KONDA: Learning new languages is invaluable

As college students, we rarely seem to recognize the value of learning something entirely new. We gain new experiences, meet new people and expose ourselves to new concepts in our classes, but why does it seem so daunting to learn something new outside of the classroom?

When I mention that I am bilingual, I often hear responses like, "I wish I could do that too." 

But why can you not learn a second language too? Doing so certainly has a real benefit, and it is never too late to learn. You just need to be willing to try.

The American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages found that more than 30 percent of the U.S. population has learned a language in school solely for an educational requirement, but they stopped there. Most Americans do not continue with their second language education, mainly because they have no incentive to pursue it. 

Learning a new language can contribute to your education, and its value in a professional setting can also be greatly appreciated.

In the U.S., 9 out of 10 employers depend on bilingual or multilingual employees, according to a 2019 survey. Especially in multinational companies, employers consistently seek people who can efficiently break the language barrier and create valuable connections.

With culture being an important aspect of language learning, an employee with a bilingual background can provide important insights for a client, which enables cross-cultural communication and understanding. For example, cultural phenomena can influence specific decisions made by clients.

Consider how learning another language could benefit you as a retail employee or restaurant hostess. In the event that your customer is more comfortable speaking in Spanish, your knowledge and language skills can accommodate the client's preferences. 

In addition, customers value the personal connection that the employee can offer, which can influence them to return to the establishment. These interactions increase your communication levels by allowing you to connect effectively with others while expanding clientele for the business.

These ideas can be applied in corporate work as well. As organizations must communicate across various language barriers, clients could be more attracted to firms willing to invest in multilingual employees.

And as businesses continue to go global, multilingual employees can expand their reach into markets that require communication with various networks. As such, employees with this skill set are highly desired by companies.

In professional service-oriented industries like medicine, being well-versed in another language could even save someone's life. A 2010 study from the National Library of Medicine found that 42 percent of physicians reported that they are fluent in at least two languages, which shows that many patients are more culturally diverse and in need of medical professionals that can speak more than one language.

Doctors with multilingual knowledge can also understand the behaviors of patients in terms of their cultural background. Avoiding misinterpretations due to a language barrier can go a long way in health care, especially as any miscommunication could potentially lead to dangerous outcomes.

While doctors are not required to be bilingual in the U.S., having that advantage can bridge the gap between patients and medical staff.

In addition to the professional value it can bring, beginning to learn a new language can also benefit your cognitive abilities in various ways, such as increasing your problem-solving skills, including the ability to multitask.

A study by the National Institute of Health found that people who could speak more than one language were quicker at multitasking. Since bilingual individuals are required to switch back and forth between two languages and their grammatical and cultural connotations, doing multiple tasks at once becomes more familiar.

Multitasking can certainly come in handy in an environment that requires quick reflexes and adaptability. Considering the benefits of learning a new language (and the seemingly nonexistent cons), everyone should invest some of their time and effort into diversifying their skill set.

You never know — the French you learned in high school could be useful in your next interview or with your new neighbor.

So yes, you can begin learning a language right now, especially with the aid of language-learning apps like Duolingo. Whether you are 5 years old or 55 years old, any time is a good time to take the first step. There is no reason not to.

Vaishnavi Konda is a first-year at Rutgers Business School majoring in business analytics and information technology and minoring in linguistics. Her column, "Pitch In," runs on alternate Fridays.

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