It literally pays to be bilingual. Specifically, it pays anywhere from 15%-21% more in Quebec and 5.4%-9.3% more in other provinces. This is the first of many advantages that bilingual job hunters can enjoy thanks to their valued talents and the key soft skills they demonstrate. Being bilingual also means having more job options available and less time spent being unemployed. Positions where multiple languages are in high demand include billing administrators, collections clerks, financial administrators, tech support and customer services, human resources coordinators, systems administrators, recruitment consultants, administrative assistants, sales representatives, and most public service jobs.

What Bilingualism Tells an Employer

The most obvious benefit of multiple languages is being able to communicate with a larger assortment of customers and clients. While this is highly beneficial in an increasingly globalized economy, it is not the only benefit bilingual individuals can enjoy. There are a number of key soft skills that employers love that are also associated with bilingual abilities. Telling an employer that you are bilingual also tells them that:

• You are a sociable and effective communicator who can identify and express key ideas clearly.
• You know how to listen and focus properly.
• You can commit to long-term, sometimes difficult, projects.
• You are open to learning and to continually developing skills

Not Just French and English

Although Canada has French and English as its two official languages, French/English bilingualism is far from the only type that benefits job seekers. Canada is a diverse nation and global economies mean geographic location doesn’t matter as much when looking for customers and business partners. Skills in tongues like Mandarin, Japanese, Hindi, Spanish, and Arabic all open doors and lead to richer job prospects, especially in such a multicultural city like Toronto.

Developing Extra Tongues

Extra languages are most often picked up as a result of childhood environments or programs at school (immersion or not). However, just because you’ve graduated doesn’t mean your languages are locked in. Night classes, online courses, or even just watching foreign-language shows with subtitles are just some of the ways you can develop bilingual—or even trilingual—abilities. All it takes is a bit of dedication and some spare time.

It also helps that you don’t necessarily need complete fluency in another tongue. Even rudimentary knowledge of multiple languages can help you in your job search, especially if you can carry on basic conversations. Simply committing to the path of language development shows a strong work ethic, personal initiative, and perseverance, all of which will be recognized and appreciated by employers.

Resolve Recruit, Inc. is one of the leading employment agencies in the Mississauga, Brampton, and Toronto areas. We match skilled workers with a variety of businesses for both temporary and direct-hire positions. Learn more by contacting us at sales@resolverecruit.com or call (905) 568-8500.