Introduction
Learning a language involves more than just accumulating a single CV pointer. Foreign language speakers are few in India, and this serves as a differentiating feature. Foreign language classes are already available at several business institutions, including IIFT, MDI, and IIM Calcutta.
Multinational firms that provide international roles often require or prefer foreign language capabilities, but they can also be a bonus on a domestic level. It provides minimal short-term benefits, but language proficiency is a long-term process in and of itself.
With over 300 million native speakers, Arabic is comfortably in the world’s top five most spoken languages. Arabic, which is primarily spoken in the Middle East, is the preferred language for one of the world’s fastest-growing business regions. Most crucially, just about one million Americans speak Arabic fluently. Learning the language provides you with a highly uncommon set of talents.
Despite how difficult it is to master the language, there is a big demand for Arabic speakers, and there aren’t many Americans who match the requirement. No matter what industry you want to enter into, learning the language will offer you a big advantage.
Here are several ways that learning a new language, such as Arabic, can help you advance in your MBA career:
1 International Positions
According to a Guardian article, learning a foreign language such as Arabic can boost one’s salary by 10% to 15%. Salary.com, a salary aggregator based in the United States, reaffirms the assertion, noting that with additional phrasing, a 5-20 per cent increase on the base rate is possible. A foreign language speaking manager is in a better position to interact with foreign clients for Indian organisations with international operations since the chances of creating a stronger relationship improve significantly.
Those seeking to relocate to a foreign country in Arab after completing their MBA should begin by studying the target language which is Arabic.
2. Building An Alternate Perspective
Learning the Arabic language is similar to putting yourself in the shoes of different individuals; it helps you build empathy. You gain a new perspective on how to deal with situations. To detect the continuous conflict in the Middle East, a well-known polyglot learnt Hebrew and Arabic. Understanding viewpoints is a driver for conflict resolution and empathising, especially for HR managers.
3. The Student Exchange Program
Spending a trimester at a foreign university allows you to enjoy a variety of first-hand experiences, and understanding the target language before your stay will help you get the most out of your time there. From the first day, you would be able to communicate with your co-workers, teachers, and other people, boosting your learning. It is appropriate for European countries where individuals are hesitant to speak English.
4. Improvising Thought Process
According to research, acquiring a second language improves one’s ability to think logically and rationally. Knowing more than two languages allows you to switch between them quickly and easily without interrupting your mental process, which helps you make better decisions and discover the best answer to an issue. It can also assist in focusing on the most crucial aspects of a problem by filtering out irrelevant information that has been inserted to deceive.
Learning a new language entails several other benefits which have been left to the reader to discover. I took up Arabic as a hobby and later discovered the other advantages like a bonus. I would soon share my language learning story to act as a walk-through for those interested in learning a foreign language as an MBA student.
Learning a new language such as Arabic is not difficult, it just needs specific strategies to overcome. It is easy to add a new language to your CV, but you need to speak the language. As an MBA student, there is a lot of scope of business in various parts of Arab for which you need to learn the Arabic language.