By Ravi Kumar

In this Modlingua talk, Dr Oscar Pujol speaks to language learners and professionals about building a career around languages. His work across Spanish, Catalan, Sanskrit and Hindi shows how a language career can combine study, teaching, dictionaries and cultural exchange.

Build depth as well as fluency

A language qualification can be a starting point, not the whole career plan. Reading widely, learning how people use language in different settings and explaining choices clearly all help in teaching, translation and research. Work with other specialists when a project crosses into a subject you do not know well.

Make experience visible

Keep samples of work you have permission to share, note the language pairs and topics you work in, and ask for feedback. Talks and professional communities can help you learn where your skills fit. For more on developing work as a language professional, see Modlingua's article on options in the language market.