Modern languages : Your skills

Studying modern languages will give you excellent and varied career opportunities and life-long skills. Language skills are in scarce supply and can be used in almost any job. Studying a language clearly makes you a communicator, both orally and in writing. Additional skills gained through a language degree include the ability to:

• gather information, assess and interpret it;
• lead and participate in discussions and groups;
• organise workload and work to deadlines;
• develop opinions and propose ideas;
• read pages of text and pick out the essential points.

If you spend a year abroad during your degree, you should gain insight into another culture, adapt to new and changing surroundings, as well as work both in a team and independently. These skills have value in a job market that is becoming increasingly global and will be appreciated by employers, whatever career you go into.

Consider the skills developed on your course as well as through your other activities, such as paid work, volunteering, family responsibilities, sport, membership of societies, leadership roles, etc. Think about how these can be used as evidence of your skills and personal attributes. Then you can start to market and sell who you really are, identify what you may be lacking and consider how to improve your profile. Take a look at job application advice for some useful tips.