Top 5 Jobs for Spanish Speakers

“Hablamos Español!” Hanging in shop windows or printed on brochures, this is the telltale mark of a bilingual business. From small shops to massive corporations, companies have an endless need for the language skills of those fluent in Spanish. With millions of Spanish speakers worldwide, being bilingual really pays off as jobs for Spanish speakers abound.

If you haven’t quite mastered verb conjugation, and ser versus estar still leaves you stumped, a degree in Spanish will help you learn to speak Spanish with ease. Those who speak more than one language not only have access to multiple career paths, but also receive a nice pay boost compared to non-bilingual workers in the same position. So what jobs for Spanish speakers can you find once you’ve earned your degree?

1. Linguist — Ever since humankind developed the spoken language, we’ve been fascinated by it. Linguists study language to find out how and why it develops along with how it spreads among different nations. As a Linguist, you can work in research or in translation depending on the needs of your employer.

2. Children’s Book Author — Childhood is the best time to learn a second language, and many parents want to give their child an advantage in life without all that extra schooling later on. As a bilingual Children’s Book Author, you merge your love of language with your creative storytelling talents to author picture books written in both English and Spanish.

3. Lexicographer — Dictionaries don’t write themselves. Lexicographers research, write, and proofread dictionary definitions to create a book that fully defines a language. As a Spanish speaker, you can work on Spanish/English translation dictionaries so native speakers of one language can quickly translate words and phrases into another.

4. Diplomat — Negotiations get much further when the people negotiating can understand one another. Working for the government not only provides a stable income and extra benefits, but also allows you to travel the world to act as a Translator, Negotiator, and Researcher all rolled into one. You help the government understand and communicate with foreign countries to promote peace and prosperity.

5. Simultaneous Interpreter — Want a job that challenges you? If you perform well under pressure, then working as a Live Interpreter will give you that thrill you seek, all while aiding communications between parties. Serving as a Translator, you work in real time to interpret Spanish to English (or vice versa) as the person speaks. From political meetings to community speaking events, you translate for the rest of the crowd so everyone’s on the same page.