Foreign Languages

What can I do with this discipline/major?

For helpful resources on your career opportunities, explore the “What Can I Do with This Major” guides for foreign language. 

Some common career titles for this major include:

  • Adult Literacy and GED Teachers
  • Career and Technical Education Teachers
  • Court Reporters
  • High School Teachers
  • Interpreters and Translators
  • Kindergarten and Elementary School Teachers
  • Medical Transcriptionists
  • Middle School Teachers
  • Postsecondary Teachers
  • Self-Enrichment Teachers
  • Special Education Teachers
  • Technical Writers
  • Writers and Authors
    • Bilingual Substance Abuse Counselor
    • Bilingual Office Administrator
    • Foreign Exchange Trader
    • Foreign Service Jobs
    • Foreign Social Worker
    • Tour Guide Escort

For additional career information on duties, education and training, pay, and outlook for hundreds of occupations, visit the Occupational Outlook Handbook.

additional resources

Careers in Foreign Languages

Internships and Research Opportunities

Getting applied experience in your field is critical. The following resources will allow you to learn more about your department’s opportunities and process, as well introduce you to other major-specific internship posting resources. For more information, email , French internship coordinator; , Spanish internship coordinator; or , German internship coordinator.

FOREIGN LANGUAGES:

French:

German:

Spanish:

Careers and Jobs

The resources below are a starting point for your job search. In addition to making use of the Internet to do research, we encourage you to talk to people in the fields you are interested in (don’t forget to use TU’s Tiger Mentor Network) to learn more about specific opportunities and organizations.

Foreign Languages:

French:

Spanish:

Sample Resumes and Interview Questions

For major specific resume samples, we encourage you to look at the Sample Foreign Languages Resumes (PDF) in addition to our Sample Resume Database.

Below are sample interview questions for your field. In preparing for the interview, you’ll also want to review common interview questions (PDF) asked of all majors, thoroughly research the organization, dress professionally, and visit the interview skills section of the Career Center’s website. You can practice your interview skills online via Big Interview or schedule a mock interview with a Career Center staff member.

Interview questions

  • With what type of people do you have the most difficulty working?
  • Do you have a certain area of specialization or do you work on generic translation projects of many types?
  • What type of ethical dilemmas have you encountered as a translator and how did you deal with those?
  • How well can you understand different dialects and accents?
  • What would you do if you were interpreting and a person said something that you did not agree with or found upsetting?
  • What would you do if you were interpreting and a person used gestures which are not understood in the culture of the other person?
  • When you are interpreting, do you try to establish a relationship with the person or do you try to keep the relationship formal and more detached?

Professional Associations

Professional associations offer many benefits to students, often including reduced-price membership, mentorship programs, “careers in…” information, job and internship listings, field-related conferences and publications, and much more. Be sure to check out sections on the associations’ websites related to students, education, careers, etc.

Professional Associations

 

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