Language skills can be used in almost any career, and particularly in businesses that trade internationally

Job options

Jobs directly related to your degree include:

• Academic researcher
• Interpreter
• Political risk analyst
• Secondary school teacher
• Translator

Jobs where your degree would be useful include:

• Broadcast journalist
• Detective
• Diplomatic service officer
• Education consultant
• English as a foreign language teacher
• International aid/development worker
• Logistics and distribution manager
• Marketing executive
• Patent examiner
• Private tutor
• Publishing rights manager
• Sales executive
• Tour manager

Work experience

Many modern language degree programmes offer a year studying or working abroad. If you choose to undertake a work placement during this year, try and find one in a career that you're interested in and take the opportunity to develop skills specific to that job, as well as your proficiency in the language.

Any time you can spend abroad perfecting your language skills will be helpful, and you may be able to find a temporary job that allows you to do this. Teaching English or working in the tourism sector can be good options.

If your aim is to move into translating or interpreting, you may want to carry out some work on a voluntary basis in order to build up a portfolio of experience.

Experience in areas such as administration and IT will also be useful for many jobs that use language skills. Registering with a suitable employment agency can help you in your search for work.

Typical employers

Some modern language graduates work on a self-employed basis as interpreters or translators. However, many others are employed by companies who trade or offer services internationally, or to non-English speaking customers and suppliers.

Language graduates are therefore employed by a wide variety of employers and sectors, including:

• business services
• charity work
• engineering
• media
• museums and libraries
• public administration
• teaching
• tourism
• transport and logistics.

Skills for your CV

Studying a modern language degree will help you to become a good communicator (both orally and in writing), and will also give you the skills to:

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