The Guardian – Nicola Slawson
“Resigned to a short sentence shoved at the bottom of CVs, downplaying language skills is a common mistake. Whether you are completely fluent or stuttering over the subjunctive, you should be shouting about it to employers, says Lizzie Fane, founder of ThirdYearAbroad.com. “It shows an eagerness to learn to your employer and may even lead to you being able to travel abroad or work with clients who speak that language.” Speaking a foreign language has been shown to improve the functionality of your brain by challenging it to recognise, negotiate meaning, and communicate in different language systems. It’s important to highlight these benefits to your employers. “It’s not so much about knowing a particular language as being able to cope in a situation where people speak different languages,” says Mike Kelly, a professor of French at the University of Southampton.”(more)