Daily Blog Buzz: Industries for Bilingual Workers

According to the U.S. Census Bureau's 2006 American Community Survey, approximately 80 percent -- or 223.2 million people -- of Americans use only English at home. The remaining 20 percent -- 55.8 million people -- speak a language other than English. Add the millions of tourists visiting the country each year and you have a huge demand for workers who can communicate in more than one language.

Thankfully, bilingual workers come to the rescue. In almost every line of work, the ability to speak a second language makes you a valuable asset. Any job that requires you to interact with customers -- either in person, on the phone or online -- can use your knowledge of a second (or third) language. Think about it: Every additional customer you can speak with not only improves his or her experience but also brings in revenue to your employer.

Spanish is by far the most popular non-English language spoken at home, with roughly 34 million speakers nationwide. Still, there are millions of people speaking other languages -- including French, German, Mandarin, Arabic and lesser known languages -- that also benefit from bilingual workers.

If you speak more than one language or have thought about learning a second one. Here are some industries and jobs where your skills will come in handy:

Health care - (Nurse, paramedic, physician's assistant, home health aide, etc.);
Hospitality - (Concierge, resort manager, hotel manager, front office/desk clerk, etc.);
Education - (Teacher, ESL instructor, guidance counselor, etc.);
Law enforcement - (Police officer, investigator, security guard, probation officer, corrections officer, etc.);
Customer service - (Sales clerk, demonstrator, retail store supervisor, computer support specialist, customer service representative, etc);
Social services - (Family social worker, substance abuse social worker, social work administration, etc);
Finance - (Teller, financial adviser, investment banker, accountant, etc.);
Communication - (Translator, public relations specialist, journalist, media relations officer, etc.).