You Know I Don’t Speak Spanish (But It Would Help)!

In deference to the famous line from the movie, “Anchorman,” the truth is that if you have noticed in job ads that more and more employers are seeking candidates with Spanish-speaking abilities.

This recent trend should come as no surprise. Because the Hispanic community is one of the fastest-growing demographics in the United States, along with a sharp increase in companies expanding operations in Latin America, the ability to speak Spanish is an ever-useful skill.

However, foreign language education of any kind tends to stop after high school, as many college students focus more on their specific majors. As a consequence, they will find themselves shut out of any bilingual opportunities.

The trend has gone beyond Spanish. Language ability has also extended to Chinese and Arabic as well, again because of the business growth in those regions.

So, if you are interested in seeking out these multi-lingual opportunities, you will certainly want to find educational opportunities that will allow you to market yourself to these positions.

First, and foremost, it’s never too late to return to school. Many two-year colleges offer foreign language courses at the fraction of the cost of their four-year counterparts. Also, some two-year institutions have taken their courses online, allowing for schedule flexibility for people with busy lives.

If you are looking for a more specialized and concentrated option, there are companies that cater exclusively to foreign language training, the most popular of which is Berlitz.

Software training options are also widely available. Rosetta Stone is the most popular software, plus foreign-language tutorials can be found for free all over the Internet.

When searching for opportunities to learn a foreign language, it’s always important to find a situation that is right for you, especially when it comes to price and schedule. That way, you will get the type or training that can help you to move at your own pace.

Once you have mastered a particular language, be sure to add this skill to your resume. And prepare yourself before the interview, because it’s a good bet you will be asked about it.

Can You Afford It?

If you’ve gotten to this point, you have already assessed how you’ve gotten to the point where Changing Your Game is an option and you are certain that your current situation isn’t just a case of bad times hitting everyone. The tough questions, however, are not finished being asked.

At this stage, you are now ready to figure out if you have the financial capabilities of making such a change. This is broken into two categories: The employed and the unemployed, each with their own set of questions.

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Maybe It Is You

When it comes to making a change in your life, self-reflection is important. In Changing Your Game, this part of it is crucial to your overall success. But not for the reasons you would think.

From time to time, you read about how you may be your own worst enemy in the workplace, most recently in a Yahoo! Finance article I came across. Understandably, at a time when your self-esteem has been taking a beating, articles like this don’t exactly bring about much of an ego boost.

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Go Home (And Work From There)!

The concept of working from home or telecommuting has gained a great deal of traction and popularity in recent years. Companies, staring at the reality of rising overhead costs, found a great deal of value in having some of their employees work from home.

Now, with the introduction of new technology such as cloud computing, virtual private networks (VPNs) and Voice over IP (VOIP), working at home has become easier than ever. However, just like looking for an in-company position, you have to know where to look and watch out for potential pitfalls.

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“How Did I Get Here?”

You may find yourself living in a shotgun shack
You may find yourself in another part of the world
You may find yourself behind the wheel of a large automobile
You may find yourself in a beautiful house, with a beautiful wife
You may ask yourself: well… how did I get here?

-Talking Heads, “Once in a Lifetime”

When I thought of this Changing Your Game post, I remembered this classic song. And the first verse is likely something you’re contemplating at this very moment.

For years, perhaps, you have found yourself in the same place in your career, which may not a good thing. Judging from sites like JobVent, that much is pretty clear.

But in order to move forward and change your game, taking a look at the events leading up the the present is essential. It is said that those who don’t learn history are forced to repeat. And in terms of our career, many of us have done just that.

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