Top English Speaking Jobs


If you speak Spanish, French, or are a native speaker of any other language, fluency in English can open the door to work experience around the world.

This is true for both writing and speaking in English — customer support jobs, for example, often require you to do both.

With just a few years of experience you might find yourself moving from administrative assistant or customer service representative into management!

You’ll embrace the learning process once you see the doors learning a new language opens for you. Plus, you’ll get a nice shot of motivation when you have your dream job to look forward to!

To find out the best jobs available to you when you learn English, we asked English-learning friends from all around the world.

While some positions also require a specific degree (check #7), the degree alone won’t guarantee your success without a decent understanding of English.

Here are their responses!

Translator

We’re going to start with the two most obvious positions. If you achieve a high enough level of English, you can translate for speakers of your native language and English speakers. This can be orally as an interpreter or as a document translator for a government agency or international business. Perform this English-speaking job in your city, or move abroad to an English-speaking country!

English teacher

Once your English-level is high enough, you can earn money sharing what you’ve learned with others. This works well in your home country because you can point out common mistakes speakers of your native language make when learning English. Plus, you’ll be able to explain anything they’re struggling with in your common language. With proper certification, you might find available jobs teaching your language in an English-speaking country, too!

International Businessman/Businesswoman

English maintains its position as the world’s language for business. This is largely because it’s the official language in 67 countries, over 400 million people speak English as their first language, and 1.1 billion speak it as a secondary language (1). Plus, 53.1% of all websites in the world use English (2). It’s no wonder business organizations like The European Free Trade Association and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) set English as their official working language. Heck, it’s even the unofficial bridge language for members of the European Union (EU). As you can see, this is the perfect year to learn English and make that international management position a reality.

Call Center Operator

Chances are your country does business with English speakers. You’ll qualify for a position providing helpful service to clients and customers with adequate English skills. Even native speakers struggle to stay polite and patient in conversations with frustrated shoppers, so this takes some practice. From customer service to sales, working in a call center is a great way to put your English skills to work from the comfort of your own home or country.

International Journalist

Remember the stat above about language and internet content? 53.1% of all websites in the world use English (2). While it’s true you can write as a journalist in whichever language you speak, a high level of English will help your work get recognized on an international level. This is because major publications, both in physical print and online, publish primarily in English. This means the events occuring in your country or abroad have a better chance of reaching a larger audience if you can write in English. Have your voice heard above the others and make a greater impact on the world by reporting in English.


Airplane Pilot

Learning to fly an airplane is a tough challenge on its own. But you also need a good grasp of aviation English. In fact, the The International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) requires pilots and air traffic controllers to meet certain English-language proficiency standards to avoid misunderstandings leading to safety issues. If your dream is to fly around the world for an airline, start working on those English skills!

Flight attendant

You don’t have to use your English skills to land the plane. Use them to land this sweet job, instead! Many airlines have a cabin crew English interview or aptitude test that requires good to fluent English speaking skills. Pass the test and reap the rewards of free travel, meeting people from different countries, and seeing the world.

Tour guide

Whether in your own country or in an English-speaking country abroad, showing visitors the coolest spots around is a great gig. You’ll learn more about the history of the city, and you’ll meet people from all over the world, too. Studying a different topic you don’t think applies to tourism? One friend combined her history degree with an English certificate to give historical tours around Granada, while a friend from China paired his culinary degree with English to set up his own food tours company. Tourism will never stop, so learning English to become a tour guide puts you in a field with great job security.

Become a scientist

Not only is English the language of business, but it’s the language of science as well. This means that by learning this one language, you open yourself up to a world of knowledge and job opportunities. You can access and understand scientific research and communicate with other scientists, too. To have a chance at getting your own publications accepted, you’ll need strong English speaking and writing skills.

How to find English speaking jobs

If you learn English, you stand a much better chance of qualifying for one of the jobs on our list. This opens doors in your home country and in English-speaking countries abroad.

But the jobs above may not be open for long:

By 2020, the British Council projects 2 billion people will be using or learning to use English, many of whom will compete to fill your dream job.

Will you beat them to it? Grab our FREE Language Learning Crash Course to get started!