilingual workers in the hospitality or tourism sector can be offered the opportunity to go to places they’ve never imagined visiting.

Hospitality jobs suitable for bilingual experts are hotel guest services (front desk/receptionist, night auditor, or office manager), bartenders, restaurant staff, event coordinators, wedding planners, hotel or restaurant managers, etc. Workers who can accommodate the needs of international guests are highly valuable. They bring the customer experience at hotels, restaurants, and event companies to a higher level.

Travel and tourism is one of the biggest global industries. Unlike hospitality, which caters to guests at hotels or restaurants, tourism focuses on transporting tourists to their travel destinations and helping them explore places and diverse cultures. If you work domestically, for instance, in tourist destinations like New York, your language skills can help you offer better service to tourists and earn more tips.

Tourism job occupations for bilingual workers are tour guides, flight attendants, pilots, tourist bus drivers, taxi drivers, etc.

Finance and banking

The financial industry takes a big spot in the world's economy. Banking and finance services include everything from transactions with individuals to corporate finance and global economics. This multi-trillion-dollar industry encompasses banking, insurance, real estate, wealth management, and tax preparation.

With everything moving quickly, there is no time for language barriers in business. For instance, financial institutions work with bilingual professionals to streamline communication when managing money exchanges. Another example shows that multilingual financial advisors and investment bankers are in high demand as they can complete an agreement in more languages,

Other banking and finance roles that require bilingual employers are tax accountants, investment counselors, financial coaches, insurance salespeople, etc.

Find a Suitable Bilingual Career Path With Afni

If you are a talented bilingual expert in a certain field, Afni will help you connect with the right employer. You should keep in mind which industries have a high demand for bilingual professionals. The industries that work with foreign clients have a growing demand for bilingual professionals. Those include healthcare, marketing and sales, insurance, customer service, technology and IT, hospitality and tourism, and finance and banking.

There is a high language demand for certain roles within these industries. Sometimes, communicating in the client’s native or preferred language is crucial for business success.

About the Author

Samantha is the Recruitment Marketing Manager for Afni and brings a wealth of knowledge and tips for job seekers. She holds a bachelor's degree in public relations and marketing from Mount Saint Vincent University as well as a masters degree in digital marketing and advertising from Liberty University.