Spanish a Plus in the Job Market

by Ann Abbott

 I received this information about job possibilities yesterday. Here are a few thoughts:

  • It's so important to give your students really good learning experiences while they are with you--in the classroom and for their honors projects. (Liz's blog posts were part of her honors project in my classes.) You are helping to set them up for success. Although of course, they make their own success, too!
  • Then, it's so important to stay in touch with your former students. LinkedIn is one way. I stay in touch with a lot of former students through Facebook, too.
  • Finally, when you do stay in touch with your students and follow their personal and professional stories, share them! Let your current students know about what former students are doing in their professions. Our students need examples, role models. Liz is definitely one of them.
  • Although Liz is interested in speaking to all Spanish majors, I am convinced that students who study abroad and take experiential learning classes are the real stand-outs in a job interview. They have concrete, client-based examples to share about the work that they have already done in Spanish. 

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