Trends: Flaunt your fluency

Many careers require fluency in two or more languages: translators, travel guide writers and traveling business people for multinational corporations, for example. However there are many jobs from many fields within the United States that are best served by bilingual and multilingual employees. Many of these positions require schooling, certifications and licenses specific to each career. However, completing those requirements and becoming fluent in multiple languages will make you a more marketable job candidate in greater demand. Whatever your chosen career path is, becoming fluent in two or more languages will help you succeed.

Nurses and other health care workers: Nursing and other careers in the health care industry are in high demand. Many hospitals and health care networks offer multi-thousand-dollar signing bonuses for registered nurses and those who speak Spanish may demand even more, especially in areas where Spanish is prevalent like the American Southwest.

Government and national security: Also called the Intelligence Community, workers in this field perform intelligence activities for conducting foreign relations and protecting national security. Foreign language skills are necessary for researching, translation and transcription services, reporting and analyzing. Also, possessing reading, writing and speaking skills in multiple languages will help you advance in a military career.

Social work and public service: Depending on the language groups present in a community, multiple translators can be employed in hospitals, rehabilitation centers and community action programs. Multilingual social workers are essential for communicating with recent immigrants.

Educators: English as a Second Language (ESL) programs require bilingual teachers to instruct and bilingual administrators to establish criteria and create course materials. Teachers who speak multiple languages are especially valuable in large cities where students can come from a number of cultural and linguistic backgrounds.

Sales and marketing: People tend to be more receptive to marketing and advertising when they view the advertisements in their native tongue. Multinational companies employ translators in many communication positions, but coming equipped with language skills can help you succeed in any position.

Call centers and customer service: Many companies in the United States hire customer service representatives who can speak two languages, especially English and Spanish. They may receive calls from around the world, in which case those who can speak other languages are vital to the company, as well. Customer service and call center positions are available in many industries, including retail, technology support and hotel and airline reservations.

Journalists and broadcasters: In order to document the whole story, journalists and broadcasters need to be able to interview all sources, including a growing population of Spanish speakers in the United States and other language populations throughout the country and the world.

Many other positions are complimented by multilingual skills, including Web designer, banker, investor, real estate agent, lawyer, receptionist, hotel manager and Census Bureau employee. From sharing your fashion designs with a company in Milan or Paris to working in a number of tourism and recreation positions at a national landmark or international airport, being able to communicate in two or more languages will greatly help you realize your career goals.