The benefits of learning a second language...

[Joe Black]

Have just had my first telephone interview...in Dutch, and it looks like all the time and effort is starting to pay off, because - yippee!! - I passed and get to go to a second inteview in-person next week.


What can I say, a few years ago it would have just been another position on JobServe in some foreign language which I wouldn't have bothered applying for, today its a potential well-paid contract.

So my thought, or post for the for the day...if you fancy working in Europe in the future, start learning a second language, it just might be a better investment than a .NET course.

[scotspine]

cela va sans dire, mein freund...

[BlasterBates]

...really

well done.

I used to have this opinion before I learnt German but now I'm restricted crapply paid jobs in Europe, with the additional disadvantage that the competition speak better German than I do.



Hoe gaat het?

[Mordac]

Surely Hindi or Mandarin would be more useful in the long term...

[Joe Black]

BB, so learning the German hasn't helped, or do you just have the wrong skills?

"Surely Hindi or Mandarin would be more useful in the long term..."

Hmm...sorry Mordie, a contract in Beijing or New Delhi just doesn't appeal to me right now.

[BlasterBates]

...well exactly Joe perhaps I should have spent my time immersed in Java or C++ books rather than flying off to Tenerife to improve my Spanish.

[Phoenix]

G'day,

Well I speak reasonable American and Australian!

Missing you already!

[threaded]

I have Mandarin, helped me win a contract doing a video device driver in Japanese. Which I then learnt.

Which is nice.

[Joe Black]

"...well exactly Joe perhaps I should have spent my time immersed in Java or C++ books rather than flying off to Tenerife to improve my Spanish"

Can't say I've actually bought a tech book for years now, on that side of things I've generally learnt most of my stuff on the job.

The foreign language on the other hand...I've now got four dictionaries, half a dozen things on grammar, and have spent nine months doing 9 hour per week intensive courses...it's cost a bit thats for sure.

PS: threaded, I thought you invented Japanese?

[Phoenix]

I have Mandarin, helped me win a contract doing a video device driver in Japanese. Which I then learnt.

Which is nice.

I prefer a Satsuma