10 Ways Language Learners Can Earn Cash

Studies show that more and more people are committing to learning new languages, and there’s a good reason for that! As the world “shrinks” the need to communicate across languages expands, both personally and professionally.

Foreign languages are becoming more prominent in schools as they are a graduation requirement amongst many institutions. As the business world expands, major companies are searching for bilingual and multilingual employees. In fact, interpreters and translators are two of the top 20 fastest-growing careers.

So even if you have other career dreams, it doesn’t mean your language skills will go to waste. There are many attractive and creative options that can comfortably enhance full-time work. You can make extra money and keep yourself involved in languages. Online businesses, marketplaces and platforms has significantly boosted opportunities for additional income.

For professionals with full-time work commitments, here are 10 great ideas to earn some extra money, without interfering with your 9-to-5:

Do some freelance writing
Create language videos on YouTube and other similar platforms
Work as a freelance translator
Teach at a museum, library, or community college
Grade/score standardised language examinations
Become a tutor
Develop a language app or game
Sell your (original) content
Teach English abroad
Lead a trip to a foreign country

Do some freelance writing

If you consider yourself a solid writer and love writing, why not merge that with your enthusiasm for languages? If you have something to share about languages or international travel, consider producing blogs for the foreign language community. These blogs can be monetised with adverts or affiliate links as soon as an audience has been formed. Alternatively, you can get paid per article via companies like Upwork or you could provide articles to newspapers.

Blogs can be monetised with adverts or affiliate links.

You will be astonished at how in-demand language jobs are. The income you make from advertisements fluctuates significantly depending on readers. So you will need to devote a lot of time constructing and engaging your audience first.

Create language videos on YouTube and other similar platforms

If you’re sociable, happy to be on camera, and have some basic editing skills, creating a YouTube channel might be the best way to go! This foreign language job could turn you into a YouTube star. You could produce travel guides, language lessons or just everyday vlogs about being bilingual.

This foreign language job could turn you into a YouTube star.

This is a really flexible side hustle. You could record and release videos whenever you want. The creativity of this job is in your hands! You are free to create the content that you think is most valuable to your audience.

Similar to monetising a personal blog, once you’ve got a large audience, you can make money through adverts. The more viewers engage with the ads on your videos and the longer they watch it, the more you’ll make.

Work as a freelance translator

One other common option for language lovers is working as a freelance translator. Online translation jobs are always available and can be found via marketplaces such as Upwork. This type of job could consist of translating articles, websites, books, and transcribing an audio clips. You can even be the middleman between people who don’t speak the same language.

When it comes to the many different kinds of translation positions out there, there’s no limit. The best way to get these positions is via word-of-mouth, and there’s a big market for it. It can be difficult to get hired by large international businesses. However you can assist close friends and family who are growing their businesses globally. Translating promotion materials can be an astounding addition to your income.

Teach at a museum, community college, or library

Museums and libraries often host courses, events, and talks for international students or that involve foreign languages. Having bilingual staff is always helpful, and it’s even better if you’re passionate about the subjects. These could be good places to check out to find teaching or assisting roles for the students that attend.

If you know how to market yourself in a good way or if you are prepared to devote more time, consider approaching these organisations within your region to find some extra work. As a bonus, this sort of work will look great on your CV or university application.

Grade-standardised language examinations

Many schools, universities, and testing centres contract out their grading for foreign language tests. They tend to hire in the evening times from 5pm to 9pm and the work can be done online as well which is great for busy professionals who want some short-term work with an extra income.

This is one of the best ways to pick up some additional work on the side

This is one of the best ways to pick up some additional work on the side amid other jobs and will test your own language skills. To discover and get into these places, you can search for ETS and use websites such as HigherEdJobs. A job like this ordinarily pays between £10 and £30 an hour.

Become a tutor

Part-time teaching is one of the easiest side jobs for language lovers. Some companies may have you sign on as an hourly contractor, working certain hours at a particular location. Other companies can offer more flexibility and independence, so you would be in control of your own rates, availability and could offer online tutoring.

With online tutoring companies like Learn&Co you can tutor anywhere at any time, as long as you have an internet connection. This allows you to make money from the luxury of your living room.

tutoring is one of the best job opportunities for foreign language graduates.

Since you’re open to set your personal schedule, tutoring is often deemed one of the best job opportunities for foreign language graduates or even for those who may still be in school. It provides you the flexibility to put your abilities to good use while making some extra cash on the side in between your usual schedule. Most students look for time slots in the late afternoons or on weekends, which can fit perfectly around any 9-to-5 work commitment.

Check out our blog post on professional language qualifications for more information about boosting your skills.

Develop a language app or game

If you’re tech-savvy and you have a great idea, producing a language app or game can be a productive side job for language lovers. There are lots of competitor apps so you will have to do research to ensure that yours stands out to your target audience. It may be time to put your foreign language expertise and skills to use as the opportunities with app development are endless. You could create a helpful travel app or a game that helps learners understand a new language.

a language app or game can be a productive side job for language lovers.

The mobile market has massively outperformed computer use in terms of internet, as 80% of Internet users now own smartphones. Clearly there is an increasing demand for apps suitable for phones. Although it may take some time and effort when creating and developing the app, it is worth it if you produce an app that will be beneficial to a large audience.

Sell your original content

Many schools and companies pay tutors to create worksheets, posters, quizzes, and other materials they may use within a course. This is something you can do from home and in your own time, making this a perfect flexible job to do around your normal work. This is an easy creative outlet for utilising your language skills.

If creating language resources is something you enjoy, then you may even be motivated to engage in a full-time language career in teaching. The skills that are most needed here are creativity and marketing as you need to design detailed and high quality material that facilitates learning and engages students.

Teach English abroad

If you’ve got the time, teaching English abroad is another very popular option. People all over the world speak English, so schools everywhere need native speakers to help teach. Many programs hire people without any prior teaching experience. These programs consist of a range of locations, placement lengths and salary.

Not only will you expand your language skills in another country, but you’ll have the opportunity to discover more about the society, indulge in the regional cuisine, and communicate with native speakers. The more you engage yourself in the culture, the more you’ll learn new things.

Teaching english is the perfect job if you love to travel.

This is the perfect language job, particularly if you love to travel. This however is a better option to consider when you have some time off work or if you’ve got a gap year between your studies because you’ll be able to save money by living abroad in the country that you’re teaching in.

If you need a language refresh or want to perfect your foreign language skills before moving to another country then getting a private tutor is the best idea. Our experienced tutors at Learn&Co tailor their lessons to provide the most efficient and effective learning for their students of all abilities.

Lead a trip to a foreign country

Opportunities in teaching are ever increasing, especially since schools and universities are now seeing the benefits of taking students in a foreign country. Depending on your availability, you could consider managing a short-term trip or even a longer trip abroad, such as during the summer holidays.

These opportunities help students practice their language skills and become more globally aware. Connecting with local schools is also a great way to see what openings are available. Much like our prior recommendation, this is a great chance for those who enjoy travelling. Your desire to explore the world can be merged with your love of languages.

So, have you decided which of these side hustles you want to go for? Take advantage of these ever-increasing opportunities to keep your language skills solid and your brain sharp whilst being able to profit from it all! Having the capability to speak more than one language is a precious skill that will help you in any profession you choose to work in.

There are many ways to utilise your language skills and get you some extra income whilst experiencing some great new opportunities… So get hustling!