Helpful To Learn A Foreign Language?

Dear Import/Export Compliance Manager,

In the field of import/export compliance it seems that you get to work with people from many different cultures located all around the globe.  Would it be helpful to learn a foreign language to be more valuable and, if so, which one would you suggest?

Monolingual in Metro Denver

Dear Monolingual,

You don’t indicate whether you are already in import/export compliance or want to get in, so we’ll answer your question as if you’re on the outside looking in (hint: take the customs broker exam!).  In an import/export compliance role, just like so many other corporate roles, you will work with all sorts of people located around the world.  The contacts may be import/export compliance people or you may find yourself in the situation of, if you have no import/export compliance personnel in the country, working directly with representatives from Sales, Customer Service, Logistics, Supply Chain, other departments and perhaps a distributor. 

Regardless of their jobs, those people, more than likely, have on major thing in common: they all will speak English to some degree.  Despite what you may hear of Mandarin Chinese being on the rise, English is still the lingua franca of the globe.  It’s the language that Bosnians will use when traveling in Thailand and that Argentinians use when speaking with co-workers in France.  It’s the language that you will see in just about every international airport you visit.  It’s the language that is being taught to grade school students all over the world.  Whether it’s a legacy of the British Empire, American cultural hegemony or what, it’s here and doesn’t appear to be going anywhere anytime soon.

Despite the prevalence of English, however, it is definitely a bonus if you speak a foreign language.  First of all, English is a second language for most of the people you will be interacting with, and thus they will be much more comfortable communicating with you in their native tongue.  Secondly, your foreign contacts will automatically think more highly of you because they feel that, by understanding their language, you understand their culture, the nature of their problems and thus, them!  You will be more likely to catch culture-specific references and hidden messages that those speaking English would miss.  This would certainly serve you well in dealing with that particular culture.  And of course, if there were ever an opportunity to go work in-country for a month or year, you would be a much stronger candidate (not that that happens much in the world of import/export compliance but it’s not out of the question).

In short, there are no downsides to learning that second language.  The thing to keep in mind, however, is that it may not be as useful if you are not fluent, i.e. that you speak their language better than they speak English.  Also be aware that even though you may speak Arabic, most of your colleagues in the US do not.  Therefore, despite your knowledge of the language, you may still be speaking and sending e-mails in English all the time anyway. 

Don’t feel you have to learn a completely new language to gain credibility with your non-US colleagues, however.  Instead of trying to master one language, bone up on some basic vocabulary in EVERY language used by your colleagues in their home offices.  Seriously, you can gain so much credibility when you show interest in learning even a few words in the local language, particularly the languages of small countries who presume that no one in the U.S. can find them on a map, much less know why they are not on friendly terms with the next country over.  The simple act of showing that you want to learn and that you’re serious about it, not just so that you can give directions to your cab drivers and order drinks at a bar, will set you apart from most of your U.S. colleagues and make you seem more effective within your import/export compliance role.  The Import/Export Compliance Manager recommends learning, at a minimum, the following words: hello, goodbye, good morning/afternoon/evening, please, thank you, excuse me (as in ‘excuse me, do you speak English?), receipt (for getting the bill in restaurants), enough (to tell the locals when to stop ordering you drinks or your taxi driver where to stop), later (good as a one-liner joke), I don’t speak (local language) and excellent (as in ‘that’s awesome!’), 

So if you’re jonesing to learn a foreign language, go for it; it will certainly pay some dividends.  As for which one, well, the Import/Export Compliance Manager has not noticed that there is any particular second language spoken by import/export compliance personnel.  Essentially, it depends on the industry you are involved in.  If you work in high tech, odds are good you’ll be working with the Far East a lot and thus can have your pick of Japanese, Korean or any of the variations of Chinese.  It may be that the company you get your first job with has heavy operations in Latin America and thus Spanish would be helpful.  However, your next job may be with a company with operations exclusively in Europe.  The Import/Export Compliance Manager would learn the language you really want to learn and, if it works out from a career perspective, bully for you!  You’re much more likely to stick with learning a language that you enjoy than one you’re learning because you think you have to.  ¡Buena suerte!