2minute

Home Business Using Language Skills

Filed in archive business ideas on January 29, 2007

Home Business Using Language Skills
BusinessWeek's Smart Answers segment gave an idea on what one can earn from if he would want a business out of his language skills.

Here's the reader's question:

I'm a native Spanish speaker living in the U.S. I would like to work from home now that I have young children. Do you have any suggestions for how I can use my language skills in a home business?


Here's the suggested work-from-home business:

According to 2000 U.S. Census data, nearly 47 million people who live in the U.S. speak a language other than English at home. That's a huge group of potential customers, and myriad corporations seek to capture their consumer spending power, notes Nataly Kelly, a former court interpreter and the author of a book, Telephone Interpreting: A Comprehensive Guide to the Profession, that will be published in May by Multilingual Matters. "As a result, there's an enormous demand for bilingual skills in today's job market," Kelly says.

There are many opportunities for home-based work in translation, which involves the written word, or interpreting, which involves the spoken word. You could set up shop at home as a freelancer or consultant, or look for telecommuting opportunities with companies that require employees with bilingual skills.

Before you pursue either course of action, get proof of language proficiency in both Spanish and English, Kelly advises. "This can be obtained through certified tests that are conducted by the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL), the most widely recognized testing body in the U.S. The ACTFL tests are the most valid and reliable tests available, and they have been used for decades by many Fortune 500 companies, as well as federal and state government agencies," she says.

Read more about this story.



Permalink: Home Business Using Language Skills

Tags: translating+service  translating+business  interpreting+business  home  business  home+business  home+base 

Vote for Home Business Using Language Skills:

  • Currently 10.00/10
  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • 5
  • 6
  • 7
  • 8
  • 9
  • 10
Rating: 10.00 out of 2 vote(s) cast.
 
Share It
RSSrss
Google google
Yahoo! yahoo
Addthis Subscribe using any feed reader!
Bloglines Bloglines
Most Popular   Best of   business ideas   business tips   Did you know   financing   freelancing tips   General   Home Based Businesses   home based franchises   home business events   home business people   home business software   home office tools   Information about   internet business   management   marketing   Misc   odd home business idea   online job