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As Mandarin language professionals, we can tell you that there are many reasons why learning business Chinese is important.
We use the language every day at Keats Language School in Kunming, China and our students bring their language skills back with them to their home countries and jobs.
There are many reasons to learn Business Mandarin. Carry on reading this article to learn about all the benefits Business Chinese can add to your life and career.
Yes, this is the first and the most important reason you should learn the Chinese business language. If you’re going to learn another language, why not make it the language that’s the most spoken in the world? More than 1.2 billion people speak Chinese.
Not only is business Mandarin spoken in China, but it’s also spoken in Singapore and Taiwan. Chinese-speaking people live worldwide, and if you’re a professional, it’s more than likely that one of your clients, suppliers, or colleagues will speak Mandarin.
At Keats School, we offer business Mandarin courses to help you master this incredible language spoken across the world.
We know you won’t take it personally when we say that there is always room for growth. While you are a mature, working adult, everyone can grow through education, no matter age or career direction.
Don’t you agree?
A survey by Smart Study found that 95% of people who took part in their study admitted that studying abroad served as a catalyst for increased maturity.
An emotionally mature person always wants to add value to themselves and others around them. This happens through learning and developmental activities, like learning Mandarin in China. Remember, you’re emotionally mature when you take responsibility for your own happiness, career, and future.
One way to gain needed maturity in the workplace is to get outside and see the world (and take business Mandarin lessons). You will come back to your work with a fresh mind, a better perspective, a new language skill, and a new drive.
Chinese language skills are scarce in some companies, even for companies that do a lot of business with China. With Mandarin being needed in a business, knowing the language can make you an attractive employee.
Through learning business Mandarin, you can transform yourself from a low-value employee to someone critical to the company’s success.
Say goodbye to your small title and hello to a new, shiny one. With you getting a promotion, it will allow for your company to grow and fill your position.
You could also suggest holding lunch and learn sessions in your company to teach other employees Mandarin. Once you’re comfortable with the language, why not share your knowledge?
Have you ever been in the office when someone said, “Can anyone read/speak Mandarin… I have a client who can’t speak [insert your first language] well, and I don’t speak theirs. I need help.”
This is where you can raise your hand and head over to help your co-worker. Since you took business Mandarin courses, you’re able to be the translator in the middle of a non-conversational conversation.
In addition to being able to help in that vocal exchange, your skills are also valuable when it comes to documents, client reports, and research. Since you can read and write Mandarin, you can help translate any written documentation and send out exchanges in Mandarin.
With the increasingly global society, having international skills and knowledge makes you more marketable for employers.
When you decide to study abroad as a professional, you’re telling your current employer (or future employer) that you’re interested in bettering yourself. You want to grow and improve your skills to make yourself the best employee possible.
Once you get to your new country, your network is going to broaden. When you travel, you can’t fully control who you’re meeting or when. It’s not like one of those big networking events where you try to get five minutes of talking in with the most influential person in the room. But when you can’t talk to them, you end up talking to someone you don’t relate to and can’t get away from.
Instead of feeling stuffy and claustrophobic at a networking event, traveling and meeting new professionals abroad allows you to do it in an open and natural environment.
These encounters lead to unique friendships and introductions with Chinese business professionals. Employers will see this as a valuable asset to the company and to you as an employee.
And, don’t forget to list your study abroad experience on your resume. Studies have shown that it enhances your job chance success and who doesn’t like a little more success?
Education is a tool that can build your skills no matter your age or career level. We know you understand that.
More than 80% of respondents in a study by iesabroad.org said that studying abroad had enhanced their interest in academic study. Nearly 63% of people said that the experience of learning a new language influenced their decisions to expand or change their career focus.
And, in fact, nearly 90% of people indicated that their experiences abroad influenced all their subsequent educational experiences.
It seems that once you study abroad, the study bug gets planted, and education becomes a constant passion. That’s something we can get 100% behind.
Now that you know the benefits of business Mandarin, it’s time to decide where you’re going to study it.
Keats School in Kunming, China, has been teaching business professionals Mandarin since 2004. There are eight Chinese language courses, and each is customizable to what you need to learn.
If you are not sure where to start your Mandarin learning journey, you can check out Five Ways to Learn Chinese for Beginners.
I’ve been at Keats school and Kunming now for one month doing the one-on-one Chinese lessons with two different teachers. I really enjoy it. Both of my teachers are very friendly and patient. They really helped me to improve my Chinese, both of my reading and speaking. I really enjoy studying Chinese in Kunming as well. This city is really beautiful and the weather is nice, the air is clean. It’s one of the best cities in China to study Chinese.
Kunming is a fantastic city. The weather here is great. The school is excellent. The instructors are very helpful, very friendly. I strongly recommend that anybody who is looking for a Chinese language school in China come here to study. Kunming and Keats school are much better than any other place.
My teachers are all excellent. They trained the teachers so professionally. I feel like I learn very quickly with my teacher. They are very serious about their students and I know every teacher is like this. I would highly recommend that you come to Keats if you are looking for the best Chinese school in China.
I really enjoy coming here because it is like kind of a home for me. It is a great environment to learn Mandarin Chinese in China and meet great people from all over the world. Everyone here is extremely friendly. Kunming has a really nice climate. It is a very good mix of the modern city and also a lot of historic Chinese culture. Probably got the cleanest air in China and possibly the cleanest water too. I invite you to come to study Chinese in Kunming.
Before I came to Keats School, I had no confidence in my Chinese proficiency. I did not have the confidence to speak Mandarin Chinese and chat with Chinese people. However, after 4 months of study at Keats, I become more and more confident in speaking Chinese now. Studying Chinese in China at Keats School has been the best decision I have ever made. There are many games in the class, and my teacher’s teaching methods are also very interesting. My experience at Keats School has changed my view of China and Chinese people.
I come to Kunming because I think the environment in Kunming is better and I heard that Keats School is better. I like the small group Chinese class because my classmates study hard and our teachers are very good. I like the teaching method of Keats because I like the activities at Keats. I think Yunnan is a particularly beautiful Chinese province.
This is my second time coming. Last year, I also came for about 12 weeks. This time I came for 13 weeks of a summer program in China. The reason why I particularly want to come to this school was because of the one-on-one classes. I was able to increase my level and learn Chinese more quickly than in group classes. If I have a chance again to come next year, I certainly will.
My name is Sarah Fish. I am 81. I knew very little Chinese when I arrived. How was I going to survive 2 weeks of intensive Chinese course? I have to laugh when I think of that now. What a positive experience this has been! I really wish we could be here a little longer. The teachers are extremely encouraging, evaluating first how much someone knows, and then starting from there.