Welcoming a language au pair into the home unlocks a variety of benefits for families around the world. It’s also hugely beneficial to the language au pair, with the unique experiences delivered when living with another family advantageous not just now but in the future.
With the average gap year costing £7,700, becoming a language au pair provides an affordable way to take in a new country, a new language and a new culture all at the same time. You’ll make new friends and become a part of the family, creating wonderful memories in the process.
Whilst language au pairs need certain skills and qualities to do what they do. Working as a language au pair gives you the opportunity to learn so much more about yourself.
Newfound skills, qualities, and experiences can not only enhance your confidence, but improve your career prospects in the long run. Read on to discover the many ways being a language au pair could boost your employability.
Flexibility
Adapting to the needs and lifestyle of your host family isn’t easy. You will likely be teaching your language to family members of different ages which can be a challenge. But it’s a challenge that can and should be relished. As a language au pair, you need to be flexible and this skill will serve you well in your future career too.
Communication
Communication is the key to being a successful language au pair. But your au pair experience also gives you the chance to build on this essential skill to realise a more confident, charismatic you.
Your cross-cultural communication skills will be honed every day. As a result, you’ll be able to communicate with people from different backgrounds and cultures.
Maturity
Here at Lingoo, we ask our language au pairs to be aged between 18 and 30, unmarried and without dependents. These requirements bring many young people to our door looking for their next gap year or career break experience. Having youth on your side is a bonus, but it’s maturity that will be seen more favourably at future job interviews.
Maturity is built through life experience, and what better way to experience life than by travelling the globe? By becoming a language au pair, you have the opportunity to see the world affordably. Maturity will also be honed as you adjust to and live life independently away from home.
Organisation
Organising a trip of a lifetime and settling into your new independent life as a language au pair is the best practice you can have when honing your organisational skills.
Organisation and productivity are after all closely related, which makes good organisational skills highly desirable traits. Even keeping your desk organised can be a reflection of just how successful you are or could become as Fish4Jobs explains:
“Never underestimate the effectiveness of a clear desk. It’s an example of how you work to everyone around you, but more importantly it demonstrates how your mind functions. A clear desk allows your brain to remain calm under pressure and to focus on the task at hand. If you’ve ever lost focus because you couldn’t find the file you needed to attach to an email or the pen you required for writing down details from an important phone call, you’ll know the slightly stressful feeling that can follow.”
Leadership
It can be a difficult task to work with people from a culture that’s different from your own. But that’s where your leadership skills come in. Being a language au pair naturally encourages good leadership, with teamwork, mentoring, and relationship building daily requirements of the role. Don’t forget to add these skills to your CV!
Language
A vital part of your role as a language au pair is to help your host family improve their conversation skills. But the learning experience doesn’t have to be one-sided.
You can use your time as an au pair to learn a brand new language, with host families all too willing to share their native language with you throughout their stay.
You’ll also naturally pick up the lingo by living with a foreign family in their own home. Going out into the local community on your evenings or weekends off gives you the chance to strengthen second language skills further.
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