To learn a language for career advancement is one of the best ways to get ahead in the job market. In the 21st century you will need every advantage you can get to keep yourself competitive in the marketplace, and adding foreign language skills is a great way to gain an advantage. Here are just some of the reasons to learn a second language :

Improved overall communication skills. Surprisingly, language learners improve their reading, writing, listening and speaking skills in English as well as their new language. Overall communication skills improve, and that is a boon to any potential employer. For the business owner or entrepreneur, it is even more important for you to maximize your ability to communicate with employees, clients or potential business contacts.

Improved problem solving abilities. Learning a language also develops analytical skills, improves problem solving ability and increases flexible thinking and creativity. Businesses need employees with a wide range of abilities. If you have your own business, there is an even greater need for you to cultivate these abilities in yourself.

Broadens job skills and career options. Learning a foreign language improves your overall job skills, and makes you more valuable as an employee. It also broadens your potential career options, should you decide on a different career path.

Opportunities in many industries. There are many industries in which adding a foreign language would immediately be useful. Tourism, hotels and restaurants, advertising, marketing, military and defense, security, communications and journalism, just to name a few. Being able to communicate with customers, clients and contacts in their own language, even just to put them at ease and make them more comfortable with you and your business is clearly a great asset.

Career advancement. Knowledge of a foreign language can make you more valuable to your company, giving you a better chance of a promotion or a raise. You may also improve your potential for reassignment or relocation, and therefore also an increase in pay.

Overseas business opportunities. Obviously, learning a second language could get you a possible assignment in another country. The potential experience you could gain could lead to a whole new plateau in your career, or a new career opportunity altogether.

Competetive advantage in international business. The current climate of globalization is most likely here to stay. More and more businesses are becoming internationalized by mergers and acquisitions. Multinational businesses, global corporations, conglomerates and joint ventures are increasingly common. This means that learning another language is essential if you are going to be involved in any international business. It's the only way to maintain a competitive advantage.

Liberal arts training increasingly sought after. Less employers are looking for specialized skills and abilities. Prospective employers are increasingly looking for more adaptable workers with wide ranging abilities and flexible skill sets. General business skills, communication abilities and foreign language skills are the type more employers are seeking today.

Cost effective method of improving your marketplace value. Many businesses will contribute to or pay for an employees training or education. Foreign language is one of the few skills that can be learned a variety of ways including formal classroom study, tutors, language schools and even self-study. It's one of the few skills you can gain on your own and affordably.

Increased business contacts. The opportunities here are tremendous. From your employers or clients point of view, you may have just doubled your potential list of business contacts when you add a new language to your arsenal. It's a way to gain a powerful advantage over your competitors.

We could probably add many more examples to this short list, but the point is made. When you learn another language, you add important skills to your repertoire and increase your value as an employee or businessperson. You increase your opportunities for your business and for yourself. You improve your communication skills, your ability to interact with more people and your overall business skills. Best of all, you make an investment in yourself. When you leverage that investment in your business life, you can profit from the rewards for the rest of your life.

Ron is a long-time language enthusiast, exploring Spanish, French, Swedish, Esperanto and others. Learn more about studying a language on your own at Language Learning Advisor This guide for self-study language learners has reviews and recommendations of language learning methods and products, links to online learning resources, learning tips to maximize your study time and effectiveness and articles on language learning.