Spanish is an asset in your résumé. Whether you have a Minor or a Major, showing proficiency in the language makes you a good candidate for a job. Employers understand that you put effort and time into acquiring knowledge that allows you to communicate with people from Spanish-speaking countries.
It is understood that you have a degree of cultural awareness to deal successfully with a wide range of stakeholders and possibly to help expand their business. Yet, most students face the same questions: What can I do with this degree? What kind of jobs can I apply for before I graduate? Where do I begin?
A Versatile Degree
One of the first things a student with a Minor or a Major in Spanish should know is to understand the versatility of the degree. The process of applying to a job or even deciding what path to follow after graduation is due to the endless possibilities that the degree offers to those completing it.
While other careers offer versatility, I would argue that they are more or less defined than a degree in Spanish. For example, a student with a degree in Psychology has some possibilities. The student can opt for a specialization in Organizational Psychology and become a childcare worker, a recreational therapist, or a health educator. The same student can choose to specialize more in Cognitive Psychology, Sport Psychology, or Organizational Psychology. The same happens with a degree in Engineering or Business.
Decision Paralysis
A student with a Major in Spanish who wants to work after graduation can be paralyzed deciding which field to follow. This is one of the many reasons why more students opt to do a Minor instead of a Major. Students with a Minor usually combine their language skills with another field and have a clearer vision because they choose to learn the language for a particular purpose. For those doing a Major, the options are not as clear unless they know they want to go to graduate school or teach the language.
It is not surprising that the abundance of choices leaves us with decision paralysis. Decision paralysis occurs when people have to decide among different options and feel overwhelmed by the number of choices at their disposal. This subject is complex because decision paralysis has to do not only with different choices but also with what we have to lose if we choose one choice over another. If one student is dealing with decision paralysis and does not have the resources to make a decision, it is not shocking that students end up dropping the program and changing majors.
Choices
A Spanish degree gives you a lot of choices. It gives you so many choices that you can feel paralyzed just thinking about your options. Once you understand the versatility of your degree, you have to accept it and embrace it. I encourage you to see your degree choice with pride. There is a lot that you can do with your degree.
A couple of years ago, the Career Planning staff of Career Services at The University of Tennessee prepared a list of what you can do with different majors. Today, most universities use the list and share it with their students. If you type “What Can I Do with this Major,” you will see that several universities share this information as it was published for the first time.
Other universities use the list too, but they share it with a lesser degree of visibility to those surfing the web. You have to look into Foreign Language to explore your options. While reading your possible options from a list will not help you with decision paralysis, I think it is a good start to understand the versatility of a degree in Spanish.
In the following paragraphs, I am going to follow the same order of the list prepared by the University of Tennessee. However, I am not going to share the strategies offered in the list for two reasons. First, I want to provide my own content instead of using content written by someone else. Second, I want to be more specific about how those areas apply to Spanish.
Government and Public Administration
As a Spanish speaker, you can translate, disseminate news, or provide your expertise to any government agency. You can work in units related to Law Enforcement, such as the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Central Intelligence Agency, or the Drug Enforcement Administration.
You can work at the Department of Defense and be part of any of the related programs, such as the US Armed Forces, the National Guard, or the National Security Agency. You can assist urban planners in municipalities or work as an inspector in different departments.
Industry and Commerce
You can work at banks and financial institutions in the United States and abroad. You can work with manufacturers, retail stores, environmental firms, or as a consultant to different agencies in Telecommunications, or Advertising.
For some of these opportunities, you need additional skills and knowledge. However, you do not necessarily need a second degree. You do need to demonstrate that you can do the work. Be realistic about your strengths and weaknesses and, more importantly, about whether you are a good fit for the job description.
Travel and Tourism
With a degree in Spanish, travel, and tourism is an ideal area in which to work. You can be part of tour and excursion companies, travel agencies, or resorts. You can work and thrive in restaurants, airlines, or cruise lines. You can apply to car rental agencies if you do not want to live far from home. You can also work at convention centers and chambers of commerce. As travel and tourism were one of the industries most affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, it will be one of the most likely to bloom in the coming years. Vacations, students who cannot travel abroad, and work opportunities will make this industry need more workers.
Interpretation and Translation
Translation and interpretation are probably some of the first professions that come to mind when you think of a degree in Spanish. You can work in education, for healthcare organizations, or for law agencies. You can also translate or interpret for nonprofit organizations or assist social service organizations. You can work at courts or libraries. If you value independence and autonomy, you can work freelance.
As a freelancer, you have to develop the ability to market yourself and your work. You can create a website to promote your services or you can work with agencies that allow individuals to advertise their skills. Companies like Guru, Toptal, and Freelancer.com make it easier to connect people with needed projects with those willing to work on their own.
Service and Education
If you know that you want to teach Spanish either at K-12 schools or in a higher education setting, you do not need to keep reading. However, if you are one of the hundreds of students who want to study the language, but do not want to work in the classroom, keep in mind that there are jobs related to the education sector.
You can be part of foreign study exchange programs, nonprofit organizations, or social services initiatives. You can also be an education consultant. For example, consider what you have to offer to textbook companies in terms of content and marketing.
Arts, Media, and Entertainment
Probably, the arts is one area that might be a good fit for you. Choosing to do a Minor or Major in Spanish speaks of your humanistic approach to life, and the arts is one of those areas that allow you to use your creativity. You can work in a museum, in a foreign news agency, or with book publishers.
You can work at radio stations, film companies, theater companies, and advertising agencies. Keep in mind that working in the arts does not mean having a low salary. In some instances, this is the case. In others, you can earn a decent income with initiatives that have a great impact on the world.
In addition to a regular income, you can always apply for funding at government agencies, such as the National Endowment for the Humanities, or to private philanthropists who are willing to invest in projects. If you are thinking of following a career in arts, be mindful that the projects that are more likely to get funding are those with a clear explanation of the contribution to society. In doing art, you get personal gratification, but what matters most is what we have to offer others.
For more information about different jobs, you can visit O*NET OnLine, a database with occupational information developed for the US Department of Labor by the National Center for O*NET Development. One of the great attributes of this database is that it includes information based on skills, abilities, knowledge, and interests associated with occupations. Also, it organizes information on career clusters, industries, and job families. Once you select an occupation, the database gives you more information about wages and employment trends.
In addition to asking what you can do with a degree in Spanish, it is equally important to ask yourself the following question: What do you want with a degree in Spanish?