Is there a silver lining in the current state of our economy and job market? With the increase in people looking for jobs, many with college (if not even graduate degrees) applying for entry level positions, it is becoming harder to even get a first interview. The competition is fierce and the only chance at getting that first interview is to better present yourself on paper, boosting your resume. Having more educational degrees is always appealing, but also very costly and takes time to earn and complete. This is obviously not an option when an ideal or perfect job posting is sitting on your computer screen, waiting for you to apply and click on that “submit” button. Having a longer list in your resume’s “language” section will surely make you more attractive than resumes without, especially competing with someone who is only fluent in one language.

With over 6,700 different languages in the world, Spanish is ranked second as the world’s most widely spoken language, after Chinese, with English being third. Being able to speak Spanish will not only boost your resume and give you an edge in job competitiveness, but there are many other values as well. Personally, I would love to understand the lyrics of Spanish music when I am grooving and dancing at a salsa bar. How about traveling to Spain, one of the most romantic places to visit? Or even in the local neighborhood, it is always interesting to hear what others are talking about, especially if they are talking about you, not knowing that you speak their language! How about ordering food? When I order food using the language that is spoken at the restaurant, I have always had better (and friendlier) service, and overall a more pleasant experience. It is natural for people to warm up to someone new who speaks the same language—it can remind us of our hometown, childhood, and other warm and fuzzy memories.

Now, having a competitive edge in job application, having Spanish will do the trick, as it is the second most widely spoken language in the U.S., after English. Depending on where you live in the U.S., the gains in speaking Spanish can be more significant. For example, if you live in California, based on the U.S. Census report, majority of the population under 18-year-old is Latino and speak Spanish. There are countless advantages in being able to speak multiple languages, especially Spanish, which is so broadly used. There are many learning opportunities and strategies to become fluent in Spanish, taking advantage of the technology available to us.